TTC and questions

[Rawan]

Hello everyone,
This is my first time TTC, and hope you can help me out with my questions. During the last cycle, I used the clear blue digital ovulation test, and I got smiley face on day 11. For this cycle, I bought the ovulation strips, and was planning to confirm with digital one once I get a positive on the strip. On day 10, I can see the line getting darker, but still not as dark as the control line, so I thought it's not a positive. On day 11, the line actually became lighter, so I thought I might have missed the LH surge? After that, the line on ovulation strip has been getting lighter and lighter, so that's why I feel I might have missed the LH surge. I've been testing around similar time everyday(4 pm, once/day). I did see a temperature rise on day 13, 14 (but I didn't measure at exactly same time for temperature). I felt something like ovulation pain on day 10/11. Do you think I missed the LH surge in between day 10 at 4pm and day 11 at 4pm? We ttc on day 11, 12, 13. Do you think I missed the LH surge? When you use ovulation kit, do you test more than once/day? Hopefully I can get my BFP this month!
Thank you!

 

[MrsBeany85]

I'm glad you've asked this Rawan because I'm wondering about my opk results too! The test line was pretty light then got really dark Friday and yesterday (though not quite as dark as the control line) and today's is barely even visible. Not sure what to think! Sorry I couldn't be much help in answering, but I'll be interested to see how you get on

 

[Rawan]

Yeah that's why I am wondering if I missed the LH surge....the last cycle I used the ovulation kit a bit later...around 6pm...maybe that's why I caught the LH surge...because I read that we can use ovulation kit between 10am-8pm, but best to use in the afternoon....so that's why I decided to test daily around 4pm...maybe my LH surge is so short that I missed it...
I am hoping that the spermie still caught my egg!

 

[MrsBeany85]

Fingers crossed for you! I'm hoping the same thing here!

 

[Rawan]

I am also wondering if I used the digital ovulation kit on day 10...maybe it would have given me a smiley face?...since I heard sometimes the strip might not give a very strong positive....

 

[MrsBeany85]

I've not used the digital ones before, but I've read similar things about people getting positive digital results and not so obvious test strip results so I would think you might be right. This is my first cycle using opks and I'm also going to start temping (not ideal halfway through a cycle I guess) just to see how I get on with it.

 

[Rawan]

Oh ok thank you MrsBeany85!
I also read somewhere on the forum that some people said as soon as you see the strip getting darker, you should test more regularly to avoid missing the surge. I guess I will try that next month if no bfp this time
Baby dust to both of us!

 

[Rawan]

Anyone had similar experience before with ovulation strips getting darker and then lighter again? Do you think there's chance that I could be pregnant in this cycle (since we bd on day 11, 12, 13)? According to the ovulation strip, I think I ovulated between day 10 at 4pm to day 11 at 4pm. Thank you!

 

[WishnandHopn]

My opk's don't become 'true' positives some months, they get almost as dark as the control line for 2 days and then fade away like you described. You might want to try testing twice a day, 12 hours apart, and make sure your urine is concentrated. I use first morning urine, even though they say not to it's the only way I get a nice dark positive.

The amount of time between positive OPK and O can vary...normally 12-36 hours after but it's pretty tough to pinpoint when (if) O actually happened. Also your LH levels can go up and then not ovulate. I hope you didn't miss it...your chances of catching the egg are better if you BD the day or 2 before O, rather than on O day, which means you should start bding before your OPK turns positive. Fx for you!

 

[Rawan]

Thank you for sharing, WishnandHopn!
I tried to hold my urine for 4 hr before testing with the ovulation kit.
Definitely I will try testing twice a day for next cycle, and maybe I will try first morning urine too. Because my temperature did go up on day 13 and 14, so I am assuming I ovulated this cycle (although those 2 days I didn't measure my temperature at the same time as previous days, not sure if that matters).

 

[Rawan]

Just measured my bbt again this morning, and the temperature is still high, hope that's a good sign? Today is day 16 for me (Counting the first day of my period as day 1). However I don't feel any pregnancy symptoms. I guess if not this cycle, hopefully next cycle I can get my BFP. My BBT range is 37.3, 37.3, 37.5, 37.8 37.4, 37.6.

 

[WishnandHopn]

Very good sign if your temp goes up and stays up for more than 3 days! Are you using an app to chart your temp? Fertility friend is good.

If the egg was fertilized it wouldn't implant for at least 5-6 days after ovulation. Still really early for symptoms, and some people don't have any until they're 6 weeks prego!

 

[Rawan]

I am just recording my temp manually, ok, I will check out that app!
Thank you!

 

[Rawan]

Never knew ttc would be this hard before...maybe has something to do with my age too, because I am over 30...before me and my boyfriend were worried about "accidents", but now we are ttc, it's actually not that easy...
For ovulation kit, do you really hold the urine for 4 hr? I tried to follow the instructions, but sometimes I find it hard to hold it that long...maybe I have a small bladder or something lol
Thank you!

 

[WishnandHopn]

I think TTC is one of the hardest things I've ever done...I've heard it called a rollercoaster of hope and fear! It is pretty crazy when you first start ttc...I was on the pill for 20 years so it was super strange to actually want to be pregnant after so long not wanting to be.

I have a tiny bladder and I drink lots of water so I switched to first morning urine because it was too hard to hold it during the day! When I was testing when I got home from work I would avoid drinking water in the afternoon, but that was counter productive because you need to be well hydrated to make good CM for the spermies to swim in!

 

[Rawan]

Thank you WishnandHopn!
Yeah that's why at first I wanted to use first morning urine, but I read on some discussion forums that it's better to test in the afternoon (since LH surge in the morning), but I will test more than 1 time from now on so I won't miss the surge. Baby dust to both of us!