*UPDATE- OPK PIC* Important question about IUI

[hopingforit]

I just got a call from my FS office who said my DH has lower motility than he should - 28%. They want me to do an IUI a day after I surge and yesterday looked *almost* positive and this morning looked positive until it dried. When yesterday OPK dried, it still looks close to positive but today's OPK looks neg after drying. I told her that I took one last night and it looked positive as did this morning but after it dried it looked negative. She said don't count it after it's dried. So, she has scheduled an IUI for tomorrow at 11am. She said they like to do the IUI one day after the surge. I'm worried that if I did surge last night and still had a positive this morning, would it be too late for the IUI to work? I took an OPK yesterday afternoon too and it was *almost* but not positive. We are doing unmedicated IUI plus I had an HSG this month so I really want the IUI to be before I O. I do not temp because my old Dr told me it is unnecessary and my current RE didn't even ask about temping. So, if I did surge last night, would it be too late to do the IUI tomorrow, about 36 hours after I surged? Sorry if this post is confusing. I am just sort of reeling from shock after I unexpectedly got the call and my mind is just all jumbled. I confused the poor woman on the phone.

Thanks for the help!

 

[oneof14]

I just got a call from my FS office who said my DH has lower motility than he should - 28%. They want me to do an IUI a day after I surge and yesterday looked *almost* positive and this morning looked positive until it dried. When yesterday OPK dried, it still looks close to positive but today's OPK looks neg after drying. I told her that I took one last night and it looked positive as did this morning but after it dried it looked negative. She said don't count it after it's dried. So, she has scheduled an IUI for tomorrow at 11am. She said they like to do the IUI one day after the surge. I'm worried that if I did surge last night and still had a positive this morning, would it be too late for the IUI to work? I took an OPK yesterday afternoon too and it was *almost* but not positive. We are doing unmedicated IUI plus I had an HSG this month so I really want the IUI to be before I O. I do not temp because my old Dr told me it is unnecessary and my current RE didn't even ask about temping. So, if I did surge last night, would it be too late to do the IUI tomorrow, about 36 hours after I surged? Sorry if this post is confusing. I am just sort of reeling from shock after I unexpectedly got the call and my mind is just all jumbled. I confused the poor woman on the phone.

Thanks for the help!

How are they testing your LH surge, are they just relying on you testing? I know my RE takes blood to see if they detect the surge and they base it on that. My RE specifically said do not test for O we will do that for you. Also, will they be doing a u/s? I know you are doing unmedicated, but I would ask for an u/s and blood work to make sure you are indeed ovulating when they do the IUI. Good luck!

 

[hopingforit]

They said they would do it based on when I get a surge on my OPK and when I told the lady that I got the surge either last night or this morning but thought it was this morning, she said come in for an IUI tomorrow.

That's why I'm nervous because I know there can be human error in interpreting the results and last night looked almost positive/positive and today looked positive until it dried.

I know they aren't going to do bloodwork but they may do an U/S before I get it done. I'm not sure though. I couldn't even think to ask any questions because I was taken so off guard.

I don't have to pay anything out of pocket so it won't hurt to do the IUI just in case because I heard the egg lives 12-24 hours but I just don't want to get my hopes up of the IUI working when I may have surged last night making ovulation today or Monday morning.

 

[silverbell]

All I can tell you is that for me (medicated), they want me in for the IUI exactly 36 hours after I've had the trigger injection (what would be the natural surge).

They told me not to bother with OPKs as they sort all that out with scans etc and can time it perfectly that way.

Is there any way you can speak to a nurse at the office about your concerns to put your mind at ease?

(By the way, just for the future - I'm not sure if they do them in the US but Clearblue digital ovulation kits are supposed to be the best with no query about the results - if you get a 'smiley' face then you've got your surge).

 

[hopingforit]

All I can tell you is that for me (medicated), they want me in for the IUI exactly 36 hours after I've had the trigger injection (what would be the natural surge).

They told me not to bother with OPKs as they sort all that out with scans etc and can time it perfectly that way.

Is there any way you can speak to a nurse at the office about your concerns to put your mind at ease?

I spoke with a nurse and told her I wasn't sure if I surged last night or this morning. I said I know this morning was positive but so was last night. She told me not to worry about last night, just focus on this morning, whether it was positive or not. I told her it was so she scheduled the IUI. She said they usually don't go by the night surges. I'm not sure why.

I'm not sure she fully understood me though because I was rambling about oh last night looked positive but this morning did until it dried and I'm not sure blah blah blah. I was completely caught off guard by her call as I expected to go at this month alone because the Dr who did the HSG (not my RE - he was on vacation) said that my Dr would probably just tell me to try for 3 months (she said because HSG increases fertility for 3 months) and then do IUI.

 

[silverbell]

I spoke with a nurse and told her I wasn't sure if I surged last night or this morning. I said I know this morning was positive but so was last night. She told me not to worry about last night, just focus on this morning, whether it was positive or not. I told her it was so she scheduled the IUI. She said they usually don't go by the night surges. I'm not sure why.

I'm not sure she fully understood me though because I was rambling about oh last night looked positive but this morning did until it dried and I'm not sure blah blah blah. I was completely caught off guard by her call as I expected to go at this month alone because the Dr who did the HSG (not my RE - he was on vacation) said that my Dr would probably just tell me to try for 3 months (she said because HSG increases fertility for 3 months) and then do IUI.

Oh I see - well that sounds like they're doing the right thing then going by not counting night surges. I imagine it's because night surges are just the start of the surge and so nothing would be happening just yet. I would take another early afternoon today - when OPKs are generally recommended to be taken - and see what that shows. If it is positive within the time frame and without drying then you haven't ovulated yet, as you can't get a positive after you've ovulated.

Hope this helps and I hope you get it sorted out.

 

[marie44]

I was worried too about the timing of my IUIs but my dr assured me that you have a 48 hour+ window and it doesn't matter if the egg is waiting for the sperm or the sperm have to chase the egg. I've have 2 of my IUIs before ov and one after ov. I can't say I've gotten BFP but that is bc dh count is low and generally IUIs have a lower succcess rate if that is the case. It must be so frustrating but try to trust them & BD on your own afterwards as they told us bc it only increases your chances. GL! Hope it works!

 

[hopingforit]

I spoke with a nurse and told her I wasn't sure if I surged last night or this morning. I said I know this morning was positive but so was last night. She told me not to worry about last night, just focus on this morning, whether it was positive or not. I told her it was so she scheduled the IUI. She said they usually don't go by the night surges. I'm not sure why.

I'm not sure she fully understood me though because I was rambling about oh last night looked positive but this morning did until it dried and I'm not sure blah blah blah. I was completely caught off guard by her call as I expected to go at this month alone because the Dr who did the HSG (not my RE - he was on vacation) said that my Dr would probably just tell me to try for 3 months (she said because HSG increases fertility for 3 months) and then do IUI.

Oh I see - well that sounds like they're doing the right thing then going by not counting night surges. I imagine it's because night surges are just the start of the surge and so nothing would be happening just yet. I would take another early afternoon today - when OPKs are generally recommended to be taken - and see what that shows. If it is positive within the time frame and without drying then you haven't ovulated yet, as you can't get a positive after you've ovulated.

Hope this helps and I hope you get it sorted out.

I was thinking the same thing about it just being the beginning of the surge. I also know that I shouldn't count the OPK after the 10 minute mark so even after it's dried, it shouldn't matter. I'm going to take another OPK in about an hour or so. I'll see what it shows. Even if it's just slightly lighter, I'm not worried as I know you ovulate 12-36 hours after your surge so I'm just hoping we catch it in time.

I was worried too about the timing of my IUIs but my dr assured me that you have a 48 hour+ window and it doesn't matter if the egg is waiting for the sperm or the sperm have to chase the egg. I've have 2 of my IUIs before ov and one after ov. I can't say I've gotten BFP but that is bc dh count is low and generally IUIs have a lower succcess rate if that is the case. It must be so frustrating but try to trust them & BD on your own afterwards as they told us bc it only increases your chances. GL! Hope it works!

Thanks for the assurance! I was hoping pretty much what you said, that if I did ovulate, the egg is waiting for the sperm. I am just really excited to try this (even though I know that unmedicated has much less chance than medicated) because I just got the HSG but didn't want to get my hopes up if it is too late. I was thinking that surely some people surge on Saturday and can't do IUI until Monday, which would essentially be the same as me.

 

[hopingforit]

Note with all of these pictures that on the test line, from left to right, it fades. I always go by the left of it because the right is always light for some reason.

Top is last night about 7pm
Next one is 7am this morning
Last one is about 15 minutes ago

What do you think?

 

[marie44]

Looks like a positive LH surge to me. The timing should be fine.

 

[BlueStorm]

The last one looks positive for sure. Maybe since you have to depend on these it would be better to get the smiley ones like one of the other ladies mentioned. They really make it easier to tell. More expensive but worth it.

 

[sienasmama]

I just got a call from my FS office who said my DH has lower motility than he should - 28%. They want me to do an IUI a day after I surge and yesterday looked *almost* positive and this morning looked positive until it dried. When yesterday OPK dried, it still looks close to positive but today's OPK looks neg after drying. I told her that I took one last night and it looked positive as did this morning but after it dried it looked negative. She said don't count it after it's dried. So, she has scheduled an IUI for tomorrow at 11am. She said they like to do the IUI one day after the surge. I'm worried that if I did surge last night and still had a positive this morning, would it be too late for the IUI to work? I took an OPK yesterday afternoon too and it was *almost* but not positive. We are doing unmedicated IUI plus I had an HSG this month so I really want the IUI to be before I O. I do not temp because my old Dr told me it is unnecessary and my current RE didn't even ask about temping. So, if I did surge last night, would it be too late to do the IUI tomorrow, about 36 hours after I surged? Sorry if this post is confusing. I am just sort of reeling from shock after I unexpectedly got the call and my mind is just all jumbled. I confused the poor woman on the phone.

Thanks for the help!

Last time we were TTC, I had an initial ultrasound, then another later on day 10, along with bloodwork throughout the first half of my cycle to determine when I ovulated. The RE would tell me when to do the trigger shot, and the IUI was 36 hours later. And I'm happy to tell you that it worked on the 2nd try. I was always told you have up to 48 hours after the LH surge, so I think you'll be okay!

 

[hopingforit]

The last one looks positive for sure. Maybe since you have to depend on these it would be better to get the smiley ones like one of the other ladies mentioned. They really make it easier to tell. More expensive but worth it.

I was so tempted to go get that today but I didn't have the car. The ones with the smiley faces would be so helpful and if this IUI doesn't work, I'll probably try to get them next month. Thanks!