OPK help

[Eve M]

Hello!
This is my first month ttc with the aid of opk strips.
I started testing in the evening of cycle day 10. It was low. I tested morning and evening of day 11. Both low. Morning test of day 12 was almost as dark as the control line- maybe 1 to 2 shades lighter, but by the evening it was significantly lighter. Today, day 13, I tested low.

Has anyone had this happen? Was that my peak?

Some more info that may help... when looking at the test strip today it is definitely lighter than the control. Is it normal for the peak tests to stay darker than the control line even when dried? When looking at other women’s opk testing progression, the peak is still very obvious even days after..

Help would be much appreciated!!!

 

[rb101]

Some women have very quick surges so it's always best to test twice a day when you start getting darker second lines and to carry on testing for a few days up until the lines becomes lighter i.e. negative.
Best times for starting out will be 11am and 5pm (first morning urine not necessary) I sometimes added in a 3rd test before bed when I was getting close to my peak which caught a few positives peaks I'd of otherwise missed. Ovulation usually happens a day or two after your positive peak but a lot of women can feel when they ovulate if they're tuned into their bodies well.
When I was tracking using OPKs my positives definitely stayed darker than the controls once dried.

It is also worth using OPKs for a full month starting the day after your period if you're new to tracking just to get an idea of your usual timelines. I actually ovulate a week after my period so when I first started using them I kept missing my window completely! Other women ovulate very late in their cycles so until you get to know your cycles better it's best to cover a full month.
I hope this helps! Good luck

 

[Eve M]

Some women have very quick surges so it's always best to test twice a day when you start getting darker second lines and to carry on testing for a few days up until the lines becomes lighter i.e. negative.
Best times for starting out will be 11am and 5pm (first morning urine not necessary) I sometimes added in a 3rd test before bed when I was getting close to my peak which caught a few positives peaks I'd of otherwise missed. Ovulation usually happens a day or two after your positive peak but a lot of women can feel when they ovulate if they're tuned into their bodies well.
When I was tracking using OPKs my positives definitely stayed darker than the controls once dried.

It is also worth using OPKs for a full month starting the day after your period if you're new to tracking just to get an idea of your usual timelines. I actually ovulate a week after my period so when I first started using them I kept missing my window completely! Other women ovulate very late in their cycles so until you get to know your cycles better it's best to cover a full month.
I hope this helps! Good luck

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and for all the helpful info! I’ve been testing way earlier in the morning and much later in the afternoon so I’ll be sure to change those up.

 

[rb101]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and for all the helpful info! I’ve been testing way earlier in the morning and much later in the afternoon so I’ll be sure to change those up.

You're welcome! It is definitely trial and error to begin with our cycles can vary so much so it's daunting trying to figure out that's happening.

Start with your OPKs and possibly note down any changes in discharge during your cycle. Watery or egg white type is also a good indication that ovulation is nearing and should reflect in your OPK lines. If you fancy joining the ladies over in the TTC forum you'll find some great support. They're currently active on the June testing thread