Ovulation and OPK

[Becs]

Hello,

Sorry for yet another question, still new to this. A couple of Days ago I tested positive on an OPK first thing in the morning(CD2O) and then negative in the evening. Does this mean I had ovulated by the time I took the second test. DH and I BD'd that night but not the night before so not sure if our timing was as good as it could have been. I had assumed it meant I would ovulate on CD21 but now wonder if I had done between the 2 tests.

If anyone can advise or share their experiences I'd be very greatful. I don't expect to be pregnant, but am trying to figure out how it all works.

Thanks
Becs

 

[chellieboo]

sorry Becs can't help you with this.....am interested in what people think though.

I had some confusing opk results last month so am hoping this month will be more clear cut!!

 

[andreag]

Hi Becs
As far as I understand, the positive on the OPK means that you are about to ovulate - I think within 24-36 hours (it should say on the instructions). The only way to tell if you have ovulated is when you get your temp rise. If you got a positive in the am and bded that night, you should still be within the "window" as you might actually of ovulated 36 hours later.

I used to get ++ on the OPKs for a couple of days, which I don't think was right, but probably depends on the sensitivity of the test.

Good luck

 

[Becs]

Thanks chaps - it's all so baffling. Thank goodness for this site and Fertility friend or I would be using the 14 day rule. So at least I have learned some things

 

[fothers]

The OPK measures the LH surge. LH is a hormone that needs to peak to cause the follicle to ovulate. From what I understand surges may vary in duration and amount from person to person. Some people may have it present only for a short time and in others it is there longer.

They say to measure in the afternoon/teatime as it is mainly produced during the day rather than through the night.

It takes a period of time to ovulate after the surge as Chellieboo said so you have not necessarily ovulated the moment you get a negative OPK and should continue BDing to FF confirms your O by a sustained temp rise


Hope that makes sense!

 

[fothers]

Becs- just looked at yuor chart- your temp has started to rise so hopefully in a few days FF will confirm that you O yesterday!

 

[Becs]

Thanks fothers I'll keep my fingers crossed. I will be chuffed just to know I definetly ovulate. I've read too about how you should test with an OPK in the afternoon, however I wasn't getting any positives so just started testing twice a day and low and behold it was positive in the morning. If I had only tested in the afternoon I wouldn't have spotted it. Hey ho - there was me thinking I was normal all these years.

 

[chellieboo]

I'm also testing am and pm due to my strange results last month and the fact that one kit i bought said it was ok to test in the morning!!

 

[Becs]

Yeah me too chellieboo. This was with first response. A bit more pricy though

 

[fothers]

I quite often do it twice a day with my ebay cheapies if I feel it may be near the time.

Do you often get faint lines for a few days before positive or not?

When I came off the pill last cycle I got faint lines for weeks before positive. This time the second line is practically invisible so I don't know whether it will just suddenly appear or whether I have yet to get to the stage of the line getting gradually darker.

 

[Becs]

Well this month on the ebay sticks I wasn't getting any line at all most days including the ones on the run up to my positive OPK. They're so cheap off ebay I don't mind being a little bit wasteful. Now I know I can detect a surge in the morning I will do it every month twice a day around when I think I might be O.

Haven't been trying for long enough to see a pattern of faint lines vs no line.

 

[chellieboo]

Last month my line gradually got darker over a couple of days but never actually went as dark as the control line....which is why i now test twice as figured it may be because my surge only lasted a short time and I missed its peak.

this time so far its been totally negative, but ovulation not "due" for a few days so will have to wait and see if it happens again.

 

[fothers]

Are you using FF too Chellieboo?

 

[chellieboo]

yep.

here's my chart http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/8a98f

only started half through last month though so this is my first proper month of charting!

 

[Becs]

Hey Chellieboo, I only started charting mid last month too. So far my chart looks nothing like last month. I am using a different thermometre though, but it looks like I ovulated much later than last month. I never appreciated how long my cycle was before. I think this months will be about 35 days!