Question for those who used OPK's...?

Hi, Everyone!

Well, I bought one of those 20-day OPKs (ovulation prediction kit) because we're trying to conceive baby #1.  Prior to my weight loss, I'd always been irregular, but since losing 90 pounds, my cycles average about 38 days.

Anyway, I pee on the stick every morning.  I wait 5 minutes.  For the first few days, there was no line, as expected.  Then, it started gradually getting darker.  Yesterday, it was the darkest it has been (but still not as dark as the test line) and then this morning, it was lighter. 


WHAT THE HELL?  LOL.  I thought I was supposed to get a dark line for like 2-3 days?  Hubby and I did the deed last night, but he was too tired and stressed to finish.  Does this mean I missed my window of opportunity?  We had sex on Tuesday and Sunday, too.  Based on my last 8 cycles, my window of fertility is estimated to be between April 21-26.

I know the sperm can live up there for 2 days or so.  I just want to know what your experience has been with OPKs and if you've had something similar happen to you.

Thanks!! 

I never had the line get darker than the control line.  Sometimes you can miss it unless you're testing a couple times a day.  I ordered my OPKs on Ebay so I had enough to use them willy nilly.  I used that in conjunction with an iPhone app called iPeriod that really helped me keep track of which days I should be fertile.  Hubby and I DTD for 5 days in a row during my fertile period and that did the trick.

Hope this helps.

Thanks!  I have iPeriod, too.   It's a really great app!  I put in my last 8 periods, and it predicted the exact date that my last one started.  Crazy!

This is sad to admit, but hubby and I are used to doing the deed about once a week because of conflicting schedules.  So now that we're having sex every other day (or every day if we can) we're struggling to keep things from getting too mechanical.  LOL

I use Clearblue Easy Digital Ovulation Test. I too was having a problem interpeting the shades. This one will have a smiling face on it if you detect a LH Surge. Hopefully you didn't miss it and won't need this kit next month, but try the digital ones.

~~Gina

Mandy- you and I really are sharing a brain. I just asked a friend about their OPK today. they said that they never did get a line on either baby... LOL! But i'm thinking about investing in a digitial.

Seriously Tiff... if we lived closer to each other, I swear we'd be best buds! LOL

Anyway, I tried the OPK and I just have to kind of shrug at the results.  Meh.  I saw this other one that's a microscope and you just lick the slide first thing in the morning and let it dry.  When you're ovulating, you'll see a fern pattern appear.  It's like $40 and can be used over and over and over... so I think I'm gonna try that one instead of sinking $30 into pee sticks every month.  :) 

I never have gotten a line darker than the control either- but testing after noon helped me this time- I tested at noon and then again in the evening. Some use morning urine but you can miss your window that way I've heard. But, I utilized temp charting too- that helped me figure out that I usually ovulate on day 15 or 16. That helped with the OPK's, so I wasn't starting on day 3 or 4, afraid to miss. Instead I would start testing on day 12 or 13, just in case. When I used a low dose of clomid, I would always get a better line, but that is just me and my body. Maybe I was more relaxed too, thinking that I would for sure O with the drugs- got pregnant on clomid both times after lots of failures the old fashioned way.

You may have caught it this month, but maybe not. Are you temping at all? I know that is annoying for a lot of people, but I found combining that with the OPK's was the best for me- and for my anxiety LOL. Good luck though! Crossing fingers.

Carrie

I don't know if it's the same with all OPKs but they say it's best to test between 10am & 8pm, not with FMU.  Last month when I got my surge I had tested in the afternoon and the line was almost as dark.  Tested again later and it was as dark.  Tested the next day and back to light.  Sounds like that might have been the lead up to your surge.  If it wasn't, maybe your urine was just diluted more than usual when testing??  I've read during your fertile period, sperm can live for up to 5 days.  All it takes is one, so hopefully, you caught it this cycle!  Best of luck!  Can't want until we get good news from you!!!

So, I usually only got the dark line for 1 day. I usually "did the deed" the day before & after. We got pregnant the first time doing it that way this time.