I'm confused about OPKs!!! Target anyone?

[ntaylor]

Hi! I am driving myself a little crazy with all these OPKs. I've used them a few times, but get confused. I'm on day 18 after taking clomid. I bought the target brand OPK's since they are cheaper (when I ran out of smiley faces). The second line was much lighter for a while, then yesterday it got darker for sure, but I still didn't think the line was darker than control. Today, it's wayyyy lighter, I've tested twice. I'm running out of ewcm like I'm done o'ing and I have much less pain today while yesterday it was so painful. Do you think I ovulated? I'll temp tomorrow and I guess that'll help tell me. Can the tests be positive if just part of the line is as dark as the control? I'm not even sure it was that. Thanks!

[jennyb473]

do you have PCOS?  I know that can cause the OPK to not work as well.....the ones I use even say that on the box.  I have PCOS and I never get a line that is darker than the control line - any line for me is a good sign!  I have thought I've missed months in the past only to find out I was pg - so either it didn't work well or I just got lucky.  My problem now is I have to start progesterone supp 3 days after O and I can't tell even by temping when I O half the time!  The last few months I've been feeling it though so I'm hoping now that DH and I are going to start ttc again that I will still feel it.  I don't want to start the progesterone too soon!  Good luck to you!

[tina1111]

Some brands are far less accurate than others. I read Consumer Reports on them and some won't detect o on most women! CBE (not the smiley) was rated highest after a monitor. I have always had great success with the answer 20pk for $20. On most tests if more than 1/2 the line is as dark as control line they are considered positive. Some are not, you can call the # on the pkg to see what mfr says. Do you temp also? I always use it as a back up. Once temp is up you know you o'd.

[ntaylor]

Well the problem was my hubbie was gone yesterday when I got the darker opk, though it wasn't REALLY positive. Today we bd, and my temp was still low this am, I also had lots of EWCM this morning. I'm hoping we caught it in time. Can't an egg live 12-24 hours after it's released?

[ashort]

I was just talking about this on another post...I don't want to miss this month and I am almost out of smileys and they are expensive!!!  So...I think I'm going to try answer brand...Did you bd when the line got darker...just to be safe?

socgirl...get the smiley's they are really easy to read...but expensive...I'm also going to bed every other day starting Wednesday.  Today is CD7 so I figure I can't miss that way..and my dh will be all smiles...haha

[socgirl]

It sounds like you may have ovulated.  If it was darker a couple of days ago and now lighter, then it means it is no longer detecting an LH surge.   I've had the same problems with OPK's.  They drive me nuts!  Sometimes it so hard to tell if the test line is just as dark as the control line or darker and I also seem to have many siutations where only half of the test line is darker than the control line.  in that case, does that mean it detected an LH surge or not?  They can be confusing...i've just resingned myself to BD several times a week...that way i'm bound to hit a day close to ovulation  or on ovulation.  good luck...i know how frustrating/confusing it can be. :)

[love1221]

I think as long as part of the line is as dark as the control line then it is positive.  I'm not 100% sure of that though.  But, the instructions in the test should say something about it.  Also have you been to peeonastick.com?  They have a lot of information of opk's and hpt's.