OPK

[Steph_b]

Hi Ladies,
I'm a little confused.  I've been trying to pin point ovulation and I don't seem to be having much luck.  I have a very regular 28/29 day cycle, and started with the OPK on the 11th day of my cycle.  Now i'm on CD16 and the last 4 tests I've done look almost positive....There are 2 lines, but the control is slightly darker than the test line.  According to the directions those would be negative tests?  Shouldn't I have ovulated already???  

Maybe OPK is just not a good method for me.... Any advice would be helpful

[Tanyax]

Hiya

When i first started using opk's i was using the cheap ones on the internet and never seemed to get a positve.
I tried alongside those the first response opk's and got a deffo positive on cd15 on a 28 day cycle. I also tried the clearblue digital with the smiley face and that was positive too unlike the the cheap ones that gave a semi-positive.
I know its more expensive but i recomend the first response or clearblue digital.
Now on 3rd month TTC
wishing you all luck

[JoyRenee]

Women ovulate approximately 2 weeks before their period, so in a 28-day cycle you would ovulate on or about CD14. So your fertile window could be described as CD11-17.

If you ovulate 10 days or less before your next period, you have a luteal phase issue. Your luteal phase (the period of time between ovulation and your period) should be more than 10 days or a fertilized egg does not have time to implant. There are ways to extend your luteal phase, like taking vitamins.

The cheapies, also, stink. Don't use them! They're a waste of time and a whole lot of heartache. I hear there are smiley face OPKs. I'm personally not a fan of this method but if you find that the smiley face ones work for you then that'd be great.

[Steph_b]

Thanks for the advice.  I think that I'm around ovulation, even if those stupid little tests don't say so...I bought the cheap internet ones and I don't really trust them  I have been busy bding just in cause they are wrong.

[nickieb85]

Some women don't ovulate until the 16-20th instead of the 14th but if you have a steady 28-29 day cycle it should have happened around the cycle day 14-16 so I would start bedding even if you don't get a positive those things don't work all of the time either.

[Steph_b]

Thank you!  I will look for the OPK with the smiley faces.  I think that will be much less confusing.  I started charting this cycle but read you have to do it for a few cycles in order to be able to predict Ovulation.  Thank you for your advice!

[niki_beth]

I know OPK's with lines can be hard to read. I used them for a little while, but it was only after I had a good idea of when I was ovulating, so it took some of the guess work out. Have you tried charting with the OPK's? This might help you... or what about the digital clear blue easy OPK's.... smiley face when you 'O'... that way there are no lines to interperet. A fertility monitor is also a huge help when trying to figure out your most fertile days, but they tend to be a little pricey.
Anyway... if the other types of OPK's don't sound like the right thing for you, charting just might be, it only takes a few minutes every day to take your temp (basil thermometers are pretty cheap at target) and check your cm and cervical position, and then you can even share your chart with other people TTC or your Dr to get more oppinions. (if you want to do both most charting programs online (i think medhelp has one) have a place for you to track OPK results too... just one more piece of the puzzle!)
Good Luck!!