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Hi Girls,
Just wondering if someone could answer a couple OPK questions for me..
If the test line is slightly lighter than the comparison line, does that mean that I am going to get a positive OPK pretty soon
and
Once the 2 lines are the same colour, how long is it before O normally takes places ?
Sorry if these questions have already been asked before...
Thanks
Pebs
xx
Hi,
1, Yes you are due to get the darker line soon if the other line is faint.
2, You should O 24-48 hours after you have got the dark line.
If the test line is slightly lighter, you will probably get a positive result soon, although having said that I never got a 'true' positive' on an opk. When you do get a positive result you will more than likely O in the next 24-48 hours.
I would start bding today, just to increase your chances of catching the egg. :) Good luck.
HI Pebs,
Like Kazz I have only ever once got a true positive on an opk and that was when I tested four times in the one day!!!
Having said that I looovve opk's. They can tell you when you are about to ovulate and knowing that gives you the best chance of catching the egg.
If you have a second line slightly lighter than the control line you are probably very close to ovulating. I have had a feint line at 2pm darker at 6pm and gone by 10pm. I got pregnant that cycle so I ovulalted but never registered a 'true' positive. So, had you tested 4 hours later yesterday you may have seen a true positive.
Anyway as Kazz said bd away once you get a line that is looking close to positive and do so for the next 3 days. The thing to remember is that you will probably ovulate within the next 12-48 hours from when you get a positive.
Oh Pebs I hope you catch a gorgeous egg this month. I have my fingers crossed for you sweetie.
Hugs,:)
Like Deb and Kazz I have never had a 'true' positive on an OPK despite knowing for sure that I have ovulated (day 21 test). Not sure why that is... I always figure once I see a line at all - Its Time to GET BUSY ;)
I like that Keen! And so true!!!!
HUGS
I did an OPK 3 days in a row, and 3 days in a row the second line was lighter than the control line, so I figured I was close to O, but then on the 4th day I tested at around 7pm and got a big fat nothing?? I have been monitoring my CM, but it definately wasnt what I would call "EGG WHITE or WATERY", so I was assuming that I wasnt about to O - but then my temperature dropped quite low on Monday went up on Tuesday - I was hopeful that I had O'ed but then it dropped lower than what it did on Monday today (Wednesday) - Im terribly confused this cycle! :confused:
I think I might just scratch this cycle off altogether!
Thanks for the advice girls
Hi Pebs,
Tell me to go away if you already know what I am about to say but just in case you don't here goes!!!
All human beings have lutenising hormone floating around - always. Even men. So, if you are registering a second line in could just mean that you are picking up that LH that is always detectable. When the LH surge occurs this is what is needed so an ovum is released. This is what the opk's are picking up. You are very likely to ovulate within 12 - 48 hours after detecting this surge.
It is not uncommon for women to report that they "never get a positive opk". I am one of them and I know I ovulate and I know I am fertile. When I used opk's last year whilst ttc I started to think I wasn't ovulating as I never got a positive. I had blood tests each cycle that showed I had had a very good ovulation each time but the tests never went positive.
I then contacted an internet opk supplier. She explained that once I see a second line to begin to bd. I did this and conceived. Unfortunately that pregnancy was lost at a little over 5 weeks and that next cycle I conceived again doing as she had suggested. I have learnt for me once I see a second line I am about to ovulate. The lines have only ever (except once) got to be 2 shades lighter than the control. Sometimes when I test 3-4 times a day I get an almost positive. I have given up on that though. I know for me that once I get a second line we bd away for the next 3 days.
Now, that is my body and yours is obviously different. However I am not the only woman here at BB that will tell similar stories I am sure.
From what I have learnt what I would sugggest is buy up on some opk's and begin to test from about day 12 (unless you have really short cycles otherwise start testing earlier). It is best to test at around 2pm so 'they' say. However, the closest I ever got to a positive was at 10pm so who knows???
Anyway, once you see a second line test again 4 hours later and then again 4 hours after that. You are very likely to see the colour get darker, and this is telling us that you are probably getting closer to surging. Ensure that you don't drink in excess for a few hours prior to testing and try and hold your urine for a few hours prior to testing. Never use fmu as this is the most concentrated urine of the day and will likely show a false positive result. What often happens is you will get a feint second line one day for each testing and then the next the colour will get darker. If you have a feint line one day at each testing begin testing the next day at 10am. Don't waste your sticks by testing more than once a day until you see a second line. It is thought that we surge at about the same time each cycle, however I have seen conflicting "evidence" of this. So, just because you got a postive at 2pm one cycle doesn't necessarily mean that you will see it at the same time of the day in the next cycle. Once you start to see a second line bd away for the next 3 days to give yourself the best chance of catching an egg.
Just remember though you still may not get a positive but you will likely see a darkening line, which for girls like us can be pretty exciting!!! I know I have a smile on my dial when I see it anyway, but maybe I need more to do!!!!!
As for your cm.... Now, I don't get much if any ewcm. I used to but not any more. What I have learnt though and seen through my work (I am a nurse) is that women can have lots of nice ewcm up around the cervix that just doesn't come down. This can confuse us a bit. I know it does me. Try to be more aware of the sensations and the feelings. Sometimes you may feel wet but not actually see evidence of this in your undies. Also, sometimes the ewcm is lost down the loo as it is watery and like ew. There are many babies born to women who thought they weren't ovulating because 'the mucous hadn't changed'... I am not sure if that will make sense. I am not going to comment on the charting as it has been so long since I have personally done it that I won't be a good one to comment but I know there are lots of women in here who are masters at it.
Now, once you get the two lines on your opk take special note of when you go back to just the one line. Count on 7 days from then and go to your gp and ask for a post ovulation progesterone level. This will then give you some information on weather you are ovulating and weather in fact those two lines did herald ovulation for you. Women with pcos will often have 2 lines on their opk's all the time. So, this method would not work for them.
I buy my opk's from Lullaby conceptions and the lady there is extraordinarily helpful. I know it is costly to test so often but it will give you an idea of what your body is up to. It is only one way of doing it and it may not suit you but I thought I would mention it. Once you know if the 2 lines even if they don't show a true positive mean you are ovulating you dont' need to test this often. It really just gives you a baseline and the confidence to say '"yes, two lines means I am about to ovulate". It wouldn't be wise just to assume that two lines means you are ovulating without having some bloods taken at 7dpo.
I know from the other post that you are ceasing your epo. I think that's wise but many women use grapefruit juice to increase ewcm also, so that may be something you might like to consider.
As I said put me back in my box if you know all of this!!!
Hugs again...
Well said Deb.
I also got my OPK's from the same place as Deb and brought 20. Started to use them way before i thought i was due to O.
They where on special when i got mine not sure what i paid for them now.
Deb,
AGAIN THANK YOU - You are a wealth of knowledge - I think I'll try the grapefruit - Do you think I could just have the juice orI actually have to eat the fruit ? And I guess from now on, as soon as I see 2 lines im going to get DH and BD like rabbits heheheheh
THANKS BUNCHES!
Pebs I think the girls have been a wealth of knowledge.
Just a little side not, grapefruit isnt recommened if your on certain types of medications as it can have very bad side effects.
You are right Sunny grapefruit (and to a lesser degree other citrus fruit) is one of a small group of foods that can cause dangerous side effects if eaten whilst taking certain medications.
Grapefruit has an enzyme that causes the drug to be absorbed too quickly. Any prescription medication that causes this sort of reaction will have it clearly labelled on the bottle and your pharmacist should warn you of this before you begin the medication. The drugs that this affects are some blood pressure tablets, cardiac medication, some antidepressants and antipsychotics. It can also affect the absorption of estrogenics (and possibly some other hormones) and the ocp. You need to remember that when you drink grapefruit (or any other juice) you are getting a large dose of the fruit. It would probably be wise to check out the grapefruit/herb connection but to my knowledge there are no known adverse interactions - having said that I am wondering if I can remember dong quai shouldn't be taken with grapefruit.... I will look it up and get back to you.
That is usually so Emma but not always..
A positive opk says that the LH surge has occured. However you can have a surge but an egg is not released - so we don't ovulate. It is quite usual for women to have the occassional annovulatory cycle...
Also, a woman's body can gear up to surge and then not.
Women that have pcos have a higher level of LH in their bodies normally so some of these women will report that they have quite a prominent second line many times throughout their cycle. OPK's can sometimes be tricky for women with PCOS. It can depend on what brand of opk's you use. Some opk's will pick up a lower level of LH than others so therefore you will get a second line more easily - iykwim...
The only way of determining with a fair degree of accuracy weather ovulation has occured is by having a 7dpo progesterone level taken... Or of course by conceiving!!!
That is why it is difficult for women like me who don't get a positive opk (without copious amounts of testing and using LOTS of strips!!!) because the second line could be just picking up LH which is always floating about to varying degrees. If I use an opk just after AF on urine that I have held for 5 hours (I have done this as an experiment!) I will get a second line. If I use LH strips on fMU close to surge time I will also get a close to positive. I haven't got PCOS.
If you do get a positive opk you can be fairly sure you are about to ovulate. However as I said you can surge but not release an egg!
However, if you don't usually have two lines and then you find you do, it is likely that you are about to surge and then ovulate. The only way of knowing with a fair degree of certainty is by the 7 dpo progesterone level...
Just an aside Emma congratulations on growing a baby girl! Gorgeous name! Your ticker is really flying... I hope you are well...
Hugs
Brooke,
It's great that you have worked out your body signs. Yeah I know a lot of women who have said they gave up on opk's because the lines never got darker and when they tested for a whole cycle they found the ovulate much later than they thought. For me though even when I am surgingI don't get a positive. As I said unless I test ridiculously frequently I just never get that darker than or equal to the control line colour. So, I just know 2 lines means surge is gonna happen soon. That saves me a lot of testing and a lot of strips! You must have a fair amount of LH floating around to always get a second line. I obviously don't (even when I surge!) and so I never get a second line unless I am about to surge or if I am pregnant!