Question for users of Maybe Baby & OPK's

I have ben using both Maybe Baby & OPK's to work out when I am Oing. I have just seen ferns on maybe baby for 2-3 days (CD 14-16) but am still getting -ve OPK's (I have never got a +ve OPK yet). I don't observe much CM so hard to tell what's happening.
What do you think?

Any advice would be appreciated.

I know you said to ingnore you post, but I thought I would repsond as others may like to know!!

I have the same problem as you. And as I drink alot OPK's tend not to work for me. OPK test the levels of LH in your Urine. If you are like me I dont get a high enough reading so I never get a Full +. You can however look at it this way.
A + OPK can be either of these.
Same colour as Control Line
or
At least half on the Test line is as dark as the Control Line
(does that make sense)?

I asked my DR and he said that is fine.

Tamara - I have not got anything on OPK other than the control line (not even a faint 2nd line). I am testing everyday and not drinking ect so it's a bit frustrating. Hopefully the ferns on maybe baby mean something!

What time of the day are you testing.
I found to get the second line (as I hardly got one either) I did it late in the afternoon...

Yup - I've tried numerous times of the day, mostly around 5pm. It may be that I havn't Oed yet this cycle, even though I have some ferning on maybe baby. The ferns are only seen on parts of the microscope view so could be approaching O I guess. Also, this is my thrid cycle off BCP so that may have an impact on detection of LH in OPK (??). I will see what happens this afternoon as I've had 3 days of ferns in a row so +ve OPK could be yet to come!
Have you used maybe baby and got results with both this and OPK Tamara? If so, how many days did you get ferns and +OPK for?

I normally got + Maybe Baby and OPK about 2 days in a row then nothing.
To the lead up of "o" I got partial ferns and near + OPK's for around 5 days.
I normally "o" around CD17 so I started using Maybe Baby on CD12.

Going by comments on another forum Bethany, where I asked about Maybe Baby, alot of the girls said they found it unreliable as it often showed ferns throughout the month, and not just at ovulation time.....I still use mine though!

Kat - I have never got ferns other than around "o". Before I used Maybe Baby I made sure my cycles were around the same. That way I could pinpoint when I knew I needed to use it.

Then again, DH loves it, because he knows when there is going to be partial ferns or even full he is going to get some :bd: !!

Take any fern as the green light!!

Good points there Tamara - i'm definitely going to continue using mine.

somebody mentioned something about drinking and it afffecting your CM or OPK result...I am wondering, do you mean drinking a lot of water, or drinking alcohol?? Sorry if a dumb question...

8-[

julesy

Julesy - I was referring to drinking water (or anything much) prior to testing with OPK's. Apparently you should restrict drinking for 2 hours before testing as the LH surge may not be detected if urine sample is diluted.

BTW - If you think that's a dumb question you should see some of mine!!!

Isn't the ferning frustrating!! I am going to try temping next month and try different OPK's as I've had no luck with these (from ebay). They work well for some but not for me.

Yes! The ferning frustrates me no end because it will be partial one day and insignificant the next!! At the moment, the only sure fire way of detecting whether you will ovulate soon or not is the CM. My temps have all been within 0.2-0.3 degrees of each other, with no significant thermal shift yet. WHich is good I suppose, because then I may have missed the boat!!!

Good luck with it all, surely a :bfp: is coming my way this month???? Am getting so frustrated! I'd like not to think about it so much, but it's hard when you've been clucky for years!!!

thinking of all those TTC today, hope you get what you wish for this christmas!!!

julesy
:bdust:

Bethany,
You may have read some of my posts re opk's? If so, I will bore you, if not I may make you feel better!
I have NEVER got a positive. The closest is a shade or two lighter than the control. I do ovulate as I have been pregnant 6 times. I have used lots of brands and lullabuy over the internet is the easiest for me as I get a 'close to positive' . I got this in my last cycle that I did conceive in.
I can't comment on maybe baby as I haven't used them.
Love Deb

Deb - Thankyou. You are a darling. I will definately try the lullaby ones for my next cycle. It's horrible when you never get a ++ result as you get disappointed and feel a bit like a failure (silly, I know). The whole TTC can be quite emotional and when you can't even get a + on a test to detect O it's awful. Did you find that you did O around the time you got a second faint line on the lullaby OPK's (even though that's technically a -ve result)??
My hormones must be weak or something!

Hi Bethany,
I do believe that I ovulate when the second line comes up a couple of shades lighter (on lullabuy). Just keep in mind that the LH surge occurs 12-36 hours before ovulation. Studies have shown that ovulation occurs on average 24 hours after the surge is detected in urine. Remembering that it of course is detectable in your blood first and it takes some hours after that to be detectable in urine, thus the large time frame of 12 - 36 hours. However some people have a good strong surge that is easily detectable, others (maybe us) have a perfectly okay LH surge but the surge isn't as easily detectable. I know personally I drink heaps and of course this will dilute the result. I always restrict fluids in the 2 hours before testing but I would consume about 4 litres of liquid a day so I believe this has a bearing. I know if I had never conceived and had babies and done a opk I would think I wasn't ovulating which isn't true! So, maybe this is happening with you too. The other thing you can do is to test twice daily. The optimal time to use an opk as suggested by Lullabuy and by my obgyn is 2pm. My doctor also suggested I test again at 8pm. To give me the best opportunity of catching the surge. I did this last cycle and the test only went to 2 shades lighter, but I did conceive. So, let's hope the same happens for you! I look forward to hearing how you go, so let me know!
Love and baby blessings,
Deb

Deb - you are full of great information (not only in this thread but I have read some great comments you have made elsewhere). Did you ever have any difficulty getting a + on your HPT's when you were in fact pregnant? Just wondering if you noticed any relationship b/n OPK result (ie. being -ve when in fact you were Oing) and HPT result when testing when pregnant ie. did you get an early ++ HPT?
I have tested today and have BFN so I think my AF is just later than usual, which is fine (only just started TTC).

Bethany,
I am glad I was helpful. I am not sure I am understanding what you are asking. I think you are asking did I get a + OPK when I was pregnant?
Last pregnancy I used Lullaby OPK. I never got a + but a 2 shades lighter + on day 16. I BD on 16 and 17 and got a very feint positive at 11DPO using a HPT. On 12 dpo I got a second line on OPK and a very feint +HPT. You may know that OPK's and HPT's will both detect HCG but HPT's will not detect LH.
I actually got a +OPK on 14 dpo that was detecting my HCG as I was pregnant.

This is not recommended as a method of diagnosing pregnancy though as OPK's are made for LH and HPT's are made for HCG. I however knew I was pregnant and was interested in testing the theory.

A friend of mine tested for her entire cycle with OPK's even after she saw the LH surge as she was certain that in some cycles she ovulated twice going on her observations of cm.
After she got her surge there was only one line for a few days and then she began to get a feint 2nd line that slowly got darker. She thought AHA! I have a second surge. She got a +OPK about 12 days after the 1st +OPK. She kept bding and stopped testing. She was feeling very smug that she was indeed 'right' and ovulated twice. When she didn't get a period 14 days after the second test she tested and was pregnant. However she then realised the +OPK the second time was actually detecting HCG and not LH.
So, I hope I have answered your questions , throw some more at me and I will help if I can!
Love to you
Deb

Deb - I didn't explain myself very well so I posted a new question on this forum instead.