Just starting out

ammo126

Hi all! I am new here, so just saying hello! I am 34 (almost 35) my husband and I have been together for 12 years, married for two and decided it's now or never. When my husband gave the green light I went out and stocked up on OPK's.  This will be our first month of trying so I am cautiously optomistic.  I have never been pregnant before so I am excited and nervous!

One question, do you all find the OPK's more accurate or using the charting method with the BBT?  I jeep track of my cycles, but I am not doing the BBT. I used an OPK about six months ago just to try and pinpoint when I was ovulating, one month I got two consecutive days of positive tests, the next month I got no positive days.  I only bought the one week supply of tests so I may have just missed it. I am now testing every day starting at the 5th day of my period so hopefully it will be more accurate.

StephPV

Hello and Welcome!  Sorry I can't answer your OPK questions, but I am sure someone here can.

jb2rn

Welcome!

Go to this website for a quick tutorial on charting: www.fertilityfriend.com

I charted and used OPK's as well. Most likely you O'ed earlier or later that cycle you got no positive test. I highly suggest charting. You will learn a lot about your body.

 

Best of luck to you

BeckyP005

Welcome and good luck! I've never charted so I can't help you on that. I'm sure others will chime in

KateLouise

Welcome and best wishes.

I only ever used to chart my CM on fertilityfriend. I charted for a few months before we actually started TTC, and so got very familiar with my body's pattern.

hooligans4

Welcome to the board. Good luck on your ttc journey. I just started using opk's. this will be my third cycle so I'm new at it but it gives me a time frame when to BD. from using them I have figured out I O pretty early in my cycle. I have never charted so I have no advice on that. I say just have fun and BD often for a few months and see what happens.

ammo126

Thanks for the site recommendation! I had an app for tracking my cycles, but this one seems more accurate. So you know what I will be doing for the next couple of hours lol !

QOTR

I charted my temps for a few months.  It definitely helped me to understand what was happening with my cycle.   I learned my O date and we have been able to achieve pregnancy 3 times, but with early losses.   When I asked my RE if he was interested in seeing my charts, he said that he didn't think it was necessary for me to continue to chart, since we obviously knew when to have sex.  So now, I use OPKs to confirm that my O date is staying consistent (although like previous posters have said - the OPK only indicates that you're surging, it can't provide confirmation that ovulation occurred).    If we don't achieve another BFP in a few months of trying, I'll probably return to charting to have a better picture of what is happening.   For now I am appreciating the break as I tend to obsess about my chart when I'm doing it.   

Geekywife

Welcome to the board. I found charting helpful. I have never used the OPK yet. I hope your stay with us will be short but sweet.

LoveBebeLove

Hi & Welcome!

I used OPKs religiously and found that they only show an LH surge, they do not guarantee ovulation will happen.  You can get a positive OPK and have an anovulatory cycle.  You can also have a positive and miss the window if you test late.  It's just not reliable enough for me to spend the money on pee sticks anymore

I temp & chart because if I don't see a thermal shift, I know I didn't ovulate yet or not at all (temps are usually erratic during that cycle).  It keeps me from going wonky during the TWW as temping should help differentiate between anovulatory cycles, ovulating late or early, how long the LP is and show early signs of pregnancy.

Fertility Friend is great and I've use the basic account to track my cycles for over a year now and strongly recommend using their app.
Baby dust!

ammo126

Thanks for all the info everyone! Heading to the store this afternoon to get a BBT thermometer.  Have any of you tried carrot juice or mucinex to increase your EWCM?  I was reading a post on another site and the women there were firm believers in the carrot juice.  Anyone have any success with one or the other?