No FMU for OPK's?

PinkRoses53

I was reading in another thread that you aren't supposed to use FMU for wondfo OPK's.  Why is this?  I had 4 days of + opk's last cycle but I tested with FMU.  I wonder if this screwed up my results.

Milagros315

The wondfo directions - at least the directions that I received - no longer state that you shouldn't use FMU with them. I have used FMU with wondfos and did not have any problems getting an accurate results (meaning +OPKs lined up with temp shift).

mommy2C

I usually aim to test between 2pm and 4pm and always seem to get accurate results. I'm sure FMU isn't a problem for some women but may as well just stick to the instructions.

ImJessesGirl

I drink A LOT of water during the day. I am wondering if that is going to skew my results?

PinkRoses53

Thanks for the responses.  I am going to do use them later in the day going forward.  FMU was just easiest this past cycle but when I was ttc my son, I remember using them a few times a day, mostly in the afternoon and early evening (one can never forget using pee sticks in the work bathroom!). 

It's just been odd to me that I am getting 4 days of + opk's when I always had 1-2 when I was ttc 2 years ago.  I was wondering if the FMU gave me false +'s.  We will see going forward! 

I am going to suck it up and start temping this cycle.  It's just been hard with my son's inconsistent sleep patterns but I guess a bunch of open circles is better than nothing!  Thanks again!

wintersong139

I pretty much second everything @bbg676 said, and would add:

I have been testing both am and afternoon with OPKs. This is because one month I didn't get a positive on my digital OPK, although my temp did go up for the TWW. When I tested both am and pm the next month, I only got a positive in the pm and it was negative again by morning. Every person's levels might be different--for some people fmu might be too concentrated. For others, the LH surge might only last 12 hours and if you only use fmu you would miss it. I imagine that for most people, though, following the directions on the package is a pretty safe bet. If it says fmu, just use fmu unless you note a problem with detection. (BTW, sometimes an LH surge really can be a few days long--at least, if my opk experience can be trusted. Also, I have heard that some digital opks remember the reading from the day before and will give you a positive again anyway just from memory, though I am not sure I have experienced this.)

PinkRoses53

bbg676 said:

@Pinkroses53 - I'm curious and just want to verify, since I see you are only on cycle 3 of TTC #2 and re-acquainting yourself with OPKs - are you absolutely sure that you are getting positives that many days in a row?  

I see you had 6 days of positives your first cycle and 4 days your second cycle - that seems to be a bit more than normal (although not necessarily abnormal).  Are you checking the test during the test time?  I only ask because it is entirely possible for the test line to darken as it dries (similar to a blue HPT evap) and it can make a test look positive when it is not.  

I would recommend, this month, taking a photo of the positive tests during the test time/right at the end of the time, and then, if you continue to have 4+ positive tests, you can show them to us to see if we agree that they are positive.  Another option is to invest in some digital OPKs and when you get what you think is a positive OPKs on the Wondfo, also dip in the digital to verify that it is, in fact, positive.

I am not trying to imply that you are unable to read tests or say anything about your intelligence and I sincerely hope you are not offended by my questions.  It is just that, when using OPKs for the first time after a long break, it can be a bit tricky and people sometimes struggle a little bit to decide if a test is positive or not.  There is a whole website devoted to it, because it can be so tricky.

Finally - are you temping to confirm your ovulation?  If you really are having 4+ days of positive OPKs, it can be hard to know when you are actually ovulating vs. gearing up to ovulate, and temping is the best way to actually pinpoint when you have actually ovulated.  With 4 days of positives, you know that you synthesized LH on the first day, but you don't know which day it actually triggered ovulation.  Hope that helps!

Thanks so much for your thoughts.  I really appreciate it and I don't take any offense whatsoever  To answer your questions:

 I am pretty sure they are 4 days of positive as the test line actually pops up quicker than the control.  It is weird.  I am going to take your advice and post pics this cycle so that you all can confirm but they have been pretty glaringly positive.   I am a paranoid person by nature but this makes me nervous bc I had surgery in November to remove a dermoid cyst on my ovary.  This makes me am worried that something got screwed up since I was getting 1-2 days of + per cycle consistently before then.  

I already bought a new bbt that is on its way here from amazon so I can temp this cycle.  My intention had been to start a couple cycles ago but my son's sleep patterns have been so inconsistent that i got frustrated and decided not to.   I am hoping that temping can confirm that I am ovulating and the weird +'s are just some random  postpartum thing.  My hope is that i am ovulating since I typically get my period 10-14 days after my last +opk.

PinkRoses53

PS- I forgot what a mindf*ck TTC is.  I guess I am officially back in the game haha

shlittertoots

I use Wondfo OPKs and I test with FMU. I've noticed that I get my surge in the late evening. Previous cycles I was testing about 10am and 4pm and not getting positives. Last cycle I got a positive with FMU, and it was negative by my SMU. So this cycle I tested an extra time at 9pm. It was blazing positive and still positive in the am. I think it's fine to test with FMU, especially if you had surged the night before but didn't test.