OPKs Make Me Angry: PLEASE HELP!

amikabee

Hello! This will be a little long but I'm needing guidance so I felt it was best to paint the whole picture

I'm a newbie to this site but have been TTC for about 6 months now with DH. I've been on other sites and have been lurking through posts here for about the past month. You guys are awesome so I'm needing some advice.

I'm pretty regular with cycles between 32-34 days long. The past two months have been weird as I start spotting about two days before my normal light flow. I know all the craziness about what spotting before a period can mean but I've been fairly confused if the spotting is the start of my period or not. (I just had an annual with my OBGYN and she seems to show no concerns about my ability to get preggers and told me my fertile window most likely starts CD 14-15)

SO! Since every TTC app has been wrong about my fertile week LITERALLY EVERY CYCLE. I started calculating myself according to what my OB has told me. I've calculated as if CD1 was the start of spotting and also as if CD1 was the start of my normal flow (I've given myself a slightly longer fertile period just in case) I also monitor CM and use wondfo OPKs.

[Below you'll see I've listed my CDs within a 2 day window as I'm calculating the start of my cycle as ether the first day of spotting or the first day of my regular flow.]

If you've gotten this far, THANK YOU! You're a trooper!

So the reason I'm here is because I get an LH surge between day 18-20 every cycle without question. AF comes promptly 14 days later. I normally surge for 2 days with minor pelvic pain on either my right or left side. Last month I surged for 1 day with an almost positive (2 hour holds, I just really had to pee!) and then 1 day with a definite positive (again I really can't wait 4 hours to pee). 14 days after O, AF came with spotting two days first this month. I used OPKs starting CD 12-14 with negative results that were gradually getting darker and then on CD 16-18 I received an extremely close almost positive with moderate O pain on my left side like I usually get during O time. then the next day it was nearly stark white and all pain had disappeared. This was odd as it felt like I was O'ing and it would be the correct timing minus the fact that I didn't get a true positive. I'm now on day 18-20 with the same extreme negatives wondering if my almost positive on CD 16-18ish was an actual positive and perhaps my surge happened overnight. (I normally test twice a day in the afternoon and evening so the next day after my almost positive I didn't test until around noon.) it's also important to note that I get EWCM for about 3 days- the days before during and after ovulation. This happened right on que on CD 15-17 to CD 17-19.You would think that since I'm 6 months into the game I would know a positive is a positive and an almost positive is a negative but I'm just really not sure. I'm still testing because I know you can surge twice if you didn't actually ovulate and DH and I will continue to bd. but I'd like to know any thoughts or experiences anybody else has had with these types of OPK results.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and share advice and tips. DH and I are really wanting a little one and so far TTC has just been really frustrating. I also don't have many people I can ask for advice on the topic so any help is GREATLY appreciated.

THANK YOU!

bsckgb7

Can you link your chart?

MrsDepo

First off, CD1 is the start of your normal flow, not the start of spotting, so I would stick with that. Secondly, any of those ovulation predictor apps are a load of crock and need to be tossed out asap. People can have 28 day cycles and ovulate on CD 10, others can ovulate on CD18, so they are pretty useless. Third, the only way to know if you've ovulated is by tracking your BBT. I have been tracking my OPKs multiple times a day from CD10 onward this cycle (CD18) now and have seen multiple patches where they get darker and then lighten out again. I am on day 3 of a true positive OPK and it is possible that I ovulated on any of those 3 days or not at all since a positive OPK does not necessarily mean that you ovulated. Your best bet would be to get a BBT thermometer, download the Fertility Friend app and start charting your temperatures along with OPKs (I prefer Wondfo's but others prefer different OPKs). Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a great book on this but the FF guides you get when you sign up for Fertility Friend are great as well.

Welcome and good luck on your TTC journey

SisterMaryNapalm

MrsDepo said:

First off, CD1 is the start of your normal flow, not the start of spotting, so I would stick with that. Secondly, any of those ovulation predictor apps are a load of crock and need to be tossed out asap. People can have 28 day cycles and ovulate on CD 10, others can ovulate on CD18, so they are pretty useless Third, the only way to know if you've ovulated is by tracking you BBT. I have been tracking my OPKs multiple times a day from CD10 onward this cycle (CD18) now and have seen multiple patches where they get darker and then lighten out again. I am on day 3 of a true positive OPK and it is possible that I ovulated on any of those 3 days or not at all since a positive OPK does not necessarily mean that you ovulated. Your best bet would be to get a BBT thermometer, download the Fertility Friend app and start charting your temperatures along with OPKs (I prefer Wondfo's but others prefer different OPKs). Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a great book on this but the FF guides you get when you sign up for Fertility Friend are great as well.

Welcome and good luck on your TTC journey

^^All of this. Calendar method is ridiculous and assumes that every woman is built the same. Even individual women can vary cycles. For the record I O'd on CD24 so if I'd been going off the recommendation from my OBGYN I'd be way off!

It's great you're checking your CM and using OPKs but as PP said only taking temperatures can confirm ovulation and help you know when you test. It's already saved me heaps in tests

Good luck

concreteayngel

You could have saved a ton of time just posting your chart, which conveys ALL of that information in one easy to read graphic. You're wasting your time by not temping. Temping will confirm ovulation, nothing else will. You may also want to try switching to digital OPKS. They are more expensive, but the nice thing is it's either positive or negative. I've also heard a lot of people say they can't get a true positive out of Wondfo OPKs. (I like the CB basic digital, not the advanced which also display "peak days," which if you chart CM, is redundant information that you pay extra for)

Also, get a new doctor because you got shitty advice. CD14 is average for women with 28ish day cycles. Yours are a bit on the longer side, so it makes sense that it takes you a little longer to O, closer to CD16-18.

linny4

I agree with PP. OPKs are a great tool but, they are secondary to temping. Temping is the only real way you'll know if you ovulated. It is possible to have multiple LH surges and never actually ovulate. Cd1 is considered the first day you need a tampon or pad, not spotting.

Fepon24

What OP said. You are regular until you are not regular. I would recommend temping along with the OPK's and tracking CM. That way your temps will confirm your O! Good luck!

amikabee

Thanks guys. Just to clarify: My OB did not say that I'd ovulate on the CD 14 but rather that due to my longer cycles my fertile period would start around this time. Most apps would tell me that my fertile period would begin around the 18th which was 1-2 days away from ovulation!!! No good! So I deleted every chart out of frustration this morning and don't have anything to share except my emotions at this point lol.

I stopped temping after month 5 but from what you are all saying it's pointless without it. It's all just so exhausting! I'm not sure how women who are TTC for over a year keep up! I think it's also time to switch to digital OPKs because this line shit is stupid. I'll break out my BBT again in order to be more accurate moving forward.

Question: seeing as I've temped before and know on average what my temp is before and after O, could I transfer that to this month and start temping now or start fresh next month?

linny4

Just start fresh

MrsDepo

amikabee said:

Thanks guys. Just to clarify: My OB did not say that I'd ovulate on the CD 14 but rather that due to my longer cycles my fertile period would start around this time. Most apps would tell me that my fertile period would begin around the 18th which was 1-2 days away from ovulation!!! No good! So I deleted every chart out of frustration this morning and don't have anything to share except my emotions at this point lol. I stopped temping after month 5 but from what you are all saying it's pointless without it. It's all just so exhausting! I'm not sure how women who are TTC for over a year keep up! I think it's also time to switch to digital OPKs because this line shit is stupid. I'll break out my BBT again in order to be more accurate moving forward. Question: seeing as I've temped before and know on average what my temp is before and after O, could I transfer that to this month and start temping now or start fresh next month?

I would wait until next cycle. Temps and patterns can change from cycle to cycle.

concreteayngel

It can be exhausting, certainly, but temping makes it as easy as it can get. And if you can afford it, I definitely think the digital OPKs are worth the money. No more tearing your hair out wondering if the damn line is lighter or darker. And if you have a good idea of when your fertile period is, you won't waste many of the strips. Be warned though, before you buy a kit, they don't sell "refill" kits where you can just purchase the strips when you run out. (At least CB doesn't. I have yet to try another brand.) You have to buy the complete kit with the digital test reader over and over again, so it is definitely an investment. But I save a ton of money buying them on amazon. Definitely don't get them from a drug store, you'll pay twice as much. 

FiancB

Temping is the easiest part, honestly. I have yet to turn a positive OPK but all other signs show I ovulated. I am kinda giving up on the OPKs- just not worth peeing on my hands over. Going with the when ind doubt, hump it out. 

amikabee

FiancB said:

Temping is the easiest part, honestly. I have yet to turn a positive OPK but all other signs show I ovulated. I am kinda giving up on the OPKs- just not worth peeing on my hands over. Going with the when ind doubt, hump it out. 

Haha this will be my motto from now on!