OPK/Ovulation Question...Proabably dumb/confusing

InkedGirly86

Morning Ladies!

I'm usually more of a lurker, but I have a question that has me stumped- I'm thinking you gals might be my best chance at a logical answer.

I started using OPKs this month- I'm not temping, but I will next month- on the first day after my period ended. I started using them then because I was on BC for a month to force a period, and I am also on Metformin 2x a day for PCOS. Anywhoo- First day after my period I started the OPKs, and got definitive negatives for a few days which I expected. Then, Wham! what I thought was a positive-as dark as the control line, but not darker. I assumed this was still to be considered a positive. My DH had been BDing before that date, on that date, and the day after. Well, I continued to use to OPKs to see when the surge was no longer detected, and lo and behold it dropped off- Two days of negative tests and I thought we were good to go. The third day (After the last + OPK), I got an even stronger positive. Just in case, my DH and I BDd that day and the day after...
So now I am REALLY confused.... I went online, and I just found a lot of contradictory information... I know that you can release two eggs, but that's really rare and that only happens within 24 hours or so- so that doesn't apply. I was only testing once a day.

I'm really sorry if this makes no sense at all- I just bought a BBT and will definitly be using it next month- I have a picture of the lined up OPKs, but I'm not sure if they're like pregnancy tests and they aren't reliable to read after 10 minutes or so...I hope that doesn't make me a weirdo to still have them from this month....   If it would help to have a visual, I can try and post the picture from my phone- I didn't put it in just in case they weren't reliable after the time limit...

Any help/guidance/answers from you ladies would be greatly appreciated!!! I have never learned so much in so short of a time as I have been here, so I'm looking forward to hearing what you gals have to say!

Hope you're all having a great Friday morning!

RunningGal900

OPKs just tell you that your body is gearing up to O, not that you are definitely going to. So, since you just got off BC, I think it is possible that your body is trying to O and didn't so you got another surge. I'd keep testing until you get AF since you can't confirm O. That way you don't miss it.

A positive is as dark as or darker, so yes, it does sound like your first one was a positive. I have a hard time telling definite positives sometimes so this month I bought some digitals to use to confirm after I get a positive on a cheapie.

Also, I thought I remember reading that PCOS can mess with OPK results and give false positives.

Good luck! Hope it works out for you this month, but if not, charting will make you feel better because you will be able to confirm O!

Mrs Babs

While I haven't personally experienced 2 LH surges, a lot of other ladies on here have. This is where temping really helps. You can have a LH surge (as detected by your +OPK) and then not actually release an egg. Your body will then have another LH surge (as indicated by another +OPK) and then possible release an egg then. You won't truly know if you are ovulating unless you temp and see your temp spike. A +OPK doesn't guarantee you are ovulating, it just means your body is gearing up to ovulate. To be safe, all you can do is keep having sex around your +OPKs and if you don't catch that egg this month, definitely try temping next cycle. Hope this helps. GL!

rayofsunshine99

So, in short, you were using OPK's, you got a positive result one day, then they were negative after that, then you got a positive again, correct?

Unfortunately without temping it will be hard to know for sure if/when you ovulated.  My guess would be the second surge but that's just a guess...  All you can do in the mean time is hump it out.  

cmread

Just wanted to say that I don't think your post was dumb or confusing.    Also, I agree with PPs that you probably had more than 1 LH surge, which doesn't mean that you actually ovulated more than once (or at all).  I'm glad you plan to temp next cycle - I think it brings peace of mind.  Good luck!

musicalsilver

RunningGal900:

Also, I thought I remember reading that PCOS can mess with OPK results and give false positives.

This is true. A lot of women with PCOS have elevated LH. This means they get a lot of false positive OPK results. Unfortunately you can't know if this is the case for you without keeping testing with OPKs and temping.

FWIW, I have PCOS, but the only time I've seen a positive OPK was correlated with a temperature shift, so I feel pretty okay about relying on them. Hopefully your body just geared up to ovulate, didn't and then tried again!

pitbullmommy315

I just posted something very similar. Haha whoops. Probably should have read this first.