TTC and confused on the LH surge

erizhkigal · February 2013

I have never posted on any baby forum's before but here is my story.

I had a miscarriage last Septmeber and it was my first pregnancy. I am going on 34 years old right now.

I waited until January before TTC again. January was unsuccessful and we decided to purchase preseed because I need it and figured we had a better chance with that than the KY jelly we used in January.

I have been using the OPK's. I am pretty regular with my period. I was clockwork until I had the miscarriage of every 28 days. Now it goes from 28-30 days, which I have worried might be a bad sign.

In January, I started my period the 8th. I detected my surge exactly 2 weeks later and quit testing because the tests say to quit after finding your surge. In February, I started my period the 6th (29 days after my last period). I did much more reading and read that you should test until your LH surge is gone and have sex everyday during the surge. Knowing I should have my surge on the 20th of February, we had sex the 17th before bed, the 19th before bed and sure enough I detected my surge on the 20th (after work). I was exhausted on the 20th after work so we had sex really early in the morning on the 21st (like 4am). That evening, I detected my LH surge again and it was very strong - it showed up before the control line. Then we had sex again the 22nd before bed. This evening, I STILL have a strong LH surge. This is 3 days of a LH surge. I have read the surge lasts 24-36 hours. I am ultra confused.

Has anyone ever seen this before and if so, please tell me what happened.

Tamma254 · February 2013

It is possible to get three days of +OPKs. It is also possible that your body geared up to O, then for whatever reason, it didn't, by continuing to use the OPKs you may have quickly caught a second surge.

That's why a lot of the ladies on the board chart their BBT (basal body temperature) using fertilityfriend.com (you can click on any of our chart thumbnails or tickers in our siggys to get there), as OPKs only tell you that you're gearing up to O, not that you actually O'd.

GermanGirl2007 · February 2013

1) First and foremost, I am very sorry for your loss.

2) 28-30 day cycles are absolutely nothing to worry about, so don't let yourself think that way. That is totally and completely normal.

3) What type of OPK are you using? It is very easy to misread OPK's, expecially when you are close to positive. That said, I have had surges that have lasted 2 full days before. Super long surges can be indicitive of other things, but I wouldn't worry about it just yet. I would perhaps suggest trying a different type of OPK, especially if you are using Wondfos since I have often heard of people struggling to read those accurately.

I don't know if this is helpful at all, but good luck to you! Also, I would recommend looking into charting if you haven't already. Paired with OPK's it should really help to pinpoint your timing.

gscoville · February 2013

I'm assuming you're not charting using temps as well as OPKs? There are several things in your story that are inaccurate, so you would do well to try out Fertility Friend for your charting, there are wonderful tutorials there that can help you to learn what you don't already know about OPKs, temping, LH surges, etc.

You can get multiple days of positives on OPKs during your surge. I often have had three days of positives, very dark positives, before it finally fades out to definite negatives.

Usually you ovulate anywhere within 12-36 hours of the END of your surge. While charting, I've always found I ovulate the day after my last +OPK. This is why you want to keep testing once you get your first +, so you can be sure how long your surge lasts and guess more accurately when you might O.

It is possible to have more than one LH surge during your cycle. Your body can actually have a LH surge but not ovulate, then another surge, then actually ovulate. Some women with longer cycles report that they have had several 'false' surges. This leads to my fourth point below.

The only way to confirm that you've O'd is by taking your basal body temperature (BBT) or what we refer to as temping. You do this every morning when you first wake up, hopefully at the same time every day. When you O you will likely see a definite temp shift, and when that temp stays up for three or more days that's when you know you've O'd. OPKs on their own can tell you that you might be O'ing, but not that you for sure did.

If you click on my chart below, you will be taken to Fertility Friend (FF) and you can start your own free account. Most of us here use FF for our charting, other charting apps just guess at your ovulation based on your period dates and averages, they're crap. I'd seriously suggest giving FF a try, as I said before there are amazing tutorials that will help you learn all of this and more, which should help you to be more accurate with your sex timing and to know just what is going on with your cycles.

erizhkigal · February 2013

GermanGirl...

1) Thank you. I am ok with it.

2. Well it never varied before the miscarriage and was exactly 28 days for probably almost 20 years..lol

3. I am using Answer. What is Wondfos? Well I know if I start my period in 28 then ovulation has already happened or will happen like right now..lol

What can a long LH surge be indicative of?

Thanks.

erizhkigal · February 2013

gscoville

No, I am not charting using temps. I have just figured since I was always regular that I ovulate on the 14th day after I start my period. Also, the LH surge always went with this time frame also. I have recently just started reading up on everything and by no means am an expert. Also, I find a lot of conflicting information also which makes it more difficult to figure out.

Yes, I have read that you ovulate after the surge ends which would mean that I ovulate and have my period less than 14 days after ovulation, which I had always thought that you ovulated exactly in the middle of your cycle (for me would be 14 days). I had read that usually false LH surges were from using morning urine so to stay away from that urine.

Is it possible to ovulate much later than 14 days and stay on the 28 day cycle?

I will definitely look into the FF. Thank you.

gscoville · February 2013

erizhkigal:
GermanGirl...
1) Thank you. I am ok with it.
2. Well it never varied before the miscarriage and was exactly 28 days for probably almost 20 years..lol
A cycle can be like clockwork, and then just not be, for no reason. You have no idea how many times women come on here confused about a change to their cycle who say "I was always like clockwork, to the day, to the hour, etc.". As we age our bodies change, and so can our cycles.
3. I am using Answer. What is Wondfos? Well I know if I start my period in 28 then ovulation has already happened or will happen like right now..lol
Wondfos are cheap tests that many of us here use, we buy them online (Amazon, etc.). They work fine, but some people find them hard to read if their results are borderline.
What can a long LH surge be indicative of?
3 days is not a long surge, it is completely normal. I don't know anything about a long surge being indicative of something.
Thanks.

erizhkigal:
gscoville
No, I am not charting using temps. I have just figured since I was always regular that I ovulate on the 14th day after I start my period. Also, the LH surge always went with this time frame also.
If you've always stopped testing when you first got your +OPK, then you have no way of really knowing when exactly you ovulated. You might have got your + on day 14, thinking that's the day you ovulated, but you could actually have continued your surge and ovulated later.
I have recently just started reading up on everything and by no means am an expert. Also, I find a lot of conflicting information also which makes it more difficult to figure out.
Yes, I have read that you ovulate after the surge ends which would mean that I ovulate and have my period less than 14 days after ovulation, which I had always thought that you ovulated exactly in the middle of your cycle (for me would be 14 days).
Women ovulating on CD14 or in the exact middle of their cycle is an average statistic only, most women find this isn't true at all. The phase between when you ovulate and the start of your period (your Luteal Phase, LP) can be anywhere from 10-16 days. Most women have an average LP length for them, but even then that can fluctuate from cycle to cycle (mine has been between 11-13 days most cycles). Having an LP shorter than 10 days can be a concern, it's thought that the chance of an implantation 'sticking' is lower with a very short LP.
I had read that usually false LH surges were from using morning urine so to stay away from that urine.
Yes, you shouldn't use FMU unless your test calls for it, but usually you get a false negative from FMU, not a false positive. Typically, your LH surge happens later in the day, so testing with FMU means you would normally miss catching the surge and get a negative, not get a 'false LH surge'. Most of us test OPK twice a day to make sure we catch the surge and continue to follow it right through to when it ends. I test late morning/early afternoon and later in the evening.
Is it possible to ovulate much later than 14 days and stay on the 28 day cycle?
See above regarding LP length. You could O only 10 days before your period and that could be quite normal.
I will definitely look into the FF. Thank you.

GermanGirl2007 · February 2013

gscoville:
erizhkigal:
GermanGirl...
1) Thank you. I am ok with it.
2. Well it never varied before the miscarriage and was exactly 28 days for probably almost 20 years..lol
A cycle can be like clockwork, and then just not be, for no reason. You have no idea how many times women come on here confused about a change to their cycle who say "I was always like clockwork, to the day, to the hour, etc.". As we age our bodies change, and so can our cycles.
3. I am using Answer. What is Wondfos? Well I know if I start my period in 28 then ovulation has already happened or will happen like right now..lol
Wondfos are cheap tests that many of us here use, we buy them online (Amazon, etc.). They work fine, but some people find them hard to read if their results are borderline.
What can a long LH surge be indicative of?
3 days is not a long surge, it is completely normal. I don't know anything about a long surge being indicative of something.
Thanks.
erizhkigal:
gscoville
No, I am not charting using temps. I have just figured since I was always regular that I ovulate on the 14th day after I start my period. Also, the LH surge always went with this time frame also.
If you've always stopped testing when you first got your +OPK, then you have no way of really knowing when exactly you ovulated. You might have got your + on day 14, thinking that's the day you ovulated, but you could actually have continued your surge and ovulated later.
I have recently just started reading up on everything and by no means am an expert. Also, I find a lot of conflicting information also which makes it more difficult to figure out.
Yes, I have read that you ovulate after the surge ends which would mean that I ovulate and have my period less than 14 days after ovulation, which I had always thought that you ovulated exactly in the middle of your cycle (for me would be 14 days).
Women ovulating on CD14 or in the exact middle of their cycle is an average statistic only, most women find this isn't true at all. The phase between when you ovulate and the start of your period (your Luteal Phase, LP) can be anywhere from 10-16 days. Most women have an average LP length for them, but even then that can fluctuate from cycle to cycle (mine has been between 11-13 days most cycles). Having an LP shorter than 10 days can be a concern, it's thought that the chance of an implantation 'sticking' is lower with a very short LP.
I had read that usually false LH surges were from using morning urine so to stay away from that urine.
Yes, you shouldn't use FMU unless your test calls for it, but usually you get a false negative from FMU, not a false positive. Typically, your LH surge happens later in the day, so testing with FMU means you would normally miss catching the surge and get a negative, not get a 'false LH surge'. Most of us test OPK twice a day to make sure we catch the surge and continue to follow it right through to when it ends. I test late morning/early afternoon and later in the evening.
Is it possible to ovulate much later than 14 days and stay on the 28 day cycle?
See above regarding LP length. You could O only 10 days before your period and that could be quite normal.
I will definitely look into the FF. Thank you.

FTR, sometimes women with PCOS have OPK's that are positive for very extended periods of time, or are nearly always positive because of higher levels of LH. That said, it does NOT sound like that is the case for you, OP. Really, the three days of positives could be completely normal, or a fluke in reading the tests, as I mentioned earlier. I want to be very very clear that I do NOT think this is the case, I just wanted to mention it since gscoville had said she hadn't heard of long surges being indicative of anything.

I had clockwork cycles as well, until I didn't. It happens and it doesn't really mean anything at all. As PP said, our bodies change and so do our cycles. I have an average 29 day cycle, and I usually O anywhere from CD17-19. This is completely normal. That said, if I hadn't been temping I would have had no idea when I was O'ing and our timing would have likely been way off.

PP's have given great advice. Hope it is helpful for you!

gscoville · February 2013

GermanGirl2007:
FTR, sometimes women with PCOS have OPK's that are positive for very extended periods of time, or are nearly always positive because of higher levels of LH. That said, it does NOT sound like that is the case for you, OP. Really, the three days of positives could be completely normal, or a fluke in reading the tests, as I mentioned earlier. I want to be very very clear that I do NOT think this is the case, I just wanted to mention it since gscoville had said she hadn't heard of long surges being indicative of anything.
I had clockwork cycles as well, until I didn't. It happens and it doesn't really mean anything at all. As PP said, our bodies change and so do our cycles. I have an average 29 day cycle, and I usually O anywhere from CD17-19. This is completely normal. That said, if I hadn't been temping I would have had no idea when I was O'ing and our timing would have likely been way off.
PP's have given great advice. Hope it is helpful for you!

I'm so glad you stepped in on this one, I don't know much about PCOS other than it can cause wonky cycles and problems with temping, and so didn't realize that long +'s on OPKs could be related to that. Thanks for that clarification, good to know!

erizhkigal · February 2013

GermanGirl... Thanks for the response. I know for a fact the LH surge was prevalent on Saturday evening, which puts the surge at 4 days. Now, tonight I used the last one I have and I was unsure if I had a surge or not. The line was very dark still but not as thick as the control line and it showed up after the control line unlike the rest of the days. The rest of the days, the surge line showed up really dark as soon as the urine hit it and the control line took a little bit to show up. I am taking that as maybe the surge is leaving or has left?

I downloaded the FF app on the iphone. I took my temps and figure it wouldn't hurt to start logging them. I don't have a basal thermometer but if I am not pregnant and start my period, I will purchase one the day I start my period. Should I continue the OPK or just wait? Realistically, I had sex today, I could just have sex in a couple days (tomorrow will not be a lot of time, busy) and in a little over a week I will be on my period anyways if I am not pregnant. What do you gals think?

Thank you.

erizhkigal · February 2013

What is PP?

Thanks

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