Fertility window and OPKs...
Eliz77
member
I haven't posted here much, but have lurked since joining in August. I am 36 years old and had a MC last month. I haven't really figured out where the best place for me to post is so I've been all over the place!
A little background...I've always had a pretty routine cycle, 28 days and presumed I ovulated around day 14, but never charted, temped, did OPKs or checked CM-just went based on when I had most discharge and higher sex drive. I know, not scientifically correct...We did get pregnant on 2nd cycle try 1st time around, so my husband wanted to just let it happen "stress/pressure free" this time around. At first that sounded great since I do tend to obsess and place too much pressure on myself which in return stresses him out even more so.
But now that I am 36, I AM feeling stressed and I didn't realize how much I need to know what is going on. So, even though I did not chart/temp, I decided to familiarize myself with OPKs after I got my period post D&C (which came 26 days later) so at least I was doing SOMETHING. Based on the calendar and previous history, I had assumed I'd ovulate yesterday. We had sex last Mon, Wed and Sat. I got my 1st +OPK Friday and we didn't have sex Fri due to him working late and me falling asleep before he got home, didn't have sex last night either due to me ruining the mood talking about this...ugh.
However, this AM I decided to check OPK anyway out of habit and got a positive reading using Answers but negative (O) on Clear Blue. I only got + (smiley face) CB on Fri, which has been negative ever since. I usually don't temp until noon and then again at 5pm so not sure why I did this AM.
Not really sure what my question or purpose of this post is. I guess I just needed to tell someone and see what the reactions of others going through the same thing would be. Anyone use Answers OPKs? What would a positive indicate on CD 15 after a clear positive on CD 12? Just hoping I didn't miss my FW, but I just feel like this cycle is a loss already. If so, I will make sure to chart/temp and do OPKs next cycle.
Thank you for reading!
BFP #2 5/7/13 EDD 1/14/2014 Ectopic discovered 5/21/13, lost left tube
Referred to RE, blood work done August 2013, AMH 0.27, all else normal, HSG clear
Re: Fertility window and OPKs...
Welcome. DH sperm can live longer than you probably realize, so don't drive yourself to crazy. Some Drs will tell you that every day BDg is not good, it will lower his count.
As to taking your temp - if you are going to do it, you should do it every day before you get out of bed - at the same time. Not after you have been awake & moving around for a while. When my alarm goes off, the thermometer goes in - then I get out of bed.
I don't know why one of your OPKs would say negative & the other positive, that is very odd. I have learned that the surge is usually 24-36 hrs long. So I would get busy tonight
Good luck to you. I hope your stay here is short & sweet.
Thank you! I assume I am supposed to go based on 1st +OPK, and even if a surge was 36 hrs long, I would have ovulated Saturday, right? Or am I suppose to go by today's test? I actually took 3 OPKs this AM-when the CB was negative and Answer was positive, I took a second Answer with same urine and that was positive as well. Who knows. I plan to make H his fave dinner, open a bottle of his fave wine and BD tonight!
I'm going to have to look more into temping, I have a pretty consistent schedule since I work 6 days a week and still get up early on my day off for the dogs. My only concern is I do get up a few times over night and I know that could affect timing.
It is insane when you realize how small the window of opportunity is when you want to get pregnant, even if all is perfectly well. Makes me wonder how in the world there are so many surprise pregnancies...
BFP #2 5/7/13 EDD 1/14/2014 Ectopic discovered 5/21/13, lost left tube
Referred to RE, blood work done August 2013, AMH 0.27, all else normal, HSG clear
The "ideal" for temping is not to have gotten up 4 hours prior to temping, I have often woken at 4 am having to pee and held it till 6 to temp. You are also not looking for any 1 temp, its a pattern over several days...so as much as we all obsess over every temp spike and dip you need to see several days for an answer. I also recall that consistant high temps for 18dpo means your ku, but who waits 18 days! lol 14 and everyone is poas'ing LOL, if not before.
Sperm can live up to 5 days, but I think that is the longest most tend to live up tp about 36 hours.
And yes it is a crazy small window in which you can get KU! Seems like a flaw in the design
My Ovulation Chart
Me: 41 DH: 46. We are TTC our 1st, started July '11,
3 cycles clomid with Ob,
1 cycle Tamoxifen with Ob,
Diagnosed PCOS 11/5/12
clomid, trigger & timed bd 12/12 BFN
1st clomid IUI 1/4/13 BFN.
2nd clomid IUI 2/13 cancelled didn't respond to clomid.
3/15/13 scheduled laparoscopy & on bcp.
May 10 IUI from injectibles - BFN
May 22 done with interventions it will either happen or it won't.
February 2014 No longer actively trying, but not preventing.
SURPISE BFP 4/2/2015!!!!!!!!!!
Miscarriage 4/23/15
I guess I am relying on sperm sticking around a few days at this point!! :-)
I don't just get up to go to the bathroom-I have a dog who needs meds every 8 hours due to a seizure disorder and he tends to have to go out at random times. I guess I'll just have to start kicking H out of bed to take him out!
BFP #2 5/7/13 EDD 1/14/2014 Ectopic discovered 5/21/13, lost left tube
Referred to RE, blood work done August 2013, AMH 0.27, all else normal, HSG clear
Welcome, Eliz.
Are you on Fertiltiy Friend's site for charting your BBT's? They have a great tutorial that discusses the fertility window. You should check it out. It describes it as a 6 day window, and the two days before O and O day are the best days to do BD....I really learned a lot from that site. Hope it helps you.
Good luck and hope your time here is short and sweet! You will find the ladies here very nice, helpful and knowlegable.
Take care.
I haven't started charting yet but have visited the site and signed up. I promised my husband we would give it a go for a couple months before doing charting/etc and zeroing on specific days to BD. But I am now thinking I have to start earlier to get a better idea of when I do ovulate.
I ended up testing again as I usually would midday and the Answer test is still showing positive and the other test (Live Better) is still negative. Unsure what to think. If I did indeed O Sat or Sun, at least we did BD Sat. If I am O'ing late, I guess I'll just need to keep BD'ing! I guess I'll cross my fingers during this 2ww and keep familiarizing myself with charting.
Thank you all!
BFP #2 5/7/13 EDD 1/14/2014 Ectopic discovered 5/21/13, lost left tube
Referred to RE, blood work done August 2013, AMH 0.27, all else normal, HSG clear
Oh, Eliz.
I forgot to mention a book called, Taking Charge of Your Fertility. By Toni Wesler, I think that is how you spell her name. You can google it to see the books cover and author's name. If, I were you, I would check it out of the library and read it, not that you have to read it all, but go through it and it will help you tremendously. I think I saw it on amazon for around $22.00 or so, if you find after you read it, that it is good to have around.
When I first started all this good stuff, I was told that this is the bible for charting and all, it goes over the BBT's, CM, cervix stuff, etc. You name it, it is there.
Just wanted to mention that to you. Hope it helps you get started.
Good Luck!