Is this a positive OPK? (Pic)

drg424 · August 2013

Hi all - I feel weird doing this, but this is my first month using an OPK and I'm curious whether this is considered positive? It's from the Dollar Tree and the one I took yesterday is obviously very faint. However the one I took just now looks *almost* as dark as the control line. I am on CD13 and have clockwork 28 day periods - this is our fourth cycle TTC and it dawned on me this time that maybe I don't ovulate when I think I do.

I've had mild cramps the past two or three days and all the CM signs, but wonder if I am somehow missing my actual ovulation day.

I'm 34 and DH is almost 36, so with four months down I'm thinking I need to be more proactive about all this. Thank you for the advice in advance!

Terrapantz · August 2013

It looks close. I would BD just incase.

drg424 · August 2013

Thank you! So I guess what I don't understand, is a positive would mean I am likely to ovulate in the next 48 hours or whatever - does this mean I am NOT going to ovulate in the next 48 hours - period? If I got a positive tomorrow, that would mean the negative tonight was not really a negative, because that window still exists - if that make sense.

This is where I am confused $:\$

MrsT2008 · August 2013

the 24-48hr clock doesn't start until you get a positive, regardless of how close your negative was. I don't think this one is positive, but I bet you get one soon!

msmoose511 · August 2013

It's close but doesn't look as dark/darker than the control line.

drg424 · August 2013

Okay, said that way @MrsT, that makes more sense. It's when it's when the window begins, rather than just the presence or absence of one. Well that's interesting I guess, because I assumed I ovulated at day 14 since my periods are so regular. Maybe we've been missing the window by a day or two.

I guess it's a good thing I decided to experiment with OPKs this month and that there's such an increase in the lines from last night to tonight.

Sigh - I've been lurking on various TTC boards for almost a year and it's just crazy how much effort needs to go into this for some, while other people just show up pregnant without trying!

chickpea912 · August 2013

I'm so bad at these, but it's definitely close. I'd definitely get it on and take at least one more tomorrow, if not two.

drg424 · August 2013

Yes it does help - thank you! And I had not considered that I have a shorter LP - just assumed that since I'm regular, ovulation should be, too. I can feel - and always can feel - that I am in the week of ovulation. I have other symptoms (cm, sore breasts, mild cramping), so I know it's happening *somewhere* just now questioning when. You know I can't tell you if in the past four months we've really tried past CD14 - I mean not intentionally.

I did both OPKs after work, having read that FMU is not the best for this. I'll buy a few more tomorrow keep on trucking. If we don't have luck this time, I'll try out the temping next month!

argonne · August 2013

Close, but negative. It will probably be positive soon. Have sex if you aren't already. I don't know if this has been sad yet, but just because you get a +OPK does not mean you will ovulate. Most of us use OPKs AND temp to confirm ovulation.

jenb_99 · August 2013

argonne said:

Close, but negative. It will probably be positive soon. Have sex if you aren't already. I don't know if this has been sad yet, but just because you get a +OPK does not mean you will ovulate. Most of us use OPKs AND temp to confirm ovulation.

I agree. HIO just in case, and don't rely just on OPKs. I would add to this that not getting a clear positive OPK doesn't mean you're not ovulating or having an LH surge. You might just be testing at the wrong time or with weak urine and missing your surge. OPKs are a nice indicator, but charting BBT and other fertility signs (CP/CM, O pain, etc.) will give you a much clearer picture of what's going on with your cycle.

Valancyy · August 2013

I'm going to be the lone dissenter and say that it's a positive OPK. I see that there is an area of darker color at the very end of the test line. As long as the darker strip of color is as dark or darker than the control line, I would go with positive.

I would, however, keep testing. If it starts fading, then I would be confident this was indeed your positive. If it gets even darker, then maybe this wasn't your positive yet.

Other suggestion...maybe confirm with a digital? Then you'll know for sure what a positive looks like for you.

Hope that isn't too confusing, just my take on it.

RedInLove · August 2013

MrsT2008 said:

the 24-48hr clock doesn't start until you get a positive, regardless of how close your negative was. I don't think this one is positive, but I bet you get one soon!

This! I learned from this board that you can 'surge' more than once in a month. I had a few days where my OPKs were getting dark around CD18-19, but never as dark as the control line. Then they were all completely negative. Someone told me to be patient, as the hormone could have been gearing up but never actually surged, and I could see it build again. I was also told to test 2-3 times a day. I started double/triple testing, and the advice I got was spot on. I got a darker OPK on CD24 in the AM, then a positive in the afternoon, and 3 positives on CD25. I was negative CD26 in the AM. With temping and charting on FF, I confirmed that I O'd on CD25.

drg424 · August 2013

Wow - thanks so much to you all for the input! I really do appreciate it. And you know what, we didn't BD last night because DH got home really late from work and I was already in bed We did the night before (and the two nights before that - but that might be pointless).

I think I am going to get a digital after work just to see. Why not.

I sure hope it wasn't a positive and I've missed the window ugh!

Okay, temping next month it is. I'll keep you posted on my digital opk.

unclaimedpants · August 2013

drg424 said:

Okay, said that way @MrsT, that makes more sense. It's when it's when the window begins, rather than just the presence or absence of one. Well that's interesting I guess, because I assumed I ovulated at day 14 since my periods are so regular. Maybe we've been missing the window by a day or two.

I guess it's a good thing I decided to experiment with OPKs this month and that there's such an increase in the lines from last night to tonight.

Sigh - I've been lurking on various TTC boards for almost a year and it's just crazy how much effort needs to go into this for some, while other people just show up pregnant without trying!

I agree with the other ladies who posted. I had a 28 day cycle last cycle (my first ovulatory cycle since charting) and I didn't O until Day 23.

Also, I had a stick that looked like that & it was an absolute undeniable positive in 12 hours.

drg424 · August 2013

Grrr. Okay, I think I've opened myself to a whole new world of confusion and frustration. So I walked to Safeway on my lunch and all they had were their brand of opks (not digital). I took one with what I would consider not-dilluted urine and the test line is present but about half as dark as the control line.

What gives? Is it possible yesterday's was a positive?

I definitely had symptoms of cramping and CM for the past few days. Today it's there as well, but now my head is messing with me so I don't have a good reference point for comparison.

drg424 · August 2013

Thank you and sorry - what does HIO stand for?

Given the other O symptoms, I strongly sense I am O'ing in this week/window - versus much later or earlier. I will do the temping next time and am bummed to think yesterday may have been the day and we didn't BD

Dumb question perhaps, but if we do this evening, is there still a chance (in the event the opk was in fact positive last night)?

drg424 · August 2013

Thank you - the box I just bought has 7 tests, so I'll just keep testing out of if nothing else curiousity/experimenting. We'll just keep "HIO" (lol) for the next week to cover our bases, too.

I appreciate that you all are so open and informative - you really can learn a lot from these forums and it's really nice to see all of you ladies helping each other out, as well as helping some random poster out

Thanks again!

drg424 · September 2013

Thanks again - well I never did get another positive (tried a few more throughout the week). So either this was positive or I O'd earlier in the week or not at all.

The two week wait begins, ugh.

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