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OPK questions, fears, experiences

ticktock0903ticktock0903 member
in LGBT Parenting
So Im waiting for AF so that I can do my first month of OPK, (we've decided to do a couple rounds of IUI with just the OPK) I am terrified that Im not gonna do it right or something. I just got my clear blue OPK kit for two months and Im freaking out!!! Can anyone share their experciences with OPKs, especially if you did IUI cycles with them?
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Re: OPK questions, fears, experiences

  • JGYJGY member

    We did OPKs and IUIs without monitoring. At first, I tested once a day (first morning urine).  Eventually I started testing 3 times a day.  Once I got the smiley face, I called our RE clinic and they scheduled me to come in for the IUI.  Pretty simple.

    How familiar are you with your cycle?  In order to not spend a million dollars on OPKs, it's helpful to know roughly when you ovulate each month so you're not testing at an inappropriate time.  I typically ovulate on day 18 (catch the surge on the OPK on day 17), so I usually start testing around day 15, just in case I go early.

    Are you working with an RE?  OB?  Midwife?

    Good luck! This part is pretty easy, you shouldn't need to freak out about this one ...  :)

     

     

    Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10 
    TTC since 6/11
    Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
    Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
    Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
    Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN 
    Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
    Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13

    On to #2, are we crazy?
    IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP!  Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
    Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat.  Say hello to Sticky Ricki!

     

    image

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  • wishiwaspreggowishiwaspreggo member

    I got a false positive one time on the smiley face OPKs (not trying to scare you but I knew it was impossible for me to ovulate on CD 8 since I usually ovulate around CD 17 or 18) - after that I started double-checking with standard OPKs.  If the test and control lines were the same darkness AND I got a smiley OPK, then I knew I'd ovulate in the normal time frame (24-48 hours).

    It works for a lot of women, especially those without fertility issues.  I had problems so I stopped using OPKs and relied on my RE to do ultrasounds and blood work to determine the timing.  That finally worked out in my favor :)

    In any case, I recommend getting a couple brands just to make sure there weren't any errors.  And if you don't want to pee directly on the stick, you can use a cup and then dip the sticks.  That's what I did, and it was less messy.

    Good luck!!!!

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  • ticktock0903ticktock0903 member
    JGY said:

    How familiar are you with your cycle?  In order to not spend a million dollars on OPKs, it's helpful to know roughly when you ovulate each month so you're not testing at an inappropriate time.  I typically ovulate on day 18 (catch the surge on the OPK on day 17), so I usually start testing around day 15, just in case I go early.

    Are you working with an RE?  OB?  Midwife?

    Good luck! This part is pretty easy, you shouldn't need to freak out about this one ...  :)

     

     


    I am pretty familiar with my cycles. I've been tracking and temping for the last 3 months or so. With the temping, I usually get a temp spike between cd15 and 18. Im working with a RE and she seems pretty knowledgeable and helpful. We still have to do all our initial testing this month but I don't think there will be fertility issues and I have a pretty fertile family (lots of sisters...tons of nieces and nephews)

    I think Im so nervous because we are only doing the OPKs for the first couple rounds (no monitoring or trigger shots) so I am scared I will get the false positive and then that round will be wasted.

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  • Amber&RevaAmber&Reva member
    I did natural IUI cycles with OPK.  I would typically not start testing until CD10 and use cheap tests then because I normally won't ovulate until CD15.  Once I got closer to when I knew I would be ovulating I switched to clearblue easy OPK and the morning I got a smiley I would call the RE and go in for IUI the next day.   My RE told me to use second pee of the morning which works because this past time I checked with first morning pee got a negative but since I had a gut feeling I tested again and got the positive with second morning pee and had IUI the next morning and it worked! Also some women can actually feel themselves ovulating which is helpful.

    Me: 30  DP: 30

    TTC#1

    IUI#1 9/26/13 BFN

    IUI#2 10/26/13 BFP beta #1 99 #2 456

    2/20/2014 Brynlee Madeline is taken too soon at 19weeks she was perfect

    IUI#3 6/10/14 BFP beta #1 276 beta #2 722 20w A/S shows we are having a girl

     

     

     

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  • Amber&RevaAmber&Reva member
    Also it can work without triggers/monitoring I got pregnant twice from a total of 3 IUIs without either.  Keep in mind that it takes even straight couples who have sperm at there disposal an average of 6 months to get pregnant.

    Me: 30  DP: 30

    TTC#1

    IUI#1 9/26/13 BFN

    IUI#2 10/26/13 BFP beta #1 99 #2 456

    2/20/2014 Brynlee Madeline is taken too soon at 19weeks she was perfect

    IUI#3 6/10/14 BFP beta #1 276 beta #2 722 20w A/S shows we are having a girl

     

     

     

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  • mallory4284mallory4284 member
    Don't want to sound redundant but our experience was similar to everyone else's (we did two unmedicated IUIs with OPKs) I tested in the afternoon, called the day I got a positive, and they scheduled me to come in the next day (ours were unsuccessful though and we ended up doing medicated IUIs and IVFs.... And we're still trying....)
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  • Danni_GirlDanni_Girl member

    I did OPK's for about 5 months before we tried our first IUI.  And even when we did the IUI, we ended up going with the ultrasound and trigger.

    We live 4.5 hours from our RE so it just seemed like the right way to do it, otherwise we may have wasted several tries. Specially since I surged on Fridays or Saturdays, and my RE doesn't do IUI's on weekends.  So we went the trigger route and we are very happy that we did.

    I'm 35, DW is 33
    Together since Dec 2007
    Married since 18 June 2011

    TTC #1
    1st IUI - trigger, 9 July 14 at midnight, IUI - 11 July 14 at noon - BFP!!
    10 Dec 14 - Lost our Baby Girl to Hydrops & Cycstic Hygroma due to Turner Syndrome
    TTC #2
    2nd IUI - hoping to try for our Rainbow in the Spring
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