OPK confusion...help?

[sweetpea]

I've read you're not supposed to use FMU for OPK's, so I've been testing at around 11am-ish and 2pm-ish (or whenever I remember ;) ). Today's readings are really confusing: I took an OPK at around 10:45 and it was blaringly positive (darker than the control line). However, my urine was a bit concentrated, as I hadn't drank much yet. So, I drank a huge glass of water, and took another test about 15 min later. That one was also blaringly positive, but my pee didn't look too much lighter than the first one. So, I drank a bunch more, then left the house awhile later with DS2 to pick up DS1 from preschool. When I got back to the house at 1pm, I REALLY had to pee, and my urine was pretty diluted (almost clear). I took another OPK and while it *did* have a second line, it was definitely negative (very light).

I'm so confused, because if the strength of your pee could change the results of an OPK that drastically, then how in the world can they be reliable? KWIM? And FWIW, my OPKs in the past have always been very easy to read: fade-in, 2 days of blaringly positive OPKs, then a negative on the following day. This cycle's OPKs has me pretty confused!

What do you think of my results, as described above? Should I count today as a positive or a negative? Or, should I just pick up a pack of the digital smiley OPKs? I've never used them, but heard they are super expensive so I wouldn't want to waste them on what might be an obviously negative day. But then again, I don't mind picking up a pack and trying to take the guesswork out of these weird results.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Any suggestions?

ETA: I forgot to mention that this is my first cycle ever on Clomid, so maybe that's why it's a bit weird for me this month. But still, I have no idea how to read these weird OPKs. :confused:

[Mrs_P]

i've always used the smileys and they say fmu or not to pee for 4 hours before. Although fmu is never longer than 4 hours for me anyway, i'm always up frequently in the night with the kids so have a tendency to go when i'm up. This month i got a smiley cd 12 i then retested as i worried it was a faker it was neg then it turned postive later on that day again so no idea

I always used to test every morning and stopped with a smiley although after reading to do it 4 times a day 2 cycles ago i got a positive really early on in the pm but no other symptoms then a true positive 5 days later with symptoms. short answer i have no idea i settled on testing in the am and if i had ewcm anywhere near etc to go with it (even with diet, vitex, sp, antihistamine and rephresh i have still had a fair bit) i took it to be o

[sweetpea]

Thanks, MrsP! :agree: OPKs sure are confusing sometimes, aren't they?! I'm still a bit confused on whether I should consider today a true positive or not...hmmm...

[atomic sagebrush]

a positive test is a positive test regardless of how long it lasts. You have to cross a certain threshold of LH to trigger ovulation and that's what counts - getting across that threshold, whether it's for 10 minutes or two days.

[sweetpea]

Thanks, Atomic! :) I wasn't concerned about why the first two were positive and the next one shortly after was negative, I was just wondering if the super concentrated pee from the first two tests were giving me a false positive (due to the pee being really, really concentrated). But after speaking with you about this, I understand now. I've been taking OPKs for years, and I've totally learned something new! :agree: Thank you for your help! :)