Clomid's affect on OPKs and monitors? Reliable?

[twointow83]

A few of us in the July 2WW thread are having issues with OPKs and monitors behaving badly :giggle: The monitor has said "high" for over a week and OPKs, for me at least, are annoyingly fickle getting very close to a + then getting lighter again or even nearly vanishing as mine did last night. I don't recall having this issue when I took clomid before but with more than just myself having issues it makes me wonder if OPKs (or monitors)are reliable while taking clomid? Any input on your experiences would be greatly appreciated. DH and I switched from E4D to 1 attempt at +OPK and if OPKs can't be reliable I need to know so I can switch back! Not to mention not waste my time or money taking the OPKs. TIA.

This is what my OPKs are doing & typically mine are stark white until just before, during and just after O (today's not included):
25935

[purplepoet20]

What brand are you using? My Dr told me that some of the cheaper brands do not work.

[twointow83]

Clinical guard. They are internet cheapies.

[atomic sagebrush]

The monitors are not reliable anyway unfortunately. IT is not unusual to get "high" reading and then nothing happens with them, Clomid can def. make this more likely because of the boost it gives to estrogen - basically tricks your body into thinking a surge is coming when it isn't just yet. The "peak" reading should still be reliable though.

OPK are reliable on Clomid provided that you don't start them while you're still ON the Clomid. You have to start them after you've stopped taking the Clomid. Clomid can delay O or make it come early so it's hard to know where you are exactly.

WE have gotten best results with Wondfo and Babi brand but if those kind work for you, I'd keep doing what you're doing.

TEMPING is not reliable on Clomid, so can't go off that.

It is totally possible to go back and forth with lighter and darker lines and in fact if your husband POAS he would get the same kind of lines. None of those tests look positive to me and if you normally get good results with those I would keep going with them.

[twointow83]

No, no positives but the last one in that pic looked REALLY close to + during the time frame. Then nearly vanished just a few hours later (checking to see if it'd officially be +). I truely hate TTC Lol. Thanks atomic.

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[atomic sagebrush]

When in doubt, attempt. The purpose to the OPK is to make sure you have one well-timed attempt at a point in your cycle you can get pregnant. It's better to be in sooner rather than later, so don't wait around for a positive that never comes, attempt even if it's a little too soon. Sometimes people never get a real pos OPK and wait and wait instead of DTD at the very dark OPK that wasn't quite pos yet.

[twointow83]

Thanks atomic. I'll keep that in mind :)

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[maidentomother]

While I haven't seen your situation before, the many Highs on a monitor is typical. Basically you can't use a monitor in the normal manner during a medicated cycle, unless you O late and start testing on the 4th day after your last Clomid dose. If you use a monitor any earlier, you will get false Highs.

it's not true that temping is necessarily unreliable in medicated cycles. It can be, but most often temping is still accurate.

I do think it's likely you're using a bad OPK brand that is too sensitive and not good quality (doesn't reflect differences in LH level accurately).

[Hitmebabyonemoretime]

Two im in the same boat, with the good Formosa supplied wondfos. I DID get one last cycle - one strong pos last cycle on cd 17; and alas, today is day 17 and nothing.
We too switched from E4d to pos opk and I HOPE to see something tomorrow (or tonight when I test again..)


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[twointow83]

:fx: for you Hitmebabyonemoretime :D

[Hitmebabyonemoretime]

Still nothing. I'm so worried that somehow I missed it. My line is pretty darned faint.


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[Hitmebabyonemoretime]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/01/715ff0b7109d157e4c272bce97ef003e.jpg
Nada.




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[twointow83]

yup, looks familiar. My lines today have been the lightest yet so maybe that is a good sign that they are going to start working right?! :fingers: I really hope you didn't miss your window :( If it helps any, I didn't O until CD 19 the last time I was on clomid. What days are you taking it again?

[Hitmebabyonemoretime]

3-7 I've heard it can be late - and that's fine with me! I am really hoping my luteal phase is normal this cycle though....


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[maidentomother]

Hitme I hope you O soon. Two, you as well. I typically O late and my O is very unpredictable so I understand your frustration.

[twointow83]

Hitme I hope you O soon. Two, you as well. I typically O late and my O is very unpredictable so I understand your frustration.

Thanks. The late part doesn't really bug me. I mean I got on clomid to fix the late O problem among other reasons but I am used to a late O. For me, an O at CD 16 is something to friggin' celebrate because it doesn't happen too often lol. I kinda already figured I wouldn't O until around CD 17 (supposedly you are supposed to O 5-10 days after your last dose and CD 17 would be day 10 for me). The OPKs being all over the map is what was bugging me. Seriously, if I wasn't charting (to see that my temp hasn't shifted) and if my CM/CP wasn't still SHOW I would be very concerned that we missed our window. Yesterday and again this morning the OPKs aren't stark white like normal but they are the lightest they have been all cycle, so I am hoping they are finally starting to behave, lol. Either way we went back to E4D... as much as it stresses me out to have zero control over the timing of BD, the idea of missing our window because of OPKs not working right is 10x worse.

[atomic sagebrush]

Temping is not accurate in Clomid cycles. I've seen it happen repeatedly, and I stand by it. RE's also verify it. It may be accurate for some people, and not for others. Accurate for some people and not accurate for others means INACCURATE because you do not know if you are in the group that is getting reliable results or not. Temping is not a good way to monitor ovultion on Clomid even if it works perfectly for you normally.

[twointow83]

Temping is not accurate in Clomid cycles. I've seen it happen repeatedly, and I stand by it. RE's also verify it. It may be accurate for some people, and not for others. Accurate for some people and not accurate for others means INACCURATE because you do not know if you are in the group that is getting reliable results or not. Temping is not a good way to monitor ovultion on Clomid even if it works perfectly for you normally.
So, how are we supposed to know for sure we O'd then? Esp if we can't necessarily trust OPKs 100%, even though OPKs only show the potential for O, as you know. But if we can't trust either the what do we go by?

I know last time I took C my temps were a little less clear cut but they were good enough for me to know for sure I'd O'd... even if my temps didn't pin it down to an exact day(I'll attach a pic of a C cycle the last time I took it so you can see what I mean). This time my temps took a shot of crazy juice lol.... still hoping for something to show I O'd though.
25954

[maidentomother]

Well, I agree temping isn't accurate for everyone on Clomid, but I've observed that to be a small minority. If you add a trigger that is much more likely to mess up temps but still doesn't always or even usually.

What I've noticed is that temps are often DIFFERENT in medicated cycles, for ex. overall higher, different pattern than is typical, etc but that temps still align with O most of the time. I've looked through many hundreds of medicated charts and usually there is a temp shift on a day that makes sense in light of other data.

[maidentomother]

Two, in the chart you posted, I'm guessing you probably Oed a day earlier on CD18. Or possibly much later on CD23, but I think that's less likely. Also, most often when you have more than 3 days of positive OPKs in a row, O occurs on the day before the last positive.

[twointow83]

Two, in the chart you posted, I'm guessing you probably Oed a day earlier on CD18. Or possibly much later on CD23, but I think that's less likely. Also, most often when you have more than 3 days of positive OPKs in a row, O occurs on the day before the last positive.

Yeah, the missing temps don't help, but the point was to show that my chart wasn't exactly clear as a bell in defining O, but it was enough that I knew I did. For a long time I had O set on CD 23 (I had to override it because FF never gave me crosshairs) but after looking at it again recently I came to the conclusion above. I agree that it was likely the day before but I hesitate to put crosshairs where a temp isn't available so I marked it as is. My other clomid chart has next to nothing in it. I was kinda "over" TTC and need a break from it all but didn't want to stop trying so I didn't really chart much, basically just AF and one day of CM. So, the chart I posted is all I have for reference as far as what happened last time.

Oh, and whether the OPK will ever tell me anything or not I finally have another sign that O will be soon. My CP has been soft, high, open for a few days and my CM has been confusing at best but as of this evening I have EWCM. Does nothing to tell me when O will be... I've gone days, sometimes over a week, with EWCM before I O'd but at least it is something!

[Hitmebabyonemoretime]

Hitme I hope you O soon. Two, you as well. I typically O late and my O is very unpredictable so I understand your frustration.

Thank you it is SO frustrating. Here's today's, I still have trace ewcm (unlike last cycle where I had gobs of it) so I don't think I missEd the window. Temps are still down too (the did rise with Clomid last month while on, and then lowered/stabilized, then shifted as you'd expect so I HOPE that trend continues and temping is something I can rely on, but I'll take what atomic said too.
Two I don't think you missed it either...

Here is my test from yesterday and today so I think LH is on the rise (top is yesterday)

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/02/7d37c152018bd8d384f257f3f23fbc32.jpg
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/02/5478129ef9f0d5b0e9a574afe23d79e4.jpg

And my charts from last cycle and this current one
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/02/305bc99511338641e808f59475ba5fd6.jpg
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/02/f458aedc19297ba534a4cb6d75a212c6.jpg

Sorry for thread crashing Two, Im hoping our similar experiences can help eachother out, and atomic and maidens helpful advice is always appreciated.


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[twointow83]

Thank you it is SO frustrating. Here's today's, I still have trace ewcm (unlike last cycle where I had gobs of it) so I don't think I missEd the window. Temps are still down too (the did rise with Clomid last month while on, and then lowered/stabilized, then shifted as you'd expect so I HOPE that trend continues and temping is something I can rely on, but I'll take what atomic said too.
Two I don't think you missed it either...

Here is my test from yesterday and today so I think LH is on the rise (top is yesterday)

Sorry for thread crashing Two, Im hoping our similar experiences can help eachother out, and atomic and maidens helpful advice is always appreciated.

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Looks that way to me too!! Everything is crossed for you. No, you didn't thread crash at all! I posted this thread because several of us were having issues. This is as much your thread, and the other's, as it is mine :D Most ppl don't follow the support threads so I figured posting and asking would be the most efficient way to get answers for all of us :)

[maidentomother]

Sounds/looks pretty promising, Two & Hitme! I think Two will likely O around CD16 and Hitme, any day now.

Hitme's chart is an excellent example of clear O despite meds. Thanks for posting that!

it was so tempting to take Clomid this cycle myself just to see how I respond but it would be a waste since I don't have a new donor yet.

[Hitmebabyonemoretime]

I hope you find your donor soon!
My lh was stronger this morning - by the time hubby rolls in it should be positive. http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/03/f1840012dbfd40cfdbefbcdcad84e056.jpg


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[twointow83]

Hitme-Yeah, I'd say you are definitely rounding the corner to a +!! Yay!

It's hard for me to remember when ppl don't have a signature or something that says, so don't hate me ;) , but remind me are you TTC Pink or blue? Thinking pink, but not 100%

Maiden- Unless I get a + OPK today I am still thinking CD 17, but either way I'd be happy! Either way is several days sooner than my usual O time. I just hope we catch the egg and I get a BFP! Today is CD 14 and we BD'd on CD 12 and we are due to BD again the 16th. I am thinking we will make that one an am BD (hubby is off that day so we have options :D ) just in case I do O on CD 16, but we'll see how it plays out.

[Hitmebabyonemoretime]

Swaying pink, and thought my profile said so! I better go have a look. The Clomid im on is just for swaying pink or twins lol


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[twointow83]

Oh, I almost never look at profiles :/ Mostly just to PM... I think we talked about this in the 2 WW thread but I am not taking clomid to TTC twins but I am certainly not opposed :giggle: GG twins would be like a dream come true :D GB twins would be awesome too :D I'll be thrilled with whatever we get, as long as he/she/they are healthy though. I only want sticky, healthy bean(s), I'd like to keep what is left of my sanity lol, so no more losses for me (like I have any control over that, but I am sure you know what I mean).

I was just wondering because of the whole one attempt thing with a girl vs making like bunnies for boys lol. Here is hoping your one attempt catches the eggie :) :fx: