E4Days - can someone clarify?

[honeybee37]

Ok I feel like I'm being really stupid by asking this... As my O had been a bit erratic and I was getting stressed out by only having one attempt and totally missing the egg (I have never ever got a positive OpK), we decided to go to e4d this month. We BD on wed, so would e4d be Sunday or Monday? Monday feels a long way off and I feel I might have ovulated before then as loads of O signs today...

[Erin514]

I'm glad someone asked this because I was wondering the same thing but felt like maybe it was just me! My guess would be that every 4 days means ON day 4 (so Sunday in your example), but maybe Atomic or someone could confirm.

[maidentomother]

Either Saturday or Sunday is how most of us do it. Where do you live and what brand OPKs have you used? What time of day do you test? What's the darkest OPK you've gotten?

You might do better with the ClearBlue Advanced OPK that tests for both Estrogen and LH. I've only gotten a true positive OPK twice in 7 years but I do get Peaks every cycle with the CBA OPK. But I wouldn't recommend it if you have long cycles bc the tester sticks are expensive. I do use cheap OPK strips too and I mark my darkest OPKs positive. I get a second line that is 75-90% as dark as the control for 1-2 days.

[honeybee37]

Ah thanks maiden. I live in the Uk and just use the cheap eBay OPKs.... My cycles are around 27 days and I usually ovulate between Cd12 (earliest), and cd17.

[honeybee37]

I think maybe it's these batches I've gotten. I used to get slightly darker lines and occasional positives but these ones never even show a second line. My periods are regular, I have EWCM and usually feel ov pain so I'm pretty sure I'm ovulating.

[maidentomother]

The OPKs in the UK/Europe are pretty crap quality in general, most of them I barely get any 2nd line on and never anything close to dark let alone positive. They're not very sensitive at all. It sounds like you'd bc a good candidate for the CB Advanced OPK. I definitely think you are Oing.. what time of day do you test? Do you test all cycle long?

[squigglepink]

Honey - i buy Tesco OPK's - im also in UK. I always get a positive with them.. I tried the Ebay ones but they are too flimsy and unreliable for me. I might invest in some others however.. maybe clearblue.. I dont need smiley faces etc just need one positive OPK!! :wink:

[honeybee37]

Maiden - no I tend just to test when I have EWCM. I test around midday and 4pm. I am always at risk of getting obsessed with stuff so I figured that was one less thing to obsess over! Squiggle it sounds like the tesco ones may be a good bet tho. I'll get some tomorrow. Or maybe a CB if they're not too expensive....

[squigglepink]

Tesco are £9 for 7 sticks in box. Also, i start testing on CD11 until i get a positive and then one last test the day after.. only because im not actively ttc until about may/june so its purely me trying to understand my cycles better!

[maidentomother]

You're probably missing your surge. I highly recommend testing every day from CD10 onwards, just once between 12 noon and 4pm. Then test more frequently if you get a dark line.

[atomic sagebrush]

This is a less exact thing than you're thinking of it. The whole point is just regular BD to ensure that you are covered with an attempt. How you define e4d is a little bit up to you and what you really want from your sway. Closer attempts MAY be more blue friendly but higher odds conception, further attempts MAY be more pink friendly but lower odds of conception. SO, you need to ask yourself which element is more important to you and go with that.

Most people are doing e4d with Wed/Sat timing.

BUT, depending on what you want, you may change that up.

Some people might want to attempt on Friday (this would really be more like e3d) for a better chance of conception. Others might want to stretch to Sun or even Mon. for higher chance of pink. It's your sway so you need to decide what you want from it this month. :)