One attempt and stupid OPKs

[Ohdeer]

So I’ve been using OPKs and yesterday I got a flashing smily face (high fertility) but today it’s gone back to negative (low fertility). I don’t know if I’ve missed my LH surge (when I should get a static smily face) or if my hormones are out of whack.

My question is that if going for one attempt should I do it when I get the flashing smily or hold out for the static face? But then what if I miss the static face? I wish you could just press a button and ovulate when you wanted :happy:

[Parying4agirl]

I dont use digital but on the dip stick one i wait till the test line is dark as or darker than the control line
My guess would be use need to wait for solid face, have u had solid face in previous opks?
Also how many times a day do u test and whay times?

[Ohdeer]

Hiya, yes I’ve had a static face before. I’m just testing once in the evening around the time I suspect I’m ovualting. I have super long cycles so if I tested all the way through i’d be bankrupt. Where do you get the dip tests from?

[Pbn3]

The digis you're using are supposed to be used with fmu? With long cycles I would definately recommend buying some IC's (internet cheapies) from Amazon or similar. You can buy in bulk then for a good price. Dip tests are best done between 1-3pm. Don't do your one attempt at flashing smiley as you can have days of flashing smileys (mine ranged from 1 day to 5) Impossible to say if you've missed your surge or not sorry [emoji17] In your situation, if opks aren't your favourite thing why not just ditch then altogether and opt for an e4d bding pattern to get your one attempt in that way? Just bd either every 96 hours or 72 hours from af through to af (if possible of course) The 96 hour version of e4d is slightly more pink but less conception friendly, and the 72 hour version slightly less pink but more conception friendly. So maybe do a few cycles of 96 then switch to 72 if need be?

DS 2012 [emoji170] DS 2014 [emoji170]
After 3 losses had DD 2018 [emoji178]

[Parying4agirl]

Ive always gone with cheapies. I use poundland or wilko clear and simple, but u can get from ebay/ amazon etc. I always test twice a day or even three times near ovulation. I do one about lunchitime and another about 8pm.
Doing opk once a day is too long, allowing u to miss a surge.
I deffo wouldnt go by just when u think your ovulating (u may be right) but i find the more i think about ovulation the more my body plays games with me and sends all sort of signals!

[mandyp85]

I would definitely agree with using the dipstick opks, I got pregnant quickly once I started using these, or as pbn said go with the e4d pattern. My husband and I are not big bders so for me I felt the cheap opks where a better way for me to get in my one attempt with a good chance of conception. Good luck.

[atomic sagebrush]

If going for one attempt wait for the solid. But keep in mind that you can get pregnant from an attempt slightly too early, but you can't from an attempt too late, so if you think you're ovulating, you need to attempt sooner rather than waiting for a positive OPK that never comes (since OPK can be false negative)

You need to test in the early afternoon right after lunch. You do not need to test at the same time of day as ovulation occurs. You realize the OPK does not tell you when you're ovulating, it tells you when you are surging, right? The time of day your opk goes positive does not tell you anything about the time of day you will eventually ovulate.

[Ohdeer]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Have ordered some cheapies and will wait for the static. I actually think that this is an anovulatory cycle. This is a bit rubbish as I was going to have my first attempt next month and now I don’t even know if I’ll ovulate that month (either because this month’s AF is so delayed or because I won't ovulate, like this month). Do you think I should go to the doctor and say this or wait it out for a few more cycles?

[Ohdeer]

Also, just in case it’s relevant, I switched from Agnus castus to myo last month so maybe it’s just the initial impact of that. Part of me thought argh maybe this is a sign that I should go get Clomid. But I can hear atomic’s voice in my head saying don’t get hung up on clomid :-)

[atomic sagebrush]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Have ordered some cheapies and will wait for the static. I actually think that this is an anovulatory cycle. This is a bit rubbish as I was going to have my first attempt next month and now I donÂ’t even know if IÂ’ll ovulate that month (either because this monthÂ’s AF is so delayed or because I won't ovulate, like this month). Do you think I should go to the doctor and say this or wait it out for a few more cycles?

The vast majority of the time you will still ovulate. Everyone immediately assumes "OMGosh anovulatory cycle!!" but it's really not very common at all on this site.

Very few docs will do anything. it's up to you, but I personally find they are very unhelpful and you put yourself thru a lot of stress for them to basically shrug, give you a blood test (if you're lucky) and tell you to come back in 6 months. :/

I do want to clarify something about the digi tests. Clearblue digis are supposed to be taken with FMU like pbn mentions BUT lately I've seen several people testing after lunch (which is when standard OPK are meant to be taken) and getting more reliable results than with FMU. So you may want to test with Clearblues in the morning and after lunch. Whichever works better for you.

No, DO get hung up on Clomid. If you can get Clomid, GET CLOMID. Can you ahve a good sway without Clomid, sure, but Clomid is the best of the best tactic there is because there's really no way to mess it up. Diet and exercise and number of attepmts, you can have pilot error, but Clomid you just take a pill for 5 days, easy peasy.

Yes switching from vitex to myo can change your cycle. But so can just diet and it may be that you've just missed the pos OPK this month. I would def. have you doing attempts. :)

[Ohdeer]

Thanks again, Atomic :-) One q: what’s FMU? Is it fertility monitor unit?

I might go to the doctor and ask - I have a history of fertility related issues so it might be that if I request Clomid they let me try it. Probably worth a go and if not I’ll continue as normal

[mandyp85]

FMU is first morning urine.

[Ohdeer]

Thank you! I got my static face this morning on CD39

[atomic sagebrush]

FMU is first morning urine.

:agree: yes it's just your first pee of the day. This does not always (or even usually) work with OPK because the hormone peaks in your blood in the early hours of the morning, and takes some hours to find its way out in your urine. So you are pretty unlikely to get a positive test in the am, and need to test after lunch for optimal results in many cases.

[atomic sagebrush]

Thank you! I got my static face this morning on CD39

good luck and thanks for updating us!