OPK question

[GoofyGurl]

Hi Atomic,

So for the last 4 months I've had beautiful progression on cheapies showing the fade in, peak, fade out pattern. This month (which as luck would have it is the month we began attempts), my OPKs have been completely different! I didn't get the usual fade in, fade out pattern, and instead got a positive one evening, negative next afternoon and day, and another positive that evening, only for it to be negative again the next day!

I thought my first positive would get darker the next day as usual (it was the same colour as control line) but it never did. Yesterday, I had some O pains that started in the afternoon. If I did ovulate yesterday, our attempts would have been O-3, O-1 (evening), and O day (morning and evening). Really bummed that it didn't work out as planned. I'm just confused as to what could cause that. I was feeling a bit stressed this month as it was our first month trying, can that be a factor? The only other things different this month is that we used preseed and I was taking Robitussin (only active ingredient is guaifenesin). Interestingly, I also noticed my EWCM wasn't its usual consistency and was more thin, watery and wet.

I'd really appreciate if you could shed some light for me. DH will be away next month due to work so we likely won't be able to attempt again until the Spring.

Thanks in advance!

[atomic sagebrush]

I swear to you that is how it always goes! So irritating.

I want to float an idea and that is that you haven't ovulated yet. O Pains are notoriously unreliable and it may be you're still a day out from O. I would have more attempts today.

The change in EWCM is normal when using guaifenesin. That's still fertile CM good for a boy.

[GoofyGurl]

Ah, good to know abour the guaifenesin. I normally get lots of typical egg white consistency so was a bit thrown off by it being thin and watery!

We didn't end up having any attempts yesterday unfortunately! My OPKs were negative yesterday, no CM anymore, and had mild cramping all day (which are gone today). Usually I get a lot of EWCM about 4 days before O but on O day it dries up - not sure how reliable that is either?

Would the attempts that I had have been sufficient for blue? Still kicking myself for the wonky OPKs this month!

Thanks Atomic!

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes that's a pattern that many of us see (and why the old-school gender swaying advice is actually quite unreliable) - a rush of CM that dries up on O Day.

Yes, absolutely that could have been sufficient for blue! Very much in line with how I got my boys!

[GoofyGurl]

Hi Atomic, what started off as an odd cycle continued to be. Today I got my period, making it my first ever 28 day cycle! I normally have cycles in the lengths of 31-35 days so this was not normal for me. My OPK patterns were completely different and I'm not sure I even surged, and my EWCM that I normally have a lot of the days leading up to ovulation was very thin or watery. I'm wondering whether it's possible that the guaifenesin disrupted my cycle this month? Do you have any advice on this? I'm wondering whether I should continue to use it or just scrap it.

Thanks in advance!

[atomic sagebrush]

Thin watery CM is fertile just like stretchy. The guaifenesin may have contributed to this. It's not at all a bad thing though. Many of us with all boys myself included have some days of watery CM in addition to the stretchy stuff.

It is normal to see changes in cycle with diet. Getting your period means you all but certainly ovulated. Tell me more about your OPK patterns and I'll help you figure out when.

[GoofyGurl]

Thanks atomic. My diet has been the same for months (and my OPK patterns and EWCM as well). This cycle however, I had less EWCM even though diet has not changed, and my OPK would be negative in the day time or close to positive. On Wednesday night (around 8pm) it was the same colour as the control, only for it to turn negative Thursday, until Thursday night (around 8pm) where it turned only slightly darker than the control line. By Friday, during the day and later on that night it was negative again. I'm worried because for the last few months my OPKs never fluctuated like that. They would gradually get darker, peak, stay at a peak for about 24 hours, then fade out. I'm really confused. :(

[atomic sagebrush]

It can happen sometimes. Maybe you drank a little more those days or something. The darkness of the OPK matters less than you think becuase it really doesn't reflect perfectly the amount in your blood. You may have been having fluctuations in your urine, but the level was consistent in the blood.

Can you explain the pattern using things like CD instead of the days of the week?

[GoofyGurl]

Okay, that makes sense. My first positive would have been the night of CD 16, and second positive the night of CD 17. I got my period on CD 28 (a first time ever for me!). We did have some stress for a couple of days around that time, could that be a factor? Really appreciate your help Atomic, thank you so much! :)

[atomic sagebrush]

I am wondering if you maybe missed the start of the surge. Was Wednesday (when the test first seemed positive but then went negative again) on CD 16?

[GoofyGurl]

Yes, that's right. CD 16 during the day my OPKs weren't quite yet positive. At around 8-9pm on CD16, my OPK was the same colour as the control. On CD 17, it went back to negative during the day, and around 8-9pm on CD 17, my OPK was just slightly darker than the control. On CD 18, it was negative in the day and by 8pm was still negative. I'm guessing I ovulated on CD 18, but usually my luteal phase is around 14-15 days, so I was a bit thrown off that my period came when it did. I hope this was just a wonky month, but am a little disappointed that it happened THE month we started trying! DH is away for work next month and possibly March so we won't try again until he's back.

[atomic sagebrush]

You can still get pregnant with a short LP. Have you gained a ton of weight on HE Diet?

[GoofyGurl]

Nope, I started implementing the HE diet gradually when my daughter turned 1 and I was still nursing her at that time, so I was naturally eating more. At that time, I was about 10-15 pounds heavier than pre-pregnancy - my daughter just turned 2 and I'm still at that same weight. I was around 120-122 pounds pre-pregnancy and have been hovering around 135 pounds for the last year. DH is away next month so I'm going to continue tracking with OPKs and see what happens.

[atomic sagebrush]

Ok! I suspect it's just a one off then. Keep me posted and let me know if you need more help.