OPK questions - timing the tests

[Lassie1982]

Not sure on how to time my OPK's ??

Last month i tested in the evenings, 6pm every night. I got a fade in one day, an almost positive the following day, then a negative the day after that - so i missed the positive OPK.

As this month is our attempt month i want to make sure i get it right (i want one attempt 2 days before ovulation, and a o+12 attempt)

So the current strategy is to BD when i get a fade in, and again 48hrs after i get a +OPK (feel free to point out if i have it wrong) so i really want to be able to pinpoint accurately both my fade in, and my positive opk. (im temping aswell)

BUT - when to test?
Morning or evening? Or both? (I have a ton of OPK's so thats not an issue)

Lunchtime testing is NOT an option (work in an office environment, wont get away with it)

if i test in the morning it will have to be FMU so that i can grab DH before he leaves.(i'd be testing at 6am) But ive heard you are not supposed to use FMU?

In the evenings it will be 6pm that i can test.

Any advice would be great, thanks in advance

[rainbowflower]

I'd test both times... I did one per day until I saw the start of the fade-in, then switched to two a day

[amari]

Yes, maybe both?

[Lilian78]

I'm new to opks but can tell you my morning results are really inaccurate. I think late afternoon is best--but evening is a better substitute than morning. I did morning and evening to try to cover the bases but just ended up really confused (positive in the morning followed by negative in the evening and positive the next morning). You definitely can miss the surge testing 24 hours apart but I think consistency is more important.

[atomic sagebrush]

Don't test in the morning unless you have the kind of tests that you can test in the morning with (someone refresh my memory - what brand was that??)

I would test immediately upon getting home from work and then before bed, but the diff. between 6 pm and bedtime isn't going to gain you very much. I would really try and find a way to test at work (sorry if this is a dumb q but what do you do when AF comes? Any way to take a purse with you into the stall?? They do have OPK that you can just dip into the urine ****** and you don't need a cup or anything.) Otherwise just hope that you O on the weekend!! :)

[rainbowflower]

Don't test in the morning unless you have the kind of tests that you can test in the morning with (someone refresh my memory - what brand was that??)

I would test immediately upon getting home from work and then before bed, but the diff. between 6 pm and bedtime isn't going to gain you very much. I would really try and find a way to test at work (sorry if this is a dumb q but what do you do when AF comes? Any way to take a purse with you into the stall?? They do have OPK that you can just dip into the urine ****** and you don't need a cup or anything.) Otherwise just hope that you O on the weekend!! :)

Clearblue are the ones that say you can use FMU... but I found my ICs worked best with FMU too (maybe I'm a freak!) :)

testing twice a day and you will cover it, though. Testing ONLY with FMU and I believe you could miss the surge with most brands of test.

[fresas]

Like the others have said, evening would probably be the best time for you to test. LH surges happen midday for a lot of women (not sure why), but I don't think the surge will be just a few minutes long so hopefully evening testing will still be reliable for you.

[Lassie1982]

Thanks Girls :)

hmmmm it is a tricky one.

Sounds like morning testing wont achieve much, the tests do say not to use FMU, and the last thing i need is confusing results.

Atomic, your question isnt dumb at all! I use tampons during the day, so when AF is here i just pop a tampon in my fist and go to the toilets, no one really notices. But if i suddenly started going to the toilet with my handbag or purse, it would get noticed (open plan office, gotta walk the whole length to get to he toilets, and every stick their nose in everyones business). And someone would ask / make a comment, and im an aweful liar, especially when put on the spot.

Maybe i will just leave it at testing once a day, I mean if timings not *that* important, then as long as we DTD twice around ovulation then it shouldn't hamper my efforts too much if i don't get it exactly right, right?

I'm due to OV on Sunday, so i can test during the day sat and sun of course...

must not let it stress me!

[Lassie1982]

Going insane, can't even count now! I'm due to get a fade in and a temp drop on Sunday, not ovulation. Ov will be due on Tuesday.

[atomic sagebrush]

I agree totally! Timing isn't at all important so if you can just BD a couple times in the ballpark, along with the rest of your sway tactics, you'll be totally covered!!

[purple sky]

This is what I have done when I have to test outside of my home. Put your opk in your pocket/hand and take it with you to the bathroom. Tear it open and empty it out, rip down the sides of the packet a bit so that you widen the opening. Use the packet as a cup and dip your opk. It's a little tricky but it works in situation where you don't need everybodys nose in your business. :)

[Lassie1982]

great suggestion Purple, i would never have thought of that! thanks :)