OPKs, CBFM & O pains

This is my 4th clomid attempt & more than likely last attempt :(
Ive started using OPK's to help pinpoint O so we can get an attempt/s more accurately.

I was using CBFM prior to clomid to get used to it & it did work. Picked up my high & then peak days.
I didnt use it on the other clomid attempts as it was giving me high readings for ages & I felt like it was physically obvious that I was ovulating. We just started BDing around CD 12 & then hoping to catch it , even with a cutoff.

This time, Im trying to have an attempt on or as close to O as possible, so I decided to use OPKs as well as CBFM. Its my first time using OPKs that arent digital.

I started using OPKs on CD9, am & pm. All were quite faint.
CD 10 I also started using CBFM (am) & that is reading 'high' only.
CD 11 the line darkened but it was still quite faint & not as dark as others I have seen online.


Yesterday, which was CD 11, I noticed alot of 'O' pain. I was very bloated, had pressure, cramps, a very strong pinching feeling & then a dull ache on Left Ovary.

DH & I decided to DTD last night, after a 7 day abstain, just in case I missed O.
I will start doing CFR until we get a peak (if we do) and then maybe have another attempt in a few days. (I only ever wanted one but I think its lowering my chances too much).

I was so sure that I would have Ov yesterday or today but this morning's CBFM is still high.

I know its only CD 12 & normally on Clomid I dont O until at least CD13 but does anyone have an opinion on the O pains but no peak/surge?
(If its any conselation, my pains are gone this morning).

Sorry for the long post & TIA!! :)

You can have O pain before, during or even after ovulation. You can't pinpoint O based on O pain. I've experienced this, confirmed by u/s...that is, I was sure I had O'd based on cramping, but I hadn't.

There was a time not long ago when I NEVER would see a +OPK. I started seeing an RE who told me to test twice a day (I use ICs), once around 2pm and again between 8pm and 10pm. Hold your pee for 4 hours before testing, and the last 2 hours of that no liquids.

I think you will probably O soon, but I don't think you've missed it. GL!

Thank you for your reply.

I have been testing x2 daily but using FMU with CBFM & then pm (3-4pm) with OPK (not digi).

Yesterday's pm OPK was darker than all others but CBFM still didn't show a peak yesterday or this morning.

You're prob right, O prob hasnt occured yet. My pains were just so strong, I was convinced that must be it!

Thanks :)

Well...

I realize I'm late to all this but the thing is, if you are on your 4th Clomid cycle and possibly last attempt EVER, then WHY WHY WHY are you doing abstain or FR? My advice would have been to drop those things after the first month on Clomid and switch to SMEP to up odds of conception. I think if you haven't already ovulated, you need to start DTD every other day ASAP and if you get pos OPK, have 3 attempts.

You can't use your past cycles to predict when you ovulate at any point, but esp. when you're on Clomid because your body can react totally differently.

You can have O pains before, during, and after O and also with fake ovulations. So you can't use them to tell you anything definitive.

For the record, for me I have on pains pains leading up to O. I use to think this was when I was o'g. I now know this is not the case.

Yes me too Mrs. M - I find that they are actually relieved by ovulation sometimes.

Thanks for your replies.

Mrs M, I think this is what happened to me this cycle too.

I was using OPKs from CD8. On CD11 I got what I thought was O pains: really strong pressure on my Left side, pinching feelings, pressure & pulling/full feeling.
My OPK came back negative (it actually had 2 visible lines but I expected it to be darker than the control) but I DTD anyway.
I didnt want to miss out this month.
We also DTD on CD13 & CD15. It ended up being every other day which is not what I wanted but I didnt want to miss out.
I got a pos OPK on morning of CD15 & wasnt able to test on CD14, so it may have shown pos then too.

What is SMEP, AS?

Funny you say that it feels 'relieved' when O actually occurs.
On CD15, in the very early hrs, I was woken from my sleep with really bad cramps. AF type, I guess. Ive never experienced that with or without clomid.
I also had the most bloated tummy - it came out overnight, literally.
That lasted with pains for a few days & now that its all over, my bloating has decreased, pains & CM are gone!

Lets hope we caught it this time!!

SMEP is the "sperm meets egg plan". You can read up on it here:

Sperm Meets Egg Plan

Basically, you DTD (with DH releasing inside you) every 2-4 days, and get 3 attempts in over 3 days on +OPK. Deanna (the author of the "plan") also suggests a "bonus round" on 1DPO.