Do OPK lines HAVE to be dark? When is it actually positive?

Alright ladies, thank you so much for your input. It really helps to have a place to go to while experiencing all of this. DH just doesnt quite get it haha.

I ran out of tests :p This morning's OPK was negative. I took one at 1:30AM and at 5:30AM. The EWCM comes and goes, I'll get a glob and then creamy the next hour, but the most consistent is creamy. Cervix keeps moving also u_u, at least its always closed and firm. None of it is normal for me and has me rather confused lol.

I've been very consistent for many years, even when I had my IUD in last year. No anovulatory cycles, no extra long cycles. They have all been 29-32 days. They got longer when I started taking Bvits in late 2015. I did FAM for 8 years and started temping this year again to TTC.

I have a feeling I did O and caught the egg and am now slowly rising in temp after the initial rise and fallback. Every time I Ovulate, I get extremely grumpy, I get into it with DH and end up crying myself to sleep.every time. This past CD14 was the same thing (except I had to sort myself out to BD lol), so if I go based on my body awareness, it would be unmistakable, but, alas, nobody can really guess ovulation, so here's to waiting.

I feel so done taking tests lol, but I'll go stock up tonight again, gonna get HPT's while I'm at it. As if the 2WW wasn't long enough!

FWIW, in September I O'd CD 17, October I O'd CD 17 and November I O'd CD15

This is today's update both with FAM settings and Advanced settings:

http://i67.tinypic.com/eqvzw5.jpg

http://i63.tinypic.com/n6vy1j.jpg


We will know for sure tomorrow if I'm steadily rising.

:agree: for me the mood change is real and unmistakeable BUT that having been said, still can't sign off on that chart!!

lol, I know. I'll be back with updates until we get something concrete. Stocked up on tests, but I'll just be doing 1 daily late in the evening from tomorrow on + EOD. :D

This is my updated chart for today:

http://i65.tinypic.com/70e03k.jpg

My temps for the last 3 days go like this:

12/29
97.36 - 5:00AM Oral
97.63 - 5:00AM Vag

12/30
97.62 - 5:00AM Oral
97.83 - 5:00AM Vag

12/31
97.93 -5:00AM Oral
98.16 -5:00AM Vag

I've started taking Vaginal temps in addition to my oral temps so I don't have doubts about the pattern. It looks like O took place on CD14 or 16. Either way, progesterone is clearly taking over.

still not sure yet - I'll hold off for a couple more days!

When should the temp drop again if we don't conceive this cycle?


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Via a part of me really thinks you are trying to ovulate now and haven't ovulated yet. The temp rising is good and if the EWCM keeps coming we will have to see what the next few days shows on your chart.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wantanother2017

When should the temp drop again if we don't conceive this cycle?


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12-14 days after ovulation occurs

Good morning! Here's a chart update:

http://i67.tinypic.com/25p2rno.jpg

I have never gone past 98.05F with BBT, so it appears I'm hanging out at my max temps so far. I stopped with OPK's. They all look the same and fertile signs are all gone. I did have EWCM on CD's 20&21 (assuming I O'd, 6&7dpo), but it was nothing like my fertile days. This was something else which should have its own category. Gonna start testing for hCG tomorrow :poas:.

We're still doing EOD, with the exception of the other night. He didn't wanna cooperate. :worry:

DH says he is the ovulation predictor and declares that I ovulated based on my behavior. :giggle: He is 100% sure, but we'll see.

Edited to add:

So, just because I find data collection and graphs so fascinating (when it comes to the human body that is), I decided to discard the two wonky temps which threw everyone off lol.

Here's discard 1, the huge spike that we all look for to mark a thermal shift:
http://i68.tinypic.com/2a56pt.jpg

Here's discard 2, the massive dip which came out of nowhere:
http://i64.tinypic.com/mtpj5y.jpg

The only thing FF changed was my cover line, but either way it keeps my O day as CD14.

But wait, there's more. LOL! I removed t he +OPK and the cross hairs remained solid.
http://i63.tinypic.com/auxd1t.jpg

If I add the EWCM I saw those two days, my cross hairs become dashed, but that's about it. Cool story eh? :D I didn't add them because I didn't see the EWCM when I checked first thing in the morning as I usually do. They were a couple of globs that appeared mid day. I kept them in my notes though.

I look forward to bedtime just so I can get up and take my temp. u_u

Good luck Cosmo!

Only few days and we will see
Finger crossed [emoji177]


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If you did O sometime around the 14thish some of us occasionally or regularly get EWCM with the secondary estrogen surge about 7 days later. That would be my guess. :)

Aaaaaaaaalrighty then. It is time for an update. My temps are hanging up high these days, but we can pretty much be certain I ovulated. SO, now the question is, when did I O and was our BD pattern in boy territory? I say I O'd on CD16 and possibly implanted on 9dpo. I had bloody discharge on CD17 and it wasn't fresh, so it was from O I presume. FF won't change my O date, probably because of the CM on CD16.

http://i67.tinypic.com/j6mnv7.jpg

this is last month just for comparison, all of my charts look like this except this month. I never logged BD consistently until this month btw.

http://i67.tinypic.com/xap7oi.jpg

It is a waiting game at this point, I'll give AF a few more days to decide if she's coming or not and then test. Just trying to keep busy until then lol.

i think you ovulated on CD 20-21 unless you are a million percent sure you didn't. But that is a guess. I think your suggestion of when O happened is also very likely. This is one of those charts that is literally impossible to really know. The good thing is that no matter when you did actually O you had a good BD pattern and very similar to what many of us did to get our boys.

This is so funny, I was just starting to toy with the idea that I O'd on CD20/21. Can I ask why you think that? The only reasons I suspect that day is the giant globs of EWCM and no bfp so late in the game. Otherwise, it isn't convincing, but there has been loads of action in my uterus this month, that's for sure LOL!

Because I feel that's when we saw the sustained rise that stayed up after that. I think your body thought about Oing, earlier, and didn't, and then finally got its game on then. But like I say, that is just "most likely" to me and not definitive.

Well, I went back through all of my notes and found that I had EWCM on CD19 as well. It was later in the day though which is why it didn't get recorded. I recorded mild O pains on CD20 towards the end of the day. I switched my settings to FAM and there you have it:

http://i67.tinypic.com/1z5oi1w.jpg

Assuming I did O on CD20, how many attempts did we get in total? Do we count attempts made in a fertile period or just 2 days before O and O day? I should have O'd at the end of the day because I still had copious amounts of EWCM on CD21.

Cos if you check the 2ww thread I posted the full story of my delayed O that resulted in this bfp (DD4). I really think you ovulated cd21-cd22. 3 great minds thinking alike shouldn't be wrong so let's assume for now that's when Eggie popped.. I can't read the DPO on charts.. my brain is mush.. how many DPO does that make you?

If I O'd CD20, then I'm 13dpo today.

2 or 3 depending on when egg actually dropped. :)

That's definitely better than 1 shot! lol. I may have J&D'd on CD21, but I had alot of EWCM and used a tiny bit of preseed. I felt like I was getting a UTI so I didn't want to lay there more than a couple of minutes. I can't remember if this started the last few days or since CD21. I haven't felt like my brain is all there the last couple of days.

Trying not to worry myself as it's a done deal. Not easy when you like to control every little detail haha.

Alrighty, I have a decision to make here and I'd really appreciate your input ladies :)

My cycle is whack this month and I have a feeling it is due to stress I placed upon myself. At this stage, not matter if I O'd on cd14, cd16 or cd20, I should be getting a positive test by now. During the last two weeks I had tons of toilet issues, like diarrhea for instance and alot of night wakings for the toilet. It stopped in the last 4 days, which correlate with my temps evening out. Still waking up to pee though *sigh*

Knowing what I know, and understanding my body the way I do, I'm certain this was all hormone surges, estrogen was trying to take over and my chart reflects that battle lol.

Yes, my temps seem to have stabilized above 98F for the last 11 days or so, but I also take progesterone cream in small doses and although it has never raised my temps this high or stopped my period from coming (I always stop it when I spot), ever, there's still a possibility that this could be the case because my hormones may have evened out at this stage (I'm treating myself for that as I'm estrogen dominant) and my progesterone may be extra high due to my natural levels kicking in. Just a theory.

I can easily stop the progesterone and I'm fairly certain a period would come if I'm not PG. The downside is that if I AM PG, it can potentially cause a miscarriage, but again, I'm taking a small dosage so I don't really think that would happen.

At this point, I'm more than ready to move on to another cycle and have my supplies ready to go. How much longer should I wait? I was thinking of doing one last test tomorrow morning, or should I wait until I'm a full week late? That's in 2-3 days. I would feel alot more relief getting another shot at this lol. I got some good quality OPK's (clearblue digital) so there's no wishy washy lines to deal with.

Thoughts?

I would compromise and start using it every other day for a few days and see what happens.

Good idea! I'm testing with a frer on wednesday, I'll update then :D Thank you! <3

Okay Cosmo...

First and foremost, take the last CB digital you have in the morning please. First morning urine, holding your pee as long as you can...humor me. To me i love that test so much that if THAT says not pregnant at this point im going to say you really probably are not. Then if you still cant bare the thought of stopping the progesterone completely just yet tomorrow is the day id start taking it every other day and see what happens.

As for your new opks..i want to stress that i wouldnt have known the difference between my opk on july 9th vs my opk on july 13th...both had solid smiley faces. But the line was undoubtedly MUCH MUCH MUCH darker on the 13th. So lines still play a role even with the digitals in my opinion..but at least then with a solid smiley you know it is detecting SOMETHING in your pee.

Otherwise approach this how you want. Thats what i would do at this point. Also keep in mind as ive posted..i went the whole month of june and didnt ovulate even though i DID get a solid smiley opk..but i never bled and had a period..then ovulated on time in july. However i also was not on progesterone. So your situation IS a bit different

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cosmosis

Alrighty, I have a decision to make here and I'd really appreciate your input ladies :)

My cycle is whack this month and I have a feeling it is due to stress I placed upon myself. At this stage, not matter if I O'd on cd14, cd16 or cd20, I should be getting a positive test by now. During the last two weeks I had tons of toilet issues, like diarrhea for instance and alot of night wakings for the toilet. It stopped in the last 4 days, which correlate with my temps evening out. Still waking up to pee though *sigh*

Knowing what I know, and understanding my body the way I do, I'm certain this was all hormone surges, estrogen was trying to take over and my chart reflects that battle lol.

Yes, my temps seem to have stabilized above 98F for the last 11 days or so, but I also take progesterone cream in small doses and although it has never raised my temps this high or stopped my period from coming (I always stop it when I spot), ever, there's still a possibility that this could be the case because my hormones may have evened out at this stage (I'm treating myself for that as I'm estrogen dominant) and my progesterone may be extra high due to my natural levels kicking in. Just a theory.

I can easily stop the progesterone and I'm fairly certain a period would come if I'm not PG. The downside is that if I AM PG, it can potentially cause a miscarriage, but again, I'm taking a small dosage so I don't really think that would happen.

At this point, I'm more than ready to move on to another cycle and have my supplies ready to go. How much longer should I wait? I was thinking of doing one last test tomorrow morning, or should I wait until I'm a full week late? That's in 2-3 days. I would feel alot more relief getting another shot at this lol. I got some good quality OPK's (clearblue digital) so there's no wishy washy lines to deal with.

Thoughts?

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Boy, this is tricky. 16DPO and nothing one way or the other? From what I understand, if you absolutely O'd when you thought you did, you COULD have delayed implantation explaining the "no period," the higher temps and potential early pregnancy symptoms, etc., but I'm not sure how the progesterone cream could affect anything here. Maybe just lengthening your LP a bunch?

I'd say with the "early symptoms" and then them going away for 4 days you might just have had a chemical and need to wait for the bleeding slightly late :/ It sounds like it could be the classic case of, "Bajillions of women lose early pregnancies without ever knowing it," and because you were paying attention noticed the slight change, but just happened to test even after the HCG lowered?

Ok! I've got a great update! :D

So, I reluctantly used my CBD lol and it was a BFN, as expected. My temps dropped today so I already knew but just wanted to triple check before cutting off progesterone.

Apparently, yesterday I did temp, I just didn't remember but when I checked my thermometer memory there was one recorded which was on its way down already(98.08). Unfortunately, I erased the memory when I was checking it just now and had to guess today's temp, gha! It was one of my popular temps of either 97.90 or 97.79, I wasn't fully awake when I took it so I don't remember exactly and I chose 97.79. We'll just wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Clearly the progesterone doesn't prevent my natural levels from dropping. I'm telling you, I always spot on time and I cut it off and AF arrives fully. Some months I don't use it and I'm still on time with the same pattern even.

I'm actually quite excited to tackle the next cycle but I'm worried. What the heck happened here? Was this a chemical? I DID get a faint BFP on 13 and 14DPO, I didn't imagine it. They were my only two tests that showed a line out of a sea of stark white tests. Were those just evap lines? I doubt it. My last cycle was 31 days and the one before was 32 days long. This makes me 5-6 days late, this is the normal range for a chemical right?

If they were evaps, did I not ovulate? Wouldn't FF pick up a non ovulatory cycle and wouldn't temps stay relatively the same if there was no O? I'm pretty certain of that, but I'm a bit rusty as I've been so regular for years . 10 years ago my cycles were like 60-90 days long and I corrected that with a lifestyle change and have been like clockwork since with the occasional skipped ovulation, in which case I get AF a full week early, never late.

I find it almost impossible to believe there was no egg and sperm action with all of the changes I experienced, they were WILD. I kept a detailed log and I always keep a close eye on my health, especially bowel movements and things like that.

I'd like to gain some clarity on this because I'd like to prevent a repeat, although I'm aware there isn't much I can do about chemical PG's. I want to make sure everything adds up and I do handle that which I am able to.

I'm pretty certain AF is on her way now and I couldn't be happier to see her LOL. I really cannot deal with disorganization and when things go off schedule in any areas of my life, it almost paralyzes me. I spent the last week doing nothing but research trying to sort this out. Now I'm behind on packing and we move this Friday >_<

As for the OPK's, my plan is to get 3 attempts in as soon as I get a smiley, if I get another smiley later, I will do another 3 attempts and just do EOD in between. Is this appropriate, Atomic?

So, what are your thoughts ladies?

For next month, yes, I want you to get in the 3 attempts and then EOD if you can, indefinitely, and if you think you're Oing later than normal, have ANOTHER 2-3 attempts if poss.

I, or anyone else can't tell you YET what day you Oed. I have only very rarely found chemicals to delay AF coming by 5-6 days and so if those were true BFP I still think you Oed late.

I would like to wait until AF comes and then look back to see if all this makes more sense.

Well, she's officially here and at her usual time, right before bed lol. CD1 for me.

This is my full cycle:

http://i68.tinypic.com/2jfzvh0.jpg

A period as reliable as yours suggests cd 22-23 then as ovulation date being as that was 14 days ago

My LP is 15/16 days long. If I use the FAM method, my O day is marked as CD20 which leaves me with a 16 day LP and the faint bfp's on 7&8dpo. Not sure if that makes sense, but the LP is on point.

I think CD 21 with 15 day LP. :agree: Glad you're out of limbo! :)