Digital OPK's - how often?

[TTC5]

Just curious how often do you test with them and what time/s of the day?
On the Clear Blue website it says you can use it fmu but I thought we were not meant to use fmu???

[begonia]

Part of the reason FMU isn't the best TTC5 is unlike the pregnancy hormone, where it is highest in FMU, LH is actually higher later in the day. So you are more likely to get a +OPK later in the day.

I took mine at 2pm and 6pm. Got my 1st + at 2pm, maintained the + at 6pm, and was - by the next morning and I rechecked in the afternoon and it was still -. But I have had cycles with 2 full days of +; I think every cycle can be different.

[begonia]

OH I will add when I did have 2 full days of +, it was + in the am on the second day. I think once the surge starts you will be able to catch it no matter the time of day, it's the initial surge that is harder to catch in the am.

[rainbowflower]

clearblue ones are the exception in that they are designed to work in the morning too
this is how the CBFM works - it detects the LH in the FMU to give you the "peak" on the monitor and the OPKs are virtually the same

[zanacal]

I have a Clearblue digital OPK and it says to make sure you haven't had a drink for 4 hours prior to taking the test. I guess early morning would be best for that, however I ended up using it at about 4pm each day. Our attempts will be in the evenings and we'll stop once I get a +OPK for a cut-off so I figured that would be a better time for us and I'm unlikely to have had a drink for around 3 hours because I've been driving home from work and collecting the boys from various places!

On a slightly different subject, has anybody else noticed a fade in once they take the cartridge out after no smiley face? Is that actually a fade in or just something to do with how the test works? I guess I should take a test when I know I'm not ovulating (like now!) to check.

[TTC5]

Zanacal from what I have read so far, you can take it apart to see the fade in

[TTC5]

Part of the reason FMU isn't the best TTC5 is unlike the pregnancy hormone, where it is highest in FMU, LH is actually higher later in the day. So you are more likely to get a +OPK later in the day.

I took mine at 2pm and 6pm. Got my 1st + at 2pm, maintained the + at 6pm, and was - by the next morning and I rechecked in the afternoon and it was still -. But I have had cycles with 2 full days of +; I think every cycle can be different.

Is that using the digital ones? They are so expensive that I am wondering if it is ok to use ic's and when they look close to + switch the digital? Coz you only get like 5-7 in a pack hey? Don't want to waste those on like 1-2 days and end up missing the surge lol

[zanacal]

Zanacal from what I have read so far, you can take it apart to see the fade in

You have to take the cartridge out of the holder to dispose of it afterwards - that's when I saw it

[TTC5]

You have to take the cartridge out of the holder to dispose of it afterwards - that's when I saw it

Ahhh!!!!

Hope you get your girl!!

[3boys]

I have been testing with Internet cheapy OPKs and a digi. On the day I ovulated I took the clear blue digital in the morning and it said negative. I also took a Internet cheapy and it pretty looked positive! I decided to test with the digital at lunch time and it was positive. If I hadn't have tested in the afternoon (going by the digi) I would have thought I wasn't ovulating and missed it!

So I learnt from my experience that even with the digital ones you should really test from midday!