[jmhick]

I have a few questions:

Got my OPK tests in today and a ? : When I get the 2 lines is that when I need to begin DTD? And, after I have O will it still be positive or will it go negative? I guess I just wanna know when to start taking the test and when I can finally stop taking them.

Other ? is about showers: They say dont take hot showers, well what is a hot shower? Here's my showers: warm enough to have fog on windows, but not hot enough where there is steam or makes my body red. So -- is that too hot?? And, why is it they say don't take hot showers?

I think that's all the ?'s I have for now ;-) THANKS!

[Christine-MA]

An OPK is positive when the test line is as dark as, or darker than the control line. So just seeing two lines doesn't indicate a positive. Once it IS positive, you will ovulate about 12-36 hours later, so I suggested BD that day and the next day at least. I typically stop testing once I get a + (I also check CM so I typically know O is coming by that anyway, I just use OPKs to confirm). If you do continue to test though, yes, they will go negative after your LH surge is over.

Do you know when you typically O? I O pretty late, so I don't usually start them until CD16....but if you O early (or have shorter cycles) you may want to start around CD10/11. ETA: I also start to test 2x a day when the second line is visible so I don't miss the surge.

I don't know anything about hot showers...for women anyway. For men, I know hot baths/hot tubs can affect the sperm.....so I'm no help with that! I love a warm/hot shower in the winter!

[jmhick]

Oh ok, thanks Christine! Well, I haven't had AF since Novemember, so I just know when I finally get it back it will be out of wack. I will start on CD 11 and see what it looks like from there. Before my was PG, I also started on the 3rd-5th of the month -- so I'd say I'm between 28-30 days. I can usually kind of tell when I O ;-). This is the first time I'm doing it all - temp taking, OKP's, looking, etc, etc

An OPK is positive when the test line is as dark as, or darker than the control line. So just seeing two lines doesn't indicate a positive. Once it IS positive, you will ovulate about 12-36 hours later, so I suggested BD that day and the next day at least. I typically stop testing once I get a + (I also check CM so I typically know O is coming by that anyway, I just use OPKs to confirm). If you do continue to test though, yes, they will go negative after your LH surge is over.

Do you know when you typically O? I O pretty late, so I don't usually start them until CD16....but if you O early (or have shorter cycles) you may want to start around CD10/11. ETA: I also start to test 2x a day when the second line is visible so I don't miss the surge.

I don't know anything about hot showers...for women anyway. For men, I know hot baths/hot tubs can affect the sperm.....so I'm no help with that! I love a warm/hot shower in the winter![/b]

[L-SBB]

Ditto what Christine said on the OPK...

Don't worry about the shower - I actually read extensively about this b/c I LOVE hot baths. Basically, the issue is letting your core body temp get too high...rule of thumb that they give is never hot enough to turn your skin pink. I keep baths to just under 100. I read online that showers are ok (even if hotter) because your whole body is never completely hot (your back for example would be cooler when facing the shower). But wise to avoid hot tubs altogether....

[klt]

ditto to everything... aren't the ladies smart around here

I'll just add that I used OPKs until I saw a negative so that I knew when the LH surge was over. That way, if I O'd 12-36 hours after the last +, I wouldn't miss it. And, sometimes it's hard to tell what is truly a +OPK. Just my obsession, I guess. I ovulated earlier after my m/c so I started using OPKs around day 9 (I O on cd13).

I hope this helps. KUP!!!

[*SamF*]

I usually start using OPK's at around cycle day 9 too. I tend to O between 12 and 14. I keep testing too until they go negative, but I think that has more to do with my addiction.