[Babymakingprincess]

I just bought some, and it says to average your last 3 cycles. OMG MY last 3 cycles have been 23, 24, & 23 days! That's so short! Anyway, it says to start using OPK's on day 7!! I only have 5 tests and they are so expensive here. Even with a 5$ discount they cost 55$. We can't get them anywhere here except drug stores & walmart. Walmart was more expensive!!!
Anyway, what is a good strategy for the OPK use? Last cycle I probably O'd on day 14.... Do you use them every day for the 5 days prior to when you think you O? Or every econd day?
I woul duse them every day if I had the $$$$!!!
Thanks for your help guys!!!

[drewbears]

you only got 5 tests?? usually they come with 7. Thats odd.

Some ladies wait till they start having some EWCM to start testing, but for some that might be too late.

[diznynurse]

Hello, I started using them a couple of cycle ago and I can feel pain in my pelvic area when I start getting close. That's when I start using my opk's. I usually use about 3 or 4. Good Luck hun! I'm sorry they are so expensive. They're about 18-20 dollars for 7 here.

Also wanted to say that on my 23-24 day cycle I usually O around cd11 or cd12.

[BabyBird]

My that is expensive! I got some from here Early pregnancy tests MUCH cheaper!

[wewantaminime]

When I used the digitals and only had 7 so I started like 2 or 3 days before my expected ovulation date.

[Babymakingprincess]

Hmmm.... Will have to bookmark that site in case I'm not successful this cycle!! I could have got 100 for the same price I got 5!!!!!!!!!!

At all the stores I went to, I saw a total of 4 different brands, all with only 5 tests and all in the range of 42$-63$. The 42$ ones looked so chintsy-so I went with a mid-range one thinking I had a 5 coupon, so why not.

FF was no help, it says:
Since your ovulation has not been detected yet, you should watch the fertility analyzer table (on the main screen) for a "Fertile" sign ("Green Light"). As soon as you get the Green Light, start using your OPK right away. Last cycle I didn't get green light until after 3 DPO!! That's TOOOO late! lol

I didn't really have much luck watching for EWCM in the past when DH & I BD'd a lot.... I just get the two mixed up. I wouldn't know when to use OPK if I based it on that... LOL and we plan to BD a TON this month!!

I did get, what I think now, was ovulation pains, light cramping on day 13, and a big cramps on day 14...

So is using them with FMU after observing a temp drop & also taking into account when I O'd & had cramps mid-cycle last cycle a good plan of attack for me? Should I use every day after maybe CD 10? Or just watch for a big temp drop and ude every day after that?

Argh! Soooo confused!

[Acadia]

Well FF didn't give you a green light last time because you had no EWCM until the very day of O. If you mark a + OPK or some EWCM before O this cycle, it will give you the green light with more than enough time to start BDing.

All the ones here come with only 5 tests too ... I didn't know they came with 7 most places. I see you are in Canada. Well I'm in Louisiana. Maybe the OPK makers figure Louisianians are a bunch of transplanted Canadians anyway so they just give us the same amount.

Just because you can get more for the same amount, though, doesn't mean it's a better deal. Check out the detection threshold and everything to make sure they are finding close to the same amount of hormones in your urine. If you get some really "cheapie" ones for a good price you might never see a clear positive if they're not good quality. On the other hand if you get 10 for more money you might see a much clearer surge if they're good.

Check out this chart. It lists all (most!) of the brands and the different types (some brands make more than one type) and what their detection threshold is. You should consider both the sensitivity AND the price when choosing. See what the best deal is for the lowest detection threshold, but if you STILL don't get a clear + you might have to shell out the extra money. http://www.peeonastick.com/opks.html

You shouldn't use OPKs with FMU. Wait until afternoon. LH is produced early in the day but doesn't show up in your urine until later, unlike the hCG buildup you're looking for with an HPT. Read the OPK FAQ on that site too. It is very informative as to when to start, how to tell a positive result, why you should use afternoon urine, etc. http://www.peeonastick.com/opkfaq.html

I just wanted to add ... if you are wanting a specific "plan of attack" you could definitely try the Sperm Meets Egg Plan. This link describes it (a short version and more detailed instructions). If your cycles are long I would hold off on starting the OPKs, since they are expensive, until the POAS FAQ says you should start testing. But following the rest of it seems a good idea. http://www.pregnancyloss.info/sperm_meets_egg_plan.htm

[Babymakingprincess]

That's a good site, thanks!

Psst... I'm still confused... do you use them every day after the day they recommend for your cycle? lol
I should have mentioned I am blonde

Also, I figured FMU was good idea (though I see now it idn't) because I usually drink between 2-3 litres of water a day. I'm very athletic (karate, kickboxing, weight training between 2-4 hours a day about 4 days a week!!) and need to be very hydrated in order to keep my mucles from seizing up and to have a good workout etc..... So I guess if I stoppped drinking water at work from say 12-2 then test??

[Acadia]

That's a good site, thanks!

Psst... I'm still confused... do you use them every day after the day they recommend for your cycle? lol
I should have mentioned I am blonde

Also, I figured FMU was good idea (though I see now it idn't) because I usually drink between 2-3 litres of water a day. I'm very athletic (karate, kickboxing, weight training between 2-4 hours a day about 4 days a week!!) and need to be very hydrated in order to keep my mucles from seizing up and to have a good workout etc..... So I guess if I stoppped drinking water at work from say 12-2 then test??[/b]

Yeah. If Meg (that's the lady who writes the POAS site) says start on CD 14, start that day and test once a day until you get a + result. Then BD three days in a row, rest a day, then try one more time for good measure. Once you get the + you can stop testing. This is why you should also keep charting though! If you get a +, BD as recommended, and your chart doesn't show O then it was a false alarm. Then you should start testing again. It happens sometimes. Do what it says if you never get a + though ... just start BD on CD 8 and try every other day til CD 35. If AF hasn't shown by then and you've had no + OPK, something's up.

Just stop drinking for 3-4 hours before you POAS with that OPK (it's okay to drink a LITTLE ... maybe a cup halfway through to keep you feeling ok?). And don't pee during that time. You can drink more than normal throughout the rest of the day if you need to.

Are your cycles normally 23 days like the last one? If so POAS recommends starting your tests on CD 6! Since your O last time was CD 14, though, I think you're okay to start on CD 8 like SMEP recommends. Either way, you don't have too long to wait! You found the OPK start chart I'm talking about, right?

[StephLS]

My cycles tend to run shorter as well.. about 21-24 days (when I'm not using prometrium). I've found that the last cycle and this current one, I have o'd around day 12. For a couple cycles I o'd around day 18 but I suspect that was because my thyroid was out wack. Now that I've been on meds for a while, my O-day is back to around day 11-12. I have found that starting the OPK about day 9 or 10 gives me sufficient time to catch my O. I also temp right along with the OPK's and that seems to give me a better idea as to when O-day might be(have been). Also, if you don't succeed with this cycle, you will have some idea as to when to expect O-day if you have a chart that shows a dip. Then you can narrow in on when you ought to use the OPK.

Of course everyone is different, you may benefit from starting your opk a few days earlier, at least this cycle.

[diznynurse]

Just a quick note to say I don't think you are suppose to test with FMU, I test about 12 or 2 in the afternoon. Good Luck!

[Acadia]

Just a quick note to say I don't think you are suppose to test with FMU, I test about 12 or 2 in the afternoon. Good Luck![/b]

Yep we already got that straightened out.

[Babymakingprincess]

Thanks everyone!
Well today is CD 7 so I'm gonna give it a go this afternoon
I'm kinda excited... I've had 3 days of dropping temps....
They say take the shortest cycle you've had in the past 6 months and then use this chart to determine what day of your cycle you should begin testing:

shortest cycle start testing
22 5
23 6
24 7
25 8
26 9

My cycles range from 22-26 but FF says I O'd on CD 14 last mth, so I figured I wouldn't start on CD 5 with ORK, lol
I'll try one today because of temp drops. WISH ME LUCK!

[Acadia]

Thanks everyone!
Well today is CD 7 so I'm gonna give it a go this afternoon
I'm kinda excited... I've had 3 days of dropping temps....
They say take the shortest cycle you've had in the past 6 months and then use this chart to determine what day of your cycle you should begin testing:

shortest cycle start testing
22 5
23 6
24 7
25 8
26 9

My cycles range from 22-26 but FF says I O'd on CD 14 last mth, so I figured I wouldn't start on CD 5 with ORK, lol
I'll try one today because of temp drops. WISH ME LUCK! [/b]

Good luck!

[Babymakingprincess]

Soooo I took my first OPK!
Ummm… I can see where to POAS addiction comes from!! Hahaa…I can see it comin’ on!!!

So I had a light purple line… which I understand means negative for LH surge.
But if there is a line does that mean there is a little bit more LH than if there was nothing?

Wondering if I should test again tomorrow… I was going to wait until day after tomorrow then test daily because FF said I O’d on day 14 last cycle… or if I should go ahead tomorrow because of the light line!!??

[Acadia]

Soooo I took my first OPK!
Ummm… I can see where to POAS addiction comes from!! Hahaa…I can see it comin’ on!!!

So I had a light purple line… which I understand means negative for LH surge.
But if there is a line does that mean there is a little bit more LH than if there was nothing?

Wondering if I should test again tomorrow… I was going to wait until day after tomorrow then test daily because FF said I O’d on day 14 last cycle… or if I should go ahead tomorrow because of the light line!!??

[/b]

You can wait til day after tomorrow if this one was just for practice.

Unfortunately seeing a light line doesn't mean it's going to get darker soon. Yes, that means there's some LH, but it can fluctuate before the actual surge. You might get snow white tests for days and then suddenly a line that's half as dark as the control ... but then the next day it might disappear again. Hormones are crazy things!

So I wouldn't base my testing schedule on one light line. Just hang on. You are so going to be a POAS addict!