[JustPlainMum]

Hi,

I'm sorry if this has been asked a thousand times but its my first cycle using OPK's and i'm a little confused.

I've been using the tests for the last four days (today is the fourth day). The first day i could really tell that the test line was lighter than the control line so i had no issues there.

But for the last three days the test line is almost as dark as the control line but i have called them negative results.

Might be a silly question but for those of you that get positive results, was it so obvious that the test line was darker or the same as the control line or did you have to second guess yourself like me?

I have taken photos of the test for the last three days but didnt do it for the first day.

Oh and i'm also at CD11 and have no knowledge of when i usually O in my cycle (started testing at CD8).

Hope someone can help!

[Charliebear21]

for a postive OPK the test time must be as dark or darker than control line. When it starts to get lighter the surge has gone and you have O'ed.

So I would say keep testing your probably very close. Are you testing AM and PM or just once a day?

[JustPlainMum]

for a postive OPK the test time must be as dark or darker than control line. When it starts to get lighter the surge has gone and you have O'ed.

So I would say keep testing your probably very close. Are you testing AM and PM or just once a day?

When i look at the test, the test line is dark but slightly lighter than the control line.

I'm testing at around 1:30 and then in the evening about 6/7.
I have to admit though i'm not being very consistent in my test times.

[goingbatty]

OP are you able to show photos of the opks??


I personally have true positives for about 12-16 hours, but I generally get a fade in and then fade out pattern.

Just this evening I got a darker line, not near positive, but I know by tomorrow morning it will be a true positive, but by Sunday morning they will fade out again.

To answer your question, yes it is obvious that it is a positive. The line started colouring as the test line was developing colour as well.

And it can very for each person- slightly lighter than the control line is ok, so long as you know that is "your" positive.

[caninestorm]

And it can very for each person- slightly lighter than the control line is ok, so long as you know that is "your" positive.

This Mine probably never get quite as dark/darker than the control but I know what is positive for me, and I also get a fade in/fade out.

OP, what brand are you using? I've found that the fertility 2 family ones give lighter lines throughout the cycle (but still a positive) whereas the Oracle Fertility ones give a darker line throughout the cycle. For me, f2f OPKs go from nothing to positive in about 24 hours, whereas the Oracle ones have a clear fade in over 3 or so days.

[HappyLife]

I've been using the F2F ones for the first time this month. It did have a bit of a fade in & fade out for me, but the test line never got anywhere near as dark as the control. I just picked the darkest day as being my positive - but I was temping too, so that gave me more of an idea. I was only testing once a day (usually after getting home from work), but not too consistent with times either.

[JustPlainMum]

Thank you everyone for your replies! I read through them all and they make sense.

caninestorm i am using the cheap OPK's from the pregnancy shop. I

goingbatty you were right, i tested about 40 mins ago and i can definitely tell now that the test line is darker than the control line. I have all the pics but i really dont know how to upload them...

so i'm assuming that *~Lisa~* was also right in saying that the other tests were probably showing that i was getting close.

SO i guess i will test again later tonight?

We BD late last night and this morning is that enough? or will we need to again tonight and tomorrow morning?

[goingbatty]

OP sounds like you have yourself a positive OPK! Great that you can see them fading in. I would keep BDing until they are completely faded out again.
I got my pos this morning, but we BD'd last night, and will BD tonight and again tomorrow and Monday night. Based on history, my peak today will mean I ovulate tomorrow.
Generally, you O 12-36 hours after the peak so best to be safe and keep BDing till you know you've def O'd.

[pixii]

Hi there,

I too use the OPK from the pregnancy shop and find them briliant.

I find throughout my cycle I start testing day 8 and my results vary they go from nearly as dark as the control line to much lighter and then bam I get a true positive where the test line is as dark as the control at first and then it is darker than the control later in the same day. I find that when I do get my positive that the test line develops before the control line its that obvious for me.

The best method is to BD every second day from CD8 and once you get your pos OPK BD that day and for each of the following 2 days then skip a day and BD again on the next day. This means you will have covered a total of 5 days after your first positive OPK. Its called the SMEP.

This post has been edited by pixii: 16/02/2013, 03:32 PM

[JustPlainMum]

So i just did my first test for today and it came back negative. The last test i did was yesterday at about 6:30pm and it was a definite positive.

Does that mean that i ovulated somewhere between 6:30pm yesterday and 11:30am today? Or does it mean that i will ovulate today or tomorrow? so confused! Sorry for all the rookie questions.

This post has been edited by JustPlainMum: 17/02/2013, 11:12 AM