When is best time for OPK test?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2003
When is best time for OPK test?
4
Mon, 09-22-2003 - 10:24am
I am new to OPK's. I know that FMU is to be avoided. The directions say after noon is best. In a question I posted last friday, someone said they got positives after 5:30/6:00pm. When would the hormone be at its highest?

I am on cd 12 and have had EWCM for past 2 days. My cycles were irregular before 7 years of BCP's. Since going off in June, one cyle was 27 days the next 26 days. I O'd both months around cd 13-15.

This weekend, my OPK's were negative (saturday at 10:00am, sunday at 2:00pm). Why would I have EWCM and no +? The same thing happened last month. According to the kits, you would think I did not O, but I had the temp rise. Should I test more than once a day? I am adding this feature to give me more valuable info, but I think it is just confusing me.

Thanks for your help!

Shelly

ttc#2 c3cd12

Shelly (30) and DH (31) DS 4/8/02 & DD 6/7/04

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2003
Mon, 09-22-2003 - 10:36am
I've been getting my +OPKs on about my 3rd or 4th day of EWCM, so it's very possible to have EWCM without an LH surge. The LH surge happens only once, but the "fertile phase" can last longer.

I usually test anytime from 10am (weekends) to 6pm (weekdays), and at least 2 hours after going to the bathroom. (They recommend no peeing for 4+ hours before the test, but frankly, my bladder can't handle that - esp. w/all the water I drink!).

If your charts are saying that you are Oing, I would take that as my sign and forget about the OPKs. The LH surge lasts a different amount of time for each of us, so it's possible you're just missing it.

Good luck to you!

Tami

TTC#1 since 8/02

CC2 CD20 6DPO

www.fertilityfriend.com/home/219d1

Tami
Mommy to Anna 7.7.04 & Ben 11.19.06

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-27-2003
Mon, 09-22-2003 - 10:36am
I'm not sure that I've ever read a "best time" to do your OPKs. All I know is that you don't want to use FMU because you could get a false positive because the hormone has had all night to build up. I got my + at 5:00pm after testing for 4 days.

One other thing to keep in mind though, OPKs are similar to HPTs in the fact that their sensitivity levels are different among brands. It's possible that you had a surge but the brand you used wasn't sensitive enough to pick it up. There is a website out there (I don't have it handy) that lists the brands and their hormone level requirement for putting out a positive reading. I know ANSWER brand is the one that requires the highest hormone level. If you used a brand such as this, and your surge wasn't quite that high (but was still a valid surge), you might not have gotten a positive.

I know it's confusing, but I have found them very helpful. You just need to find the right brand for you. You could also start using them twice a day in case your surge is really short (to where testing once a day would miss it)

GL!

Melissa

TTC#1, C2, CD23, DPO9

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2003
Mon, 09-22-2003 - 10:39am
Are you testing with concentrated urine? It's my understanding that you need to test in the afternoon with pee held for 3-4 hours(concentrated)....this is one of the reasons I have not used OPK's.....when I gotta go I gotta go!LOL! Are your cycles regular? EWCM does not necessarily mean you are "o"ing- you can get it with annovulatory cycles too. Now you can have EWCM for several days before "o", so keep testing and hopefully it will show a surge soon.

GL!

((((HUGS))))

Tara

 

 Tara~ co-cl of Pregnant after TTC

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2003
Mon, 09-22-2003 - 11:04am
Thank you all for your great feedback! Sometimes we need extra reassurance!
Shelly (30) and DH (31) DS 4/8/02 & DD 6/7/04