I started using Clearblue Digital ovulation tests this month, to time things correctly. I tested the 1st time on CD11, when my period finally stopped (it was a weird one - spotting for 6 days then a normal 5 day period) & got the blank circle (low fertility). I've tested each morning since & gotten the flashing smiley face (high fertility), but haven't gotten the solid smiley face (peak fertility). It's CD18 now & according to the Clearblue website, I haven't ovulated yet... the high fertility days = increased estrogen (E3G) levels & the peak days = LH surge.
I got pregnant on cycle 2 of trying, but miscarried in July at 6 weeks. We've been trying since with no luck, which is why I bought the ovulation tests. Could the miscarriage have thrown off my ovulation that much? When would you call your OBGYN? After a couple months of this? I assumed I would have ovulated by now, but I don't really know...
Post by oneslybookworm on Nov 3, 2014 18:07:30 GMT -5
I just started using the ones that you are talking about last month. Normally, I use the CBE ones that have only open circle and smiley...no flashing. Bought the wrong ones off Amazon this time around, so have to use these too. I thought that the flashing was considered high fertility, which means you can still get pregnant. I'd just BD it out, regardless...can't hurt, right?! Though, I'd have thought by now you'd have shown peak fertility the OPKs don't actually tell you if you've ovulated...you might not have a surge high enough to register on the test strips, hence the flashing (just a thought).
The only way to really know if you have ovulated and when is to do charting.
I seem to have issues with OPK's. I haven't tried the digital tests yet but I have never gotten a true positive test. Just less negatives. I imagine my cycle might look similar to yours with no apparent peak. Charting really makes it clear what is happening.
I doubt that your miscarriage is still causing issues. You just need to keep up with the BD and hope for the best!
I haven't tried the digital OPKs so I'm not sure how flashing smilies work. If you're not charting I'd just have sex EOD while it's saying you're at high fertility. Good luck!
I used the CBE digitals a couple of cycles ago and this happened to me. I had a 20 pack of tests and ended up using them all. I think I never had a surge big enough to register on the test. I ended up having a 40 day cycle with no O detected. I agree with everyone else just keep having sex EOD and testing. Hoping your peak day will be soon.
Could you have missed the surge? I used cheap OPKs the first time around and found that I would have to test 2-3x a day to catch my surge. I know they say to use FMU, but my surge usually happened in the afternoon.
Could you have missed the surge? I used cheap OPKs the first time around and found that I would have to test 2-3x a day to catch my surge. I know they say to use FMU, but my surge usually happened in the afternoon.
this is exactly WHY you can't only test using OPKs once a day. the LH hormone isn't like the PG one, it doesn't "build up" overnight the same way. so FMU doesn't actually make a difference, it's about when you surge. which can be any time during the day. so testing AM and PM is the best way to catch it. if you test one morning, it's negative and then you test the next morning and it's also negative, you can miss it completely if it happened at 3 in the afternoon.
I always test with OPKs with FMU and right after work (about 5:00). If I'm home I test around 2:00 also. I've caught surges in the afternoon more times than morning.
Thanks for the responses everyone! Apparently I have a lot to learn... I decided to keep testing & got a surge this morning, CD 21. We've never been too serious about BD-ing this late in my cycle, so maybe that's why we haven't had any luck since July.