# OPK & BBT advice please



## Crazychickenlady (Feb 16, 2013)

I bought some op strips from eBay and used them during 2011, and I think either I wasn't doing them right, I don't ov at all or they were faulty!! What's the best brand to get on a budget and how do I use them properly? I have an average cycle of 33 days. Also concerning BBT, I know you have to do it at the same time every day, as soon as you wake up, before you get out of bed, but when should I start? On CD1? My GP said not to worry myself with all this, but I want to know if I'm ov regularly or not as after a 21day test last year showed I wasn't. If my cycle is 33days, I'm not going to be ov when a lady who has a 28day cycle am I?
I'm due to ov on the 5th of march, so when should I start with the OPK? 
Thanks in advanced xx


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## pumpkin34 (Feb 25, 2012)

Hi Crazychickenlady,

I used the Clearblue Digital smiley face OPKs.  Apparently they're supposed to be one of the better ones but I found them expensive, stressful and never got a positive with them even though I was ovulating.  I think there are some conditions like PCOS which can affect the result but personally I never rated them although saying that I'm sure there's plenty of girls on here who've had better luck with them so hopefully they can advise you better than me.

Temping and charting however I found to be a cheap, easy and reliable way of detecting ovulation and would recommend this more.  It's best if you can start on CD1 to get a full picture of your cycle but really it probably wouldn't matter starting around day 10 (if you have a longer cycle) as if you are ovulating the rise in temperature will be very obvious.  After the rise (I think it needs to go up at least 0.3) it needs to stay up for a few days to be sure, or ideally until your period comes, then it drops down again.

Good luck.

Pumpkin
x


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## Toad76 (Feb 9, 2013)

I've been using the Clearblue ones and they've worked ok for me. Not cheap though! I bought a big pack to start with to try and find when I ovulate, and now just test a few days before that each month to catch it, so the strips last a bit longer. I'm anywhere between 28-37 days, but most around 30-33 and day 16/17 seems to be the one for me. 

They don't actually guarantee that you are ovulating though, still have to have all the bloods to make sure. Like pumpkin34 said, they sometimes give a false neg too in things like PCOS.


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## Crazychickenlady (Feb 16, 2013)

Ok I think BBT is where I will start. I'll begin tomorrow. I was tested for pcos and all came back clear even though I don't ov regularly, have random hair everywhere and have extra weight round my middle even though I have tried to lose weight and tone up at the gym. I'm an odd bod I think


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## Toad76 (Feb 9, 2013)

Oh you are not alone. I was told I have PCOS and now I've been told I don't. Have all the same symptoms, like you say, and my cycle? Well it does whatever the hell it likes. Only missed one alltogether last year, which is good for me. 

I think they call it infertility if an unknown cause! Join me, as one of the many who just don't know why.


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## LittleL77 (Jul 14, 2012)

Hi

I used the 'One-Step' OPKs that I bought on Amazon. They are very cheap.  However, it is not always obvious when they are positive (as opposed to almost positive) so I used the Clearblue smiley sticks when I wasn't sure.  That made it cheaper overall.  

The best time to test is about 2pm (give or take an hour) but I found it just as good to test after work (6pm) - be sure not to drink too much, but normal fluid intake is fine.  I tested from the end of my period for the first few cycles (which is why internet cheapies are so great). Once I got better at knowing my signs, I tested from about day 12 (because I was always late to ovulate so no point testing earlier). When I felt that ov was near, I often did more than one a day (of the cheapies) and as I got better at reading them, I only needed to use one or two Clearblues a cycle.

I didn't ov for months (after a m/c), and then found that I ovulated all over the place (day 14, day 21, day 27 and everything in between??) I also had a 21 day progesterone test which showed no ovulation but, like you say, if you don't have a regular cycle then this could be misleading. I am now finally pregnant naturally.  I did sometimes find that the OPK tests would be darkish one day and then almost invisible the next day!!! It can be really confusing but a positive leaves you in no doubt - even if you do get it at some random day of your cycle!!!

I didn't really get on with BBT either.  I tried but found that it varied too much to be of any use.  Generally my temp was around 37 after ovulation (if I ovulated) but the cycle I got pg, I had a bad cold and sinusitis.  My temp was up to 37.4 and then down to 36.6 and up and down until I felt better. To be honest, I tested at the same time in the evening rather than the morning because it is only looking for a trend and I am such a bad sleeper that I thought it wouldn't make a difference.

The only thing I changed in my lifestyle was to limit caffeine to one cup of tea a day (except weekends when I had 2) and stopped taking Pregnancare because I felt that it was too strong for me (I eat a lot of fresh cooked food and probably don't even need a supplement). I took Seven Seas 'Trying for a baby' and now Seven Seas 'Pregnancy'.  Everyone is different though - so there are no hard and fast rules.  As long as you are getting your folic acid and vit D, I would say experiement with your vits (no expert but I'm not sure if there is something about B6 and luteal phases...) My GP had no idea when I asked her.

Good Luck


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## Crazychickenlady (Feb 16, 2013)

Looks like there are no hard and fast rules to ovulation predicting...  

Its a wonder how anyone can get pregnant!

 Little L

I just dont want to drive myself demented like last time, taking my temp bang on 6.30am, peeing on a OPK at 5pm, and checking my CM everyday. It got quite time consuming and took over my life slightly


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