confused about ovulation tests - Trying to Conceive (TTC) Message Board

azaleas · 03-10-2006, 07:22 PM

Hi there. I plan on ttc in August and was wondering when I ovulated since I have regular cycles (except for last month when i was late!). Anyways I was planning on saving my kit for August but I realized today was day 16 of my cycle and the instructions say to begin testing on day 16 if your cycles are 33 days long (which mine are). I used two test to make sure and both were clearly positive. The confusing thing is the kit says it detects ovulation if it is within 24-48 hours. So I guess that means I am not ovulating today? And what if I am on my final day of ovulation that would still give me a positive result right? Because what if I had used a strip a couple days ago and it was positive? does that mean I am finishing ovulation today?

xinerevelle · 03-11-2006, 08:52 AM

If you start charting your basal temps now, you will have a better idea of what your cycle looks like each month, which will help you determine, in conjunction with an OPK, when you are ovulating. There are places online that you can use to chart each day, as well as places where you can download and print out a chart to graph it yourself. Temp at the same time each morning before you get out of bed using a special BBT thermometer (about $8-10 at any drugstore, walmart, etc.). Plot your temps on the chart, looking for a little dip in temperature before at least three days of rising temps. The "dip" day is your O day, and the three+ days of higher temps indicate that you are in your luteal phase (the second "half" of your cycle).

Many women are pretty consistent from month to month, so if you start temping now, you'll eventually figure out yours. For me, I realized that I usually O on CD17 and have a 10-11 day luteal phase.

Good luck!

Hellokitty1973 · 03-11-2006, 09:45 AM

I would also suggest starting the OPK's a day or 2 before the instuctions say.. just to make sure you catch it at the beginning. Good luck!

azaleas · 03-11-2006, 08:13 PM

Interesting news. I used another strip today to see if I was still ovulating and it was negative. Interesting since yesterday was positive. Do you only ovulate for one day? I probably should have tested on day 14 to catch ovulation earlier since my kit claims to detect ovulation 24-48 hours in advance.

That thermometer stuff seems complicated. If I have trouble getting pregnant I will try it. So are you supposed to have sex every other day or every day when TTC? I am so suprised I had a positive ovulation strip on day 16! My cycle is 33 days so I expected to ovulate around day 19. Maybe I had it all wrong!