Ovulation tests a waste of time? Freaking out!

[kitty1kat]

Hi all - I have been TTC for a few months, and have a v irregular cycle (60 days, 120 days etc!) and v little CM, and temps that are all over the shop, so have been relying quite a lot on OPKs. I'm on vitex/fish oil/green tea and have had tests so no PCO and normal hormones as far as early tests can tell. Maybe Baby seems to give me very random ferning (although I still chart it) and I have thus far not had a positive result on an OPK (despite doing 2 a day around the time I think I might be ovulating). Then I just read this article posted by someone up here a few months ago and I am freaking out! Could I be missing my right time due to paying attention to the OPKs?! But I don't know what else to do. BD'ing every 2 days for the forseeable future will just kill us I think.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/01/27/earlyshow/health/main538075.shtml

Method:
When an ovulation kit works correctly, it can reliably indicate the most fertile 24-48 hours in a woman's cycle - the time in which most successful pregnancies are conceived. Of the 11 kits tested by CR, only one proved to be sensitive enough to predict ovulation for nearly 9 out of 10 women, while others fell terribly short of their package promises....Frighteningly, Consumer Reports found "Though most of the kits are labeled as having 99 percent clinical accuracy, in actual use even the best-performing models are likely to detect LH surges in a considerably lower percentage of women. At their peak, most women's LH surges range from less than 20 to 100 mIU/ml. The top-rated product, the ClearPlan Easy Ovulation Test Pack, was the only one able to detect LH concentrations as low as 22mIU/ml...But even this product will not detect ovulation in the 12 percent of women whose LH peaks at below that concentration." The costlier ClearPlan Easy Fertility Monitor (the electronic tester) was the second most sensitive model tested, detecting LH concentrations as low as 36 mIU/ml, meaning it may work for about 65 percent of women.... "At the other end of the spectrum," CR says, "we had to spike the test urine with the highest LH concentration we tested - 91 mIU/ml - before we obtained a positive reading from the First Response Pregnancy Planning Kit. Only 20percent to 25percent of women have an LH peak that high. Those results cast doubt on the product's label, which claims it contains enough test sticks 'for 90percent of ovulating women to detect hormone surge.'" Amazingly, though, that wasn't even the worst-performing test Consumer Reports found. Answer Quick & Simple One-Step Ovulation Test got that dubious honor. "In laboratory tests using urine with an LH concentration of 91 mIU/ml, only one of six tested Answer kits registered positive. When we tested another six samples at a concentration of 96 mIU/ml, we got only two positive readings," CR reports...In the end, the ClearPlan Easy Ovulation Test Pack ($30.32/5 tests) won, with a borderline "Very Good/Excellent" overall rating (it received an "excellent" for LH sensitivity and was easier to read than most others, but again, it will not detect the LH surge of approximately 12percent of women).

[Tarnya]

I have posted on something like this before as i'm same as you, temps unreliable tests not working, be prepared for everyone to now say you must be doing it wrong, i have a 28 day luteal phase not 10-14 like normal and i found (although very expensive) testing every day was the only way that worked, eventually I had to go on Clomid, a fertility medication, to help regulate my cycle, but as you've said you don't have a regualr cycle so testing every day rather than they days you "should be" may work. Give it a go :thumbsup:

[aggero]

My DH and I had been TTC for 5 months. The sixth month I decided to try OPK's (I used the ovunow strips). I tested once a day, usually in the evening, and although I never got a line as darker or darker than the test lines, I did have a few days with lines and on those days and those immediately after, we were 'at it' twice a day. Hey presto we ended up with our BFP :smiliedance: . Looking back over the previous 5 cycles I noticed that we had missed the oportune time every single cycle. When I TTC#2 I will be reaching for the OPK's first cycle.

Best of luck :hugs:

[kitty1kat]

Thanks Tarnya/Aggero
I am doing everything I can to make sure my temps are reliable - got the special thermometer, don't get out of bed before I do it, room same temp, roughly same time, so I think that can't be the problem.

I guess I will just keep testing twice a day - there goes the new shoes I was looking at!

[cheeky.chicken]

Hi,

I don't know if this is of any help but I had the same problem as you as far as temperature goes and after seeing a natropath for a pretty long time my temperatures and cycles started to make a lot more sense. I still had to have endometriosis lasered away to actually be able to conceive which I saw a fertility specialist about but the natropath definitely helped get the temperature pattern under control. Maybe its time to start thinking about some alternative fixes. Just a thought.

Kaz

[kitty1kat]

Thanks Kaz, that may well be the next step.

[Jules16]

I have also suffered very long cycles and lack of cm. I am now seeing a chinese herbalist and having acupuncture. Am on CD4 now so am hoping to have a shorter cycle this month - will let you know if I get any results. I think the hardest part about long cycles is just not knowing when O is going to happen. I thought by CD49 last cycle that I had definitely O'd and then it happened the next week without me even realising (so FF tells me) so I just missed it completey. Very frustrating!! :banghead:

I hope you get some answers soon!!! Chinese herbs have a good success rate with regulating long cycles apparently.

[kitty1kat]

Thanks - would be really interested to hear how it goes. Totally agree we long cycles. People say to just ignore the temping/tests etc and just have more regular BD, well I don't know about you, but at my age and working as hard as me and DH do, BD every day or every second day EVERY MONTH ALL MONTH LONG is just not practical! Especially when those months can be 120 days long!

I have also just realised that I think I missed this month again. :mad: !

[chicken]

MorganJ - I can imagine how frustrating it must be for you not knowing when you are going to O, and FF is so unreliable if your cycles aren't very regular or if your temps aren't 'normal'. Have you thought about using OPKs. I swear by mine. I realise you'd have to use a lot each month, but you could buy a pack of 100 cheap ones and that way you'd never miss O even if it was on CD 45 or something?

[Jules16]

Thanks - would be really interested to hear how it goes. Totally agree we long cycles. People say to just ignore the temping/tests etc and just have more regular BD, well I don't know about you, but at my age and working as hard as me and DH do, BD every day or every second day EVERY MONTH ALL MONTH LONG is just not practical! Especially when those months can be 120 days long!

I have also just realised that I think I missed this month again. :mad: !

I couldn't have said it better myself!! It's hard work. I think if you can aim for two to three times a week it would probably help.

[Jules16]

MorganJ - I can imagine how frustrating it must be for you not knowing when you are going to O, and FF is so unreliable if your cycles aren't very regular or if your temps aren't 'normal'. Have you thought about using OPKs. I swear by mine. I realise you'd have to use a lot each month, but you could buy a pack of 100 cheap ones and that way you'd never miss O even if it was on CD 45 or something?

Thanks Chicken. What brand are you using? I have only ever had a faint line on an OPK but hopefully this cycle I will get a darker line. Will try using them each day - just find it difficult to use them each day 'cos often I don't get home until late and I leave home too early in the morning.

[Livy]

Hi,

I don't know if this is of any help but I had the same problem as you as far as temperature goes and after seeing a natropath for a pretty long time my temperatures and cycles started to make a lot more sense. I still had to have endometriosis lasered away to actually be able to conceive which I saw a fertility specialist about but the natropath definitely helped get the temperature pattern under control. Maybe its time to start thinking about some alternative fixes. Just a thought.

Kaz

Hi Kaz - I am thinking of going to see a Naturopath or Herbalist. I have never been to one before and I was wondering if they are able to order blood tests etc or do you still need to see a GP for that. Thanks :)

[Jules16]

Livy - only your GP can order the blood tests for you. I would recommend seeing a chinese herbalist who specialises in fertility. Good luck!! :hugs:

[MilkOnTap]

Each time we fell pg was using OPKs - I just used the cheap Fortel Brand at Franklins ($20/7 tests) I have recently began using the OvuNow brand (e-bay cheapies) and have found that the lines that I get are no where near as strong or the tests are no where near as reliable as the Fortel ones.

Try swapping brands - or as MorganJ recommended, it might an idea to see a naturopath or Chinese herbalist.

Best Wishes,
Pink Lady

[onkybear]

Hello.

I used opk for two months when ttc. The first month I got the positive - for a whole week - needless to say we dtd every day and had no luck.
Month two - no positive opks - no cm virtually at all and no O pains at all - and what do you know - pregnant.
So I don't think i will use opk next time. In saying all that tho I know of quiet alot of ppl that have had luck with opks.

Goodluck and babydust :hugs: :hugs:

[chicken]

Thanks Chicken. What brand are you using? I have only ever had a faint line on an OPK but hopefully this cycle I will get a darker line. Will try using them each day - just find it difficult to use them each day 'cos often I don't get home until late and I leave home too early in the morning.


I use ones from the supermarket (first response I think), although my cycles are pretty regular, so I don't have to use too many and this would be far too expensive for you. I haven't used the cheap internet ones, but I was thinking about getting some. I think a lot of women get misled by the OPKs because they say to wait for the line to be as dark as the control line. If you are getting any line at all, it definitely means you're in the broad vicinity of Oing. I would think even being able to narrow it down to a 3 or 4 day window for you would be better than you have now? Like you say though, it is important to use them around the same time every day. But I don't think there is a major problem if you were to use them up until 8 or 9pm or something.

[Livy]

Livy - only your GP can order the blood tests for you. I would recommend seeing a chinese herbalist who specialises in fertility. Good luck!! :hugs:

Thanks Julie :) Sounds like a good idea!

[Fitmumma]

I would recommend the OP tests to anyone, It took me quite a while to fall pregnant with my other pregnancies, last time I decided to use the OP tests as since having a M/C in July 02 my cycles were all over the show & lots of spotting in between, I had no C/M & temps were staying the same so I was convined I wasnt ovulating, after using the OP tests in one cycle I fell PG, not only that after 3 boys I conceived a girl!!!
The ones I used were from a website called Lullaby Conceptions.
I have read that TTC by charting temps is not accurate as when the temp has risen ovulation has already occured, I have never gotten PG when charting my temps.

Me (Leanne) DH-Yann:kiss:
Nakia 13:cool:
Jayd 11:laughing:
Ethan 22/1/04:ecomcity:
Baby Mia 11/05/06

[trisha24]

Hi All, I am now on day 125 of current cycle, longest one prior was 2 cycles back at 108. For O tests I suggest checking out Lullabyconceptions.com the tests work out to about $2 each, same with pregnancy tests. We recently brought a Maybe Baby but haven't had any luck yet. Also my BBT was up and down each day and my fluids are 90% of the time stretchy so that's no good either. We have been TTC#1 since May 05. I am 23 and hubby is 25. I got tested for PCOS a few years back and it was clear. My Dr wants me to do a LH level test, but its hard to time the test for per&post Ovulation as I never know when that is! I have always been out of whack, and after reading this am contemplating seeing chinese and naturapath. Our Dr said after 2yrs fo trying and charts of everything, then they can refer us to a fertility specialist. I have also heard of Clomid or something - can the Dr perscribe this or does it have to be a fertility specialist?
~Trisha