Enlighten me on the chart/OPK connection

[WaturMama]

I've been charting for almost a decade, and I'm just starting to try OPKs. I'm curious how the pattern goes for people--eg when is your positive OPK relative to your peak ewcf day and your temp shift? Is it consistent?

[MaerynPearl]

thats different for everyone depending on their own body.

ideally in the perfect body you would get EWCM, then one positive OPK and then ovulate the next day. But its rare that it happens like that and is definitely not a problem if it doesn't!

You can miss your surge with an OPK and never get a positive, not get any EWCM until after the positive OPK, or ovulate up to three days later!

[karmab]

yes, my limited experience with opks is that they are a bit kooky. i missed the surge the first month i tried. last month, i caught it and it was positive on day, blaringly positive the next, and i o'd the day after. one tip i would give, you might already be doing this, is start a day or two earlier than the earliest you think you should, and if there is anything showing up at all, do it 2 or 3 times/day to catch it in case it's quick. i started using $store opks, but that even can start to add up, so i got internet cheapies.

[finnegansmom]

Usually my temp goes up the day or second day after my first + OPK. But I've also gotten + OPKs and not have a temp rise. I tend to get + OPKs for about 36 hours. I buy them in bulk online and test often when I'm getting close to +