When to start OPKs?

[MommyMatsumoto]

Okay ladies, I need some expert advice! I'm on CD12 and my last two cycles I didn't O until CD18 and CD20. When do you think I should start OPKs? I was going to do them twice a day (with SMU and then in the afternoon).

What do you think? Any advice is appreciated!

Oh, and I broke down and got the 90-day FF subscription to help me analyze even further. LOL

[Kinza]

I would start using OPKs today or tomorrow. Even if you usually O late, it can always happen early. For example, three cycles ago I O'd on CD 25, but the last 2 cycles I O'd on CD 15 (!). Are you ordering lots of OPKs online? If not, they are supercheap from several sites. I usually get mine from Amazon.

Good luck!

[MommyMatsumoto]

Thank you for your input! I've decided to start them this afternoon. Luckily, I did manage to get a decent price on a 25-pack from saveontests.com, but I'll definitely cheap out Amazon.

[TTC]

My doctor told me to start on CD12. I thought that was too early because my cycles are long and I usually don't test positive until later in the month but the next day I had a big fat positive from the OPK! So it's better to be safe than sorry.

[MommyMatsumoto]

My cycles are usually around 31 days, but last month it was 33. I started OPKs today and they are definitely negative although the test line was definitely darker this afternoon than it was this morning. Theoretically it should get darker and darker, right? I also had lots of EWCM this evening, but last cycle I had fertile CM for like 8 days before O so I'm trying not to read too much into it.

[karmab]

usually they do get darker, especially if you are at the point when you have good cm, although i have had them go from nothing to blaring in a matter of a like 4 hours at times too.

[MommyMatsumoto]

Yikes! 4 hours?!?! So do you think testing with SMUand then in the afternoon around 2:00 p.m. is a good window? Or should I test at different times?

[karmab]

you might add one early evening, like 5-8 pm when you think it's about to go pos. i think the time that you have the best chance of seeing a pos is supposed to be around 1-2 pm, so that's a good time. but if you do 2-3 a day when you are thinking it's about to go pos, you might do a late morning, mid afternoon, early evening type thing. i took pics and posted them for another thread, but yesterday, it was barely visible, this am at 11 it was getting darkish but definitely negative, but i knew it was going in that direction, and then at 4 it was very positive. i expect tomorrow's first one to be even darker, then lighten up.

[MommyMatsumoto]

That's a great idea adding a third one once they start getting close to positive. Thanks!