How to Read these darn OPKs!

[laurajb22]

My cycles have been all over the place so ttc is frustrating.  Last month I went to the OB with some consistent pain in my lower abdomen.  Turned out it was an ovarian cyst which made my cycle more than 2 weeks last and totally threw me off.  Now that I've had another cycle I've been using the Target brand OPKs to try to predict when/if I am ovulating.  I feel crampy the last few days (a sign of ovulation, but also the same way I started to feel when I had the cyst).  I'm having trouble reading the OPK, what do you think, positive or negative?  I took a test early in the morning and got what appeared to be a positive result, but I know it's not recommended to test first thing so I did it again with this one early afternoon.  

So worried that the pain I'm feeling is a cyst.  I have a follow up ultrasound on 10/15 and I'm praying and hoping it shows pregnancy instead of cyst this time, but I'm impatient!

[pokeyAC]

That looks positive to me.  The lines are equally dark.  I agree OPK's can be the most frustrating thing ever!  Good luck!

[laurajb22]

Thanks, I thought so, but sometimes you just need reassurance from someone on the outside looking in!  Hopefully my lack of patience won't get to me while I wait for mother nature to take it's course so I can check for BFP!  Trying not to get my hopes up...

[samy23]

Originally Posted by laurajb22 

 I took a test early in the morning and got what appeared to be a positive result, but I know it's not recommended to test first thing so I did it again with this one early afternoon

I wasn't aware of that, do you know why? I usually tested with first morning urine.

[laurajb22]

From what I've read, and I'm no expert so don't take my word for it, the LH surge typically happens in the morning and then takes several hours to show up in your urine.  Which, if you think about it, if you get a positive in the morning it would be a good thing.  However, if you get a negative in the morning it could be incorrect because the surge may have happened, but is not visible yet.

[pokeyAC]

I like to go to the bathroom in the morning and then take a test 4 hours later and then another test later in the afternoon.  My test says not to go to the bathroom for 4 hours before you take the test.

[laurajb22]

That's what I did! :)  When it showed up positive that morning I tested like crazy for the next 48 hours to see if the results were similar.  They were until last night and the line started to get lighter again so I'm thinking it was definitely my surge and now it's going down again.  Now I'm going nuts waiting to see what happens...

[MyKidKissTrees]

im ripping my hair out with these things too!  

i was expecting to be fertile yesterday.  Negative.  Today. Negative.  I just got back last night from a 6 week trip and didnt have them.  So I couldnt test before that.  Ive had EWCF for three days but no positive opks... i think i might be trying too hard!

i wonder how normal it is to O early?  i guess i might be late....

[laurajb22]

I was surprised I got a positive.  After having cysts and not conceiving right away I was convinced that I'm just not ovulating at all!  I think I O late...AF is already due next Tuesday.  I have an Ultrasound Monday morning so I'm going to try to test before I go.  Sometimes you just gotta go with your instincts and what your body is telling you.  If you have EWCF the three days you were getting negatives it's still possible you did actually O.

This 2WW is killing me!  Praying for good results for both of us!