Are all OPK's like this?

[chrissy]

I just bought a Target brand ovulation predictor kit. I pee'ed on the stick and was pretty psyched when I got 2 lines... BUT then I read the directions and it said it only means impending ovulation if the test line is as dark or darker than the control line. I'm not sure why, but this annoys me. : And the dumb directions don't say what a slightly lighter line might mean.

So, my question is, are all opk's this confusing?

Thanks,
Chrissy

[coolermama]

I am not going to be much help. I found them confusing too! I never got the result I was supposed to , but mind you, I never got pg using them either. LOL, so maybe that was the right result.

I found the thing you lick, and my own judgement as to cervical mucus and pain of ovulation!!!

Good luck!

[onediaperinmama]

Yes...

... well, of the two brands I've tried. One was a Rite Aid brand and the other was... ?? I can't remember. I was so excited that two lines showed up, I woke my dh up and we BD'd. Later I read the instructions more closely and realized the one line needed to be as dark or darker than the comparison line. . I think this is because you always have the LH hormone in your system, and it always detects it... what you're looking for is a SURGE of LH so the line will be darker than usual.

We finally got a dark line a few days ago, so we BD'd twice within the 24/48 hour period. I'm hope, hope, hoping we've conceived. AF is due around the end of the month/first of January. So I have to sit tight for a while.

[birdwomyn]

I came to check on you all, and to shower you all with fertile baby dust and sticky stuff -- we just found out at our 6w4d u/s that we are expecting twins... and we had two strong heartbeats....

*** *** **** ** *** **** ***

and of course, !!!!

best wishes to all of you!

[lexbeach]

I agree, the design is totally ridiculous! When I was waiting to O, I got so frustrated with them, I was *almost* ready to give up on the whole ttc thing all together. I was also doing IUI, so I only got one shot at it, and therefore was heavily relying on the OPK. The day I was supposed to O, I was so crazy and hormonal that I did 5 OPKs over a period of seven hours. They were all negative. I was convinced that the OPK was wrong, and that I was going to miss my chance. However, the next morning the test line was significantly darker than the control, and I scheduled my IUI for the next morning. I got pg on that first try (with twins no less), and so I'm sure that the OPK was correct. I just wanted to let you know that when it's positive, it's really quite obvious. Also, if you are feeling really obsessive, I don't think it would be a bad idea to test in the morning and again in the eveing (but 5 in one day is definitely overkill!). Then you will be able to pinpoint your O more exactly.

Good luck!

p.s. I used the clearplan easy brand.

[Sahara]

I did exactly what lexbeach is recommending, with the Clear Plan and Inverness brand OPKs. I was convinced, according to all of my fertility signs and a thermal shift, that I had already O'd and the tests were wrong Tuesday morning, I had been getting the lighter line for 4 days. But I took the same both brands of tests at 5 pm Tuesday afternoon, and got a positive result. I agree, it was REALLY obvious that the lines were darker, you don't have to try to convince yourself that the line might possibily be just about the same color as the control line on one side if you hold it in direct sunlight and tilt it 45 degrees away from you and squint

[birdwomyn]

I had the same frustration that you all are describing with the opk tests.....

The funny thing was:

When I finally got to do a pregnancy test, I was so used to the rule that the "official" line had to be as dark or darker than the control line, that I refused to believe my + pregnancy tests, even when I did them at work at Planned Parenthood because the line was so faint, definately NOT close to as dark as the control. The clinic staff thought I was a nut because I made them run a bunch of tests before I would believe them. They were all like, KATHY! THIS IS A POSITIVE!!!!! and I kept arguing with them..... lol.

Hang in there. In the three years of OPK testing I did, I only had one or two positives (I just didn't ovulate) but they really were unmistakable.

kathy

[coolermama]

Thank-you so much for all the GREAT info on ovulation kits. I'll give them another go.

Thanks!
Anne.

[chrissy]

Thanks so much you guys! My computer has been down for several days and what a nice treat it was to come back to all your replies.

Kathy- WOW twins!!! Congratulations!!

Moonbucket and Sahara- can't wait to hear about some +++++'s from you guys.

And thanks to everybody else for all the great information. I think I will give it another try.

Chrissy