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Confusing Ovulation Tests

I have been doing ovulation tests for 3 weeks now, since I came off the pill and I am a bit confused by them. These are the internet cheap ones, but I understand I need as dark a line as the control or darker for it to be a positive.

My ovulation tests seem to be different each day. For 2/3 days I get a very pale test line and then it gets darker (not as dark as control) for 2/3 days and then goes back to pale and this has continued for three weeks. I take the test at the same time each day, having drunk the same amout of water etc before it. 

I just wondered if this was normal or if anyone else experienced it?

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Replies

  • Arrrghhh I just wrote quite a long post and it hasn’t posted L.....here goes again!

     

    Hi,

     

    Just wanted to share my experience with the internet cheapies!  Will explain my situation too....I came off the pill in April.  My cycles while on the pill were 28 days.  Then my cycles in May, June and July were 35 days and my august cycle was 41 days.

     

    I started using the internet cheapies from CD9 and as you can imagine was losing the will to live as every day was a negative (faint line).  On CD29 I got a line which was the darkest I had ever had, but was still just a tad lighter than the control line but I thought that was the best I was going to get and classed it as a positive.  I then tested again on CD30 and the test line was 100% darker than the control line so clearly my positive was on Thursday.  All I would say is don’t lose faith in them...I was bad mouthing the internet cheapies as thought I was never going to get a positive.

     

    How long are your cycles and when is af due?

     

    Obviously if you have just come off the pill your cycles may change, as mine did.  I went to the doctors as couldn’t believe my cycle last month was 41 days but she said that is very normal for someone coming off the pill and this still wouldn’t hinder my chances of conceiving, just means I won’t get as many shots at conceiving in a year as women who had 28 day cycles.

     

    So although you have had negatives for 3 weeks, this may be because your cycles are going to be longer, so I would just say continue with them until af arrives and you should most definitely see a positive at some point.  I will try and add pics of mine if I can find them x

  • image

    The pic above is the one I did on CD29...the control line is the one nearest the green and as you can see it is just slightly darker than the test line.

    image

     The one above is the one I did on CD30, again control line is nearest the green and not sure you can see on this pic but the test line was slightly darker!

    Hope this helps x

  • Thanks for this, that really puts my mind at ease! I was so confused by them getting slightly darker, then lighter again and then darker, argh!!! I can so see your dark line tho, I will know to look out for that.

    My cycle was always bang on 28 days (on the pill) never ever late! And I have only been on the pill for just over 2 years - and my cycle was always between 28-30 days when I wasn't on it. I was pretty much regular as clockwork, with a day or two difference maybe once or twice a year.

    I know it is quite impatient to be doing the ovulation tests already, but first of all I just wanted to make sure I was ovulating and I am going away for a weekend soon and was keeping an eye out for ovulation to see if i would possibly get AF when I was away.

    This helps loads, thank you for your response. Fingers crossed you get your bfp soon image

  • No worries, happy I can be of some help image

    Well I actually started ov testing last month but I just blamed internet cheapies on not getting a positive but it's because I stopped testing too early...didn't think for a minute that I would ovulate so late on.  It is just piece of mind that you know you do ovulate because you read so many stories where people are not ovulating image

    I was same, found them confusing as some days I had no test line whatsoever, then I would get a faint test line and that was the first time I'd seen the darker line and that's why I thought the one on the Wednesday was positive and tbh if my Friday's wasn't as dark as it was then I would have ended up taking Wednesday as a positive.  Keep me updated on how you get on and fc for you a BFP image

    I've also had breaks from the pill and my cycles were still always pretty much the same, around 28 days so not sure why they have now started being 41 days...it's so frustrating having to wait so long x

  • Our bodies are a pain in the bum sometimes  image

    I hope my cycle doesnt get bigger, my OH works offshore and I only have 2 weeks each month when he is home! If I am ovulating when he is away - no idea what we are going to do!

    Can i ask you one more thing...? When you got the positive OPK (the really dark one) - did the line come up instantly or did it still take the 5mins to show?

  • Hi

    Oh dear that is a bit of a pain so you could do with your cycles not getting any longer as you won't know where you are on when you are due which is a right pain!

    It started appearing straight away but I would say it took about a minute to get that dark.  What time are you testing?  I started testing twice a day when I thought ov was approaching....on the Thursday I got the dark one I tested at 11.30am and got the one picture and I tested again at 4.30pm and got another dark one.  I then tested at 11.30am on the Friday and it was negative because I read a few posts where people said if your surge started late at night and you ovulated 12 hours later then you could possibly miss the surge if you were testing in an evening and past the 12 hour mark (if that makes sense).  So I'm guessing when I tested at 11.30 I was lucky in that was more than likely the beginning of my surge x

  • This site is frustrating at times....wrote a message out again and it's not showing!!

    Oh dear that is a bit of a pain and you really could do with your cycles staying pretty much the same so you are in control of them and know where you are with them as I obviously aint a clue at the minute...could be any length of time but I always go on my last cycle.  If my cycle is 41 days af should be due on Monday but I've read that af will arrive 14 days after ovulation which would be a week on Thursday so I'll probs leave it till a week on Friday to test if af hasn't arrived.

    My line started appearing pretty much straight away but I would say it took about a minute to get as dark as it did...certainly no longer!

     

    What time of the day are you testing?  When I thought ovulation was approaching I started testing twice a day...the Thursday I got the positive I tested at 11.30am which was the pic above and then tested again at 4.30pm and it was still just as dark but when I tested Fri morning at 11.30 it was negative....very, very faint line.  I've read a few places that if your surge starts late at night (after testing) and ovulation occurs 12 hours later there is obviously a chance you could miss the surge.  I'm guessing when I tested at 11.30 that was the start of my surge x

  • And now it appears twice haha!! x

  • Hey! Haha - typical eh? Cycles are a nightmare aren't they? 

    Well hopefully your AF just wont appear at all image The waiting is quite hard, isnt it!

    I take my tests at 11am and 3/4pm. I just took one and it was definitely the darkest I have had, but still not as dark as control strip! I will take another one at 3pm ish and see what happens. I have been feeling quite crampy the lastt few days but not sure if it is ovulation cramps. I wouldnt say that line there appeared instantly - probably took a few minutes but is darker than any others I have had. Hopefully they will not go back to being really light again now tho! And if I am ovulating soon, it will be perfect timing as OH and I are off for a long weekend in the sun image

    Let me know how you get on when you test! I will keep my fingers x'ed for you! x

  • Well I done my 3rd test today and so much fainter againt! So today I tested when I got up at 7am and it was so faint it was barely visible, then again just after 11am and it was defo the darkest I have had and just tested at 2:45pm and back to being barely visible again! No Idea if that was the surge or what! Will try again tomorrow and see what happens!x

  • Yes cycles are a definite nightmare....nothing nice or exciting about ttc I can say that for sure....it's just stress, upset and expensive with OPK's and false HPT's.  I do know it will all be worth it thought when we see the BFP!!

     

    Hmmm I honestly don't know how to explain your ov tests...they do say not to use first urine so I would disregard the first one but obviously the one you had at 11 but then to be gone by 3 would suggest it wasn't a positive as surely it lasts longe than that?  I am not the best with this ttc lark as I've had plenty of questions myself xx

     

  • Yes, defo agree! It will all be worth it for the BFP!!! And it will come along, soon.... image x

  • image

     YAY! I've (finally) got a positive OPK! I am on about CD20 after stopping the pill. I know this doesn't mean anything about getting pregnant but just so glad my body is working normally again and I am ovulating! image

    You were defo right to stick with the cheapie OPKs. Thanks for the advice.

  • Woohooooo!!! I know how you feel with being excited and that was the first positive i'd had on a OPK and was sooooo excited haha.  At least it has worked out well for you as well with OH get bd'ing from now and every day for next 3-4 days and good luck!!

    As you say it's just a relief to know your body is working properly...I am just happy to be able to count DPO's as never been able to before.

    From what I have read af usually arrives 14 days after ovulation so just be aware that your af may not arrive till 14 days time although FC it won't arrive at all image xx

  • Haha, I know! Crazy to be sooo excited! Imagine us when we get the BFP. Yup, perfect time - right in the middle of his two weeks at home so this time is perfect!

    Are you still waiting until a week on Friday to test? Please let me know how you get on - fx'ed for you! Defo keep in touch, and thanks again for all the advice and not losing faith in the internet cheapies! x

  • Haha I know we will be jumping up and down like I don't know what image It's good that we get excited about these little things, keeps us going through this mad journey we are on.

    Oh I shall definitely stay in touch and will keep you updated on my journey and would also like to know how you are getting on image I am going to try my hardest to wait till a week on friday if af doesn't show before then but I have got a cheapie test at home so knowing me I may end up testing Monday as that will be my 41 days (date af showed last month) and I will also be 9dpo.  Not sure if 9dpo is enough to show a positive or not?!? x

  • I know! Hitting the ceiling with joy, I think. I certainly won't be doing any HPT at work (like I have been with OPK) - I would be too excited.

    I think everyone is different when they get their BFP, if you also have plenty of the internet cheapies HPT - I don't see any harm in doing it. As you don't defo have a proper 41 day cycle (as in, its not been like that for years etc). Home Health website do very good cheap early pregnancy tests and when I found out with my DS (who is now 7) I was very early with him. I done a new test every two days and the line went from so very, very faint to very dark in a couple of weeks. But just seeing that faint line, was a feeling I will never forget. I never done OPKs with him.Those EPT at Home Health are pennies and really recommend them. Going to order some soon now.

    Good luck, and remember even if you do an early test - you could still not have enough HCG so keep doing them! Very excited for you, lots of luck to you x

  • just gonna pop my nose in and say fingers crossed for both of you image xx

  • Hi Natasha. Thank you image

    Good luck to you as well! X

  • Thank you, think im gonna need it image xx

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