OPK's

[steph9803]

I have a question for you ladies. I don't know too much about OPK's yet because I haven't thought about using them for another month or so...But after my sister got her BFP she had 1 test left and she gave it to me... So yesterday I thought what the heck, I'm going to see if this thing comes up +...I took it at 4 in the afternoon and the line that came up was not that dark? I have read on 1 site that the test line has to be darker than the control line...Do you know if this is true? My sister looked at it and said that is what her's looked like and she got pregnant the next day...

[bam1014]

My DH is a snowmobile freak!!  He even road the thing in March with his back brace still on!!  He is completley healed now (thank God).  It truly is a miracle that he is even alive and not paralyzed.  The silver lining is that he quit smoking.  He was a pack a day for the last 10 years and had to quit cold turkey.  He would wine and complain about how he wanted one, but I would just refuse to put his brace on.  He wasn't alowed out of bed without it.  You would not believe the tirad I heard from that man through withdrawl.  His dr said the only way he could avoid surgery was to stop smoking.  That was enough to scare him straight.  But really there are days when I question if is love is stronger for that dang thing then me.  All summer long, he would sit on it and start it up.  Our whole house smelled of 2 stroke.  If that smell was bottled, I swear he would wear it.
I warned you, don't get me started . . .

[nunu1977]

Steph-  I would try the EPO and see if that helps with a change in CM. if you don't notice a change in CM then it is less obvious when you are "O". that was my problem the year I was trying the first time.

wow a broken back.... that is crazy. I would be freaking out that he wants to get back on one again!
DH is always on the computer when he is home. He is up at 4am and goes straight to the computer with a green tea and oatmeal until he has to wash his face and go to work at 5.30am. then hes on it as soon as he walks in the door and then  off and on for the rest of the day. If hes not doing homework he is looking at new cars and trucks and eBay at old cars. He even looks at cars from my country... hes such a dork. He knows more about cars and whats coming out before car dealership sales men do. its funny! at least he does read up about the news every day. he always knows whats going on with everything... and he knows the weirdest stuff.. seriously his head is full of useless information!!!!!

[steph9803]

I can't believe he wants another snowmobile! I would freak out.  Has he even healed all of the way yet? My DH only gets on the computer when he wants to look for new stuff that he collects...Other than that he doesn't have any use for it.  I have all of his close friends on my myspace and they talk to him through me...
I did see that post the other day but I have been so busy that I keep getting side tracked.

[bam1014]

Sorry, I totally realized I just went off on a tangent, but don't ever get me started on my DH and his snowmobile!!

[bam1014]

There is a post called Vitamin Supplements for Increased CM.  There's a bunch of info about pre-seed there.
I guess I'm lucky DH never goes on the computer (he barely knows how to use it).  Once in a great while I'll catch him looking at snowmobiles though, he desprately wants a brand new one.  I swear, one would have thought that man would have learned a lesson by one broken back.  Now that the snow is about to fly he's tinkering with his in the garage and needs some repairs done since the accident.  I was hoping to be pg by winter, so as to encourage him to save money and stay home.

[steph9803]

I don't have to worry too much about DH using the computer, but when he does he seems to take it over forever! I am really hoping for a laptop for Christmas so that I can get more done at once...
As for the CM I have just been tracking it and from everything I have read I assumed that I would see more change than I did...I don't even know when AF is going to come anymore. I would obviously love for it to not be 5 weeks again because that give less opportunities to get pregnant...If it does I am going to make a dr. appt. to see what is going on...I see pre-seed mentioned on here and in other places but I haven't looked it up yet...It is definatly time for one of us to get a BFP soon though :-P

[nunu1977]

if I leave the computer when DH is home I usually have to fight to get it back... lol.
I try to get as much of it as i can in the morning before he gets home from work. He is off school for two weeks now so he cant use that as an excuse to kick me off. I start school on the17th and hope i can get a laptop so we can have a computer each.

[bam1014]

LOL, sometimes I'll be talking with DH and not even realize I've slipped into abbreviations.  Yes Steph, when my DH sees what's on the screen he just quietly walks away.

[nunu1977]

I think its great that I have you guys to talk with about this... abbreviations and all!

[nunu1977]

what did you try? if I end up with AF im going to try the EPO and see if I notice a change in CM. and im going to OPK and use pre-seed also.

[steph9803]

nunu and bam

That's so funny! My 10 year old daughter will come up sometimes and get completely confused as to what these abbreviations are...And DH will see what site is on the screen and just go the other way...
I tried the CM thing this month and it seemed to not change for a long time. I have read the post that nunu has put up about it and some other things but it didn't really seem to work out that way.  So I'm not sure if I even O'ed? I really hope so though because I want so badly to be pregnant before the holidays :(

[nunu1977]

im seriously laughing out loud right now!

[bam1014]

LOL - that's too funny.  I was sitting at my computer one night and DH looks over my shoulder and asks what I was doing.  I said somebody had a question and I'm trying to find an answer for them.  Then I read him a couple of the notes people had left.  I even spoke in the abbreviations.  He just shook his had at me and said he had no idea what I was saying.  So I explained the abbreviations.  He looked bewildered and I asked him if he wanted me to stop and have these conversations with him instead.  NOOO, he left me alone and went and turned on the TV.  I love him to death, but I would much rather talk about my CM with you gals!

[nunu1977]

sometimes i get embarrassed if DH walks in and sits on the chair next to me when im typing about all this stuff. i dont care talking to him about it but I wonder what he think em talking to all you ladies about it. not that he would care... more laugh at me.
we took the kids to IHOP on Saturday and I was talking to him about pre-seed and EPO and CM right here in the restaurant. not loud for others to hear of course though.
Im such a dork.. lol!

[bam1014]

LOL, I'm having a hard time talking to myself about my CM, that's why I haven't taken that last step.

It's truly amazing to me how wonderful everybody is here.  I really feel blessed to have found this site and to have made so many friends.  Just yesterday, when I changed my mood to anoyed, I got a flurry of notes in a matter of minutes asking how I was.  It was incredible and brought a tear to my eye.

Great big HUGS to everybody!!

[nunu1977]

did you ever think you would be talking to strangers about you CM? lol

[bam1014]

That's funny LOL.  I too, would love to see the smiley face, but the money for them - ugh!  I still haven't used up my batch from the 2 months ago, since last month my timing stunk and I didn't use any.  If I don't get my BFP this weekend, then I only have one more month of TTC before I see the RE.  If I could ever get my mountain of homework done, I'd get back to reading Taking Charge of your Fertility and try tracking my CM next cycle.

[nunu1977]

I have wasted so much on HPT but that doesn't stop me form testing too many times! lol

[steph9803]

I will probably wait until my cycle gets back to normal before buying any...20 for $18 isn't bad though...As much as I'd like to see a smiley face there is no way I would spend that much money on OPK's...I'm saving my excessive money to spend on HPT's LOL

[nunu1977]

If it comes to getting a OPK i hate the fact that the better ones are more expensive!. I rally want the digital one as well but they are so much more expensive. maybe just this first month ill indulge!

[GMB08]

i just bought answer last night, 20 tests for 18.00......i wanted to buy the clear blue easy one....its easy to read...its a smiley face if you are o'ing, but only 7 test for like 20.00

[bam1014]

I put out a post late last week called OPK's 101.  It was all the info that I have found on them.  Please feel free to add to it if you find anything else.  I agree with the above posts.  I'm looking at my intructions right now and the say you have an LH surge when "two lines are visible and the color and intensity of the test lines is similar to or darker than the referance line"
No LH surge - "two lines are visible but the test line is lighter then the referance line or there is no visible test line"

So, I would assume as long as the test line is lighter then the control line it was not a surge.  Hope that helps :)

[steph9803]

Thanks...I looked up some info on them last night, but I forgot to ask her what brand that was...I will probably try to get one that is more clear cut than the one she gave me. I don't remember how long it was after I peed that I took it...I am hoping that my cycle gets to be a little more predictable so that I wont have to buy so many tests next month!

[nunu1977]

the test that i tried that once said that it does need to be darker than the test reference line. if it is not darker then it is not positive.
as vibro said it may be residual. and you should limit fluid intake and not not pee for a few hours before.
am not sure what to say about what happened to your sister though. if she was not waiting for a positive to have intercourse then she may have got pregnant at a different time than when she thought she was getting a positive.
im not due for AF until the 7th and is she does arrive and i dont get a BFP then im going to try OPK. I don't know what brand to try though.