When to use OPKs?

I'm going to be paying EXTRA attention to all my signs this cycle (it's my last cycle before my dreaded 30th birthday) and I'm adding the OPKs this time around.

I have a 51 day cycle. Fertility friend says I will 'o' on CD 37.

When should I start the OPKs? CD 30?

I'm afraid I'm going to miss it and then it's JULY before my next chance.

And btw, no one told me the OPKs are so EXPENSIVE!! The cheapest one was $18.99!!

I bought my OPKs at www.drugstore.com - they were Rite Aid brand and less $$$ for 7 tests (even though box says 5 tests). This time I bought the Internet cheapies and they worked GREAT! Got my surge line 2 days in a row. I paid about $15-22 for 25 tests.

If you now around when you should O then start testing a couple of days before that. You can take you BBT too and also check your CM to see changes in it. Your body will give you signs when you're getting ready to O.

GOOD LUCK and baby dust!!!!

Lauren it sounds like your cycles are as crazy as mine are

My cycles can range anywhere from 35-55 days, but mostly more towards the 50ish range. I also know that despite charting and looking for O signs, there are some months I don't O at all

I've only been using the OPK's for the past couple months -- but my experience has been that I had to use them for about 2 FULL WEEKS before I could actually see any surge lines, if at all! .. One month I O'd on CD22 and the next month it was CD35

For example this past cycle I thought I was O'ing earlier than the OPKs indicated, based on CM and other symptoms.. so I was a bit confused. We BDd every few days anyhow but I wasted a LOT of sticks in the process

I guess my long winded reply to this is that when you have crazy cycles like we do, its hard to narrow down which days to use the only 5-7 sticks you get in a kit. I know they aren't cheap but I would actually use them from maybe day 25-37 or so just to see if by chance you O earlier or later than normal this month

After how many sticks I've been through lately, if this month didn't work for us I'm DEFINITELY ordering the internet cheapies for next month myself!

Baby Dust to you this month!!! Good Luck!

Thanks ladies.

My cycle is crazy. It boils down to only 6 cycles in a year instead of 12, which means only 50% of the normal opportunities, which is sooooo frustrating.

I think I'll follow your advice and start early and buy a couple of kits. I guess another $20 isn't too much to spend to get this right!!

Baby dust to both of you as well!!

Thanks Kathy.

I've been charting since January but see no discernable pattern yet. I'm starting a fresh one this week.

When oh when will this finally happen for all of us!?!?!?

---

Posted by lorsin

Thanks Kathy.

I've been charting since January but see no discernable pattern yet. I'm starting a fresh one this week.

When oh when will this finally happen for all of us!?!?!?

---

I know, it's so frustrating!!
If your temp is higer then the 3 prior temps, you are probably ovulating. My temps are all over the place but when I O'd it was higer then the last 3 or 4 temps...even though it wasnt my highest temp ever, it was still higer then the prior 3 or 4 and I got the surge on the OPK.