New here; need advice TTC today or tomorrow?

hopeful-in-seattle

Hi all
I've been following this forum on and off for a few weeks as my partner (R) and I plan to inseminate for this cycle. We've just switched to NWAC after 2 unsuccessful attempts with another larger bank.

In short, we've been tracking R's cycle for months, but only the menses, cycle length, and OPK results (twice daily; 1st urine and about 5 pm). We tried doing BBT for awhile and gave up because it was completely erratic, and our doctor told us since we are young and healthy the OPK really should be enough. I've since read S. Brill's book and we are trying to follow her fertility tracking methods. The problem is that we've only been faithfully charting for about 3 weeks now, and otherwise have months of just cycle length, phase length, and OPK results.

R usually ovulates b/t days 13 and 19. Today is day 17. We use ClearBlue Easy digital, and typically, she has FM 1 or 2 days prior to a smiley on the OPK. In past, we've AI'd 12-24 hours post +OPK. Now we are trying to start the AI earlier, and do 2-3 AIs at home with frozen ICI specimens. Here's the problem: this month we decided to start using 2 different brands of OPKs, b/c Brill's book says that First Response can often turn + before ClearBlue, and that can help us time the AI for pre-O or at O. The First Response test was +? on Friday morning but the test line was just barely equal so we tested again Friday evening and it was -. We thought the + was a fluke, but Sat morning the test line again appeared just about equal to the control, but since no FM we decided to wait another 10 hours and test again. First response was - Sat afternoon. We kept testing in spite of the questionable positive b/c R does not have any other fertility signs - no stretchy mucus, no ferning, no BBT dip, and our usual test (ClearBlue) has been negative am/pm since day 10. The strange thing is that this morning, the First response test was negative. So now it seems like we either missed our chance (and had false negatives on the ClearBlue AND no FM) OR the First Response gave us a false positive?

What should we do? We have 4 vials ICI prep, but would like to use no more than 3 this cycle. We don't know if we should trust our intuition and just wait for the FM and/or + on ClearBlue, or if we might be waiting too long? We don't want to waste the vials...

This process is so difficult. We feel like we've read as much as we can, and yet are still sort of groping in the dark.

Thanks for any advice.

JCAlaska

My limited understanding of the subject is that once you get a positive that you might as well stop testing since you often won't continue to get a positive... can be a very small window to get a positive. That doesn't necessarily mean anything about how soon you will O - just that it will happen SOMETIME in the next 48 hrs. That said, I'm not sure what you should do. I might be tempted to do one vial (if you don't mind the risk of it not working). Good luck with whatever you decide!

friendamy

most OPKs instruct not to use FMU to test because it can give false positives, so I'd say first check that. that could be the trouble.

I always tested around 10-11am (after waking/peeing around 7-8am)... and again in the evening.

if the tests you got are good to use with FMU, then I'd opt for the first rests. as PP stated, I've always understood that once you get a positive, you should ovulate within 24-48 hours. I've tested out my surge and I got positives at like, 2pm Monday, 8pm Monday, 10am tuesday, negative 6pm Tuesday.... but never pos/neg/pos like you had. I used the Internet cheapie tests... if I was going to pee on 2-3 a day for 3-4 days, i didn't want to break the bank!

mknbaby2

When I get that close I test everytime I pee! I use the Internet cheapies though. I can usually see a positive starting around 11am and lasting for about 24 hours. I've never heard of a false positive with an opk before. What I heard was not to use FMU because the LH is produced durring the day and may not show up until around 10am. So if you only test with FMU and then in the evening there is a chance that you missed your surge! I think that a positive is a positive. The first response may just be more sensitive?

hopeful-in-seattle

Thanks everyone for your replies!

em'smoms

Timing is such a B*TCH!!! I know, we just went through a similar crazy time, we had the tank for over a week and still no positive OPK, my ovulation was several days past my typical O time! Fortunately I am established at an RE's office so called and they got me in to get an ultrasound to check to see what was happening, they saw a beautiful follicle, gave me an HCG trigger shot and we inseminated that night and the next night. Now in the TWW. So IF you by any chance are established with an RE or have a great relationship with your gyno, maybe you can get in real fast for an ultrasound?????

Good Luck!!

hopeful-in-seattle

Hmm, em's moms that is a good idea. (BTW, I apologize that I am not too familiar with the forum lingo and norms, being new here!). Our fear with going in for an u/s is that we'd get stuck with the bill. Since R doesn't have any fertility issues, we've never been able to get insurance to pay for IUI or anything else. Is that typical? We have good insurance - Aetna PPO (don't need referrals or anything). Our doc is great too. I wonder if we should call him?