Ovulation Predictor Kits!!!!

OPK's.....A woman's best friend! I had heard alot of internet buzz about using OPK's to help predict when you will ovulate. I must admit that I was a little skeptical because my cycle is pretty much like timework, but finally relented after our third cycle with no luck. For the most part OPK's are fairly easy to use. You POAS (pee on a stick) and read the results....sound familiar?

OPK's work differently than charting your cycle in that OPK's will tell you of your upcoming ovulation while charting will confirm for you after you have ovulated, most likely missing your fertile window unless you just know your body. Right before you ovulate your body releases LH or lutenizing hormone in a surge. OPK's will pick up on this surge. Once it has been detected, you will most likely ovulate within the next 24 to 48 hours. When you get the positive on the OPK its time to get to the business of making a baby!

If you visit your local Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Target, RiteAid...you will see so many brands you won't know wha to do with yourself. There are two main types...digital and non-digital. I'll explain the difference between the two.

1. NonDigital - These are your traditional sticks which you dip into a clean cup of urine for 5-15 seconds depending on the brand you use. You lay them flat on a nonabsorbant surface (not a paper towel or toilet paper) and wait for the lines to appear. There is a control line and a results line. When your body is not LH surging, you may have two lines with the result line lighter than the control line. When an LH surge is detected your result line will be the same or darker color intensity of the control line. When this happens...VOILA!!! Your LH surge has been detected and ovulation is coming up in the next 24-48 hours. **** Just a preface.....the first month I used OPK's I got a positive on Monday and Tuesday and confirmed ovulation on Tuesday **** Which means O can happen the same day.


2. Digital - These work the same way as the nondigital ones except you do not have to read the results. Usually you get a yes or a smiley face when the LH surge is present or a no or sad face when it's not. As simple as that. The digital version of course is much more expensive and can run into some major dinero if you have long or irregular cycles where you O at very different times during the month.

****A word of Caution****

While OPK's are highly effective in determing your LH surge, if you are using the nondigital version, you have to interpret the results for yourself. This of course can lead to a margin of error on your part. Some women never get a postitive, from what they can see, but clearly ovulate based on their charts. Others swear they got a positive but have annovulatory charts, where no ovulation is present. I highly recommend checking out the site http://www.peeonastick.com/ so that you can see how the progression from a negative LH surge to a positive LH surge looks like.

I will be posting my OPK's over the next several days up until I recieve a positive and a few days after so that you can see the progression of the lines.

Til the next time!

Jorasims!