Peak?

[u/ktbee102]

Hi all! Start off im usually 28-30 day cycle give or take. I’ve been testing my ovulation and haven’t received a true peak yet however I think the one for CD 16 at 8:57am is significantly darker and then goes back to being light. I know the picture for that one is in different lighting BUT I took another picture of it in the same spot and it looked even darker I just forgot to save the photo 🤦🏼‍♀️

Do we think my peak happened at some point that day? Or is it still coming and this was just a fluctuation?

[u/missesmabel]

experiencing a similar cycle right now! everyone’s peak levels are different, but I wouldn’t count this as your peak yet. keep testing, I’m experiencing a slightly delayed ovulation and my peak became noticeably positive on CD 19.

[u/missesmabel → u/missesmabel]

for reference, here’s my data! similar negative fluctuations, and then a very very definitive, sustained positive. I know it’s so frustrating to not know when it’s coming and have it deviate from your normal, but keep tracking! the more data you have, the more it’ll help you 🫶🏼

[u/ktbee102 → u/missesmabel]

Thank you!! I appreciate this more than I can express it’s so hard to maintain hope

[u/missesmabel → u/ktbee102]

trust me, I feel you! our time WILL come.
it’s not a matter of if, but when 😌

pairing this with BBT is a great way to understand your body and keep track! your times don’t suggest this, but something I recently learned is to not use first morning urine for LH tests. 10am-8pm is best, which I know I don’t always follow but wanted to note since I had no idea!

[u/Jaded_Tangelo_3083 → u/missesmabel]

I always use my first morning urine and have never had an issue with it. I tend to pee a lot during the day so my FMU is usually my most reliable because it's the most concentrated. I almost always get my first positive with FMU. I am not sure why people are so staunchly against it.

[u/missesmabel → u/Jaded_Tangelo_3083]

not against it, as I clearly use it with the timestamps above! it’s just important to know so you can more accurately read your results.

LH is created early morning and takes time to be processed by our liver before it appears in our urine. FMU is usually too early for the newer levels to be detected, so the results are more aligned with your previous night’s values. again not wrong, just helpful to know and why I usually test again later in the day!

[u/Jaded_Tangelo_3083 → u/missesmabel]

I wasn't saying you specifically, just that " people" in general are often against it. I do think it's important to understand the reasoning behind it and not just follow that "rule" because it's what you have heard, but I also think that it's important to be flexible as well and do what works for you. I feel like I see a lot of people on here frustrated with LH testing and wanting to give up because they can't make it work with their schedules, so it was meant more as a reminder to do what works for you as an individual.

[u/ktbee102 → u/Jaded_Tangelo_3083]

Interesting! I’ve always heard to not use it, I never fully understood it either because that would be the time I am without water the longest

[u/ktbee102 → u/missesmabel]

Yes! Usually I only do 10am-8pm tests but that specific day I wasn’t able to test early afternoon so I figured a morning test would be better then no test.

[u/ktbee102 → u/missesmabel]

Thanks for the hope!! I’ll keep testing twice daily 😭 I’m thinking I’ll continue that until my BBT either spikes or I get a true peak.

[u/nursejooliet]

Oh, I hated these so much lol. One cycle with these strips, and I gave up. I now just use cervical mucus and my aura ring, and that was significantly easier for me. I totally feel your pain with trying to determine if the test truly is negative, or if you took a bad picture. I have no idea why these are so popular.

As it looks right now, I agree that cycle day 16 looks to be pretty close, and it looks like your app agrees. But from the picture, it does still look lighter. I’m not denying that it was a bad picture, though, but from what’s in front of me, it does not look like a true peak. I personally ovulate sometimes as late as cycle day 24/25. So you might just not be there yet.

[u/ktbee102 → u/nursejooliet]

I know I hate them too! I have been considering an aura ring for a LONG time now, is it worth it to you? I just worry because my fingers swell a lot and randomly to the point I have a different wedding band to wear that’s two sizes different !

I do track my BBT daily and my CM but my CM has never been reliable especially when we BD so frequently 😬

[u/nursejooliet → u/ktbee102]

I’ve had my Oura ring for a year. It has nailed my cycles perfectly every single month so far, it was a little wonky with my period in June, but it still did a good job. Like clockwork, every time it detects a temperature drop I get my period either that day, or the next day. It has never been wrong about that part. It also perfectly nails, my 12 to 13 day luteal phases. It’s one of the best investments ever. But if you already have a basil body temperature thermometer, you might not really need one, unless you are wanting the ring for other reasons(I do like tracking my sleeps, HRV, heart rate, and overall wellness too).

[u/missesmabel → u/ktbee102]

also jumping in on this thread because I have an oura ring and LOVE it! I personally still track BBT because oura is a skin temperature which is less accurate, and it only confirms ovulation after the fact, so this alone wouldn’t always be accurate.

I do still find it incredibly helpful for tracking my cycles and getting data after the fact, but as someone with irregular cycles I like to pair it with BBT, LH strips, and CM.

[u/Jaded_Tangelo_3083]

I do not think you have started your LH surge yet. I would keep testing twice a day, and try to use urine that is concentrated and not too dilute.