[runtotorun121]

Hi,
I apologize in advance for the lengthiness of this post, and I appreciate your time in looking over my information and question.

This is the first month my husband and I have used an ovulation test. We purchased the urine stream type. In the papers that come with the tests it reads that a positive result is when "the color and intensity of the Test Line is 'similar to or darker' than the reference line."

I have been so frustrated trying to read these tests, and I am wondering if someone can please give me their experience or knowledge.

Here is what we have seen so far (and we have worked out a system of 1-5 charting for the 'pinkness' on our tracking paper): My cycle began late August 1. After my period stopped either late August 5 or early August 6 we went ahead and began testing just so we could see a month of tracking and in case I am an early or late ovulator (I have previously taken birth control pills for 18 years so I don't really have a good sense of my cycling).

Then on August 10 I saw a darker pink line than it had been, and I was waiting for it to be even more significant (I don't really know what to look for since I have no comparison or baseline of testing before), but the next day the line was very faint again. So August 9 and 11 the test line was pale and faint, and by the 11th, in retrospect, I thought I might have ovulated early because that was the "similar" to the reference line (but not exactly) as the directions read.

It seemed very dark compared to the light faint line on the day before and the day after.

However, If I do fit into having the group of women with more typical ovulation times in the middle of their cycle the ovulation calendars/predictor charts suggested I would ovulate on or around August 15. That being said, my line continued to be quite pale on the 11th, 12th, and 13th. Then, I tested both in the morning at around lunchtime and both times on the 14th I got another time of dark pink lines that certainly looked to me like they were very "similar" to the reference line - not darker, but maybe as dark? Visually, and maybe because it seemed to fit with timing on the "typical" averages, it struck me, and I felt more confident that maybe THAT was the surge.

So on the next day, the 15th, the line was once again faint and pale. At that point I thought, "Aha. That must have been correct.". . .until this morning. <sigh> Again, we just thought we would test the heck out of this month to try to get a feel for how the results would look and tell us what to look for. But at this point we are more confused than ever because this morning on the 16th we have another dark pink line that is not darker than the reference line, but I would say it is "similar" if not the same color.

Now here is something I do not know and can't find in the test directions or interpretations at all: While the line today seems to be comparable in color darkness to the test color lines on the 14th, it seems to be a little bit thinner of a line. Does anyone know if the width or thickness of the line matters in reading the testing???

On the 14th I tried to photograph the test line so we would have it for comparison later, but the camera/flash/etc. does not allow for a good quality photo <another sigh>, so we are trying to go on recollection. . .

I know we may seem very insane about something that should be self-explanatory and simple like reading this test, but we are very aware of the timing factor for us since I am already 38 1/2 years old. We were just married, and all the information we read describes trying to conceive at my age very gloomy, and then the death-knell for natural conception at 40, which isn't that far away. I don't anticipate we will be able to afford fertility treatments such as in vitro, etc. that the articles and studies suggest is the most likely way you can become pregnant after 40 years old. . .so this is why we are trying to get some grasp on how to make the best effort in the shortest amount of time possible before we might find fertility problems/issues.

Whew! Sorry again for the lengthiness, but I want to make sure I have given enough details that someone might get a good picture and have some ideas.

Thanks in advance for you time and reply,
Kristie