I did just the normal dip strips (pee in a cup, shot glass, and then dip the strip in). It showed two lines, the control line and the other one would be lighter if I wasn't ovulating or just as dark if not dark then the solid if I was.

Ive never had a problem with conceiving, but I had to track my cycle for my RE. Those I bought off of Amazon and got like 50 dip strips and 10 pregnancy tests for like $15.00. It was definately worth it since I would spend $25+ for just pregnancy tests.

Good luck!

The ovulation prediction kits can be bought at any drug store, or meijer, walmart, and so on. They are found by the pregnancy tests. There are usually at least a weeks worth in the box.
I also used the clear blue easy fertility monitor. Take a look at it on-line. It is a little pricey, but allowed you to test for 20 days and tracked your ovulation from month to month. I was irregular and tried for a long time so it ended up being cost effective for me.

First Response makes the digital one with the smiley face... by far the easiest to use, but also the most expensive... it can really add up! If you buy the box with 20 tests, you can use it for a few months if you manage to find the right day to test. You get a smiley face when your LH surges, about 18-48 hours before you ovulate.

I'm sorry... Hopefully is right... Clear Blue makes that one... First Response makes a different one that's a little tougher to read but still works and is cheaper.

I always purchased mine on eBay and they were a lot cheaper!! I also tested twice/day once I got to day 10 in my cycle. Just because I missed it one month.
Good luck to you!

The smiley face ones are the clear blues, and the smiley face is supposed to happen right before you ovulate. You want that sperm in there right before the egg drops. I used the amazon strips bluberry was talking about. I never had a problem with reading them, but some people have a hard time telling if their ovulation line is lighter or as dark as the control, thus finding them confusing, and prefer the smiley faces. Good luck whatever choice you make!

Be careful if you get the clearblue digital to look for the original and not the ones that say "advanced". The advanced ones give you a flashing smiley when you are close to ovulation and then a solid smiley at the optimal time. The original just gives the solid smiley when you are at the optimal time. I misread the stupid advanced ones and I'm pretty sure I had my IUI at the wrong time because of that. Good luck!!

Can I ask a follow up question? I have used OPK's since we first started TTC 2 years ago. I always ovulate on CD17. When I start testing, there is only the control line. About 3 days before I ovulate, I start to see a faint 2nd line that gets darker.
Since I miscarried in September, I have been having a faint 2nd line from the first day I test. The last 2 cycles, I started testing on CD10 and was really thrown because there was already a 2nd line, although faint. This month I started testing as soon as AF was over. I had no 2nd line at first, but then yesterday - CD9 - there was a faint 2nd line and slightly darker today. It is still fainter than the control line, which is technically a negative.
But I'm thrown because it is way early to start seeing a faint 2nd line. I'm worried that this means something is off and maybe I'm not actually ovulating? Anyone have any ideas? Am I just being overly worried?

what kind of tests are you using daily? I ask because the ones I used were supposed to ALWAYS have 2 lines, even when not ovulating, and the sign that ovulation was gearing up was when the two lines were the same color or the first line a little darker than the control. If yours are supposed to work that way, i'd wonder if they were defective if you aren't even getting a second line.

I have found that the clearblue easy digital - but regular, not advanced, work best because all I have to do is POAS and then it will give me a smiley face...I wish I could say, YES, they helped me get pregnant! But unfortunately, they just tell me when I ovulate! Which if that's what / when you need to be told, then it will work for you...too bad my ovulation isn't our problem in ttc.

Best of luck! They really do tell you when you're about to ovulate!

The clear blue easy smiley face OPKs are really easy to use and easy to read. I used them for a few years and it really helped me to learn when I ovulate. I had several issues with errors but every time that happened and I called the customer service line they sent me a free replacement. If you are going to buy them I encourage you to shop around first, we found that in our area the large box was much cheaper at target. Drug stores and walmart carried them too but they were between $5-$20 more expensive per box which can really add up if you buy them continuously. If ovulation was my only issue these would have helped me tremendously. Good luck!!!

Dollar tree also sells ovulation tests, along with pregnancy tests. I have a couple friends who work at Beaumont hospital, one is a labor and delivery nurse and the other is a nurse practitioner and they both told me that the hospital uses the same tests that you can buy at Dollar Tree. Just an idea if you are concerned about $$$