My thermometer died! How bad are the Walgreens or Target basal therms?

[zwitterion]

I need to buy a new basal thermometer. (Murphy's law mandated that my old one should die today of all days.) I know BD gets rave reviews, but I don't know of any brick and mortar stores that sell them here. I can get Walgreens or Target, but I haven't heard good things about them. Are they ok, or should I order a BD therm online and just wait for it? Would a Walgreens or Target therm be helpful at all while I wait for an ordered BD, or are they just bad bad bad? Thanks!

[finnegansmom]

I have one from CVS and it seems to work ok...I'm sure one from walgreens or another drug store is fine. I just wish it wouldn't beep so loud...

[Baby_Cakes]

I've used both. I like the BD b/c of the backlight, b/c that's helpful when you're temping in a dark room. But the Target one is accurate enough and it does let you recall the last temp once. I think while you wait for your BD you might as well use the Target basal therm.

[outlier]

I've only ever used a Walgreens thermometer, and it's worked fine for me. I haven't seen any evidence that it's inaccurate or anything. It's funny a PP mentioned it beeps too loud. I almost wish it would beep louder because I usually fall back asleep before it's done!

Now that I know you can get one with a backlight, I'm totally springing for that next time I need one!

[MaerynPearl]

Walgreens one you have to leave in about 3 extra minutes after the beeps to get the right reading... but other than that I used it for 6 months before I got pregnant. If you dont like the beeps just temp vaginally.

Changing thermometers midcycle will screw this months chart up, so you might as well just throw it out the window.

[Monarchgrrl]

I love my Target BBT. It's pink and white and seems to work perfectly. I don't know what brand it is, but I got it at Target.

[Amila]

I conceived 2 babes with a Walgreens one

[zwitterion]

Thanks for your input! I have been happily using (and got pregnant with DD with) a Walgreens one, but it was an older style and I'd heard bad things about the newer style. I think I'll go pick up a Walgreens one and see if I really want to get a BD one after a few days.

MaerynPearl - Yeah, I know the cycle is done for. Ugh. Unfortunately, I am on CD 97 and thought *maybe* I *might* have ovulated Sunday--but I needed more temps to see. My guess with my other fertility signs is now that I probably didn't ovulate, but gosh, I would have liked the temp confirmation. What a day for it to die!

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by zwitterion

Thanks for your input! I have been happily using (and got pregnant with DD with) a Walgreens one, but it was an older style and I'd heard bad things about the newer style. I think I'll go pick up a Walgreens one and see if I really want to get a BD one after a few days.

MaerynPearl - Yeah, I know the cycle is done for. Ugh. Unfortunately, I am on CD 97 and thought *maybe* I *might* have ovulated Sunday--but I needed more temps to see. My guess with my other fertility signs is now that I probably didn't ovulate, but gosh, I would have liked the temp confirmation. What a day for it to die!

if it did not turn out that you ovulated on Sunday (youll know in a couple weeks if AF shows up... or you get BFNs) then just put in a fake period at that point and make a note that thats not actually your period but when you broke the thermometer. Keep charting with the new one but do not trust any difference between it and your temps on your old thermometer.

[~Adorkable~]

i got my BD one at walgreens it is the digi rapidflex, it is not a "basal modle per say, but used like i do i get very clear great charts.
i do leave it in for at lease 2-3 minutes and since i temp vaginally that is really easy to so (i often fall back asleep and take it out when the snooze goes off)

[zwitterion]

OK, I bought the Walgreens one, and it SUCKS. Even with letting it stay in my mouth this afternoon for 3 minutes past the beeps, three consecutive temps were 97.73, 98.18, and then 98.37. Ugh. But then I saw that the new one could have batteries replaced and the instructions showed how. I didn't think I could replace the battery in the old one, but I checked the same way the new one comes apart, and voila! As a bonus, they both use the same battery size, so I swapped them around and my old one is functional again (and gave me 97.83 and 97.82 as consecutive temps--yay!)

So here's my new question. If my old thermometer with a new battery gives me a high (post-O, presumably) temp tomorrow, do I believe it, or will changing the battery make a difference in the temperature?

[sarahb918]

I have this same one and it seems to work just fine for it's intended purpose. I honestly have no idea what a "BD" is.

[Virginia884]

I have the pink and white Target one and I like it. $10? You can recall the last 5 temps over and over. So that's nice if you temp for a few days without imputing on your chart. Haven't had any issues.. and I get fairly consistent temps with it.

[karmab]

Originally Posted by Virginia884

I have the pink and white Target one and I like it. $10? You can recall the last 5 temps over and over. So that's nice if you temp for a few days without imputing on your chart. Haven't had any issues.. and I get fairly consistent temps with it.

"...for a few days without imputing on your chart..." hats off to you girl for your constraint! i've decided not even to temp every day now in luteal phase and i STILL can't keep away from my chart for a whole day...half a day...couple hours....

[nia82]

I have the Walgreens one (bought 9 weeks ago) and I don't like it... IT beeps super loud and I try to muffle it, but still, it beeps like 10 times when it thinks it's done and that annoys me... Also, leaving it in my mouth for three extra minutes stinks...
Two questions

1) Which one should I buy? I'm fine with spending more money on something reliable and not annoying... (I have the regular stores in town, but prefer online purchases)

2) How exactly does one temp vaginally? Sorry for the question... But... TMI... how deep does one immerse the thermometer and how long should one leave it in there?