Charting to Avoid/Fertility Awareness, March 2010 - Page 3

[jeninejessica]

I record similiar to what you do ready. For sticky-- my big identifier is that if leaves a 'hardness' in my underwear, very much like how TCOYF talks about it being 'lines' as opposed to a circle-- I notice that. It's the only one that truly dries into my underwear. Watery absorbs, just leaves a faint mark, EW and creamy sit on top, looking gooey and creamy respectively.

I have a hard time with watery... I've started marking down watery anytime i get that "I just peed myself" sensation. But for actually seeing it on the tissue, etc... I don't usually feel like I get any that's noticable. Same with sticky- I notice the marking in my underwear, but very rarely actually 'feel' or 'see' any, though sometimes I do get that sticky feeling on my fingers like you mentioned. Maybe only every three cycles or so it feels like though. Anytime i feel lubricative, I'm able to see EW, even if it's only a tiny bit.

Creamy for me is thick, usually slightly colored, though often white too. It very rarely is kinda of clear, though it has happened. But I always get the feeling that if I tried, I could work it in, it would disappear, whereas EW, would just kind of sit on top and stay there.

[MarineWife]

That sounds right to me, ready. Everyone's pattern and look/feel of CF seems to be a little different. The main thing to look for is your CF getting wetter as you get closer to O.

[BettinaAuSucre]

So to update: Two days until my consultation for the IUD.

MDC has a sick sense of humor, one of the ads on the side of the page said "you're expecting". Which made me eyebrow arch in an "oh really?" sarcastic fashion. LOL. I came to update and throw a fit about spotting before my periods and MDC gives me that gem of an ad to tease me. The spotting mimics implantation bleeding and its frustrating more than anything. Because now is the time in my cycle program where I run out and get 2 HPT tests, taking one now, and one in the morning. Both will be negative, i will feel a bitter mixture of relief and disappointment. And then my period will come 2 days later, all researching and symptom checking tossed out the window.

I am so glad to be doing something to stop this sick cycle mind-game bologna. For 4 cycles, I have watery CM most of the month, spot around 7DPO and continue to spot for 4 days. Then my period comes 3 days later, typically, and I simmer in my own silliness.

*lesigh*

[echospiritwarrior]

Hi, I'm back. I had my hard drive crash and just got my computer back. I'm actually waiting for my ovusoft code to come back since none of my software was recoverable, so I'm just waiting to enter my temps I've manually written down when I get the software re-installed. I'm also super curious to see when the last time I ran a back-up on my software because this month was BEAUTIFUL! At least my computer person was able to recover my data/pictures/files from the hard drive even though the old one was unusable...

*sigh* I'm also ready for DH to get back home!!!! Less than one week left solo!!!!

[MarineWife]

Not everyone gets noticeable watery CF. I think sticky, creamy and EW are the important ones. And, really, for CTA purposes, once you get sticky you need to be cautious until you get O confirmation so the rest doesn't matter that much. It's good to know for personal reference but not critical, imo, as long as you notice the change from your BIP to wetter CF. KWIM?

I get CF that seems to be somewhere between creamy and watery. It's whitish but very thing and kind of runny. It's not thick like lotion. TCOYF does say that creamy can be like milk so that's the kind I think I get.

[nerdymom]

Originally Posted by Blueone

Have you been tested for hypothyroid? The ideal morning temp according to my endo is 97.8 on day 2-5. I might have one or 2 below it, but a majority are at or above 97.8. That can cause fatigue among other things.

Stopthethyroidmadness.com is a really good site that discusses hypothyroid, the necessary tests, and so on. It took me a long time to find a doctor who would run the right tests and really listen to me. My mom has it and saw the signs in me so she was making sure I got in with a good doctor.

Thanks for the website, I'll look into it. I am planning on seeing a doc about some of my symptoms, because I've been wondering about that myself. My mom told me I should be prepared with a month or two of charts showing that temps are consistently low, so right now I'm trying to keep track of some of my symptoms, like energy, and my habits, like exercise while accumulating the temps.

Originally Posted by MarineWife

Yes, you are potentially fertile whenever you have any CF other than your BIP (basic infertile CF pattern). Most women's BIP is dry but some may have sticky. A BIP can never be wetter than that so creamy, watery and EW (obviously) can't count no matter how long it may last. My EWCF is similar to what you describe. If it stretches at least an inch and is very slippery, call it EW.

Temps can't tell you whether or not you are fertile before you O so it doesn't really matter what they are pre-O (unless they indicate a possible health problem). They can only tell you after the fact that you have Oed. That's why it's important to chart CF and temps when CTA. The CF tells you when you are potentially fertile and the temps tell you when you have Oed and are safe to dtd unprotected.

From your chart, I think it's possible you did O on Sunday, cd16. You need two more consecutive temps above 97.0 to confirm it so continue to be cautious until then. If your temp doesn't stay up, you did O and have to go back to assuming you are potentially fertile.

Well my temp was 97.33 again this morning, so we'll see. We're being "cautious" anyways, until I really get the hang of this charting thing. It is really interesting how much I am learning about my body, and I kind of like looking back and seeing what has happened. This thread is very educational for me, thanks everyone for contributing!

[OSUvet]

Hi everyone! I'm new too (thanks for adding me lyterae), and this is my first cycle charting, and my first cycle of the bcp in 12 years. CD1 was Feb 17, so I am waiting for my thermal shift to tell me that I O'ed. I still have a lot to learn so I'm sure I will be posting soon with my questions once my chart confuses me But my first question is: Can someone explain how to properly post a link to share my FF chart? (I am technologically challenged!)

[jeninejessica]

Originally Posted by MarineWife

TCOYF does say that creamy can be like milk so that's the kind I think I get.

Last time I went back and read TCOYF, that confused the heck out of me! I was like ok, this is just too confusing. But that's where I think the idea that every woman gets something different comes into play. Because i do get very obvious 'creamy', then something more like skim milk texture tells me there's something else going on.

[readytobedone]

Originally Posted by MarineWife

Not everyone gets noticeable watery CF. I think sticky, creamy and EW are the important ones. And, really, for CTA purposes, once you get sticky you need to be cautious until you get O confirmation so the rest doesn't matter that much. It's good to know for personal reference but not critical, imo, as long as you notice the change from your BIP to wetter CF. KWIM?

I get CF that seems to be somewhere between creamy and watery. It's whitish but very thing and kind of runny. It's not thick like lotion. TCOYF does say that creamy can be like milk so that's the kind I think I get.

Interesting...because I get lots of watery, like days and days of it pre-O each cycle. But I often don't even get one day of EW.

I definitely get the in between creamy and watery. That seems to be what I have from just a few days after AF ends, all the way through O, except for the days that it's just plain watery. I get watery CM where I'm standing there and it seems like I peed myself, but I run to the bathroom, and my underwear are wet with CM

Totally TMI, but I guess that's what you get in a conversation about CM!

[MarineWife]

Don't worry about the TMI. We do that all the time here.

All women don't get all of the various kinds of CF. TCOYF says creamy is sometimes the most fertile CF a woman gets and she can still get pg. So, if you only get watery but not EW, that's ok and you are still very fertile. In the Ovusoft s/w watery and EW are put into the same category. Although most women start out their cycles dry some women never have a dry day and go straight into sticky. That's why I said the main thing is to notice your CF pattern of dryer to wetter.

BTW, I wanted to correct my typo. When I said, "if your temps don't stay up, you did O," I meant that if your temps don't stay up, you did NOT O.

[Sk8ermaiden]

Yup, I'm a watery-er here too - I don't usually get eggwhite much, and I have read they are equally fertile.

I get stretchy eggwhite arousal fluid. It is the darndest thing.

[MovingMomma]

Grrr. I was going to start temping this am, but my therm is dead. Now to find a new one...

[MarineWife]

On the CF discussion, I have no idea what mine is right now. It feels slippery on/in me, is the color of creamy but looks sticky on my fingers. I haven't Oed yet so I guess I'll call it creamy.

I also wanted to say, my Ovusoft chart is telling me I'm in my post-O infertile phase even though I haven't Oed yet but puts my peak day on the last day of creamy I keep entering, which will be today so far.

Here are my charts for a peak and comparison. The temps are different today because I took it an hour later than usual and I have Ovusoft to automatically adjust temps. I almost didn't temp at all today just cuz I'm kind of over it right now.

Ovusoft Chart

FF Chart

[RaraAvis]

Originally Posted by OSUvet

But my first question is: Can someone explain how to properly post a link to share my FF chart? (I am technologically challenged!)

Welcome On FF go to the SHARING button on the left hand side, then HOME PAGE SETUP -- on that page hit GET SHARING CODE/BUTTONS (we use bbCode Code)

AFM: Spotting, And a nice little temp drop Now, just waiting for things to really get going so I can start a new cycle!

[nerdymom]

hey, this morning I have crosshairs on my chart! woo! temp was 97.45, which confirms O, right?

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by nerdymom

hey, this morning I have crosshairs on my chart! woo! temp was 97.45, which confirms O, right?

As long as you have at least 3 consecutive temps above your CL it does. What was your CL, 97.0?

[Toolip]

so it's estrogen that causes the temp to rise, correct? And your estrogen starts to rise before you O, isn't that right? So would it be possible to expect a smaller temp rise before you actually O?

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by Toolip

so it's estrogen that causes the temp to rise, correct? And your estrogen starts to rise before you O, isn't that right? So would it be possible to expect a smaller temp rise before you actually O?

No, that's incorrect. Progesterone is what causes the temp rise. Before you O your estrogen levels increase in conjunction with maturing follicles. Once you have one dominant follicle that is fully mature your estrogen levels peak and you get a surge of LH that causes ovulation. Sometimes you can get a temp dip from the estrogen peak. After ovulation the corpus luteum cyst left on the ovary from the released egg produces progesterone, which causes your temp to rise. You can also get a temp dip right before as progesterone drops and estrogen begins to rise again in anticipation of the next cycle.

[nerdymom]

Originally Posted by MarineWife

As long as you have at least 3 consecutive temps above your CL it does. What was your CL, 97.0?

yes, my CL is 97.0

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by nerdymom

yes, my CL is 97.0

Yep, you should be good. If you want to be doubly sure, you can make sure you have at least 4 consecutive days of CF dry up that coincide with the thermal shift.