[mommy_in_chaos]

This is my first month temping. So I'm not sure why my temps are as crazy as they are, but I've been keeping track of them on FF.

I am currently on CD 27, but have had negative OPKs for the last 1 1/2 to 2 weeks. FF says I O'd on CD 22, but I haven't seen a noticable shift in Temperature. I still have EWCE (this is the 3rd day of it), my cervix is still high and soft (but not open) and I haven't had any other symptoms of ovulation. Should I believe FF or should I keep OPKing to see when it says I ovulate?

Here's my chart in case anyone wants to take a look...

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/144b43

 

[HopesMom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mommy_in_chaos I am currently on CD 27, but have had negative OPKs for the last 1 1/2 to 2 weeks.

I'm not a chart expert by any means, but did you skip a bunch of days using the OPKs? I think I see some empty days there. If so, you may have missed your window for a +OPK. Its pretty narrow.

Not sure what else to say but hang in there. I am sure someone with more expertise will have something that will help.

 

[mommy_in_chaos]

Hmmm... that's a good point. But I did POAS on CD 22 and 21 with negative results. Would that make a difference? If they say I O'd on CD 22 but I didn't have a pos. OPK? Hmm... maybe I should just wait till I get af this month, and try again next month with the charting thing... TCOYF says that you shouldn't use OPKs if you're trying to use FAM. But I couldn't resist because I'm a test junkie...

 

[oceanmommy]

How long are your cycles usually ? Are you breastfeeding or have you come off birth control recently ?

If you have long cycles I think there is a good chance that you may still be gearing up to ovulate, especially with your cervical position and fluid. I noticed last month had many days of positive opks in a row, probably due to multiple peaks of LH surge which happens somtimes (I think it is discussed in TCOYF).

It is possible to test everyday and miss a LH surge, since some can last like 12 hours. When I am really close to O I test 2x a day, once around noon, once around 9 pm.

I think it is hard to know exactly whats going on without past charts to compare to. If it were me, I would consider testing for LH a bit longer since I think you might still be up for ovulation this cycle.... at least until your other fertility signs are more definitive (CP & CM). Of course, I am a POAS junkie.

With more charting it should only get easier to interpret.

 

[HopesMom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mommy_in_chaos Hmmm... that's a good point. But I did POAS on CD 22 and 21 with negative results. Would that make a difference? If they say I O'd on CD 22 but I didn't have a pos. OPK?

My understanding of OPKs (and I use em every month) is that it is saying you will likely O in the next 12-36 hours. So, it seems possible to me that you missed your LH surge which was sometime on CD 20.

That said, I do think you might be well served to wait and see this month (maybe you'll be pregnant and it won't matter) but if AF shows, you can count back and see if ovulation lines up with CD 22.

Good luck.

 

[MommytoTwo]

Possibly you havent O'ed yet? Your cervix seems more like its getting ready to O now... if you had O'ed during those days you didnt use an opk I would think your cervix would have been HSO then, not now.

 

[KrystalC]

Charting can be difficult to interpret the first month or two. It's generally a pattern noticeable over a period of time. If you skipped days with your OPKs, you just might have missed the surge. As a previous poster said, the window for that is quite narrow. It's also possible that you'll O late this cycle or it could be anovulatory. Most women can expect to see one or two anovulatory cycles per year. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong... just a natural course unless you see frequent cycles without ovulation.

During the cycle I managed to FINALLY get pregnant, I saw no visible signs of ovulation and thought I had an LH surge and EWCM without ovulation, which can happen. However, the 7dpo progesterone test done by my RE indicated that I had indeed ovulated. I had absolutely no temp rise confirming O by the time I stopped charting at 7dp+opk. It was certainly an odd chart, but I did end up pregnant. The exact same thing happened to a friend of mine.

Best of luck to you!!!!

(Sorry for butting in since I don't really "belong" here, but I'm fairly well-versed in charting and like to help others when I can!)

 

[mommy_in_chaos]

My cycles are very unusual. There hasn't been 2 alike since I gave birth to DD 7 years ago. They can last anywhere from 33 days (33 being the least number in almost 4 years) to 65 days (I've had several the last 2 years that lasted between 45-55 days, 65 being the longest I've had) The last few of my cycles have been in the 40 day range. I also have an 11 day luteal phase because I have cought a + OPK for the last 4 cycles, I know I will get AF 11DP+OPK. I'm on CD 27 today, so I know if I don't get AF by CD 33, I'm either PG, or I didn't O on CD 22.

I am not nursing, nor have I been on any type of BC in the last 7 years.

I have only been checking my CP and CM the last 2 cycles I've had, and I just started temping this month. I have hypothyroidism which causes low temps, so I expected that when I started temping. But I dind't realize that I was going to be caught betweent 96.5 & 97.5... it makes for difficult interpritation.

I have one more question. Today, I decided I was going to test in the AM & in the PM just to see what the difference is. At 9am today I had the darkest test line I've had yet, but it wasn't darker then the reference line. And then at about 5pm I tested again and got a much fainter line then that of this morning. Could it be that I had a surge today and now it is going away? I also noticed this evening that my CP is dramatically open (it has been high and soft for a couple of days. but not quite open) with EWCM and some cramping in my lower abdomin around 3 this PM. So I'm actually wondering if today wasn't the day, and my temps might go up tomorrow... I don't know, I'm so lost this cycle I'm going dizzy...

:

KrystalC, how long did it take you to get good at charting. It seems simple enough to do, but I think there are things getting lost in translation. I hope you're right and it does get easier with time.

 

[KrystalC]

The first cycle I charted, I had NO idea what I was doing. I slept late, woke up early, fumbled for the thermometer, dropped it on the floor, etc. so naturally my temps were off. A couple of times I even fell back asleep with it in my mouth and woke up a few minutes later with my mouth hanging wide open and the thermometer perched on my chest. Funny sight to behold for my hubby I'm sure. I think it took 2-3 cycles for me to really get the hang of it and figure out how to interpret my own pattern.

If your cycles are long and irregular, charting becomes much less reliable, but with practice and a few cycles to gauge, you can recognize a pattern. For example, some women have a temp dip just before O and can start figuring things out from there. It's not uncommon to have several patches of EWCM and/or several times that your cervix goes back and forth from fertile to not-fertile if your cycle is longer than average and/or irregular, which yours seem to be.

I found that the best time for me to test with an OPK was around 2-3 in the afternoon. I just took it to work with me and tested there.You may find that you need to test for longer than the 7 days of tests that are generally included with your kit with your cycles having a 20 day variance, or you may just need to adjust the times you use the test. Sometimes I was so addicted to POAS that I tested twice a day. Once in the early afternoon and once in the evening. Are you limiting your fluid intake and holding your urine for 2-4 hours before testing?

Note: if you sleep with your mouth open, it can throw off your chart a bit, so it may be helpful for you to temp vaginally. FF's FAQ has some info on that, too.

 

[mommy_in_chaos]

I POAS twice yesterday as described above, and again this am, but the lines keep getting lighter and lighter. I wonder if I O'd the night before last and my surge is getting weeker... My temp went up .1 degree higher then it's ever been this am. But it's not much difference. I don't know what to think. We'll just keep DTD every day till I know for sure that I O'd.

: that this will work.

Thank you ladies for your help. KrystalC, you've been very infomativie. Would you mind if I came to you with other questions I might have on temping since I'm so new at this?

 

[KrystalC]

I know it's really hard not to, but try not to overanalyze the lines getting darker and lighter throughout your cycle. You'll drive yourself insane!!! Some women will have a fade-in pattern on OPKs up until they get a positive, but because you will generally have LH present in your urine at all times, there will pretty much always be a second line there - even if it's really faint. The amount present in your urine varies from hour to hour and from day to day, so up until you see a positive result, it really doesn't mean much. Which brand of OPKs are you using?

Keep in mind that a slight temp shift on one day means basically nothing. Three or more high temps will generally confirm O.

Every other day is generally sufficient if you're not sure if/when you O'd or can expect to O, but if by chance you do happen to see a +OPK, make sure you DTD that day and the next day if at all possible.

I'm more than happy to help, so feel free to post with any questions or you can always PM me. I'll be checking in on you gals fairly frequently because I actually feel more comfortable in TTC areas than I do in pregnancy areas. Pregnancy is very new to me, but charting and TTC are things I'm very familiar with.

Best of luck!!

 

[mommy_in_chaos]

I've been using "Answer". There are 2 different kinds that they sell at out drug store. The one I've been using is the one with 20 sticks and a cup. The other ones have 7 and you can pee right on them. But I've been using the ones that you dip for the last 4 cycles, and they worked great then. So I used them again this cycle. It's better that way because they have 20 and my cycles are so long that I need about a 15 day interval to figure out when I'm going to need them.
I have been trying very hard not to overanalyze, and I think I was doing a pretty good job. Till yesterday. The test line was almost exactly the same shade as the reference line. There is always a line there, always has been, but this time, it was visibly DARK. That was new to me. Usually, with these tests, I can figure out when I'm surging because it will get a little darker each day. But this box of tests seems to be a little off compared to the others. Maybe they were exposed to heat or cold in transition to Rite Aid.
As for other symptoms of ovulation, my CP has changed to low, somewhat soft (mostly on the back side of my cervix), and still dramatically open, and my CM is changing back to sticky. So if I didn't O yet, my body decided to wait a while before trying again. Guess we'll see...
Thanks again KrystalC!!!!

 

[KrystalC]

I used the Answer tests as well and found them to be the most reliable of any I ever used. OPKs are a lot like HPTs in that there tends to be a variance in the amount of dye contained in them, even within the same box. It's possible that your dark line yesterday was just before you surged, just after the surge, your urine wasn't quite concentrated enough to register a positive, or that particular stick contained a bit more dye. As long as you're doing the deed, it won't really matter precisely when you O as your chance of pregnancy remains the same whether you know you ovulated or not!

If your cervix is heading back down to normal infertile position and your CM is drying up, you just might have O'd yesterday. If it makes you feel better and you want some extra nookie, just continue DTD every other day until BFP or AF. That's what I did when I was unsure about a cycle. That way, I knew I had my bases covered since sperm can live up to 5 days and sometimes more and doing it every single day completely wore us out.

By the way, there's a site that may be helpful to you in the future for analyzing OPKs and HPTs. It's at http://www.peeonastick.com. The site allows users to upload pictures of positive and negative tests of all sorts and has a chart of published test sensitivities and feedback so you can compare lines and brands. The site author even does some interesting experiments with different tests, which can be quite amusing to read if you've got some time to kill.

Keeping my fingers crossed that this is your first and last cycle charting!!!!

 

[Anglyn]

Fertility friend is not your friend! Well, when cycles are confusing, ff confuses me more! First of all, I have NO idea how they determine the coverline, because by fam rules, your coverline should be MUCH higher (97.5ish) and therefore, you have not spiked up above it. I had to reset mine manually. I like the software you get at tcoyf.com much better, of course it isnt free!

From what you have posted about your cervix, your cf and the opk test, Im guessing you JUST o'ed whatever day that was. If you commonly have long cycles, 65days, then it wouldnt be unusual for you not to ovulate until cd40 or cd50 etc. Im sure its due to your hypothyroidism, not that Im an expert or anything!

Good luck, maybe the next cycle will be less confusing!!

 

[tryingagain]

It looks to me that by 8/8, you hadn't O'd yet. But, you do have EWCM and your temp did dip a little, and you said you had a + OPK, so maybe you will see that temp spike today indicating O. Then, your coverline will be up around 97.7.

 

[mommy_in_chaos]

Look at it now...
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/144b43
I don't know what the heck is going on with my temperatures, but I do know that I'm going to see a new Dr. about my thyroid and going to ask her if she knows about temping. (she's not an OBGYN, but she specializes in thyroids and the effect they have on the body)
Anglyn, I believe that my temps are low because of my thyroid. TCOYF tells about low temps and hypothyroidism, somewhere, but I can't tell you exactly where.
I'm pretty sure that I haven't O'd at all yet. Dark test line or not. I beginning to wonder if I will O this cycle. I'm a little concerned, but I don't want to "worry" about it. So I guess we'll just keep DTD and hope it works out.
I'm kinda relieved that I may not have. DH has been working for the last 48 hours on a severe problem at work, and he hasn't been home since monday morning. So he got home at 6:30 this am, and I'm looking forward to having some fun when he wakes up...