[Pax]

Because of what happened last cycle, I'm temping and checking CM (on my period! ICK!!). FF doesn't show CM info on days that are bleeding, so CD1-2 were creamy-ish. CD3-4 seemed thin and watery and bubbly. CD 5 I had stretchy blood. So gross! Now I'm back to watery, though not bleeding anymore. Also, there's my temps. They seem to have gone up. Would anyone mind taking a look at them for me and let me know what you think?

[ShawnaCAN]

What are you wondering, specifically?

[Pax]

I suppose my specific question is how much of a rise is a true rise and how much is normal fluctuation? And if I was in fact Oing on CD5 like I suspected I did last month would FF pinpoint it if it doesn't even show CM on AF days? Ok, I guess that's actually 2 questions, lol.

[ShawnaCAN]

Good question! I don't know if FF will recognize it that early.

[Pax]

Hmm... I looked it up, and it seems like FF needs 6 pre-O temps to confirm O. So I guess it wouldn't. I guess I'll just have to wait and hope I get an ovulation later. We did treat AF as potentially fertile (we had one slip, but it was right at the beginning.), so at least I'm not freaking out about it like last month.

[ShawnaCAN]

Because of the bleeding, it's also hard to track CM as closely - perhaps it would help to use some OPK's next time you get your period?

[Pax]

Yeah. I was gonna do that this month, but when I went to use my OPKs, turns out they were expired! Guess that tells you how long it's been since I was charting, lol. I'll pick some ICs up this month and start using them during next AF.

[Pax]

Is it just me, or has FF gotten *really* cheap? I specifically remember, when I was charting before I had my son, you could see your own symptoms on a free account. I'll probably be looking for another site next cycle. :/

Anyways, here it is, more than halfway through my cycle. I really expected to see fertile CM or a temp rise in the last couple days, but nope. The closest I got was when I caught my kids' stomach bug, which they had a fever with and so did I.

If I take the override off, I get dotted lines at CD10 and 97.2. But I had no fertile fluid, and when I look at it, I'm almost 100% positive that if I had 6 days of temps instead of 5, FF would be agreeing that I O'd on Sep. 15th. I know I could still O this month, and we've been P&P just to be safe, but I have that pre-AF CM right now, so I don't think I will.

Anyways, I'm rambling. Just wanted to post something now that mid-cycle has passed without clear ovulation.

[ShawnaCAN]

Maybe you had a complimentary VIP membership before? Pretty sure a lot of those "extras" are part of the VIP, not the basic membership.

A stomach bug (or any other physical stressor) can delay ovulation! Also, if you took any medications that contained antihistamines, that can dry up CM.

[Pax]

I don't think it was the vip preview, cuz we were TTC for 3 years with my son. And by stats I only mean the part where you mark cramps and such and it shows under your chart.

Aside from that, I'm on CD24 now, and last cycle was 24 days long, but FF and I both gave up on the cross-hairs, and my temps are literally back to where they were at the beginning of the month. So I guess at this point, I'm just waiting around for something to happen. I am glad I charted this cycle, though, cuz if my period's super late, I'll know it's because I didn't O before CD24 and I won't get all freaked out about it and waste a bunch of money testing.

[ShawnaCAN]

Originally Posted by pax

i am glad i charted this cycle, though, cuz if my period's super late, i'll know it's because i didn't o before cd24 and i won't get all freaked out about it and waste a bunch of money testing.

exactly!

[Pax]

It looks like this is going to be one of those ridiculously long cycles I thought I didn't get anymore.

I broke down and bought some vitex for next cycle, even though we're TTA. I read that it regulates cycles (I can't take 18-52 day cycles anymore!), and that it helps with extra nasty AF and PMS, which I have had in spades all my life. Now I just want my next cycle to hurry up and start so I can try it!!!!!! Ugh!

I also broke down and started shopping for a new BBT, cuz I'm a little suspicious of how my temps have been the same for a while now. Sure, I can see being in the same range, and being low, because I haven't O'd, yet, but this is just too many days of the exact same temp! Any suggestions for good BBT's? I went to Target and GE, and they didn't have any. My old one came from Walmart, but now I'm hearing (via google) that flat temps can be an issue with them. And the Walgreens one seemed expensive, but if it's a good one, I'll go for it.


ETA: I would love a thermometer that's backlit, and I don't want one that beeps the whole time, as my 3-year-old still co-sleeps about half the time and I don't want it waking him up at 6am.

[TaraJo29]

Looks anovulatory to me. I bet your BBT is right since you had flat temps during your period, too, but doesn't hurt to get a new one. I want a new one that doesn't take *forever* to read the temp. My jaw is going to lock one of these mornings waiting for that dang thing to beep. hehe

Maybe you will get some withdrawal bleeding soon and your body will try to re-set.

Also, if you are having some fertile-seeming cm, FYI I often get some flat-ish temps right before my temp spike. Do you think it's possible you are gearing up to O *now*? I have ovulated as late as CD 28 or something in a funky cycle.

I'm on CD 21 right now, waiting to O (if I do).

[ShawnaCAN]

It's not unusual for temps to level out a bit before ovulation, hopefully that's what's happening! A lot of flat temps can also mean your battery may be dying or something.

If you do find another thermie, don't switch mid-cycle! They aren't all calibrated the same, so you might see a "shift" that isn't actually a shift. Wait until the start of the next cycle OR reset your coverline using the first 6 temperatures you take with it; don't compare those to the previous temps at all!

[Pax]

Yeah, I know to wait for next cycle to start using a new one. And I never heard that about the temps leveling. Makes me cautiously optimistic about this latest spike. But I noticed it's EXACTLY the same as the spike I had starting on CD17, so I can't rule out that it's just another fakey just yet.

I'm not so much worried that the thermometer is broken or dying or anything like that. I just think it may be doing that "favorite temp" thing I keep reading about. Plus it's one of those 30 sec readout thermometers, and I've been reading that they basically guess at what your temp would have been if you'd been using a thermometer with a longer readout time.

[TaraJo29]

Yeah, look into the flat / low temps before O. I often have had crazy zig zags up until estrogen kicks in (I assume) and my temps even right out and often drop, too. It's even often *6 days* for me. How weird is that? I noticed this correlates with NFP STM's rules that the temp has to be above the previous 6 temps. I wonder what it is about the 6 days before O?

I see that your temp dropped, though. The next few days should tell you whether you ovulated and this is just a weird dip or if you're just not ovulating yet. What a pain.

[Pax]

I'm honestly kind of surprised I still have cross hairs. I'm pretty sure this was just another fake spike. TBH, even though I'm in a hurry to get this cycle over with, I'll be kind of relieved if this wasn't actually O time, cuz the DTD on CD28 was one where we kind of forgot to be safe, and I was worried about it.

DH is trying to convince me that I'm not O'ing this cycle cuz I actually got preggo last cycle and just tested too early. I'm pretty sure that's not true, cuz I kept charting after my BFP with my son, and my pregnancy temps were super high, and this cycle they've been normal. But he's freaking me out, so I'll probably POAS on Friday if I haven't O'd yet, just to put my mind at ease, lol.

[Pax]

Well, I'm not gonna pretend to know what's going on with this cycle, but at least it's over and I can move on to my next cycle. Here's hoping the Vitex does it's job and I can get some more "normal" cycles.

DH did get to me, though, cuz I'm not gonna start the vitex until I test. I've heard it's bad to take it if you are pregnant, and I *did* have breakthrough bleeding with both my babies, so even though I doubt it, I'll just feel safer double checking before I start taking it.

Thank you guys so much for giving me tips this cycle. It was just so whacky. Hopefully my hormones will regulate on the vitex and the cycles going forward will be easier to figure out.