[SammyJ]

Hey ladies! I am pretty new to this charting using FAM to currently TTA, with the hope of TTC in the next few months. I went off BCP at the end of August to help get my cycles regulated before we start TTC. Anyway, late last night on CD53, I finally started spotting and today have AF. However, my FF chart does not even show that I ovulated. I started temping so we could be careful with FAM this cycle and I waited to O, but it never seemed to happen. Clearly it did though or I wouldn't have AF right now. I got a positive OPK 12 days ago, but my temps never seemed to reflect that.

As you can see by my chart, my temps were all kinds of erratic. Unless it is marked as discarded, I always took my temps at the same time every morning with a solid night's sleep. My sleeping patterns were also very consistent. So I am just confused where I missed O. Or is having erraatic temps common after going off bcp? Does anyone have any experience with this? I would love some insight from anyone that might have a clue as to what is going on.

Thanks!

My FF Chart

[ShawnaCAN]

You can bleed without having ovulated first (and you can get a positive OPK and not ovulate after). I agree that your chart does not show ovulation, which is pretty normal considering how recently you stopped BCP. When there is bleeding but no ovulation first, the bleeding (plus 3 days after) is considered potentially fertile. It could be from rising estrogen (ovulation bleeding). Every time you see CM on your chart, it means estrogen went up. When you see sticky or dry days, that means estrogen went down. All the hormonal ups and downs can cause bleeding eventually too, but for avoiding - err on the side of caution in case it's ovulation bleeding.

Your temps don't look erratic to me. Those look like normal variations. There's just not ovulation yet.

[rlh27]

I don't think you Od last month, but it's common to take several months for your body to get back on track after being on BCP. You can also get a positive OPK without actually ovulating, it just gears up to O and then decides not to for some reason. Just keep charting and you'll see a clear thermal shift soon! Good luck!

[SammyJ]

Thanks ladies! When I got that positive OPK and then no temp rise, I figured that my body tried to O, but just couldn't yet. So, now that I seem to be bleeding, should I start a new cycle, or stay on the current one since it might not be AF?

[ShawnaCAN]

If you mark bleeding, FF will automatically make it a new cycle even though it's not the start of a new cycle.

What set of FAM guidelines are you following? I'd go with the guidelines that are consistent with whatever your FAM preference is. If you're learning from Taking Charge of Your Fertility, see what the books says about whether to treat this bleeding as a new cycle or not. If you're doing a different version of FAM, chart it according to that one.

[alicenwonderland]

I'll agree that it looks like no ovulation. It took my body a while to adjust from the pill when i went off it 4 years ago.

[LifesGood]

I hope your body gets back to normal soon. good luck`