Clearblue Fertility Monitor Support Group Buddies Vol 5!!

Oh and also I read an comment that said an article recommended you try between 5-7pm is this the case??.

Please help

Getting myself confused with this cbfm please can you tell me whether we should have sex on every High day and both peak days and how lk g after peak or should we go for ever other High day, both peak days .... Any one tell me the best method please?? I do ovulate every month - phew!!

Yay to Boba - thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oops, the "e" is sticking on my keyboard :)

keziahhops yes, this is my first cycle using CBFM, and thank you for including me on the list!

slightly I've already worked this out. I would have ov'd the week before. So Af will arrive whilst we are on honeymoon. Although my cycles are a bit over the place so who knows!!!

Todays stats (added you Jayebird, you are now on the list!):

Roastie TTC#1, Cycle #23, CBFM Cycle 2, age 32, UCL 29, CD94
TinaO99 TTC#2, Cycle#2, CBFM Cycle 2, age 42, UCL 28, CD97
wantbaby TTC#1, Cycle #12, CBFM Cycle 6, age 38, UCL 28, CD88
Scoobielou TTC #1, Cycle #1, CBFM Cycle 1, age 32, UCL 31, CD??
Ses TTC#2, Cycle #7, CBFM Cycle 9, age 38, UCL 28-30, CD36
Fr00tbat TTC#1, Cycle #7, CBFM Cycle 3, age 32, UCL 30-38 (av 34), CD34
Littlefan TTC#1, Cycle #13, CBFM Cycle 6 , age 32, UCL 28-38, CD33
aMuminwaiting CD27
Loup TTC#1, Cycle #3, CBFM Cycle 3, age 31, UCL33-35, CD26
Jayebird TTC#2, Cycle 7, UCL 32 days, CD 25
OlisMum TTC#2, Cycle #1, CBFM Cycle 1, age 26, UCL 30-31, CD24
Tilly TTC#1, 3years, CBFM Cycle 10, age 36, UCL 28-34, CD20
KnackeredCow TTC#1, Cycle #19, CBFM Cycle 8, age 32, UCL 28, CD19
Karbea TTC#1, Cycle #6, CBFM Cycle 1, age 37, UCL 22-26, CD18
SlightlyBabyCrazed TTC#1, Cycle #25, CBFM Cycle 3, age 35, UCL 28-32, CD18
Keziah TTC#1, Cycle #32, CBFM Cycle 20, age 36, ucl 28-31, CD 13

Graduates:
Emmylou30 BFP 22/10/10
MissLolita BFP 30/10/20
Notnearly BFP 6/11/10
StormBird BFP 10/11/10
AnytimeNow BFP 20/11/10
IloveKittyElise BFP 30/12/10
Boba BFP 07/01/11
Chocciechip BFP 11/01/11
Clockspotter BFP 21/02/11
MissyRaines BFP 19/03/11

Ok have added you Jayebird and updated stats - some people at end of cycle so fingers crossed for those near the end of 2ww!! Some people near the top haven't been here for a while - I took a few off but left on those who have posted... sorry if that is wrong but wanted a more active list so easier for us all to update. Do add yourself if I have deleted by mistake. All the best for those in 2ww.

Jayebird - at cd25 going to low is encouraging. If this is the first cycle it may be different next time and a high says you are about to ovulate which is encouraging.

SBC - I know what you mean about the tablets, with a prolactin of 958 I can't even get a referral to an endocrinologist, as apparently here it has to be 1000, despite it being way too high for ttc, so instead they funded an ivf cycle instead!! Logic, eh!!

Good luck to those with weddings and honeymoons - nice times!!

Hello everyone :) I am on CD25 now and its gone back down to a low. I am hoping that my suspicions of it missing my peak are right! Does anyone know if other women have concieved with only a high reading? is this a fairly common thing? I want to get pregnant so badly. The amazing man I am with now has no children and I would love to give him what he has dreamed of! Its amazing how fast the months go by when you dont want them to. I cant believe i have been trying for 8 months already.

Karbea they often say the honeymoon should do it - so FX for you! I'm getting married in June so hopefully I will get lucky too - am already trying to work out whether the dates will coincide with ovulation - - slightly obsessed!

Keziah I know the feeling - I always get the DP to do the stressful bits (shouldn't be stressful but with already raised prolactin levels it obviously just gets too much!). I have a feeling that the cabergoline I'm on for it is expensive as they won't give me more than 4 tablets at a time! It's a sad time we live in in the UK

So, 2WWing for me and am symptom spotting like crazy - oestrogen line on CBFM sticks still very dark - could this mean I am producing more due to PG or am I over analysing!??!

Welcome Jayebird, you'll soon get the hang of the monitor, it just takes away some of the stress of having to work out CDs etc and as it monitors two hormones can be more accurate than most OPKS.

SBC x

Jayebird - hello. Congrats on number one, hope number 2 not too far away. KC is the real expert on here but as for me I take a high as indication as to dtd/bd/swi - ie have sex!! As it is the time before ovulation that I think is really important - well that is what the consultant said to me, and for 2yrs I have really been focusing on peak and afterwards.

Karbea - after honeymoon sounds a really good time to go, hopefully you will not need it but everything will be out of the way then - so they can't say "stress".

KC - August sounds a good time to do it. Especially if you know you will need time off work, give you a bit more time to settle into new job and build up sick leave! Also it sounds like after August you may quickly get a bfp - so that could be the end of the waiting. As you were heading for ivf, this option sounds so much better, and as you are not over 35 you should have plenty of time to ttc naturally before heading off down the ivf route. IVF is rather stressful, especially when it doesn't work so I would personally do anything to avoid it if necessary. Says keziah who has just had a failed ivf cycle. Am hoping the drugs in me will make me fertile for a few months - like Jools Oliver found!

SBC - in a 2ww sounds good. I have asked my Gp for a prolactin test again, based on you getting referred onwards and he agreed at least to the blood test (saying that I wimped out and sent dh to ask as I get nowhere with gp's!!) Also having my vitamin D tested as am coeliac - though having spent all weekend in lots of sun I think that test will show nothing now!

Welcome Jayebird. Am far from an expert on cbfm as only on second cycle of using it, but it missed my peak this month but I got a positive opk during the afternoon around time I thought I was ovulating. Apparently the lh surge can be only 12 hours in which case you'd easily miss it on the cbfm. I still find it useful as cbfm shows me when getting close and then use opk to confirm. It is a good machine but it's not perfect!

Hi there :) I have been reading your board and love the support that you show for eachother. I would love to participate in your discussions.

My stats: TTC#2, Cycle 7, UCL 32 days, CD 24

I have been trying to conceive my 2nd child since september 2010. My 1st child was not planned, so I did not have to go through the stress of trying. This is the first cycle since september that I am using the CBFM. I am on CD24 and have been showing "high" since CD21. I understand that the first cycle on CDFM can show no peaks and I am getting anxious.

Is it true that the monitor can miss the LH surge? I am wondering if I already ovulated and it didnt show. On CD 21 and 22 I had what I am pretty sure is the cervical mucus that comes with ovulation. it disappeared after CD22 and I am still testing high. Do you think its possible that I could have ovulated and it wasnt picked up by the machine? I am getting so desperate. My sister and all of my closest friends are expecting and most of them werent even planning on having a child any time soon. I am happy for them, but pitying myself. (envy) I hope you all have a great day :)

Slightly Yes I will get to the GP as soon as we are back from Honeymoon. It'll be 7 months then, and we will obviously have the wedding out of the way etc.

It should all be soooo much easier should't it!

karbea forgot to answer the agnus castus bit - it is a pretty powerful herb and is more used for regulating ovulation. I have read a lot about vit B helping with luteal phase. A visit to a homeopathic/herbalist is best as they can give you the right levels at the right time. I have found that reflexology has helped me - I seem to ovulate within 2 days of going.

Apologies if mis-placed but - if I was you, I would go to GP if this month is not successful, 6 months TTC after 35 should be enough for them to run the basic tests on you and DH/P. I know a lot of people slate the GPs but you may find they help.

SBC X

Hi Karbea

I used to ovulate around day 21, but had prolactin issues due to PCOS and since being on cabergoline to reduce it (now down to 256- acceptable level) my ov last cycle was on day 18, so will either get a peak tomorrow, or I did in fact OV way earlier this month - my AF was only 3 1/2 days this month so would seem more likely to get an early OV. Such dilemmas! I guess I will have to sit it out and find out in a couple of weeks. Have been ridiculously tired for past couple of days - so obviously have been spending time looking at every possible symptom and linking it to the earliest pregnancy symptoms!! (It can't have anything to do with hayfever that I suffer from chronically every year!! )

I guess we are both in the 2WW - FX!

Slightly I "think" and we will see in the next week that my lutual phase is borderline too short, I want to add a couple of days onto it. I though Agnus Castus might help with that?

When do you normally ov? It sounds like you wither ov'd early, not yet, or not at all [nohelpatall]

Hmm,

Opinions needed ladies!!

CBFM started asking for sticks on day 9, also started using the clinic OPKs at same time - at this time i was getting two lines on ther CBFM and the OPKS, but no peak just highs on CBFM and not quite dark enough ((I think)) on the OPKS. However the lines have faded down to nothing on OPKS, CBFM still just high with the line still strong on the oestrogen side on the CBFM stick and giving high reading still - now day 17.

Last weekend on the day 9-12 I had definite EWCM.

So what, do we think - OV early or looking like not at all??!! Either way no IUI for me this cycle (secretly hoping that I am already a week through the 2WW and a natural BFP on it's way!)

Karbea I would steer well clear of agnust castus in your case as you are clearly ovulating at the right time in the month - it absolutely nothing to help me - I took it for a couple of years with no reduction in PMS or pain or help with ovulation regularity.

Keziah Surgeon offered me early June, but we've had to delay as got a holiday booked. Surgeon wasn't happy with me travelling so soon after procedure. If they find nothing wrong, then recovery could be as quick as three days, but if they attempt adhesiolysis it could be two weeks of discomfort. I'll be issued with a sick certificate for two weeks, but I can decide to go back to work earlier if I feel ready. So taking that into account, I've opted to delay surgery until early August.

Yeah, the chap we saw is a Consultant and my DH (for the newbies here my DH is a doctor, which is the relevance of his opinion on other drs) thought he was an excellent clinician. He gave me all the options, told me all the risks and respected my views and opinion. I think where I am all patients are Consultant lead at the FC once they reach "treatment stage". Must be a different set-up here.

TV scan only done where I am at Consultant's discretion. Also he wasn't initially going to order one, but as there's a delay until surgery he thought it could be a useful indicator of whether there are adhesions.

Karbea - yes, I should have said I drink redbush or fruit teas now!

KC glad work is going well. Gosh, that is a shock. But it is good that they are looking at why no bfp naturally and have a plan of action. Likewise we were assured by many dr's that a problem my dh had as a child, plus surgery would not be an issue - yet we find out it is and hence need ICSI. Strange you never had a transvaginal scan before HSG - the nhs made us have that and results before we had the HSG. But having the laparoscopy, to me, makes total sense - knowing what may be wrong and knowing also if you will have any further health problems from it sounds eminently sensible. Also if you went for IVF and it didn't work and no frozen ones etc that would be the end of your NHS funding and it seems strange to pay for lots of ivf cycles etc if you could spend some time sorting out getting a natural bfp. As someone who now has to rely on private ivf cycles and aware of the huge costs involved I would do anything and wait any time to sort out problems with natural fertility. So do you have a timeframe for this procedure? Sounds a good dr! I saw junior nhs dr after junior nhs dr, so was never convinced what they were saying was right as they were only on 6mth rotations of training - whereas this dr sounds very helpful!!!

Hi Ladies

Keziah Work is going well thanks. I am really enjoying it, although having to make some tough choices. Working for a charity and we're badly in deficit. , but it's a good challenge. Work life balance is good too. It's always hard starting a new job, but feeling so much better about myself.

Karbea Just looked at your chart. Obviously you posted on 7 April - has taken me a while to get on here - but looks like the CBFM and ov predictor kit was spot on. It was warning you you were about to ov. Your temps certainly seem to indicate you do ovulate. But can you see how the temp doesn't really rise until after ovulation and so that's why CBFM is more useful in terms of telling you when to SWI! Keaiah makes a good point though. You aren't looking for exact temps, you're looking for a trend. All our bodies run at different baselines.

Keziah Years ago I used to sell clinical thermometers to hospitals. Used to drive me absolutely crazy that nurses assumed a temp about 37.5 was an infection. We used to provide training sessions and we always taught that it is a sustained temperature above a patient's normal baseline was what they ought to be looking for, not an absolute temp.

I saw the Consultant this week and am pretty shocked. The old timers on here may remember that I saw a nurse consultant early in the year, who thought the fact I'd had peritonitis as a child wasn't relevant. When I said I thought a laparoscopy might be a better option as an HSG doesn't show adhesions she said that it was unlikely that I had adhesions. So I had an HSG done, which was normal so was expecting a diagnoisis of unexplained infertility. Got the shock of my life when the first thing the Consultant said was, I'm not happy about your surgical history. He said the HSG basically confirmed that there were no fibroids and that I didn't have severe endometriosis of hadn't had chlamydia, BUT it doesn't confirm that there isn't scar tissue present stopping the egg getting from the ovary to the fallopian tube. He also said it's possible that scar tissue may be present causing my ovaries to stick to my bowel, meaning they are in the wrong place. As all our blood tests were so normal, and DH has really good sperm count, he suspects I do have peritubal adhesions. So he gave me two options. Laparoscopy to see if I have adhesions, and if I do he will attempt adhesiolysis (sp?) or straight to IVF. DH and I have opted for the laparscopy first as we think it would be useful to get a diagnosis. If I do have adhesions, which can be treated then we may be able to get a natural BFP. This appeals to me as ideally we'd eventually like more than one child. If we go straight to IVF, and thee are adhesions present then should it work, it would mean we'd need IVF for a subsequent pregnancy. In interim period Consultant has me booked in for a transvaginal ultrasound to see whether my ovaries are where they should be. If they are, adhesions are less likely. If they are not then it's a good indicator that there's a problem. He's also not going to enter through my navel, but start on my side as he's worried that my bowel may be stuck to my abdominal wall and he doesn't want to risk perforating it (my head went quite woozy at this point.) He then said he can move the ports around once he's had a look and has established where my bowel is. I think I'll end up looking like a pincushion!

Anyway - sorry for mega long me me me post. Just feel so exasperated that we've been trying for so long now. Although, that said at least I feel we're moving forward now and actually getting somewhere.

kez I'm pretty sure decaff is bad as they put a lot of chemicals in to remove the caffeine, so check that out.

I've ended up drinking quite a lot this weekend, so feeling a bit guilty if anything did happen this month, but I think after 6 months I now kinda think it won't - do you know what I mean ?

Well onto 2ww for me now, hope af holds off till at least cd 24/5 as my lf can be as short as 9 days which is a whole other problem, thinking about agnus cast us - anyone a user? Xx

Karbea - thankfully Choccie popped on!! Yes, all decaf now (apart from some chocolate!), no alcohol - that is for both of us. Increased vegetables etc etc.