charting or clearblue

[otchayaniye]

I'm an old bird at 39 and hadn't had a period for 20 months as was b/feeding. Also had history of Ashermans so have no idea what my cycle is like.

I did the sticks this month and think I got a positive (lines the same, not one darker though).

Funnily enough I'm now feeling 5 days after some twingeing, which I felt with my first. But then again I've had Asherman's and I had lots of twingeing with that.

Anyway. Point being, the charting temp and mucus and the OPKs - is that better than a clearblue monitor? The monitor seems easier whereas the charting does seem a faff (and I can't get two fingers up me to check well for mucus)

You're well beyond the stage of using either particularly if you have had Ashermans to date.

I would ask the GP to refer you to a gynae for further evaluation.

Hi, have you stopped/cut down b/feeding yet? Have periods come back? Mine didn't come back til my DS was 20 months funnily enough. But later is common still if you are feeding a lot still. I started trying 6 months after periods came back and fell pg and fell second cycle (although mc'ed) now trying agin (still b/f ing twice a day though).

I am now an absolute charting addict, but the temps on their own are only useful to tell you that you have ovulated by which time it is too late. You need the mucus to tell you when you are likely to. But I also use OPK's as an additional diagnostic and just use the cheap ones. As long as the two lines match that is a positive. I read CBFM's aren't reliable if you are Breastfeeding.

Were you treated for the Asherman's?

Um, I don't think you need to jump to a gynae right now, if you say you had Ashermans, presumably this means you've had surgery for it?

Are you just starting to TTC no.2? Has it just been one month? and you don't yet know whether it's been successful?

Sorry, am a bit confused, I know you want to optimize your chances with your history and age etc., I personally do both - use a CBFM, and chart temps, I don't go rummaging for mucus I just check what is on the toilet paper when I wipe, that seems to give me a good enough indication when the EWCM. All this combined makes me reasonably confident at saying when I've ovulated which is all you really need to know if you just have sex regularly in the days immediately after your period and a couple of days after you get indications of ovulation having happened. Both me and DH like to know when we don't need to think about it IYSWIM. I like to have the feedback on my cycles.

Charting isn't a faff really, take temp first thing in the morning, write it down (or enter into app). Log it on chart later on sometime. Observe CM whenever you go to toilet.

Hi there, thanks for your answers, and sorry I wasn't clear.

In about 2005/6 had a miscarriage and the D&C I had for it was too rough and left me with Ashermans (no periods, but ovulating and had pains)

It took 2 years of misdiagnosis and general effing about by which time I'd diagnosed myself

In 2007 I moved to Singapore and had an operation. After the coil came out I conceived the second month (hadn't got round to charting but tried those OPK sticks)

2008 daughter born, breastfed on demand which surpressed periods for 21 months.

When I eased back the demand feeding (feed only once in the early morning and not every day) period returned. Long and heavy.

I guess I am 'cured' of Ashermans, so this is more an issue of not knowing my cycle and also not having years to play with (at 39)

Well, if it were me, I'd throw everything at at! Hey! Look! I am throwing everything at it. Well, barring major weight loss and dietary alterations - at the moment I seem to be ovulating fine and I'm off caffeine and alcohol so that's a start. Oh and you're taking your pre-natal folic acid aren't you

The thing about the ovulation sticks or monitors, used on their own it can create quite a lot of doubt. You may not find it easy to interpret the sticks, or you might get days and days of 'highs' on the CBFM, and without taking temps or monitoring CM, it's hard to know what to think. Likewise, temping can be a bit of an art so having the 'science' back you up can be helpful. That's my justification for it anyway.

The biggest thing you need to watch out for is the fertile quality EWCM, that the biggest signal that you're in right zone for ovulation and you pretty much want sperm up there ready and waiting for when the egg makes an appearance. A CBFM will give you 'high' readings, when it sees a rise in your estrogen levels - which should then provoke a luteinizing hormone surge, which is what the OPK sticks test for and shows up as a 'peak' on the CBFM. At some stage, normally about 24-48 hrs after the peak, the egg will be released, and be ready for fertilizing. When the egg has been released, your levels of progesterone start rising and that causes your temperature to rise, i.e. AFTER ovulation. That's a pretty good signal that things happened they way they should, you ovulated and and the EWCM dries up.

Then you get to either stop temping and wait for period or a +ve test. Or keep on temping and obsess about whether the temps are falling (reflecting a decline in progesterone and leading to a period), or staying up signalling possible success and a +ve test!

Anyway - it's up to you. And to make it even more fun, there are special threads for those who chart and those who pee (some go on both!)

Fingers crossed your 5dpo twinges are significant and that you're successful quickly. By the way, if you see a poster called mummyabroad around, wave and tell her your success story for Ashermans treatment. She's about to go for surgery and will be thrilled to hear that you conceived quickly after the coil was removed.

Thanks ladybee - really helpful as I didn't do this first time around.

I think I have replied to mummyabroad at some point (she is in Costa Rica?), but maybe I'll pm her to wish her luck. I've already referred one Ashermans buddy to my wonderful ob/gyn in Singapore.

thanks for the reminder about folic acid. Forgot about that and will buy some tomorrow.