Charters Anonymous Volume 6. Charting and shagging our way to victory!

[MrsArchchancellorRidcully]

Volume 6 ladies. Come join us, new and old, and worship at the temple of EWCM, TCOYF, +ve OPKs and BBTs!

It is a bit early for me. Usually I have a 28 day cycle and it is day 26 today.

Bollox.

big fat hairy ones :(

Hi ladies, can I join your party?

We've been ttc since July. We were trying to not get too scientific about it, but last month I thought I ov'd on day 13 of what turned out to be a 35 day cycle, so have decided it's about time I paid more attention. Though I don't think my first month of charting has been too successful as FF keeps changing my ov dates between 15, 18 and 22, and I feel that my chart looks kind of flatter than others therefore I've decided there must be something wrong with me. I am amazed by how quickly I have begun obsessing over FF!
www.fertilityfriend.com/home/326030

Hello dippyducky and welcome :)
I had a quick look at your chart and I don't think you need to be worried as there is a definte shift indicating ovulation. I guess FF got a bit confused as in the few days around ovulation, there either weren't temps recorded or there was reason to question the accuracy. Doesn't make any difference to the fact that you have ovulated :) FX for you!

weimy - hope ovulation holds off in time for your DH to be back!

Scrummy - great news about your referrals!

AuntieD - sorry for temp drop. As AF put in an appearance yet?
I also use digital OPKs and like you only use 3-4 a month.

karbea - sounds like your SWI was well timed :)

mouse - hello! Really hope you get your sticky BFP soon.

Hello everyone else - bossy, IfAt, Jaggy, newgold and anyone else I've missed.

Not much happening here - CD5 so waiting for AF to leave the building so the SWI can start all over again!

No AF yet and temp went back up this morning.

Go figure!

Hello, finally got my crossed lines and ff agrees I ov'd cd14, so 2ww now woo!!!
Temps on the up, which is nice

scrum my, bossy does ff just look at temps? It seems to pretty much ignore all the other info you put in

Hello Charters

I hope that you don't mind me joining you. I'm a First Time Frolicker and have been frolicking for 4 cycles so far. This has been my first month of charting and while I still find it all very exciting (don't judge me...) it has left me a little confused so I thought I'd ask some questions to the experts, if that's okay!

1. Which thermometers would you recommend, and which would you avoid (if any)? I'm using this one - has anyone had any bad experiences with its accuracy?

1. My temperatures fluctuate a lot - I think that this is because I take them as soon as I wake up - but I tend to wake up at very different times (it ranged from 5:30am to 7:30am last week!). Does the really make all that much difference do you know?

1. It doesn't look as though I've ovulated this month - although I had a big temperature spike on Thursday and Friday, it was much lower on Saturday and this morning - chart is here It is quite normal to have months where you don't pop an egg, isn't it?? (I'm 31).

Sorry for barging in - I'm just after some wise words!

Happy Sunday all.

Oh, and another one - on OPKs does a very very faint line count?? I got faint lines on Sunday and Wednesday of last week but stronger ones on Monday and Tuesday. I put them all down as positives, but wonder if I should have ignored the very faint lines.

Thanks again all.

PS - just reading through the thread a bit AuntieD - your chart looks quite good this month, doesn't it?? Good luck to you!

imps hello and welcome!

Your thermometer is similar to mine, as long as it's a basal I think it's ok.

I take my temps at more a less the same time, but not exactly, I'm a rubbish sleeper so often wake early etc.

I'm not a charting expert, but doesn't look to me like you've ovd yet x x

Morning everyone, I think Im on the 2 ww wait now, FF hasnt put my lines in yet but as I got a positive opk on Thursday and my temp started to rise yesterday I reckon I ov on Friday. But my pre ov temps seem to be a bit high and all over the place - www.fertilityfriend.com/home/3053f2

Welcome imps, regarding opks faint lines are not positive as apparantly we can have LH in our bodies anyway the line should be as dark as the control line to indicate a positive as this is detecting the LH surge that triggers ovulation. Saying that I only use the cheapies and my lines never go quite as dark but Ive been using them for months now and can tell when its nearly as dark - which I record as positive as opposed to faint.

You thermometer is reading to 2 decimal places and this is all that is need I think, mine is similar. Temperatures can fluctuate if you are not recording them at the same time every morning - which would explain some of yours. It really will be trial and error getting used to it and seeing if lack of sleep makes a difference - I know it is recomended that we get at least 3 hours uniterupted sleep before taking a temp - but this never happens for me as Im a poor sleeper, generally awake a few times during the night and up at least once for the toilet. Through trial and error Ive discovered the best time for me to take my temp is 5am, even if Ive been up at 330am and only just got back to sleep - I always seem to be awake at this time for a start!

So yes the difference in times you are recording your temps cvan make a difference! I would try it and see. Good luck!

Thanks Karbea and Newgolddream!

I got the strongest line on my OPK on Tuesday and given the temp increase on Thurs I am pretty sure that the egg was due to pop on Wednesday (which is when FF initially thought I may have OVd)...but the temperature rise has sustained so I think I just didn't lay an egg this cycle. Oh well, never mind - onwards and upwards!

I will try to be a bit more consistent with my timings to see if that makes a difference.

Thanks again!

Oh, and does anyone take their temp vaginally??? FF suggests that you can get more consistent readings if you do. Trouble is, I don't really fancy trying it and then wanting to go back to taking them orally if it doesn't work out

Oh, 8:59am post - I meant "the temperature rise hasn't sustained..."

hi imps and dippy. :)

i actually set an alarm for taking my temp because i work different shifts. i leave the alarm at the same time whatever time I'm getting up and just go back to sleep afterwards! this might sound a bit nuts but it makes my temps more consistent.

i am totally not obsessed

no temp to record today, DS was up at night for the first time in what seems like ages. was just before temp time so didn't bother.

have started SWI early again this month, I'm always paranoid I'll lay my egg before i expect it.

messy chart this month.

www.fertilityfriend.com/home/jaggythistle

I'm sticking with oral temps hehe! i sometimes fall asleep with my thermometer in my mouth, put it that way. wouldn't like to wake up and have to look for it...

Hi Imps! I think inconsistency in the time you take the temperature affects some people more than others. It certainly affects my chart a LOT, as does booze. You can see the difference it makes really clearly on my charts: last month, prior to ovulation, I was taking my temps at really inconsistent times, and had a few boozy evenings. My chart was really all over the place! But after ovulation I stopped drinking, and my temperatures were suddenly really neat. I also started to take my temps vaginally after ovulation (I know you're supposed to use the same method throughout the same cycle, but I was getting tired of my chart looking bonkers), which raises the temps by about 0.1 degrees, but does seem to make them more consistent. This month I've tried to be really consistent about the time I take my temps, and haven't been drinking, and have been taking them vaginally - and it looks a lot less crazy that previous months!

Gosh, it's been busy this morning !

Welcome to imps and dippyducky ! I think both of you, as well as others would be interested to know that my GP was much more interested in the change of CM than temp rises. He seemed to think that as long as there was A defenite change in CM then you can be confident that you have ovulated.

I don't use BBT thermo. I got one to begin with and followed the advise of getting a Fahrenheit one as they were supposed to be more accurate with the .00 accuracy. I hadn't seen any for recording in celcius. But then I broke it and went on a desperate hunt for a new one as it was crucial days in the month and couldn't wait for Royal Mail. So, 5 pharmacies later ( and my mind full of excuses for being over an hour late to work) I finally found one that recorded in Fahrenheit but is not .00. My shifts seem to be big enough though, so I'm not bothered about the extra digit. And I take mine vaginally. I sleep with my mouth open (issues with resp system) and drink a lot of water whenever I wake up (dry mouth), so wasnt too confident in my temps orally. and I wasn't too happy to hold my breath during the temping either!

I have noticed that there may not be such a big shift in one hour difference in temping times for me, but like others do, it's an alarm for me each morning unless it's like this weekend where it's not crucial timing in the cycle, so I've given myself a sleep in.

auntied I've got my FX for you!! Sounds positive

Yeah karbea for your crosshairs! And yes, FF should be taking other factors into account, which s why I think you get the dotted lines if there is no defo temp shift.

weimy I'm impressed with the SWI! FX for you too

Waves to all!

Now thinking about it, that thing about CM goes against the theory re delayed ovulation. Oh, why can't medicine be an exat science

I got my BBT thermometer from Boots. Seems to be dong the job so far.

Still feeling like AF is on the way.. usual cramps etc. Wierd massive drop, even for me. Maybe it is implantation ((wishful thinking!!!!))

I think if you can be bothered take your temp everytime you wake up on at least one occasion to get an idea of how much your temp varies as like molly says it can affect people differently. I was reading up on temps as DD has had a fever and it said your temp is generally at its lowest at 3am and highest at 6am.

Well ewcm yesterday, dd very very poorly and wouldn't settle so no swi which I was very disappointed at but temp took a dip today so all is not lost just yet.

welcome dippy & Imps!

I don't know if I get EWCM?

scrummy I am shattered!!!

Well AF got me yesterday which wasnt too much of a surprise, but still a bit gutting.

I tested on Friday, just to see if I was allowed to have a bevvie that evening - BFN, so I was consoled slightly by a nice cold beer in the garden

Think we'll give it one more go this month,and might take a break if no joy. It becoming emotionally exhausting! :(

totally ifatfirst :(

mega mega mega ewcm so dh was very pleased when dd took a nap this afternoon hope it's not going to be a month of multiple ewcm as so much going on at the mo, must try and not stress about it though.

With you on the emotional exhaustion front