Ok. You asked for it. So this is long. But hopefully the details will help someone. If not, feel free to ignore this post (and sorry for the spam!)
So it's cycle 4. DH and I work long hours often away from home. This meant dtd regularly was very difficult for us. Im a bit obsessive about things, so started temping just a week after we decided to ttc. I used fertility friend website. Their initial lessons are really informative, and I started to track everything.
Cycle 1 39 days, not 100% when I ovulated but think we missed fertile window
Cycle 2 30 days, ovulated day 17, lp 13 days, think we missed fertile window
Cycle 3, 35 days, ovulated day 21, lp 14 days, dtd 8,11,13,15,19
Cycle 4, 33 days? Ovulated day 19, BFP (dodgy IC) dpo15, CB digi dpo 16, dtd 6,11,15,19,24
Although some months I thought we had missed the fertile window, I still religiously tracked my symptoms so I could work out what was "normal" for me. I have since learnt nothing is "normal" or consistent for me!
I decided to use opks in cycle 2. I used CB advanced digis. I used IC opks as well in cycle 3 and 4. But only once per day, with FMU.
First cycle using them: cd11 - low, cd 12/13 - high, cd14/15 - peak. Bbt raised two days later on cd17.
2nd cycle using them : cd9-12 - low CB and -ve IC, cd13-19 - high CB and -ve IC, cd20/21 - CB peak and +ve IC. Bbt raised on second day cd21. cd 22-25 - -ve IC.
3rd cycle using them: cd8-12 low CB and -ve IC. Cd13/15 cd peak but -ve OPK. . Cd15/16 -ve IC. No temp rise so decided to reuse cb digis. Cd17/18 - low CB and -ve IC. Cd19/20 - high CB but -ve IC, cd21/22 peak CB but -ve IC. Temp rise was cd19(same day as first high reading). Very odd.
I did think ff was wrong about my ov date and presumed for awhile I actually ovulated around cd24.
Symptoms (those that stand out this month as being different for me):
Dpo 2 lots of CM. bit like EWCM but way more than I have seen since starting to ttc.
Dpo 5 really bad stomach cramps. Sharp pains in left hand side. I thought these might be ovulation pains and my ov date was potentially wrong.
Dpo 6 really stiff neck and shoulder blades. Crunchy pain, as if I had slept in a draft but hadn't. I felt freezing. Hands like ice. Head felt really hot. Like I was going to come down with a flu.
Dpo 7 burning throat, feverish head only, needed to wee 4times in 3 hours, boobs inflated
Dpo 8 DH said I was boiling to touch. Had to push him away when he hugged me as shooting pains were felt through my boobs. 2 separate big "globs" of CM. about the size of 50p piece. Yellowy.
Dpo 9 blue veins appeared on boobs at night time. Small scratch on face won't stop bleeding.
Dpo 10 feverish head. Sore throat. Really really itchy left leg??! (Told you I logged everything! 
) nauseous and tired
Dpo 11 really really smelly wee! Horrendous! BFP dream. Blue veins on boobs, nauseous and tired
Dpo 12 burping when I woke. Really tired in afternoon and early evening. Really cloudy wee. Loss of appetite. Feeling Constipated (or going every hour), nauseous and tired
Dpo 13 burping when wake. Burping mid afternoon. Boobs feel tight around nipples (like they've been pumped up and need to be released). Really tired early afternoon. Dizziness. Slight ringing in ears. Loss of appetite. Stuffy nose. Feeling Constipated (or going every hour)
Dpo 14 snotty nose. Wee still really really smelly. Endless hunger. Really really sore nipples. Headache. Pain above groin when I standup after sitting. BFP dream. Feeling Constipated (or going every hour)
I had a lot of backache and headaches throughout. I was also really irrational and grumpy. I would do things and then laugh at myself for being so grumpy! Very odd mood swings! I also had a really calm confidence I was pregnant from about dpo5-dpo12 (I lost this towards the end as the panic set in!)
I took, pregnacare from the beginning.
I took 500mg Agnus Castus every day upto ov on cycle 3.
On cycle 4 I followed the vitex fertility diet. Im obviously not a doctor, so can't recommend it. I panicked at ovulation and stopped taking them all (apart from pregnacare) so not sure if it helped or not. Theres a few versions. I took:
1 Prenatal Vitamin Daily
1 Baby Aspirin Daily
1 50 mg B6 Vitamin in the morning.
1 B-50 Complex in the evening
Two Vitex, 500mg Capsules in the morning
Two Vitex, 500mg Capsules in the evening
If ttc again, I think I would try it again though. Though I would say its a high risk strategy with a high potential to mess with cycles. I think this might have caused my double peak on CB opks this month. I also had really bad ov pains which I guess might be linked. Not sure.
What I have learnt:
- don't rely on opks of any brand. They might be useful and might be working but don't rely on them.
- temping is the most informative thing you can do (though I appreciate this doesn't suit everyone)
- early hpt testing really doesn't work for everyone
- keep faith in your gut instinct!
FX the luckiest on this bus continues and results in a lot more BFPs. (And selfishly FX my bean is sticky!)