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When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Clearblue Fertility Monitor - User Club

120 replies

SnowBells · 07/11/2013 20:32

So… anyone else here using the clear blue fertility monitor? Not the normal ovulation test sticks, but the actual monitor.

Thought we'd form our little club, exchange stories of how it's going so far, and just support each other in this seemingly hi-tech business of TTC. Gosh - what did they do in medieval times? Did Da Vinci or Galileo invent a fertility monitor that was widely used, but yet to be uncovered? Wink

Anyway, here are my stats:

  • First cycle of using monitor;
  • Started testing CD6 as expected from the manual;
  • High on CD7, and am a little surprised.

Seriously wondering whether peeing after midnight on CD5 caused hormones to be low on CD6, hence machine 'thought' (detected, more like) there was a surge on CD7???

OR maybe this is ONE of the reasons why TTC was difficult - never did the deed before CD12 before.

OR the machine is still adjusting to my system.

What about you?

OP posts:
juniper81 · 19/11/2013 16:01

Thank you so much for your answers! Feeling a lot more positive about the next go with that information. Smile

AF just turned up so will be hitting the 'm' ready to go again.

I've read that the first cycle it's calibrating so you may not get a peak. best of luck first timers!

sazzlehopes · 19/11/2013 18:58

Ooh it's nice to have fellow users to talk too about the monitor. I'm now cd 22 and obviously on lows. I had heard people say you can put in old sticks after your peak in order to save them as it always goes back to low anyway. Does anyone know if this is true or messes with the machine?

barmy how you getting on? You had a peak yet?

littlemissy1234 · 19/11/2013 19:27

Hi all, We'll I'm on day 14 and I've had highs since day 8! I did reset it after my mc. Normal opks aren't showing anything either and I don't have any other symptoms of ovulating so think it's just later this month.

juniper81 · 19/11/2013 19:29

The machine didn't ask me for any sticks after the high after the peak if that makes sense.

BumWad · 20/11/2013 08:57

Hello all! Can I join?

Have just started using the monitor again after a break so I have reset. I have highs since CD13 and now I am on CD19 and still no peak! Hmm I have a longer-ish cycle anyway, about 35 days so dya reckon I've yet to ovulate? I'm temping for the first time too and haven't seen the surge yet. Also people do say that on the first cycle using it you get lots of highs and not necessarily a peak. I can't remember this from using it the first time?!

sazzlehopes · 20/11/2013 09:55

juniper i had that last month i think because i got my peak within the 10 sticks, but i think if you go over the 10 sticks before you get your peak then it goes on until it reaches 20 sticks and i didn't want to use them up, so wondered if you could 'trick' the machine!!

bumwad with a name like that you are welcome to join! I guess you are yet to peak? I know of a lot of ladies on various threads that often peak at cd21 etc but still go on to get a bfp because they have a longer cycle. Good luck and hopefully you'll get yours in the next few days...

Morganlove · 20/11/2013 10:57

Hello, can I join as I've been using this machine for several months and this morning I, finally, got my BFP!!!! Been trying for 14 months (not used machine until about 7 months ago), so I'm still very much in shock and trying not to get too excited.

However, having used it a fair bit I may be able to give some advice. It has been said that the machine works in sets of 10 which is right. Once you hit your first peak the machine then goes into auto drive and will then do one more day of peak, one high then low until the end of your cycle.

To save money, I quickly found out that you don't need to put any sticks in after the first peak. It will ask you each morning, until you have finished a set of 10, but once your testing window is over each day the machine will show you what your reading is (or the reading it does on auto drive).

I hope this helps people, certainly helped me save some money. Best of luck to everyone. I'm proof that it can happen, eventually! Just fingers crossed all goes well and there might be a time I can stop knicker checking!!!

Shoegal30 · 20/11/2013 11:44

Congrats Morganlove on your BFP. That's great news to hear as I am in month 14 of TTC and have been using the CBFM for about 8 months and have been getting highs and peaks every month.

Can I ask what you think helped you get your BFP this month? I am looking for any tips which may help

Thanks x

iwantalittleone · 20/11/2013 12:26

Congrats Morganlove!

Morganlove · 20/11/2013 13:26

Thanks. Feels really weird as have no typical symptoms and as I've had so much disappointment month after month I'm trying not to get too excited (but can't help a little bit!!).

What did I do differently this cycle? I drank more water throughout. I ate lots more veg than normal. And I also ate pineapple core for days 1-5 past ov. Glad it worked (if it was this as I don't like pineapple). They say the core has lots of stuff in it which helps with implantation. I just cut the pineapple into 5 slices and ate one each day. The core was a bit tough but edible, especially if you make sure you have a ripe one.

It was also the second cycle after finding out that my blood tests (day 5&21) were fine and my dp's sperm test was ok. Really thought the first cycle after finding this out would be successful but perhaps it takes a little longer for our bodies and minds to relax?

Hope some of that might help? Best of luck, it's such an emotional time. I'm also still emotional, not sure if it's hormones starting to come through or 'leftover' from being so emotionally drained from trying for so long.

sazzlehopes · 20/11/2013 13:31

Massive congrats Morganlove! And thanks for coming on the thread to share your good news - it really does give me hope (and others I'm sure) that sometimes these things do just take a while. I'm month 12 of ttc, 2nd cycle using the machine and the two week wait at the moment. Thanks also for the machine tip of not wasting sticks - that is good to know!!
Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy, hope it all goes smoothly for you.

Shoegal30 · 20/11/2013 13:58

Ditto sizzles comment to Morgan - thanks for sharing with us as I have picked up more tips from this forum than my GP etc.

I started pineapple core last month too but only ate the core. Is it ok to eat the flesh too?

I am also drinking nothing but water (on the downside am peeing all the time ha) and will up the intake of veg.

Re the CBFM do you dtd on both peak days? It's so exhausting dtd after 14 months isn't it?

Also Morgan I think you deserve to be excited - it's great news esp after trying for so long. Here's to a happy and healthy 9 months Thanks

Oh and sorry for hijacking this post OP. I second Morgans comments about not feeding the machine anymore sticks after you get the first peak. The machine will automatically show you a second peak, a high and then lows. Good luck...

Morganlove · 20/11/2013 15:14

Thanks for your comments. I'm so glad to be able to share a good news story so I'm glad it's helpful too. Also good to be able to tell someone other than dp but for it still to be anonymous!

I did eat the flesh of the pineapple too although I think the core has all the vital bits in - dp already thought I was going mad with each new thing I was trying so if I just stuck to the core he would have taken the piss. Next month I was going to try the legs up in the air- was saving that one for as long as poss as so undignified!!!

I think we dtd on both peak days. The months blur into each other. I do recall that we didn't dtd on the high day following the two peak days as dp was just not into it. Remember joking with him that if it didn't happen this month it was all due to missing that one day!!! I was starting to get a bit cruel the longer it went on! Dp is now glad he can rest up for a while!!!

It does just take time (as long as everything is working) but I know from experience that when people tell you that it can be annoying, especially if you are as impatient as me! My tip is to talk to your dp as much as you can, mine was great and whenever I was upset he kept telling me we were a team and will go through the good times and the bad times together. I'm v lucky to have him! x

blamber · 20/11/2013 15:59

I think you just eat the core of the pineapple, it's supposed to help with implantation. You can eat some of the flesh, but they say not too much as that can make your cervix contract or something.

erilou38 · 20/11/2013 19:22

I'm thinking of buying one. I'm 38 and have been TTC for 15 months with no success. My cycles are irregular so never too sure when I ovulate. I have had ovarian cysts in the past which can make hormones go out of whack. would this cause inaccurate readings on the monitor ?

BumWad · 20/11/2013 19:42

Thanks for the welcome and congrats on the bfp! I'll keep my fingers crossed for a Peak.

How irregular are your cycles erilou? I think the recommendation is for cycles up to 42 days, I may be wrong? Also I got mine second hand on ebay at half the price!

blamber · 20/11/2013 19:51

Erilou, do you have pcos? In that case, the monitor might not be of any use. It tracks changes in oestrogen and LH and if your hormones are all over the place it won't be able to give you accurate highs and peak readings.

BlackberrySeason · 20/11/2013 19:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Forester · 20/11/2013 20:05

I tried if for a few months and abandoned it as I prefer the new day by day sticks that show both high and peak.

For me the machine felt a bit naggy - e.g. having a fixed window when you could test and seemed to be trying to justify the cost. But for that money I want a screen that plots a graph or something. You also get through a lot of sticks each month.

SoonToBeSix · 20/11/2013 20:35

I got pregnant with twins the first month I used the clearblue monitor. I ovulated on day 22 which was a lot later that I would have thought.

BumWad · 21/11/2013 08:03

Wow lucky you Soontobesix!

Well this morning I have had a temp rise which I'm guessing means I have ovulated?! (First month temping and using Fertility Freind). I'm on CD20 and the monitor has still only given me a high and no peaks. So what is more reliable? Does a temp rise definitely mean I have ovulated? If so how many days after ovulation does your temperature rise and why has the cbfm not detected this?!

Confusing.

blamber · 21/11/2013 09:43

forester, I found the monitor to be cheaper. The CB sticks were cheap on amazon before, but are now quite expensive. The monitor sticks are cheaper, especially if you use old sticks after the peak.

Bumwad, the monitor might miss a peak in the first cycles that you use it. It has to learn to read your hormone levels. Another possibility is that you had a very quick surge during the day that the monitor could not pick up.

A temp rise is caused by progesterone, which usually indicates that you have ovulated. This rise happens 1 or 2 days after you ovulate. However, it is possible to get a temp rise without ovulating, but then again it is also possible to get a positive opk without ovulating.

Hopemummi · 21/11/2013 09:58

Day 20 and I've gone straight to ovulating from low. Fingers crossed. Going to try balance active fertility gel too, see if that helps! Grin

Original poster
SnowBells · 25/11/2013 20:02

Here's my summary for the first cycle: had highs from Day 6. Today is day 25, and it finally dropped to low.

Never had a peak. Cycle is not yet completely over as AF has not arrived yet, but due next week...

OP posts:
duvetheaven · 25/11/2013 21:26

As a couple of posters have said - once I have a peak , I turn off the monitor until Day 1 of my next AF. Don't see the point in testing after the peak? Fab to hear of pregnancies - hope it's me sn!