Charting temperature to see if i'm ovulating - How does it work?

[VillageFete]

Hi,

I have just been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome. I was told by the consultant that I ovulate sometimes, but certainly not every month. I have purchased a clearblue digital fertility monitor but apparently this will not be reliable due to my PCOS.

I have decided to have a go at temping, just bought a basal temp thermometer off Ebay that comes with a chart. I'm on day 4 of my cycle now. No idea what to do? Does anyone else chart their temp to see if they are due to ovulate, and if you do, what do I do and what am I looking for?

14 months i've been TTC and it's getting so frustrating! Any advice for temping would be appreciated.

Temping involves taking your temp when you first wake up before doing anything else. I used to keep my thermometer under my pillow. The day after ovulation, you will see a sustained temperature drop which will remain high if pregnant or until you get your period.

The idea is, with regular cycles, you can assume you will ovulate on same day and can use temping to confirm you've ovulated and can stop trying that month.

Unfortunately of your periods are irregular, you can't use it to predict as it is (probably) too late once you see the shift in temp as that only happens after ovulation has taken place.

If you want to track it, I found fertility friend best. Also it can be useful when using other signs eg. Checking CM or using ov sticks.

Thanks for the reply. My periods were/are irregular, but due to acupuncture they are coming down. I am now on a 30 day cycle, a couple of months ago I was 37 days.

So I can only see that i've ovulated, not that i'm about to ovulate?

Nope, sorry not with temping. No build up just temperature change afterwards. If you're periods are 30 days, then after a couple of months, hopefully you'll find they stay at 30 and you ovulate on the same day. The time between ovulation and your period (the luteal phase) never changes so mine was 15 days therefore with a 28 day cycle, I knew I would ovulate on day 13, so dtd in days leading up to day 13. Month we conceived, there was no temp rise on day 13 so knew to dtd an extra day as ov was confirmed the following day.

I liked temping bc we dtd in the lead up and the evening of the temp rise just in case, but then we knew we could relax for the month and either we'd done it or we hadn't, but at least we knew we hadn't missed it.

I found temping (and observing other symptoms) made me much more familiar with my body and I can now tell when ovulation is approaching.

Combo of high libido and cervical mucous gives it away, at the risk of TMI...

Hi Village Just noticed you had your own thread here re ov. As I said on our thread, I use a combination of OPKs and temping. That way, the OPK's will detect when you're about to OV, and the temperature shift 1 day after you actually OV'd will confirm that it took place. Sure you'll get the hang of it, I never dreamed I'd be doing all this to conceive but needs must!

Your temperature will rise the day after ovulation usually.

However you can (like me) have regular cycles, cervical mucus, positive opk's and a temp rise post attempted ovulation AND ovulate eggs too immature to be fertilised.

You need a day 21 progesterone test (on day 21 of your cycle or seven days after ovulation) to show if you ovulate or not. It's a simple blood test your GP surgery can do. A level of 30+ indicates ovulation. A level of 40+ is ideal. If levels are lower then 30 you will most likely be given clomid to help you ovulate