Please help me work out when I ovulated

[sarahb083]

Hi, this is my first month charting and I'm trying to work out when I ovulated. I think the app I'm using is wrong, because it's predicting I'll have a 30 day cycle this month, even though I always have 33 or 34 day cycles. I've attached my chart. It's suggesting I ovulated on day 16, but I have a temperature drop the following day so I don't think it's correct. I think it's more likely to be day 19. Can anyone with more charting experience help?

It's hard to tell as you are using a thermometer that only reads to 1 decimal place aren't you? You need one that reads to 2 decimals. The thing is, that a 1 decimal will round up and down, it's much more difficult to get a good pattern.

Problem is- that low temp (where its predicting ovulation) is it correct? Was it on time etc? It'll only go on the data it has. If it's all correct then it'll be right. But if temps are slightly out (I struggle to do mine at the same time) there's room for error.

Thanks @whyhaveidonethis - I'll buy one with two decimal places.

You could also try putting the same data into another app like FF and see what that says

Thanks @paintfairy. The temperature is correct (same time and after a full night's sleep) though I did have a cold which possibly affected it? I'll try FF

A cold might yes. But if the thermometer is only to 1dp then it won't be right, as said above.

Ok, thank you - does that mean I may not have ovulated at all, or just that it's hard to pinpoint exactly when?

Where do you measure the temperature?

IME, the temperature increase holds up after ovulation, it's just not a spike. And certainly not with a drop afterwards.

Having said that, if you're measuring underarm it can be very unreliable.

And do you measure before getting out of the bed and basically moving?

Thanks @Lweji - I test orally at the same time every morning, just after waking and before getting out of bed.

My temperature has been increasing for the past 3 days without a drop, which made me think I'd ovulated 3-4 days ago.

That seems more likely than what the app says.

I've added my temperatures to Fertility Friend and it suggested the same as my app.

It just seems strange, because it would mean a 17 day luteal phase, a temperature drop 2 dpo and then the temperature increase not happening util 5dpo?

I've done a few graphs in my time and nothing on that one suggests ovulation before day 21.

It looks highly variable, though. And I think you might need to improve temperature measurements.
It's not so much a matter of getting a new thermometer, but making sure the measured temperature is stable.
I used to take vaginal temperatures.
In any case, I'd keep the thermometer in my mouth closed for at least one minute, then measure.

Thank you. I tend to take it out after about 10 seconds, so I'll leave it in for longer in future.

I take vaginal ones too. Much better

The rounding up and down will make the variations look bigger. You can't do it without a BBT thermometer.

I think you ovulated cycle day 20

Update - I discarded one of the temperatures. The day I discarded I hadn't taken my temperature until about 30 min after I got up, though I usually take it as soon as I wake. It's recalculated it to day 20 as @Anny27 suggested!