Clearblue Fertility Monitor support group buddies vol 2!!

[monkeybumsmum]

Thought I'd get a new thread started as we seem to have run out of space

Let's hope this one brings us all lots of luck!

Hi all, thanks for the reassurance on using the CBFM.....guess its just got to get to know me!

Currently, we're TTC#2, Cycle 3, cycle 1 with CBFM, Age 30, UCL 31-33, CD11. This is after conceiving DD on the first attempt, and having a chemical pregnancy on our first cycle TTC#2.....Should add DD is 27 months now.

DH loving the idea of the monitor to time BD....a) because he's a bloke and its a gadget, and b) he hates uncertainty....

Still getting highs today on the monitor, but first signs of EWCM appearing so we're heading in the right direction! Fingers crossed for everyone!!

Thanks ladies! Will check out Amazon now and will probably invest! Well, after this month as we're BDing at the moment. Well not this second obv.... I know it can get a bit boring when you're doing it to a schedule but i'm not quite at the point of MNing at the same time

BTW can I ask what day, on average, do people ovulate? Is it the same CD each month? If not then what's the range? Also, is it true that we don't ovulate every month? That's a bugger if its right...

Sorry for all the questions but would love to hear

Hi Girls,

Welcome to MumOfAPickle larakitten & Hamster Hope the CBFM helps, it definitely takes the guesswork out of it all.

MumOfAPickle As far as I am aware, there are months that you might not ovulate, there?s no 100% guarantee that the CBFM will pick this up but if you don?t ovulate I believe it will just show highs and no peaks. The ?average? cycle is 28 days, ovulating on day 14. However, as we all know, we?re not all average! I had a 28 day cycle but when I started using the CBFM it showed me ovulating earlier and giving me peaks on Days 11 and 12. I?ve had highs from about Day 8 ? 10 then peaks 11 and 12 (I think it?s been the same each month, if it hasn?t then it?s been a day either side if you know what I mean!)

How?s everyone else? Hope you are all OK? Any news? Good or bad? I?ve fallen off the radar a little recently, been having a bit of a wobble as this time last year I was pg and it was mid Jan I m/c so because of the time of year it?s all coming back to me. Not that I like to dwell on it as it?s all done and dusted but sometimes the frustration gets to you, as you all know! I?ve not used my CBFM this month, we?ve just been having sex every two to three days instead.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, here?s to a babytastic 2010 for all of us!!!

Thanks guys - feel reassured now. This is cycle 1 with the monitor, and cycle 3 overall. Felt like I didn't have a clue about what my body was doing, so getting the cbfm seemed like the best plan.

Hi MumofaPickle - hope this month goes so well you don't need the CBFM, but if you do then hope you found it helpful.

Hamster - I have found that knowing about my cycle and body has helped me.

Hi barren - sorry this is a tough time for you. Your plan this month sounds good. My DH and I have tried to increase sex this month too, especially hitting every 2 days of high's and peaks (had 4 highs now, one peak today), so hope we can continue. Hope you get some good news very soon in 2010

Am finding things tough - as trying to minimise medication to increase chances of BFP, which is having an effect on my health. Hospital offered me some time in, for respite - for body to heal before work begins again on 5th. I could have been in hospital tonight! - New Year's Eve! But instead am going in tomorrow, as long as bed not been used before then!

Happy New Year to everyone - wishing you all happy news and BFP's

Happy new year everyone!

Out of interest, is there any significance to the lines that appear on the CBFM test sticks? Given this is my first month using it I'm wondereing what they mean?

Would be grateful for any opinions!

Hi, Happy New Year!
hope you don't mind if I join you all. Im on my my 2nd cycle of TTC 1 (1st with CBFM) I was gutted when my AF turned up 4 days late on Dec 29th. I never realised just how complex this whole baby making business is. Before we got started I just presumed that it would happen first time. Anyway only on CD4 so I presume I will be asked to POAS in the next few days.
Out of interest does the monitor always ask for 20 tests during your 1st month or has anyone been asked for fewer/more? DH thinks Im mad with all this testing but I think it will be reassuring knowing where my cycle is up to.
Good luck to you all in 2010!

Rosieroo welcome, sure you will settle in just lovely with all us CBFM reprobates ladies. I think the CBFM sometimes asks you for more sticks on your first cycle as it is getting to know you, however if it picks up a peak then I think it will only ask for ten. Well, at least that's what happened with me anyway! Dipping as opposed to splashing it up your arms peeing generally gets better results.

larakitten The CBFM picks up two hormones Oestrogen and LH. On the CBFM the line on the left is dark at first, this is the Oestrogen line and the line on the right (LH line) is quite faint. As ov approaches the Oestrogen line gets lighter and the LH line gets darker

Hope this helps

Barrenbrook - many thanks for the info....got my first peak today so the lines make much more sense now. Was feeling a tad concerned that the left line was getting more faint....but had a healthy strong line on the right and wee egg symbol so here goes! Got down to some BD this afternoon and DH plans more of the same tomorrow ha ha

I've been dipping the test sticks too as I didn't fancy aiming at such a small area lol.

Thanks again, appreciate the help!

Vikks TTC#1, Cycle 5 CBFM (Cycle 34ish overall), Age 32, UCL 32-40, CD1

I knew it was coming but it still hurts, it would have been an amazing start to the year.

Happy New Year everyone! I hope all our dreams come true in 2010. Hello and welcome to RosieRoo!

Ah Vikks It would have been the perfect start... You doing the same injections this month? Have you tried Clomid in the past? Just asking because I'm being given the choice between Clomid and Menopur and don't know what to go for? They said to try for 6 months after the lap and then go back if not pg, but I haven't ovulated since the op and if it carries on like this until Feb am going to ask if we can bring treatment forward.

Happy New Year to everyone from me too, let's hope this is a fab one for all of us - we deserve it!

larakitten good luck! Hope the CBFM works it's magic for you!

RosieRoo Good luck to you too, and I hope you manage to get pg very soon!

Keziah Am so sorry to hear you're going through a tough time, and I hope that a stay in hospital manages to improve things. This ttc malarky isn't easy sometimes - I hope you're okay x

Barrenbrook Sorry to hear you've been feeling down - anniversaries are horrible Let's hope that this time next year there will be a little someone there to make January an easier month for you...

Hi to everyone else, hope you're all okay. Things haywire still with me - CBFM has stopped asking for sticks now but am doing them anyway and going off the lines Am still trying to stay calm...

Vikks Sorry AF got you, 2010 is the year for the CBFM'ers!

Monkey & Keziah thank you and Keziah I hope your hospital stay goes OK. Thinking of you.

We need a new list for the new year, cut and paste the below and add your stats

Barrenbrook TTC#1, Cycle 4 CBFM (Cycle 10 overall) Age 34, UCL 26-28 CD19
Vikks TTC#1, Cycle 5 CBFM (Cycle 34ish overall), Age 32, UCL 32-40, CD1

Monkey - Thanks; I?m on the same injections again which are Menopur. I don?t know what to make of your choice between Clomid and Menopur, they are very different Meds and I thought that Menopur would be one of the last things to try. Clomid was the first drug I was given. I started on 50mg and then had day-21 blood test to see if it was working. For me it wasn?t so then 100mg and then 150mg, and still nothing. Most Doc?s don?t prescribe Clomid over 150mg (a few stretch to 200mg) also you don?t take it for more than 6 months because it can start to affect the womb lining.
So Clomid is usually the first drug most women get prescribed, it?s very cheap, doesn?t have many side effects and it?s got really good success rates. Unfortunately 6 months didn?t do the trick for me so then I was prescribed Tamoxifen 80mg (top dose) for 9 months. You can take that for longer and I had no side effects.
So now Menopur. To my knowledge you can only inject it and you need a lot of scans per month to make sure you don?t over stimulate. On the upside OV is guaranteed. You start injecting on CD 3-6 and after 7 days have a scan and they measure the growing follicle(s). I think most women take the drug for about 7 days, me about 13-15 so far! It is very expensive; DH and I are definitely feeling the pinch. It?s costing about £900 now per month.
So from my experience it seems like a strange choice for your Doc to give you, unless you are taking the Menopur in a different way? I would say if Clomid works for you that would be so much easier. Anyway hope that helped, let me know what they told you about the two Meds, I would love to know.
By the way, did you find out how they make Menopur?

Brook - Thanks x

Barrenbrook TTC#1, Cycle 4 CBFM (Cycle 10 overall) Age 34, UCL 26-28 CD19
Vikks TTC#1, Cycle 5 CBFM (Cycle 34ish overall), Age 32, UCL 32-40, CD2

Thanks Vikks It really sounds like you've had a very tough time trying to get pregnant. Makes me wish even harder for you that it finally works.
I've just googled Menopur (thanks ) and it's turned my stomach and .
Wrt the doctors here I'm going to a university hospital and they're doing a study comparing the effectiveness of Clomid and Menopur. They haven't given me all the info yet but said it's basically up to me which I go for. Think unless there's a reason not to, that I will go for the Clomid first as it seems silly to go straight for the injections - you must be very brave to do it, think I would REALLY struggle to do them.
I have heard somewhere though that Clomid is possibly not the best thing to take if you have endometriosis - will have to check it out...

Good idea Barrenbrook re a new list for the New Year. This one had better be a good one or I shall start losing hope!

Barrenbrook TTC#1, Cycle 4 CBFM (Cycle 10 overall) Age 34, UCL 26-28 CD19
Vikks TTC#1, Cycle 5 CBFM (Cycle 34ish overall), Age 32, UCL 32-40, CD2
Monkeybumsmum TTC#2, Cycle 5 CBFM (23 mths, 2 m/c's), Age 34, UCL 29, CD13ish?

hi sorry i have not been on for a while,just got really hectic with xmas and all,
hope everyone had a great xmas and new year.i was reading through some posts and just wanted to say sorry to shaggy.
well last month i had a 46day cycle with only 4 highs on cd21-24,
this month iam on cd15 and i have been getting highs since cd8 fingers crossed i might get a peak this time.
i hope the new year is going to make us all happy xxx

Hope everyone?s well and happy. I?ve got two days off work because of the snow! Yippie! Anyone else snowed in?
Thankfully I was at the hospital yesterday morning before the roads got bad, so I?ve got my next week?s Meds. If I?d had to miss a cycle because of the weather I wouldn?t have been so happy?.
Anyway we?re on to the ?next? step now, it?s turkey baster time (sorry TMI)! Isn?t it funny how the further you get down the line the less getting PG has to do with making love. Oh well, it seems like my TTC journey is gonna involving me trying absolutely everything that modern medicine has to offer, I can?t miss anything out! Maybe I should write a book?.it better have a happy ending.

*Baby Dust

Hi Vikks, We have muchos snow at the moment.....under approx a foot and a half in total! Cant find my DDs trike now, the snow is that deep. Sadly, we have a 4x4 so no snow days off work for DH.......

Am now in the dreaded 2ww. Don't feel anything in the slightest like pregnancy symptoms but hey. Just because I spewed literally from conception with DD doesn't mean I will in any other pregancies ha ha.

baby dust right back atcha. x

Lara - Good luck with your 2WW and finding the trike. Our snow has just about gone, so it's back to work again tomorrow. BOO!!

quick post - happy new year to you all. Have few hours out of hospital.

Think some good news - husband's sperm just below normal - they said 50 normal his was 46.7% and 36% were quick swimmers. Is that good? My general blood test showed high prolactin, not seen dr yet to see what that meant.

Happy New Year to you all

Hello ladies! I'm just popping over from the first time frolickers thread with a cbfm question. This seems to be the group who would have the answer!!

I just got my monitor and sticks from ebay and am very excited about starting it when (or if) my next cycle starts. However, during my next cycle, I have am expecting to have loads of stress. I usually ov around cd 20, but have ovulated up to 20 days later due to stress. I kind of expect a very late ov. this next cycle.

Would you all suggest starting next cycle even though it might be extra long, or should I stick to cheapie opks and hold off a cycle? I'm thinking it would probably be beneficial to wait, but am so excited about using the thing! Thanks in advance for any advice!

Just popping on quickly - hello everybody

Keziah Really hope you're doing okay... It sounds good re your dh's sperm count, so that's great! Not sure what prolactin is, so let us know when you find out. How long will you be in hospital for?

Aly Hello! If I were you I would be sneaky and not start the CBFM at the beginning of your cycle, but wait til a few days in. This would give you more of a chance to identify when you're ovulating. It normally starts asking for test sticks from day 6 on your first cycle using it, so if you ovulate around day 20 or possibly later I would wait until you're on CD8-10 and then start the CBFM at day 1. Hope that makes sense!!!
Hope you don't have too much stress Good luck and let us know how you get on

Will try to come back on later - I have to go and entertain ds now!

PS Aly Just thought that if you do that for your first cycle then the CBFM will 'remember' when you ov'd and expect it to happen around the same time the next cycle. You might have to start it off slightly late the next cycle too, to help it get back to where it should be.
Not sure if you can properly reset the whole thing for cycle 2 or not, if not then maybe you are better to wait, although I would just carry on jiggling it around! HTH's and that I haven't managed to just confuse you!!!

Been in hospital for 10 days, in at least another 3, hope to be out asap, especially as redundancies announced where I work! Due to hols, only missed 3 days so far, but ... eek

Thanks everyone for your good wishes.

Barrenbrook TTC#1, Cycle 4 CBFM (Cycle 10 overall) Age 34, UCL 26-28 CD26
Vikks TTC#1, Cycle 5 CBFM (Cycle 34ish overall), Age 32, UCL 32-40, CD9
Monkeybumsmum TTC#2, Cycle 5 CBFM (23 mths, 2 m/c's), Age 34, UCL 29, CD20ish
Keziahhopes TTC#1, Cycle 4 CBFM (Cycle 16 overall) Age 34, UCL 28-12 CD25

Thank you for support - really helping ... best wishes to those on 2ww and those starting another cycle! x

Hello again everyone!

Sorry to have been a bit AWOL recently, but have been busy getting married! I hope everyone is well and had a lovely Christmas and New Year?

Well, I was really surprised (and relieved) that the CBFM did seem to monitor my cycle last month. I managed to set the monitor for day 4 of my cycle (thanks for the advice - should probably read the instructions in the future!) Did the whole POAS thingy and had a few days of 'high' and then ovulated on CD17.

Did the do on the appropriate days, then was convinced had conceived but unfortunately got a BFN on the 9th . AF has now arrived which is never a good thing, but am pleased that my cycle (well this one at least) seems to have returned to normal after having my Mirena removed.

Will be in a few different time zones for the next few weeks which might present some challenges with the testing window, but have set it for the morning for where I'll be for CD 6 to about 17 so hopefully will be ok. The instructions say that if you are in a different time zone to save a cup of your first urine of the day, but I am not sure I can bring myself to leave cups of pee around our hotel bathrooms...might rather upset the whole BD mood a bit

Actually a bit gutted about the BFN to be honest, I know these things take time, but I'm not used to having hormonal mood swings - combining pre menstrual blues with a BFN was actually quite upsetting and I got a bit tearful. Still, optimistic for this month!

Can I please be added to the list?

Hoping TTC#1, Cycle 2 CBFM, Age 30, UCL 33, CD1

Thanks - and good luck all!

hiya hoping
i know how you feel,being tearfull comes with ttc all of us know that feeling so just brush last month off.
i am on my second cycle with the cbfm
last month was a bad month had a few days off high then back to low.this month is a better one lol been high since cd8 and got two highs yesterday and again today so fingers crossed x
hope this month has baby dust instore for us lol xxx

gina ttc#2,cycle 2 cbfm,age 25 ucl 35-40,cd23