ttc with short cycle lengths, advice please!

[LittleB]

Hi, anyone got any advice for me please?
I've just had my shortest cycle ever, 25 days. I did have a couple of 26 day cycles when TTC dd, but 25 is starting to get worryingly short, how short is short enough to see my gp?
Also I don't really have EWCM since I had treatment to my cervix last year, and I've only been off the pill for a few months, now on 3rd cycle of TTC. Can someone tell me how to monitor my temp to try and find out when I'm ov? I have a digital ear thermometer to 1 dec. place, is this accurate enough? Do I need to buy a special one or should I get some OPKs? Just frustrated that its not happening! In my mid 30's now so i know it'll take longer than when I had dd (late 20's - conceived 2nd cycle). But I'm also worried that the treatment I had to my cervix last year (LLETZ to remove CIN3 cells) has damaged me somehow and reduce my fertility.
Any info appreciated, thanks!

Hiya Ovulation prediction sticks are the way to go.. i swear by then icnceived my DD only 2 months after stopping the pill as i found out that i ovulated later that standard ( text book ) i only needed to use 6 so passed them onto a frind who also got caught the 1st month she used them

Bought them off ebay they are loads cheaper x

Good Luck

The trouble with temping is that it tells you when you have ovulated, it doesn't predict.

So really it gives you useful info to confirm OPKs/other physical symptoms and it gives you a good idea of when is likely to be the best time for the following month. Until you've done it for a couple of cycles I guess you won't know if your ovulation day is the same cycle day each time either.

That said, I like temping, I feel in control and like I know what I'm doing .

I think you need a special thermometer for fertility charting - one that does 2 d.p. I got this one from Amazon which seems pretty good.

OPKs do seem to work well for some people, but apparently it's easy to miss the hormone surge as it's very quick, so it's probably best to temp as well so that you can double check what's happening.

If you've not got much CM then PreSeed is apparently very good. (Normal lubes like KY are actually counterproductive).

Given your history of treatment, it would probably be a good idea to see your GP for a chat/tests to check everything's working and to put your mind at rest.

Good luck!

Hi littlep my cycles are normally 23-24 days. However this isn't a problem unless the second half of your cycle (luteal phase - ie after you ovulate) is really short. The luteal phase needs to be at least 10 days otherwise you end up with a period about the time that the embryo should be implanting.

I ovulate on about day 11/12. I start using OPKs about day 9 of my cycle to make sure I don't miss the window. OP was right about temping - your temp doesn't go up until after you've ovulated and it's too late by then. If you temp and use opks then you will have a good idea of when you are going to ovulate and then if you actually have. You need a basal body thermometer to check your temps, not a normal thermometer. You can get them in large boots or try the internet.

Re EWCM - you can increase it by bizarrely taking certain cough medicines. I think robitussin
is the one I used. Whether it actually makes any difference to getting PG I don't know but I decided it couldn't do any harm.