Charter's Anonymous

[LittleSilver]

I thought I'd start a thread for all of us who worship at the shrine of Toni Weschler, spend whole seconds analysing cervical mucus, slip over in the shower checking cervical position and spend two minutes every morning flicking their heads from side to side in a valiant attempt to stop a baby pulling the thermometer out of their mouths. Ladies, this thread is for all of us, may it see many many BFPs!

beachtent - OPK = ovulation predictor kit (I think). I've never used the sticks. The CBFM is admittedly an investment - the machine itself is not cheap and you do have to buy replacement sticks. But I love mine, because you set a window of testing when your cycle first starts each month, and then every day you turn it on during that window and it tells you whether you should test that day, or not. When it goes to low you stop testing. I wouldn't know which days I should be POAS or not with just the sticks!

In the first month it tries to learn your cycle and you use a lot of sticks (they come in packs of 20). After that, I think women generally use 10 sticks a month - last cycle I only used 6 - because the machine learns your cycles and adapts accordingly (incidentally, it's not meant to be suitable for women who have very long cycles).

The monitor tracks estrogen AND LH hormones - while cheapie sticks only track LH. Apparently, just before you get your LH surge, estrogen starts to build up, and the monitor picks this up and warns you that you are in 'high fertility' ... or basically, that LH is imminent and therefore possibly ovulation. This is normally a warning to me that CM will probably change soon to EWCM - I usually get ~2 highs before EWCM starts happening.

To put it bluntly (in TMI terms), if we start to SWI when we get highs, DH gets a chance to 'flush out his tubes' before the EWCM arrives and before LH surge happens.

When the LH surge is detected, the monitor goes to 'Peak' which is a warning that ovulation might happen 24-36 hours later.

I got pregnant twice last year using only the CBFM, and have only started charting this year. If you look at my charts you can see where I have recorded the monitor's readings against my temps. In most cases the CBFM gives good advanced warning.

Its not error free - but I think human error is the biggie. E.g. This cycle I forgot to check and missed out one test day and I think it screwed up the monitor's estrogen analysis because I didn't get any highs. Instead, we started to SWI when I saw EWCM from charting, but I feel a bit because I don't think we were as systematic and 'best chance' about it as previous cycles.

Even so, the CBFM still picked up the LH surge.

I'm thinking I'll wait and see how things go with monitoring 'natural' signs and then see if I want to enter into CBFM territory... I'm in danger of getting obsessive about these things, and don't want to tempt myself just yet!

What does SWI stand for? I'm guessing this has something to do with sex, but I can't work it out! I'm terrible with acronyms (I work in the NHS and am surrounded by endless acronyms all day )

Do any of you lovely ladies know much about how diet can affect fertility/ ovulation? does it at all?

Shagging with intent!!!

Hi - someone who shall remain nameless asked me to find out how you choose a reflexologist.

My lady finally replied to my email and suggested this website - www.aor.org.uk.(don't know how to attach it so please just copy and paste! - old school - that's me!)

It seems pretty good. you choose an area and you can tick fertility as a requeirment.

Hope it helps - whoever you are

Shagging with intent! I love it!

Wow, that looks really helpful hippy I hope the person notices... xx

beachtent, I found this quite good; got pg first month anyway!

Hasn't worked has it? OK, Fertility Diet by Sarah Dobbyn.

oooh, reflexology... I've never had any of that before - is it nice & relaxing?

I got my period yesterday so it's time for the post-match analysis of my chart... I did get a peak reading on my CBFM 14 days ago, but as the EWCM carried on for another 5 days & I didn't get any kind of temp rise for another week I'm still not convinced I O'd again

anyhoo, the Dr & my acupuncture lady both recommended we waited a couple of cycles after the MC to give my body time to heal - which we've now done, so it's full steam ahead this cycle - I just hope the weather warms up again before I have to break out the vest tops & shorts

beach - most of the stuff I've read about diet say the usual things - cut out the crap & eat more (organic) fruit & veg! Oh, and drink plenty of water - if you're dehydrated you won't be able to make as much EWCM.

the Fertility Diet book sounds good - anything that promises to make me "sexually charged" must be good

I love that Hippy is SWI!! Well done. I need to wait for some sign of ovulation and for my partner to some home from the states and I will be doing the exact same thing!

Well ..... I went to the hospital for a scan today which they did and they could not see any signs of PCOS and everything else looks normal SO WHY AM I ON CD48 WITH NO SIGN OF OVULATION OR AF?????

danilou - no answers I'm afraid, but I thought I'd just mention my experience of long/irregular cycles for what it's worth...

a year after I came off BCP my cycles were anywhere between 2-4months - I started acupuncture & taking Agnus Castus and my cycle went down to 5weeks straight away. I'm not promising it's a miracle cure, but might be worth a go?

Thanks Bessie

It took 5 months to get a period when I stopped BCP since then my cycles have been between 35 and 39 days except this one. I took evening primrose oil for the first couple of weeks and stopped on CD20 when I ususally ovulate and now on CD48 and nothing!! I am a bit worried about taking anything else!

I like the sound of acupuncture though. Any ideas how I can find a good one?

no idea I'm afraid danilou, I found out about mine through a friend of a friend - I'll ask my lady her when I see her next, there's no doubt a website like the one hippy posted for reflexology.

Good news about the lack of PCOS etc though! Did they see any eggs? When I went for my last scan after MC they said they could see one - I'm now a bit worried it's so comfy in there it's never coming out!

They didn't say anything about eggs, just that my overies did not look like polycystic ones and that she could see no major problems. I am not sure that means I def haven't got it as I have read that you can still have normal looking overies. The results should be with my doc in a week so I will go and see him then.

Hi Danilou,
I replied to your other thread, but for what it's worth I wouldn't worry too much if this is just a one off. I have several really long cycles a year (up to 50 days) and have been told this is ok! (I know it's hard not to worry though - I'm the same ). It's damn frustrating!!! I know you're reluctant to try anything else but if you get desperate I would really recommend Agnus Castus to get things moving.

We're still waiting for the results of the SA. Am hoping they come soon just so we know if there is an issue or not. Am trying to be patient in this boring bit of my cycle, but feel a little like I'm wishing my life away wanting to be two weeks on from now so we can SWI .

Take care,
Orchid

bessie have you read the negative reviews of that book on Amazon? Totally put me off buying it! I love meat and fish, so I'd be a totally rubbish vegetarian. I couldn't contemplate veganism, I think it's most unnatural.

I got my thermometer today! Woo hoo! So I can start charting my temp from tomorrow morning! So exciting.

Quick poll - who temps orally, who vaginally, and who takes it up the arse? (Sorry )

I can't decide on which orifice to go for. Although I don't think I'll go for the last one. Any suggestions on choice of orifice most appreciated!

beach I'm already a veggie!

I've just ordered the book & a new thermometer to re-try vaginal temping...

Just stick to oral temping to begin with - it's much easier!

I'm a veggie too

Def an oral temper here!!!

danilou is glad that I am SWI - thanks honey. Come to think of it - so is Mr Hippy .

beach i thought only the vet used the third option .

i am defo an orally temp kinda girl.

Also used to be a veggie but now sometimes eat meat.

bessie when was your last MC - sounds like it could have been around the same time as mine (i started seriously bleeding 19th June) - it's all crap isn't it .

I'm an oral temper.

I think general consensus is to only bother with vaginal if oral temps are haywire and confusing.

Please can I do a small dance of joy?
I saw my midwife today and am soooo pleased because due to my short cycles she has put down an EDD of 28th Feb (I thought it was 4th March) and said I'm probably 7-7.5 weeks now instead of the 6+5 I thought

I am so very pleased about probably being a little further through this crappy, sicky, tired, losing weight trimester than I thought!

Make the most of your food ladies!

Yay! for spilt!! I am heeding your wise words about eating & having pizza, wine & chocolate tonight

hippy mine was 20th May & is indeed very crap. Are you all back to 'normal' now? I'm really hoping this cycle will be a good one - think I will start to freak out if I have 3 bad ones in a row!

spilt that's great! Yay!

I'ma an oral temper too.

I am an oral temping vegetarian.

dani, good news re. the scan. I can't remember if you've already said, but have you had your hormone levels checked?

Fantastic news, split! Sorry you're feeling so rotten. Roll on 12 weeks

Thanks all. It really made my day

bessie I envy you your lovely tea. I remember when I liked that!

So hippy, are you still SWI or have you seen your temp rise?

beachtent have you got first temp now? I remember finding the first one ridiculously exciting, even though on it's own it tells you nothing!

Congrats spilt!!! Fab news to be further on than you thought - every little counts!

I'm going to go for the oral temping option, took my first temp this morning, put it in to fertility friend... and... I'm none the wiser! But it was still very exciting!

There are a lot of vegetarians on here. Interesting! Or are there just a lot of vegetarians everywhere? Probably. I used to be one. For 7 years. Then I realised I was terrible at it, and started eating meat again. But I'm a totally ethical meat eater - every bit of meat that passes my lips is happy, organic, British meat (and bloody expensive, so I don't eat loads of it!). So please don't tell me off, veggies! I'd be interested to know how being vege or vegan is supposed to contribute to increased fertility...?