I'm so confused, hopefully someone will understand better than I.

[iheartjunimos]

Hello! New user here. Long story short- I've been TTC for almost 3 years now, a few months ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and after fixing it I started ovulating and having regular cycles. My temp used to stay right around 96.6 every day and then would jump to 97.1 at the most about 3 days before my period. Now it likes to hover at around 96.8 ish and will rise above 97.2-97.4 after ovulation (10 day luteal phase). Normal cycle length is 31 days.

This cycle is SO confusing for me. I had a few dips in my follicular phase (totally normal) and then had my BT shift a day earlier than expected. I didn't observe any ewcm, but I also wasn't actively looking. I was pretty stressed out this month.

So I assumed I ovulated. My husband and I BD 2 days before and the day after, and I said, "well, I'll just cut my losses and we'll try again next month." That was three weeks ago and no sign of my period.

However- I've had some weird temperature fluctuations in my luteal phase. Normally I'll have one dip, then a rise, then a dip right before my period starts. This cycle, I had two big dips in my luteal phase, both times with my temp rising back up to a high temperature. Fertility friend doesn't even think I ovulated.

I'm trying so hard to guard my heart. We've had several losses and I've had a few times where I've been CONVINCED I was pregnant only to stare at stark white negatives. My husband and I decided a week ago that we would test tomorrow (I really wanted to make sure there was no chance of my period showing up).

I started getting ewcm again a few days ago, and I took an OPK and it was pretty light so I assumed it was just high estrogen. Today the curiousity got the better of me and I took another OPK. It's not positive, but it's much darker. I've been in a panic all day now wondering if I really ovulated.

Can temperature rise like it's supposed to if I never ovulated? I'm so frustrated. I kept telling myself that even if I ovulated before the second or third temp rise my period should have been here by now but now I'm worried I never ovulated at all.

I had a really stressful month (near death experience, not just normal stress) and I wondered if that delayed my ovulation, except that it happened about a week after I assumed ovulation.

Anyways, sorry for the word salad, but if anyone out there can help me stop panicking that would be lovely. Thank you!

Sorry you’re having difficulty conceiving. All this detailed observation of our bodies is pretty new. It’s understandable to try everything but bodies do stuff, by which I mean there will be variations in the things you’re observing so maybe try not to be too concerned about some of these changes. I say this as someone with clinical science qualifications. Obviously check with a doctor anything major but otherwise maybe it would help to take fewer measurements and have less to be concerned over.

Maybe just focus on DTD around the time you ovulate and at other times too. It’s not possible to have the level of control over conception and early knowledge about it that we’d dearly like. A decade or two ago as far as I knew it was just maybe an ovulation test, and lying in bed a bit afterwards with your bottom raised. Do people still do that? Can’t do any harm anyway. Maybe all these new tests are good or maybe it’s sometimes too much?

I just thought I’d reply as no-one had, maybe someone else will come along who knows all about your number queries.
All best wishes, Hooe it works out for you.

That level of stress will absolutely throw out your temperatures. It's almost inevitable it will have disturbed your sleep, and any restlessness, illness or stress will change your temp. I'm a very light sleeper with toddlers so never sleep well so it's always been a useless measure for me.

Cheap ovulation strips though have been very reliable. I used the easy at home ones from Amazon with the free premom app (there is a paid version but you don't need it) and got pregnant on 3 of the 4 cycles I tested. Would regular twice a day testing like that work better for you?

That is, of course, if you're not pregnant. Often though a pregnancy will lead to a strong opk test so just cautiously brace yourself if the one you did wasn't strong. Everything crossed for you x