Temping/ovulation-first cycle

wishing22

hi ladies, just looking some advice. This is my first month off the pill and I have been temp charting from a few days after my withdrawal bleed. My temps have been all over the place, looked liked I had o'd but then fell again a few days later. I am on day 35. I do understand it can take time for things to come back to normal but my question is, should I still be expecting to ovulate this cycle? With my crazy temps I am unlikely to know. I have been waiting/hoping for my af to come just to move on to another cycle and hopefully see things clearly, but now wondering if it is coming anytime soon or I will still be waiting to ovulate. Thanks in advance x

TheBorg7of9

 Can we see your chart?

Are you tracking CM and using opks?

janeyintrouble

I agree with Borg - can we see your chart?

FWIW, my first cycle off BCP I had a crazy, crazy chart and a super long cycle (ovulation on CD35, cycle ended CD47).

wishing22

Not really been charting cm as really there hasn't been. I've noticed I put day 35 it is actually day 33,apologies. I used opks for a few days but then hought the temping was more accurate. (This was just before the high temp spikes). Many thanks for your help x

TheBorg7of9

Thanks for the chart.  Here's what I think.

First, open circles are caused by temping 30 minutes or more outside your normal temping time. They are also caused by marking sleep deprived.  Are you actually temping outside your regular time, or are you just putting in your temp in the app at a different time?

Second, have you tried checking for CM after you poop or checking internally.

Third, many times it takes a couple months to get CM after you get off birth control.

Fourth, temping is more accurate than opks and CM, but it cannot tell you that ovulation is approaching.  That's why I recommending temping to confirm along with at least one other sign that can predict possible ovulation (CM and/or opks or cervical position).

Fifth, were you sick with a fever on those three first high days? Or maybe were you drinking? Those are very high temps.  I have never had temps that high unless I was sick.  I would try disregarding them and then FF might give you cross hairs on day 26.  However, your recent temps aren't actually that much higher than your prior temps, so it might not give you cross hairs anyway.

TheBorg7of9

One more thing: You should probably be having more sex.  While waiting for O or signs of O, I try to do it at least every 3 days, then up to every other day when I get a sign of impending O.

wishing22

We aren't properly trying this month as I wanted to have my first cycle. The last week my temps have been taken at a slightlt later time. I haven't been marking when we has sex on it as next month is when I really want to start. I just don't know whether I should be expecting to o or for af. I wasn't sick or drinking on those high temps, but the confused me as well. Thanks for the advice!

TheBorg7of9

wishing22 said:

We aren't properly trying this month as I wanted to have my first cycle. The last week my temps have been taken at a slightlt later time. I haven't been marking when we has sex on it as next month is when I really want to start. I just don't know whether I should be expecting to o or for af. I wasn't sick or drinking on those high temps, but the confused me as well. Thanks for the advice!

There's no way to know whether you will O soon or have an annovulatory period.

You should really be marking the sex...

janeyintrouble

TheBorg7of9 said:

wishing22 said:

We aren't properly trying this month as I wanted to have my first cycle. The last week my temps have been taken at a slightlt later time. I haven't been marking when we has sex on it as next month is when I really want to start. I just don't know whether I should be expecting to o or for af. I wasn't sick or drinking on those high temps, but the confused me as well. Thanks for the advice!

There's no way to know whether you will O soon or have an annovulatory period.

You should really be marking the sex...

Agreed, particularly if it's unprotected sex. That way you know whether it's possible your pregnant later on.

Unfortunately, that first cycle after BCP sometimes just sucks. Keep temping, keep having sex (or not, if you're avoiding right now) and think about checking CM. For me I usually have to check internally, and as Borg suggested, checking after a bowel movement tends to help. Also try increasing your water intake - sometimes being better hydrated can help increase your CM production and make it easier to tell what's going on.

wishing22

Thanks ladies!! Just waiting to know what's going on!

PumpkinTi

I didn't O before CD35 for several cycles after BCPs...  I don't see a clear shift - but hopefully all becomes clear soon!

wishing22

Thanks @PumpkinTi

rmccola2

I've been off my BC since January and haven't O'd until around CD 50!! I normally have long cycles so not totally off the normal for me, but they've been a little longer since stopping BC. So just keep temping and like @TheBorg7of9 said, I highly suggest OPKs. They tell me when O is close and my temps confirm it. So it makes it much easier to time BD. Also, I didn't have a lot of CM my first month of BC as well.

brela11

Thanks for posting this @wishing22 (I sent you a private message earlier today and commented on an old thread to see how you were doing) it's weird how alike our cycles have been this month coming off BC. I'm glad to see pp responses about wacky first cycles...I have been stressing too!

wishing22

Thanks all!!! @rmccola2 when do you know when to use opks or do u use them every day?? @brela11 I am just so ready to move on to a new cycle!! I wish I knew if I were expecting to ovulate this cycle or just get af!! This month I don't mind which but the waiting is killing me!! Up and down emotionally!

wishing22

Also just ordered some opks from Amazon so will start that as soon as they arrive to help and will chart everything. Thanks ladies!