Chart Stalk/Questions- May 2019

whitealbum29

@kpearse99 - yeah the idea of missing it is stressful but I think if you're diligent and experiment with different times in a day you should catch it! Maybe your first cycle you could try about 10am, 1-2pm and after work to make sure you get it (just for a couple days around when you think you might be getting closer to O), to see when your surge happens?

kpearse99

@whitealbum29 that's a great point and suggestion!

Thanks for the help and tips, everyone!

jennifer_louise

So while we're on the topic of OPKs, I picked up a different brand this time (Clear Blue of some sort). It's super advanced and actually displays the LH concentration which my engineer self desperately wanted to enter into a spreadsheet and plot.

Anywho, the instructions actually said that O may occur anywhere from 8 hours BEFORE the surge to 48 hours after. Has anyone heard that before? Because if you O'd before the surge, you'd be close to out of time by the time you got a +.

Mostly just curious. 

kagesstarshroom

@jennifer_louise So the surge goes up and then comes down-- i think i actually have an internet graph of this saved... yup!
 

point being, you could miss it bc it could be on its way down not up? if you are testing multiple times a day, you'll likely get a few positives--as it surges and then as the surge decreases....if you only test like once, then you can't tell when it is on the graph.

hope that helps!

chichiphin

@jennifer_louise my RE really commits to the surge happening before actual O... never heard of O happening before a surge!

lulu1180

@jennifer_louise The LH surge is what signals the follicle(s) to release the mature egg so it is impossible for O to happen before the surge

jennifer_louise

@chichiphin @kagesstarshroom Helpful! I wonder if maybe they're thinking (as @kagesstarshroom points out with the graph) that if you don't catch it until the later end of your peak you might already be O'ing.

Just wondering if I could get out of having sex tonight or not 😝. 

brookert615

@jennifer_louise I wonder if it says that because with the CB Advanced it's only testing once a day with FMU? I don't know. What makes me mad about the CB OPKs that I have is that it will stay on "high fertility" until it senses a change to switch to "peak" and once you hit the "peak fertility" it will stay on peak for three days. We need day-to-day updates ClearBlue! 

jennifer_louise

@lulu1180 that was definitely my understanding as well. I think @brookert615 might be right.

@brookert615 is the LH surge what triggers the change from "high" to "peak"? 

brookert615

@jennifer_louise I think we have different CB tests but mine says it's because it monitors the LH and estrogen and that's why it can detect the days better?

jennifer_louise

@brookert615 Yup, and now that I'm thinking about it, mine are EPT brand lol whoops.

Interesting that "Peak Fertility" ends on the same day as the LH surge. Thanks! 

NYTino24

Ladies who see an RE, do you think the CBA is worth it? Sometimes I get two surges. It used to be every cycle when TTC / charting in the past, and a few cycles I had near positive OPKs the entire cycle. I’m really interested to see what testing and monitoring show...

kagesstarshroom

@jennifer_louise Yeah, I wish the graph--mine or the one @brookert615 posted--- showed where O is! I feel like it's way less helpful in not showing it. CD & what they are defining as "peak fertility" isn't as helpful as where O is supposed to be on these graphs...

lulu1180

@kagesstarshroom @brookert615 @jennifer_louise Generally they say that O is the day after last peak/positive OPK, however, everyone's body is different and for some people, O may happen on the same day as their only positive/peak while others may have it the day before the last positive/peak (I've seen it happen, I just don't completely understand how/why) when they get 3 days of positives.  

Here's a chart that shows the "norm" but remember, your norm may not be the same as another's...

brookert615

@lulu1180 Thanks so much!!! 

inthewoods23

I think someone here not that long ago found an article that claimed O date can be days before or even after the temp rise as well. So apparently both OPKs and BBT temping can mean nothing for some people if what is claimed is true 🤷

lulu1180

@inthewoods23 In TCOYF there is actually a small blurb in the appendix or somewhere like that where the author mentions that some people O a day to three days before the temp rise.  That's one of the reasons it's so important to check CM and make sure you're getting timing in on days with EWCM

chichiphin

@NYTino24 my RE actually told me to stop doing any type of OPKs and “let him do the work” - meaning U/S and bw like every 3 days at the clinic which is A LOT. I still do cheapies tho in case. Can’t help it. Ha

bjkay22

Hello ladies! Newish here. I have not read TCOYF (yet) but I will as soon as this move is over and I can read it without my mother in law seeing since I’m staying with her. I was wondering how much “faith,” so to speak I should put in ovulation cramping? I’m charting, doing opks, and checking CM but my temps aren’t very reliable due to some sleep issues. So far I do get pretty strong O cramps on the day I get a positive OPK so I’m thinking of skipping OPKs this month. I know you’re regular until your not but does anyone else cramp regularly with O and trust it enough to skip opk? 

jennifer_louise

Mmmkay, sounds like I should throw out the BBT and OPKs. Thanks guys 😉

But really this is probably my last un-monitored cycle and I'll be curious to see if I understand my cycle as well as I think I do... 

kagesstarshroom

@jennifer_louise @brookert615 @lulu1180 One last thing to add to this OPK convo-- we were talking earlier about how hard it is to hold yr pee, and I don't think that it's worth it to hold off drinking water just for OPKs--I think drinking enough water is way more important than worrying about an OPK result. Hydration is KEY for fertile CM, so don't accidentally uncheck that off your list whilst seeking the perfect OPK schedule! Drink up!

NYTino24

@bjkay22 I get the ovulation cramping, but often twice in my cycle along with two different EWCM patches, so I also do OPKs and temp. Even then, it’s often not crystal clear to me for a week or so after O. Take that as you will... 

flinstone-2

whitealbum29  curious why your OB thought CD28 O was too late for implantation to happen. I know a lot of late O-ers who have no problem. Even my RE said you just hang out in the FP a little longer and basically start the who maturation process before O a few weeks later than normal

whitealbum29

@flinstone-2 - I don't know really! I think that's what she said, that that can be another concern with long cycles in addition to making it hard to pinpoint when to HIO...I've read similar things to what you said tho, since then. Next time I see her I will clarify b/c I can't really find anything about it online.

begging4abump

@inthewoods23 maybe that was me? Here’s what I’d found: “The study found, somewhat shockingly, that only 13 percent of women have a BBT rise within one day of ovulation. For many of the women in the study, BBT did not rise until more than two days after ovulation.” (Here’s the study: https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2001.00194.x) 🤷🏻‍♀️

ruby696

@begging4abump My temp usually takes a couple days to rise. My Ava O date and FF are always a couple days apart

rikiteacup

Regarding OPK, I want to mention that I've tested on urine that was 2+ hours old and then drank a lot of water at the gym, urine is less than 1 hour old and super diluted and I get the exact same results, in this case strong positive (test line is darker than the control line). 

bjkay22

Thanks for the input @NYTino24! 

inthewoods23

Does anyone have any tips or things they use that can help make sure our lining during AF sheds properly? My saline sono showed an abnormal uterus lining and I would much prefer to not have to have surgery to "clean" it before having my FET done.

Don't know though if it's shedding improperly or not building properly.

It's CD1 today so if there's anything I can take to make this AF effective it would be appreciated!

kagesstarshroom

@inthewoods23 Sorry to hear about the saline sono results. RLT is supposed to help with building the uterine lining properly! But it's not, like, FDA approved or anything. As long as you're TTA, you can drink it through the cycle, but otherwise, it's best for WTO and to be avoided for TWW. My ob couldn't recommend it like bc there's scarce "science" backing it, but she also was like "it's not going to hurt to drink it," and there's enough person to person research and a few small studies that I figure, why not do it myself/recommend it in this situation.

ohiomom17

Hi!
Ive been lurking and really appreciate what I’ve learned here.  I’m charting my first cycle after IUD removal.  In previous attempts to chart (without IUD), I’ve had positive OPKs and clear temp shifts usually around CD14-16.  However, I’m a little confused by my chart this month. I had a positive OPK, but my temps have been pretty rocky and I haven’t gotten crosshairs.  Thoughts on what is going on this month?  Thanks for your help!

brookert615

@ohiomom17 Since this is your first cycle after IUD I think that’s why it’s a little rocky. It can take months for your body to re-acclimate. Anything really can shift temps it seems. You did mark that you had deprived sleep but getting sick, room temperature, alcohol, etc can make a huge temp shift. I know if I eat an unhealthy meal my temp will even shift! I would track what you can this month and continue tracking. 

kagesstarshroom

@ohiomom17 I was just reading EXPECTING BETTER by Emily Oster & she talks about cycles after bc & IUD removal--she says it can take anywhere up to 9 cycles after bc & 10 after IUD for cycles to normalize--but that doesn't mean that it won't happen sooner. Those are the longest times possible. That's all I got--but I second everything Brooker said above as well.

NYTino24

@ohiomom17 I’m betting on CD17, but I think FF may be confused because you have open circles. That means your temps aren’t within an hour of your normal range, so they might not be trusted by the algorithm.

lulu1180

@NYTino24 The open circles in this case is because she marked those temps as sleep deprived.  Which means the temp could have been taken at her normal time but she was tossing and turning all night or was up several times during the night

kpearse99

I saw my OB yesterday for my annual and she recommends we go see a RE and gave me 2 recommendations.  We have our appointment next Thursday in the afternoon. I have mixed feelings about going... on one hand I'm excited to talk about what other options are out there for us but on the other hand I'm heart broken that we need to go down this path. DH and I won't do extreme measures to get pregnant but we are open to hear what else there is to do or try that are more on the "minor" side.  Those of you that have gone down this path already, what did you experience at your first consultation?  What can I expect?  What questions should I prepare to ask?

kagesstarshroom

Anyone else ever have any "ovulation spotting"? I just got like the palest pink at 2 DPO & bugged a little bc... I'd NEVER heard of something like that before, but Dr. Google confirms 1 in 10 women experience it 1-2 DPO. Wild! 

brookert615

@kagesstarshroom I've only heard of it! That's kind of cool though to be a part of the small percentage!

ruby696

@kpearse99 My consult was very much a history taking and an outline of possible treatments, starting with clomid. I was scheduled for a saline sonogram and had labs, which included karyotyping for me and MH. Some people have a hysteroscopy done, but I didn't need one. I ended up doing one round of clomid and one round of injectables, before my doctor wanted to talk about IVF. We declined and now I'm back to seeing what happens on my own. I really went to find out what was wrong, which I did, and that's given me some closure.

I'm rambling, but basically wanted to say that to me, it was worth it to see an RE just to get a real diagnosis. Good luck and I hope minor treatment does the trick for you!

kpearse99

Thanks @ruby696 I really appreciate you sharing your experience with me!  I'm glad you were able to get some closure/answers - that what I'm looking for too, I guess, in addition to some additional help (if needed).