CBEFM & OPKs?

brens317

First off let me say that I am not charting right now b/c this is my first cycle post m/c and mentally I just haven't been able to commit to temping again.  I felt like I obsessed over every temp and what it meant.  

Anyway...I am using the CBEFM and have had "high fertility" the last 3 days but no peak yet.  I've also been using OPKs (2 times/day) and haven't gotten a positive on that either.

My question is - is it possible for the CBEFM to show just "high fertility" in the AM and then get a + OPK later the same day?   Or will the CBEFM catch the surge? 

Basically - is it overkill to be using OPKs too?  Thanks!

Toriables

Yes, it is possible to get a "high" reading in the AM, which means your estrogen level has risen. If your LH surges later that day, which it typically does in the afternoon, you can get a positive OPK. I don't think it's necessarily overkill to use both- I do it! The CBEFM only reads peak when it catches your LH surge, so if you have a 12 hour surge, it's very possible that you can miss it. I use Wondfo OPKs because I feel guilty about using an expensive digi strip for the CBEFM every day. HTH, good luck!

brens317

Toriables:

Yes, it is possible to get a "high" reading in the AM, which means your estrogen level has risen. If your LH surges later that day, which it typically does in the afternoon, you can get a positive OPK. I don't think it's necessarily overkill to use both- I do it! The CBEFM only reads peak when it catches your LH surge, so if you have a 12 hour surge, it's very possible that you can miss it. I use Wondfo OPKs because I feel guilty about using an expensive digi strip for the CBEFM every day. HTH, good luck!

Awesome, Ok thanks.  So you do the CBEFM with FMU and then when do you test again with the OPKs?   I am fairly certain I do have a short surge just because the last few months I've caught it with the OPK, several hours later it is negative.   I've never gotten back to back + OPKs.

Toriables

I actually cheat, a little. I temp and chart with FF, although I wake up at different times a lot because of my job, and I'm not always exactly accurate. I can generally see the increased temp in my LP, though. I use the CBEFM at night, because I always am home at around the same time. My work schedule alternates between  7a-3p and 11a-7p, so I set the monitor to test around 9pm every night. I also use OPKs with FMU, and another one in the afternoon if I suspect I'm coming into my fertile window, if I have EWCM. Some women just have a short LH surge, so you're probably wise to use a few in a day. Are you buying IC off amazon? Otherwise it can get a little pricey!

brens317

Toriables:

I actually cheat, a little. I temp and chart with FF, although I wake up at different times a lot because of my job, and I'm not always exactly accurate. I can generally see the increased temp in my LP, though. I use the CBEFM at night, because I always am home at around the same time. My work schedule alternates between  7a-3p and 11a-7p, so I set the monitor to test around 9pm every night. I also use OPKs with FMU, and another one in the afternoon if I suspect I'm coming into my fertile window, if I have EWCM. Some women just have a short LH surge, so you're probably wise to use a few in a day. Are you buying IC off amazon? Otherwise it can get a little pricey!

Well I bought a box of the 20 sticks for the CBEFM off Amazon and still have half a box since I got PG quickly (ended in m/c) and then same with the digis - box of 20 from Amazon but I only used about 6 the last two cycles before I got my +. 

We have been lucky to get PG quickly, unfortunately the last 2 have ended in m/c.  Hoping the 3rd time is a charm! GL to you too!

ChiTown Bridget

Yes, it's possible. It has happened to me before and I don't think there is a problem with using opks along with the monitor. Good Luck!

Juicy71

Is this basically your first full cycle using the CBEFM then?  It's possible, since you got pregnant right away and stopped POAS that the CBEFM is going to count this as your first cycle.  For my first cycle with CBEFM, I got 19 high readings and one low, no peaks.  I also used OPKs though - I would test with FMU for them as well then test again later in the day (pretty much whenever I thought I wouldn't have too much watering down my urine).  Once I felt like I was getting closer to the surge I would use OPKs 3x/day as I seem to have a short surge as well.

GL!!

DemoDoll

kicius56:

dawn2zzs:

For my first cycle with CBEFM, I got 19 high readings and one low, no peaks.  I also used OPKs though

Same exact thing for me.

Same thing with me! I got about 17 or 18 highs and no peak the first month but I did get a positive OPK. The next month I got about 5 highs and 2 peaks, which was the month I got a BFP.