Starting medicated cycles and charting - ???

LindseyM2012 · August 2014

I just had my test review and planning appointment with my RE. No surprises popped up in the testing and my husband's SA is great (thank goodness - the last thing I want is for him to feel less of a man, which I know he would, since I know what it is like to feel less of a woman). I am doing a Dexamethasone Suppression Test to rule out Cushing's Syndrome since my testosterone remains so high, but the RE thinks it is highly unlikely.

I posted in the Weekly 3T Check-In about my plan to hold off on Letrozole until the beginning of October since I am starting a 10 month internship in September. On the off chance that this all works on the 1st cycle, I want to be done with the internship before I go on a leave (otherwise I'd just have one month left...bad timing). So...my RE wants me to start on Metformin next week. She typically starts her patients on Metformin at least 2 weeks before beginning ovulation inducing meds so their bodies can have a chance to adjust to it. Therefore, she recommends I start on it now so we can move right along when October rolls around. Once October comes, I'll continue Metformin, add Letrozole (with monitoring), trigger and do TI since MH is good to go.

So my question for you ladies who have done medicated cycles like this: Do you chart your cycles with FF or let the monitoring with the RE let you know where you stand? I started to do charting when we first started TTC, but let that fall off because I had difficulty remaining consistent with temping and OPKs are not valid with PCOS. If you do chart, do you do the whole 9 yards (BBT, signs/symptoms, etc.)? Or...am I just overthinking this whole thing and I should let the RE and staff take the reins? (Can you tell I'm anxious?)

Pintobean39 · August 2014

I charted on my medicated cycles with injections more of because I'm weird like that and It was a habit. I've never taking the meds you are taking but a lot of meds can throw off your temp so if you are one of those that obsess over a chart don't do it. The monitoring that your RE does should be all you need.

catlover790 · August 2014

I'm glad you were able to come up with a plan for starting a cycle in October! Good to hear your H's SA came back with good results also.

I decided to keep charting my bbt just for this cycle. I didn't bother with CM, CP, or OPKs. The monitoring really takes care of any reason to do it. If the goal is to know when you O, and you have a trigger you don't really need to temp. I decided to do it for this cycle more so to obsess during the 2WW! haha!

ETA: I also haven't really been strict about it; I sleep in on the weekends and don't worry about the temps those days and if I forget it's not really a big deal.

BKBABY3 · August 2014

I leave it all to my RE, that's what he's there for! I still use my phone app to record when my cycle starts and any notes from my appointments, but that's it.

On a side note, I'm sure you've heard people talk about yucky side effects when starting Metformin, but for me there have been no issues.

Ashlee8809 · August 2014

I don't have any actual answers or advice, but can I answer your question with a question? Did you find value in temping back when you first started, even with the PCOS? And can you clarify a bit what you meant by OPKs not working with PCOS (is it just a waste because cycles are so crazy)? As you can probably tell, I'm just getting into the temping and cycle regulation game, and I'm freaking out a bit.

Sorry to hijack! You can DM me if that's easier.

LindseyM2012 · August 2014

Ashlee8809 said:

I don't have any actual answers or advice, but can I answer your question with a question? Did you find value in temping back when you first started, even with the PCOS? And can you clarify a bit what you meant by OPKs not working with PCOS (is it just a waste because cycles are so crazy)? As you can probably tell, I'm just getting into the temping and cycle regulation game, and I'm freaking out a bit.

Sorry to hijack! You can DM me if that's easier.

No worries! This is how it has been explained to me by my ob/gyn & RE, so someone correct me if I'm wrong here:

OPKs don't work with PCOS because us PCOS-ers typically have a higher baseline level of LH (which the OPK measures that "surges" when you're getting ready to ovulate). OPKs are designed to come back positive when a certain level of LH is reached. For the typical woman, that level is usually high enough to indicate a surge, whereas that level in a woman with PCOS usually only indicates a slight increase. So its typically a false positive. Does that make sense (sometimes I don't explain things too well).

All that to say, I can't use OPKs to check for impending ovulation. I was not very disciplined about doing BBT before, so I never got a good idea what my "normal" is. I'm thinking I'll just chart my actual period, any signs/symptoms that come up with my body and our intercourse pattern (we're going to do TI) to start. I'll probably ask my nurse if the meds affect BBT (thanks for the heads up @Pintobean39) and if not I'll chart that just for "fun" - or just because I'm also obsessed like that (**wink wink @catlover790 **)

@BKBABY3 - I have heard of the side effects, so I'm hoping they're minimal for me too!

Ashlee8809 · August 2014

@LindseyM2012 Thanks! I super appreciate it!

ky29 · August 2014

I temped through my first medicated cycle, mostly because it was habit. But now I don't. I enjoy the break.

BunnyBerry · August 2014

So glad that your RE has a great plan for you. Hopefully the timing will be just perfect and allow you to start your internship with less stress!

When you charted before, did you find that you ovulated? If I knew I pretty much never O, I would probably not bother temping these cycles. But if you sometimes/always O, I would definitely chart from now through October, to have an accurate idea of when the cycles will and when I should expect to have dr appointments.

I would also want to know my typical O day so I could compare to a medicated cycle. For example, if it turns out I O around CD20, I wouldn't get nervous if there's still no mature follies by CD16 or something.

Finally, I would want to do sooomething while waiting, and it might be nice to make sure my luteal phase is long enough. If it turned out to be on the short side, I'd be able to let the RE know and make sure they kept a close eye on my progesterone and lining to see if if the ovarian stimulation meds solved it or if I needed estrace or progesterone supplementation.

Of course, there's also something to be said for forgetting about fertility and babymaking for a few months and just enjoying the early fall with my SO!

Champs28 · August 2014

Haven't been able to do a medicated cycle yet but I chart regularly- bbt, discharge, and overall health symptoms. I use an app called Ovia and it's great. But be sure that you are marking off what kinds of meds you're on during your charting! My charts say provera and premarin al over the place ugh!

BananaPancakes02 · August 2014

I decided not to chart during my cycles. It is hard enough to not obsess, and trying to chart just would make it so much worse for me. I use my FF just to keep track of my meds, and OPKs and HPTs.

morganlmw · August 2014

Metformin wasn't super awful for me. I could live with the tummy troubles....it just made me so freaking tired. I would fall asleep at work.
If you read the prescription warnings it say to wear a bracelet or carry info saying you are on it. I work around alot of nurses, so I made sure the people around me knew in case I got too light headed as it impacts blood sugar.

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