I've been lurking & can't find the answer to my question

stephaniebuzzella · December 2015

Hi everyone,

We've been ttc for 4 months after having Mirena for almost 4 years. I'm currently tracking my cycles and I'm a 'regular' 28 day cycle within a day as far as menstruation goes. I'm using an app to track my dates and this month we added OPK's. I'm not going to temp unless we reach the 6th cycle without success (because I'm a terrible sleeper and I know that will be a huge stress for me personally.) Yesterday, on CD 10 I used an opk and got a stronger line than I did this am. Someone throw me some clarity? Is it even possible to ovulate before CD 10? I'm 28 and you would think I'd have this all figured out by now but I don't. I figured in a group of women with my same goal maybe someone has seen this before. Thanks in advance.

MrsDho11 · December 2015

Yep, it is possible. It's also possible to get a positive OPK and not ovulate.

stephaniebuzzella · December 2015

Well that's cool. Anyone else feel like they're in a life size guessing game?

stephaniebuzzella · December 2015

I'll just keep saying my prayers and doing the dance. Good luck everyone

allichelle · December 2015

I believe for OPKs (or someone correct me if I'm wrong? I haven't used OPKs since we first tried TTC before I got sick about a year and a half ago), the test line has to be as dark or darker than the control line. So even though you're getting a line that's darker than what you had this morning, it's not positive unless it's darker than the control line.

I understand temping can be a pain, but it's really your best bet (read: only way) to truly know when you've ovulated. You can have LH surges throughout your cycle, which might give you a positive OPK, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're definitely ovulating.

ArtlessIbex · December 2015

Hi and welxone!
Yes to what everyone else said. You can ovulate super early, even if that isn't your pattern, and OPKS can be misleading (getting a positive without actually ovulating). Temping can actually remove a lot of stress, in my experience. However, if you don't want to do that, treat every day with watery or egg white cm as a fertile day. Have sex all or many of those days and consider yourself covered.
That said, I want to point out that last month I had a 30 day cycle (average for me), had lots of watery cm, a positive OPK. Unless I was temping, I wouldn't have known that cycle was annovulatory.
It is (for me) very worth it. I truly recommend it.

stephaniebuzzella · December 2015

I really want to track my temps, I just have really stupid finnicky insomnia and I read that will throw my temp off which would essentially 'void' the results. I'm so obsessive about things that I know I'd freak out & be a stress case in that situation.

LadyMillil · December 2015

stephaniebuzzella said:
I really want to track my temps, I just have really stupid finnicky insomnia and I read that will throw my temp off which would essentially 'void' the results. I'm so obsessive about things that I know I'd freak out & be a stress case in that situation.

I think it's worth trying temping. I wake up quite a bit some nights which makes my temps rocky, but I can still see a clear shift. If you're not ready to try temping yet I'd suggest checking cm in addition to opks to see if the signs line up.

allichelle · December 2015

stephaniebuzzella said:

I really want to track my temps, I just have really stupid finnicky insomnia and I read that will throw my temp off which would essentially 'void' the results. I'm so obsessive about things that I know I'd freak out & be a stress case in that situation.

Do whatever works for you. When in doubt, HIO.

DCHokiemom · December 2015

To add to the mind f*ck, you can also get a positive for a week like I have before, then not ovulate. Good luck to you, hopefully you get some clarity soon!

br0co1ii · December 2015

My rocky temps still show a shift after ovulation. I just have an alarm set and take my temp at the same time (or as close as possible) every day. I've found that it really helps me to feel more in control. I've also lost faith in my opk's because they don't line up all nice and pretty with my cm and temps. I track as many things as possible and try to HIO as much as possible. It's definitely a giant guessing game sometimes. Good luck to you!

TheBorg7of9 · December 2015

Well, it's OK not to check your temperatures. But if you don't check your temperatures youre just going to have to accept that you're not going to know when you're ovulating.

mrsdee15 · December 2015

stephaniebuzzella said:
I really want to track my temps, I just have really stupid finnicky insomnia and I read that will throw my temp off which would essentially 'void' the results. I'm so obsessive about things that I know I'd freak out & be a stress case in that situation.

**box?**
FWIW, I am a poor sleeper and wake up several times a night. My first two cycles were weird (I'm not convinced I Oed), but now I see clear temp shifts despite the waking up several times. I still prefer the temping plus OPKs, rather than guessing.

babymish · December 2015

I agree with some comments above. I know temping can be problematic and I get your worries. But maybe you could try it for one cycle to see how it looks?

You're right, this is a roller coaster mind fack guessing game and without temps it can be a lot worse.

For e.g say you ovulate late one month (it can happen even for the regulars) 1. You may miss your window 2. You then may think your period is late and believe me thinking you are KU and then realising that you're not is the worst feeling ever.

Good luck though

BostonBaby1 · December 2015

stephaniebuzzella said:
I really want to track my temps, I just have really stupid finnicky insomnia and I read that will throw my temp off which would essentially 'void' the results. I'm so obsessive about things that I know I'd freak out & be a stress case in that situation.

***dirty lurker***

I am also an insomniac. I temp and my charts usually look like a rocky mountain shit show. Still, almost every month shows a clear chef and I'll get it least dotted crosshairs on Fertility Friend. I also use OPKs and check CM so I have a better volume of info.

stephaniebuzzella · December 2015

If it looks like a Rocky Mountain shit show but you still see an ovulation spike then I'm definitely going to do it

stephaniebuzzella · December 2015

Do I need to wait until next cycle or should I go get a bbt right now?

stephaniebuzzella · December 2015

MissAmeliaPond · January 2016

I don't see why you can't start temping and tracking on Fertility Friend mid-cycle just to get in the habit. That's what I did, and it was fine. Helped establish the routine, even though it was too late to collect O date data for that cycle.

Also, I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this yet, but some women get multiple LH surges each cycle, so they have multiple patches of fertile CM as well as OPKs. Temping really helps clear the ambiguity.

princesslockness · January 2016

My chart is one that looks like the Rocky Mountains. When I took out one high temp because my 4 mo old woke me up for an hr, I have dotted crosshairs. Here is my chart just so you can actually see it.

stephaniebuzzella · January 2016

I started this am & my temp was 96.96 ( not that it matters yet haha ) I went last night to get a bbt at Walmart & bought a year of FF. Hopefully it works & I get the insight I'm looking for. Thanks again to everyone who encouraged me. You've all been wonderful. I'll admit I was a little nervous posting for the first time but I'm glad I wasn't burned at the stake haha. Good luck & keep posting so I have posts to read when I lose my mind in my tww

Kaites4 · January 2016

My gyn's biggest suggestion to me was "if temping stresses you out: don't do it!" I know that goes against the grain around these parts, but if you're stressed out that isn't good for your body, and as you said, will screw up the numbers. Do what is right for you and good luck!

FloridaStanley · January 2016

I wake up 1-3 times a night and still get a clear temp shift

(other than my one anovulatory cycle, which through temping I knew what I was and wasn't peeing on a stick 84937 times)

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