Temp / Other tracking questions

[ashap]

Out of curiosity is everyone here using temping to track O? 

I am new to temping kind of - I don't really count the cycle where I went about 87 days with no O.  This cycle it said I O'd based on temps early, but then changed its mind and said no O at all yet.  

I think temping is a mind fvck sometimes, I get a little to stressed out about the temping and the changes and dips and everything else.  But I'm curious as to what everything else does and/or is thinking. 

[duff]

I'm only on my second cycle temping, so I'm still trying to figure it all out.

The first cycle was crazy. My chart looks like a mountain range, but I did get crosshairs and my temp did spike at 1DPO.

This cycle have been much better, chart-wise. Again, I had a positive OPK and a very, very clear temp shift 1 DPO. I'm 3 DPO now and just got my crosshairs today.  This month, FF seems to be tracking my DPO exactly the way I'm thinking it should based off both the temp shift and the + OPK.

The idea of temping really stressed me out at first, but once I started seeing my chart, I realized that I like it. I'm such a numbers and data nerd (lol, I'm an accountant, so duh) and I like having something more "concrete" to look at.

ETA because I went back to look at my charts.

[ridethelightning]

I temp, but I'm frustrated. I bout opks for this month, which I've never used before. I may or may not temp, but I'm sure I will, because I will drive myself nuts otherwise. I had my first time of FF saying I ovulated, ever, last cycle. I think the cycle before that was anovulatory.

[konapoppy]

I temped the first few months we were TTA. I was lucky that my cycles were regular, so I stopped after a while. I also don't wake up at a consistent time, and the idea of taking my temp at 4 am when I frequently wake up is horrifying. Are you temping? (DUH, that was supposed to be, "Are you using OPKs?")

[ashap]

Thanks for sharing!!

konapoppy I decided to start temping in Oct at the end of a cycle, my next cycle was the 87+ day cycle and I gave up temping around CD60, this cycle I started temping, got crosshairs at CD11 with definitely no O and then cross hairs went away and my temps have had wild swings since about CD16. So it's only my 3rd cycle since October.

I'm starting to think that temping is messing with my head more than anything - like a constant sense of worry when I have a wild swing that I perseverate on forever. It might be better mentally to just give it up completely and just get out of my head a little.

[hamster]

I like temping because it helps me track what's going on. Like I'm having sitting to sit out this cycle (and next) but I like that I know I O'd late but my LP is at 9 days and counting and that's a huge relief.

But I also pyshcoanalyze my chart and struggle to fall back asleep after taking my temp most days. I temp with H's alarm because it's consistent.

[konapoppy]

Apr 7, 2016 21:16:58 GMT -5 ashap said:

Thanks for sharing!!

konapoppy I decided to start temping in Oct at the end of a cycle, my next cycle was the 87+ day cycle and I gave up temping around CD60, this cycle I started temping, got crosshairs at CD11 with definitely no O and then cross hairs went away and my temps have had wild swings since about CD16. So it's only my 3rd cycle since October.

I'm starting to think that temping is messing with my head more than anything - like a constant sense of worry when I have a wild swing that I perseverate on forever. It might be better mentally to just give it up completely and just get out of my head a little.

Ugh sorry, my question was supposed to be, "are you using OPKs?" I found temping stressful too. Have you talked to your doctor about the long cycles? I think they can give you progesterone or something else to jump start your cycle. 

[ashap]

konapoppy lol, yes I started OPK's this cycle. None of my doctors seem the least bit concerned about long cycles. And all of them are reluctant to medicate - including my H.

hamster that is what I was hoping for, just understanding a range of O days that are typical for me, knowing how long the LP phase is, all that good stuff. But I have such wild daily swings that I just get worked up thinking it's exactly like last cycle that went on for ever and I never O'd and. and. and. and....

[grover]

I temped for a while at the beginning. I swapped to the cbe fertility monitor last summer.

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[FishChicks]

I temp and use OPKs. While I am a terrible sleeper, rarely getting more than 2 hours in a row, I am still reliably able to notice a temp shift that occurs after my opks have been positive.

For what it's worth, I recently got a lit BBT, so I can take my temp each time I wake up and compare the various readings. It's actually remarkably stable. I'm usually in bed by 9 pm, and typically get the same temperature readings at 11, 12, and 3 or 4 am when I wake up for good. Only the 2 am temp differs from the rest by more than .1 F. Since I sleep the most solidly between 9 and 11 or 12, I use that temp, and I can still see a consistent shift post ovulation.

[konapoppy]

ashap, I get not wanting to medicate. I do think some other ladies here have had doctors recommend jump starting your period if you go more than 60 days if you eventually decide to go that route. I am biased because I am two years into this journey and 80 something day cycles would be hard for me.

[ashap]

haha yes! I am almost a year into it and these weird cycles are driving me nuts! I did ask if I could just do a bunch of Clomid cycles to ensure I ovulate early / on time and have a few normal cycles but no one is even on board with THAT right now.

FishChicks I honestly have no idea why I can't seem to get good temps - the last few days I temped before giving up swung by almost a full degree every other day. I never had normal cycles before going on BC and I've been on that for 17 years with the past 8 or so on extended cycle BC so I feel like that might have something to do with it, but everyone says no.

[preppy]

I temped and used the digital opks for over a year with DD before I got pregnant. Some months I wouldn't get crosshairs and others it would move or wouldn't match up the opk. I haven't started temping again yet.

[starryfish]

Apr 9, 2016 21:42:46 GMT -5 ashap said:

haha yes! I am almost a year into it and these weird cycles are driving me nuts! I did ask if I could just do a bunch of Clomid cycles to ensure I ovulate early / on time and have a few normal cycles but no one is even on board with THAT right now.

FishChicks I honestly have no idea why I can't seem to get good temps - the last few days I temped before giving up swung by almost a full degree every other day. I never had normal cycles before going on BC and I've been on that for 17 years with the past 8 or so on extended cycle BC so I feel like that might have something to do with it, but everyone says no.

Sorry to jump in here, I normally post on TTTC. Who is not on board with clomid? If you are at one year of trying and your doctors are not ok with you starting some medicine, I would personally find a new doctor. Waiting sucks, and I want a doctor that is going to be my advocate to help me get PG. Just my two cents. 

[ashap]

starryfish no worries your opinions are welcome! We have been trying since July so not quite a year. My Doc is onboard for a very limited amount of medicated cycles, and wants to make sure we have good reasons to do that before we dive in.  So she is not yet convinced.  I also have extremely long cycles so I've only had 5 cycles in the last 9 months, 1 was anovulatory.  

My H is strongly opposed right now, he is a doctor too so I feel like his input/research is pretty important so I'm willing to let him steer this one for the time being until he is more comfortable 

[starryfish]

Apr 15, 2016 10:43:19 GMT -5 ashap said:

starryfish no worries your opinions are welcome! We have been trying since July so not quite a year. My Doc is onboard for a very limited amount of medicated cycles, and wants to make sure we have good reasons to do that before we dive in.  So she is not yet convinced.  I also have extremely long cycles so I've only had 5 cycles in the last 9 months, 1 was anovulatory.  

My H is strongly opposed right now, he is a doctor too so I feel like his input/research is pretty important so I'm willing to let him steer this one for the time being until he is more comfortable 

Gotcha. I have long cycles too...I normally O on CD 25/26 and then have a LP of 14-16 days. Long cycles and waiting is the worst. Do you have PCOS? I think that is linked to anovulatory cycles. Big Hugs and i hope you get your BFP soon!