Chart Stalkers February 2008

[skairdykat]

Morning ladies

Well my temp has shot up this morning so I think I must have OV'd yesterday
I thought I wasn't due to OV till today going off an OV calender but according to FF calender it was yesterday and it looks like FF was right . Just hope those temps stay up

I have been worried about low progesterone because of the weeks worth of spotting B4 AF. Will I be able to tell if I do with my chart? I think I rememeber becs finding out by her charts. Think her temps stayed quite low even after OV.

 

[choklatemunky]

Choklatemunky - your AF doesn't look too worrisome form FF info. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. FXed you get a good strong egg this month.

Its typical isnt it - the month I go to the Drs is the month I have the longest AF since coming off the pill - last month I only bled for 2.5days and this month (as you can all see) has been much longer. Im hoping thats a good thing. Still concerned about my luteal phase but we'll see what happens this month and what shows up in my CD21 blood test (which looks like it will actually be on CD23 - does that matter soon as I ovd last month on CD16 - so it'd still be 7 days after ov - which is what I presume is important rather than the day???).
P.S. I hope you ov real soon Sookie x

Skairdy - yes you might be able to tell from your chart....

Kitty - they did that with CB a little while ago in Boots.....seems like they are encouraging us to test more and more! hehe

Loola - I always use my wake-up temp now. I did two charts last month as most of you know - one wake up times and one the same time each day - I found the wake up time one more easy to imterpret so Im going with that now.

everyone else - will try to stalk more later

 

[Chill]

Hi all

Sookie - that sounds really promising, fingers crossed for you. I had a split peak type thing last month and totally missed my egg
This cycle FF is saying I will ov any time between day 11 and 23, that narrows it down a bit. Better warn DH to get in training.

I read somewhere that you should stop evening primrose after ov though (not sure where might be worth checking it out though, although you prob have already!!)

Gypsy - what restraint you have, hope it pays off and those temps stay high

Skairdy - good luck on the temps staying up, hope you caught the egg

Loola - I would use the earlier one I think and use correcter. But I guess if you do a bit of experimenting like Kitty you'll get to know what's best.
I used to be able to wake up and go straight back to sleep. Now If I wake up past 3am I start worrying about whether I should temp and what temp to use and that keeps me awake. hmmm

choklatemunky - I have a bit of a short luteal phase too, though it seems really variable. I came off depo last Jan and think that my cycle is still regularising, so maybe it's just from the pill still. Hopefully be longer this time.

everyone else

Last month's project was reading 'the book', this month I have ordered pre-seed, ov sticks and strip tests. Armed and dangerous

 

[Loola]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I think I will stick to my 7.30am temps, unless I wake only an hour before that. If I wake at 5am I wont temp or any time before that, as long as I go back to sleep straight away of course.

Well Ive had another big rise today! So ovulation is showing on my chart without me having to override it! Woooop! Im still slightly concerned about the huge amount of EWCM I had yesterday. If I get anymore today OH is being dragged to bed whether he likes it or not. I have no CM yet, but it never seems to be continous throughout the day for me anyway. Im probably still worrying over nothing as my OPKs are now negative. Im just never happy am I!

Skairdy - Yay your Llama has an upright tail! Hope those temps stay up hun

I shall do more stalking later!

 

[Kittykins]

Loola, that looks like a pretty definite ov to me!

Skairdy, looking promising... another couple of days should show whether that's an ov rise - make sure you BD tonight too!

Choklatemunky - yes, it should be 7dpo. I had mine on CD22 - should really have been CD23, but that was a Saturday and the surgery was closed. Good luck!

to everyone else.

Well, my temps are still well above the coverline, but dropped this morning and AF is here. I'm a bit disappointed but not very surprised. I've kind of given up hope My luteal phase was 11 days for the third cycle running - it seems to have shortened drastically since the chem. However, at least everything else about this cycle was normal, for the first time since October. FX this next cycle will be normal too - it looks like I might just ovulate in the couple of days before DH's operation. He's signed off work for 2 weeks, and told no exercise/BD for at least 6 weeks, or the effort might cause his guts to burst the stitches and spill outside his body No way am I risking that, he's not even going to be allowed to walk to the corner shop!

 

[Loola]

Oh Kitty Please dont give up hope! Good luck that your next cycle is normal and you do get enough BDing in before his op. Hope that goes well for him.

 

[CB23]

Kitty

 

[sookie]

Kitty Bugger AF! I really hope your DH's op goes well and you catch that egg beforehand.

Loola - it's a beautiful rise. I'm sure you have Oved. Chill out and get ready to symptom spot!!!!

Chill - about your DH getting in training. My poor DH doesn't have any clue when to expect it. Yesterday and today I pounced on the poor bugger while he was still asleep, and then to make it utterly romantic I am coughing and snorting throughout because of my illness. At least that is keeping me home and allowing me the time for a morning shag. I know he wouldn't appreciate it at my usual wake up time of 5am. My FF fertile phase goes from cd27 to 41 and now it looks like I could have Oved yesterday, so god knows what it will think next cycle.

Chocklatemunky - yes, it's typical, but a good thing about your AF. FXed that your test results are all fine.

About the EPO, yes I have to stop after Ov. I have a different post Ov regime. It's Fish oil and flax seed oil, red raspberry and natural progesterone tablets. I know that some people have said they think it's best to leave herbs etc alone, but I'm willing to give it a try. Especially since I actually may have ovulated for the first time in my life at a reasonable time. Of course there is absolutely no way of knowing if it has anything at all to do with the herbs, but I might as well finish the regime I started.

The problem now is knowing if I did Ov yesterday. I still have full ferning today (can't believe it!!!), yesterday's OPK was faint but could be it for me, I have had a lot of trouble with OPKs and other times realised in retrospect that I should have taken the faint one as a +. My temp rose nicely today, above former coverlines, and yesterday I had what could have been Ov pain. It is never very strong but definitely noticeable. I could have had EWCM yesterday but thought it was probably DH's leftovers (sorry TMI), so I didn't enter it. Otherwise no EWCM (not sure about the value of the EPO).

So, while I know it's impossible to tell from that data and info, and that I have to wait a few days, what do you think ladies? Have I Oved this early?????

I will stop the pre-ov herbs today, but should I start the post Ov ones?

 

[Kittykins]

About the EPO, yes I have to stop after Ov. I have a different post Ov regime. It's Fish oil and flax seed oil, red raspberry and natural progesterone tablets. I know that some people have said they think it's best to leave herbs etc alone, but I'm willing to give it a try. Especially since I actually may have ovulated for the first time in my life at a reasonable time. Of course there is absolutely no way of knowing if it has anything at all to do with the herbs, but I might as well finish the regime I started.

I think it depends on your situation! If my cycles were as random as yours (and as long-term random...) and I was in a country where the health service maybe isn't that great and they don't speak the language, I think I'd risk self-medication too!

Generally, my attitude towards self-medication with herbs and supplements is that if you're ovulating within a reasonable time-frame and your cycles vary within a reasonable range, and your luteal phase is within normal boundaries, then I think you've more to lose than gain through self-medication, particularly if that could screw your chances of being treated by your doctor. My cycles have been frustrating, but I have at least ovulated each time and (with the exception of one cycle) ovulation has been between CD14 and CD21, with the total cycle between 26 and 33 days. My luteal phase is on the short side at 11 days, but that isn't a big issue. I have a doctor who's willing to help, so all in all, I'm in quite a good position. I'd be crazy to annoy the doctor by trying to medicate myself, and I could screw my cycles up far more than they are. Plus I'd be hugely peed off if I was then told I had to wait three months to get the herbs out my system before they'd treat me! If, on the other hand, my doctor had told me to f*** off for a year before he'd even start testing, I'd definitely be on the agnus castus, red clover, red raspberry and anything else I could find by now...

So - your herbs. I'd stop the pre-ov herbs when I first detect potential ovulation, and start the post-ov herbs once ovulation has been confirmed - after three days of temps, if that's what it takes. Can't you take the fish oil and flax seed oil throughout? Difficult to tell whether or not you've ov'ed yet, with your history. Possible, though...

btw - the guaifenesin I took last month seemed to make quite a big difference to the CM situation... I started taking the cough mixture because I had a cough (fair 'nuff!) but then I figured with a week to go till ovulation, I'd carry on taking it just to make sure that cough stayed away So I'm thinking maybe I'll have a cough this month too!

 

[sookie]

Thanks Kitty I know that my situation is a bit different, and given that my cycles have always been like this, not just since coming off birth control, and that I have no confidence in my doctor's knowledge or treatment, I figured what the hell!?! My cycles can't get any more bizarro could they?! If I could get the advice of a good reproductive gyno then I would stick with that, but it's not going to happen here, and I would rather take herbs than some 'pill' from this Colombian gyno that he didn't even tell me the name of or what it does exactly despite me asking. If these herbs haven't worked well then I will reconsider the meds, but for now I feel that it's promising.

I think that your advice regarding the post ov meds seems sound. I will wait for 3 confirmed temps before taking anything else now. The oils might be ok. The reason they kick in after Ov is to replace the EPO that you stop taking. So will do some research.

Ciao for now.

 

[Kittykins]

EPO is Omega 6, as is Flaxseed - I guess that's why the Flaxseed replaces the EPO (for anyone wondering why you don't just take flaxseed throughout, EPO is thought to increase fertile CM, but it also promotes uterine contractions and shouldn't be taken whilst pg, for fear of m/c). However, fish oil is Omega 3, so there's no overlap. As far as I'm aware, it's a good idea to make sure you get enough Omega 3 throughout your cycle - I noticed the other day that one of the pre-conception/pregnancy multivitamins (the Sanatogen one in the pink box, I think?) now comes in a 'multivitamin+omega 3' version. So if they're separate pills, you could take the fish oil throughout (obviously not if you have a fish oil/EPO combined tablet!).

The only thing about fish oil is that some brands produce it from fish liver instead of the body, and it thus has a high retinol content (Vit A), which you want to avoid - so if anyone goes off looking for a fish oil supplement, make sure it's low retinol! (Boots own brand and most 'women's health' brand ones are safe). Oh, and most Omega 3-6-9 combined tablets contain EPO.

Anyway, I should get away from the internet. Funny how my work rate decreases dramatically at the end of the luteal phase/first couple of days of the new cycle... Even though I know AF is here, until that temp falls to pre-ov levels, there's always the vain hope that I'm going to be the one person in 1000 who gets their BFP after a normal period! I like to think I'm a fairly sensible, intelligent sort of person, but the way I act and think at this time of the month, I might as well tell everyone I've been abducted by aliens, met Father Christmas and had my fairy friends round to dinner - all in the same weekend... ah well, I have a yoga class this evening followed by tapas with friends. That'll be a large glass of red wine for the non-pregnant woman then... (hmm, now I think of it, the only non-pregnant/non-breastfeeding woman - conspicuous by her drinking!)

 

[sookie]

Yes - I have separate fish oil, and it's made for TTC so ticks all the boxes as to what it's supposed to be. I'm very excited about the Dong Quai and Whole Body Tonic I took. I think they may have worked. I am getting EWCM today too. I have been reading more and more about Dong Quai and it is believed that it might act like a phyto-estrogen, Dong Quai does seem to act like an estrogen "modulator" which activates or suppresses estrogen receptors within the pituitary to even out the hormones that pulsate to the ovaries and bring on ovulation. It is said to work best in combination with other herbs, which is why I bought the whole body tonic too.

I really hope this is Ov or I'm going to feel pretty silly for all this rambling otherwise.

Kitty - enjoy the tapas. Sounds good. You reminded me of a tapas bar in Melbourne that I love and miss Wouldn't mind a trip home at the moment and some dinner with friends. Enjoy your sangria or red wine or whatever you choose to indulge in!

 

[CB23]

oh for gods sake, just done my OPK and it hasn't even got a faint line, I had lines earlier in the week and though my LH was on the way up and now its gone back down again and my temps are all over the place. Grrrrrr

Anyway. Kitty where are you going for tapas? I love tapas! Enjoy your red wine.

Sookie going to go read all about your treatments, be back in a mo, looks very interesting from what I started to read.

 

[CB23]

Sookie where did you get all that from? Did you got to a special site or herbalist? Fingers crossed you have two more days of high temps and an early ovulation.

 

[choklatemunky]

....I might as well tell everyone I've been abducted by aliens, met Father Christmas and had my fairy friends round to dinner - all in the same weekend...

Sorry that really tickled me!

Sookie - really hope its ov!

CB23 - oh dear! Looks like you have had lots of fertile CM this month though - do you always get strong lines or only faint ones? Bear in mind that in the one month Chrissy didnt get a +OPK she got a +HPT...so + OPKs arent all that important, although I understand you are a bit frustrated

Funny that you should all be talking about EPO etc - I was in Boots earlier and they have this 'monthly cycle' pack of tablets - there are 30 with B6 and EPO and then another 7 different ones which you take (along with one of the 30) in the 7 days leading up to AF (though how you know when that is if you arent charting is beyond me....psychic powers anyone....actually that reminds me of Cyril and Bob - not heard from them in a while....where was I...) anyway I didnt understand them as I thought you couldnt take EPO after ov and I was gonna mention it to you guys to see what you thought ...they dont have the ones with the 7 extra tablets on their webiste by they have the 30 in a separate pack without the 7 (if that makes sense!)

http://www.boots.com/shop/product_detai ... id=1035783

All seems a bit odd to me?! so much conflicting advice isnt there!

 

[CB23]

I always get strong lines for my +OPK, oh well, I do have a bad cold so maybe that has delayed things.

I looked at your link, very odd and given what Kitty and Sookie have just said I would think you shouldn't use them for ttc, but if you weren't ttc why would you care about your cycle - I know I didn't, to the point where I was a week late before I worked out I was a week late and tested.

Does the pack say it helps with ttc on it? Either that one or the one with the extra 7 tablets?

 

[choklatemunky]

Yeah it could be the cold I guess...I have got one now and I hoping it buggers off soon! I have been coughing so much my chest hurts!

Yeah i havent bought them or anything - I actually went to the vitamins in search of some Vit C and they just caught my eye. I was thinking of taking some B6 (but Im not going to now this cycle as Im having my blood test so I dont want anything to interfere in any way with the results) but i might try B6 if we arent successful this month. I cant remember if the boots tabs said anything about ttc on the packet tbh, but youre right, why would you care that much about your cycle if you werent ttc? and also like i said how do you know exactly when the 7days before your period is - if you arent charting you dont know when you ov or how long your luteal phase is then you wouldnt know when Af would come as you might have ovd late that month???? its all a bit odd really

 

[Kittykins]

hi all, I was very naughty and skipped yoga I've got stomach cramps from AF and just couldn't face all the stretching. Thought it would probably make me That's my excuse, anyway. I did the class on Monday, so I'm not feeling too bad.

Can you tell I'm trying to justify myself? I skipped swimming this morning and my turbo session last night, so I've got a lot of justifying to do! But you know what it's like the day before and first day of AF - cramps, lower back ache, etc - you really just can't be arsed. I ate a whole mini bar of Green & Black's this afternoon. No it didn't make me feel better, it made me feel sick!

CB23 - off to La Tasca at Bond St. Not the most inspired idea ever, but it's central for all of us, and given ppl are coming from NW, E and SE London that's important! whereabouts do you live - if you're happy to say? Or if you don't mind saying but would rather not on the forum, PM me...

choklatemunky - I looked at those tablets a while back, and asked the pharmacist about them. They're not for ttc, but are supposed to help regulate cycles, improve hormonal balance (and appearance of skin...) and alleviate PMS - that's what the leaflet inside says (I made the pharmacist take it out so I could read it).

 

[sookie]

CB23 -

I got the herbal treatments from a website: www.tryingtoconceive.com

But I have a good friend who is a herbal medicine practitioner and I asked her to have a look at the products first. In my case she said it was worth a try, but to be careful about knowing when you Ov to stop the Dong Quai. She recommends Agnus Castus for a whole range of reproductive complaints and said it is very mild and in her opinion shouldn't be a problem to try. She also said if you took AC without knowing you were regnant for a few weeks that would be ok but to stop once you knew you were pregnant.

Well I just did an OPK and the line is gone. So either the last 2 days should be taken as positive results for the OPKs (they were faint almost positives), or it is a split peak again. Only time will tell with my temps now. Am also beginning to think that it was EWCM yesterday, as def had some today... I kinda feel like I'm cheating FF if I am not sure it was but I enter it anyway... same with the OPKs.... well I might enter those as positive and then keep testing anyway.

 

[welshpolly]

Hi everyone - my computer is being really slow and it is taking forever to load just one chart!

I don't know what's happening this cycle for me

Right, going to reload computer, delete cookies etc and see if that helps things load better!

Hope everyone has had a lovely Thursday!

Love Polly xxx