Sorry - CBEFM = Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor. Yep, I'll try any gadget out there!
For those who don't know what the CBEFM actually is, it's a small electronic device - bit bigger than a BlackBerry - and it predicts ovulation. It works on a similar principle to OPKs, in that you pee on a stick which has embedded strips to detect the presence of hormones, but you then insert the test stick into the device and the machine 'reads' it. OPKs just test for the presence of LH (luteinising hormone), which predicts ovulation within 12-36 hours. The CBEFM, however, tests for the oestrogen surge that you get around 3-5 days before the LH surge, as well as testing for LH. Instead of getting a negative or positive result, you get three levels of fertility - low, when neither oestrogen nor LH is detected; high, when it senses a build-up of oestrogen but no LH; then peak, when it detects LH. The device automatically gives you a second peak day after the first - this second peak day is almost always ovulation day. Unlike OPKs, you test with FMU.
The bonus - if everything works - is that you chug along for the first bit of your cycle with a low reading, then you get a high and know you have to start BDing, and that you're likely to ovulate around 4 days later. So you don't have the panic of suddenly getting a +OPK and your DH is out with his mates...
The downside is that if ovulation is delayed at the last minute - i.e. your body gears up for it, but then holds on to that egg - the monitor detects your oestrogen surge, you BD like rabbits, and 7 days later you're still BDing and getting heartily sick of it. You're not supposed to look at the sticks, but if you know what to look for, you can get further insight by comparing the lines. As oestrogen increases, the oestrogen test line fades; as LH increases, the LH line darkens. So what happens is you start with one strong line on the left, then you get a less strong line on the left and a faint on the right, then faint on the left and strong on the right, more or less. For the last four or five days, I've had the middle scenario, which is getting a bit boring.
If anyone else is thinking of getting a CBEFM, its main use is in predicting ovulation for those with irregular, but not hugely abnormal, cycles. If you're always 28 days, there's no benefit, but if you are usually somewhere between 31 and 36 days, for example, it's useful. They're expensive - around £90 in Boots, and the boxes of test sticks are expensive too - but you can buy them more cheaply on eBay (around £60 new) and from Access Diagnostics. You can also buy second-hand ones on eBay - you then have to google to find out how to reset them (they adapt to the user's cycles, so if you have long cycles they won't start asking you to POAS until CD14 or so, whereas if you have short ones, you'll be asked to POAS on CD6 or so).
Hope that helps!
FX that AF stays away, skairdykat.
Good luck choklatemunky!
Tasha20, lots of people get a slow rise - you should always keep BDing through ovulation anyway, just in case, and stop when it's been confirmed. Looking at your chart, it's difficult to tell because you have open circles, which means those temps aren't reliable. Also, you wouldn't know for sure until 3 high temps after ov. As the CM and OPKs match, it looks likely that you did, but your temps may be showing artificially low for some reason - if you took them earlier than usual, or if you didn't sleep properly. Also, the temps before your supposed ov date are open circles - if you took those later than usual, they would be higher than you might expect. I'd carry on BDing just in case, but you really do need to take your temp at the same time every day, after 3 hours continuous sleep, immediately upon waking and definitely before you get up to go to the loo, have a cup of tea, push back the duvet, or even sit up and have a sip of water. The only part of my body that moves before I temp is my arm, reaching out for the thermometer! So the answer is that with your temps as they are, no, ovulation wouldn't be detected, but my guess is that the temps are less reliable than the combined effect of the CM and OPKs, and overall I'd say it's quite likely you did. Don't worry too much about the first chart, I'd say most first charts are pretty unreliable as you work out what time suits you to temp best, and how to temp efficiently.
Bloody hell, this is an epic. I should have left the house 20 minutes ago! I'll catch up with you all on Sunday - have a good day, and a fab weekend!
Oh Kitty - how annoying!
everyone else!
And + i remembered to take my temp right this am so hopefuly il remember every morning the same and not get it wrong again! 
And according to my ticker its OV day im hoping thats right too il be ready and waitig on the o/h tonight! 
Sorry me feling mad for a moment il be calm now. And how are we all doing today then?! 
I really hope you get your BFP. 
AF is still here but Im kicking her out tomorrow. 
but in an attempt to make my OH fancy me more and actually WANT sex with me not just because he has to, Ive booked 90 minutes worth of skin cancer and burning pain! I promise I wont use it all at once 
