How do I know I'm ovulating?

[mustard]

Since coming off the pill in May last year my cycles have been a bit erratic mainly very long. I've been trying not to obsess about it and I thought they were sorting themselves out as the last two were 38 and 35 days which I thought meant they were getting more regular. This cycle I'm now on day 42 and no sign of AF so I'm getting a bit concerned that something might be wrong.
I wanted advice from you super knowledgacle ladies about what is the best way to tell if I'm ovulating. I'm not ttc yet so I don't need to know in advance so I can bd I just want to know its happened. So would bbt charting be the most reliable or would OPKs tell me anything (I've read they can be less reliable as things like PCOS causes high LH levels or something). I seem to get several patches of cervical mucus in some cycles and none in others so that isn't helping me and I don't know whats happening with cervical position it always seems too high to feel its position so I'm probably doing it wrong.

Thank you in advance for your help I'm probably just paranoid but I just want to reassure myself that all is working.

 

[Tinkerbell3]

I'd go with BBT charting, once you've ovulated you'll see an obvious temp rise that will stay high until AF arrives but with the OPK's as useful as they can be to tell when your LH surge is happening which usually signals ovulation you can actually get the surge and not ovulating meaning you can get a positive OPK and still not ovulate so they won't confirm you actually have.

 

[mustard]

Thanks very much thats what I thought from what I'd read. Do you need a special thermometer or will a normal one do?

 

[OzGirlNat]

I think the ones for measuring bbt are more sensitive and measure in smaller increments than a normal one. But I'm sure others on here are much more knowledgeable.

 

[mustard]

Thanks Nat. I was just wondering if you needed the extra accuracy as thought that might just make the charts seem to jump up and down more and make it harder to interpret but I dont know. Maybe I should try a normla one and see what happens.

 

[Princess81]

Yeh a special bbt thermometer is best because it's more accurate. U can get them online or at a chemist x

 

[mustard]

Ok thanks Princess I'll get one of those then.

 

[Princess81]

Def and record you temp at roughly the same time each day, when u wake up, before getting out of bed, when your temp will be at it's lowest. Fertility friend website teaches u all u need to know About ovulation x

 

[mustard]

Thank you I have just discovered the fertility friend website thanks to tickerbell's signature. It seems to be very useful and have loads of stuff on it so I will have a good read. Just one more question though. Can I start charting any day or should I start on day one?