What's going on???

[ScotchEgg]

Ok, now I’m just confused.

I decided after getting a bit obsessed last month not to monitor anything at all this cycle. I’ve done really well. I’ve been monitoring CM and temperatures well over 2 ½ years – at first as natural family planning and in the last seven cycles I’ve just used it to know what’s going on. I also managed to stay away from forums most of the time and am really pleased on going back to see how many people have managed to move on.

Knowing that I’m due on soon and not feeling any symptoms I decided to monitor my temperatures as I always get a dramatic drop in temperature just before my period starts and I don’t want to get stuck with it and no warning. I started yesterday with a freakily low temperature and concluded I must have slept with my mouth open. Again this morning – way below my normal cover line. I’ve never had two temperatures that low one after the other before.

Then I opened up my magic spreadsheet that has all my records on for the time I’ve been monitoring and I ALWAYS have sore boobs within a day or two of ovulation. Must be the extra hormones around that time. They’re usually sore for a few days, reduce to achy until a few days before AF comes and they get really sore again. I haven’t felt a thing

So maybe I haven’t ovulated yet...I’m on day 26 which would be very late for me – I used to be really irregular (45-130 days) but in the last year I’ve had: 28, 38, 35, 34, 34, 32, 29, 24, 29 & 34 day cycles with the luteal phase ranging from 10-14 days so I guess it’s possible if I ovulate really soon

Very very confused, but I’ve had a look back at my temperature charts and I often have a dip (although not this deep) in temperature just before ovulation so maybe I’m about to do that. I’ve got the ovulation tests, maybe I’ll try one of those tonight to help me decide what’s going on.

Actually, I started writing this really confused but now I feel full of hope. I’m not sure why my cycles seem to be getting longer, but that could mean I’m in the best bit!

 

[cosmicgirl]

WOW!!! I'm in envy of how well you know your own body! You are an example to all womankind!!! I would love to know as much as you do, i have no idea about cycle length, temps, cm or anything infact. I just daudle along month to month and no when i get a pain in my thighs that af is coming! Bravo scotchegg xxxx (sorry that was of no help btw)

 

[ScotchEgg]

no help at all except to make me laugh!!! And laughter's the best medicine for everything (except a stitch)

I had no idea for a long time, but when I started tracking I really really really didn't want to get pregnant and after a year I was pretty on fire with it. I get better every month and I must admit I find it fascinating.

 

[cosmicgirl]

Thats amazing, you inspire me to start monitoring myself but wouldnt know where to begin. Is there a website or a book I can read, I know zero about it xx

 

[Nurse 26]

wow scotchegg you are the queen of cycle tracking. If i were you i would give the OPK's a go. thats mainly because i am a POAS addict but also if you havnt OV yet, you might catch it. If you are BDing every other day that should do the trick too, sorry i've not been much help either but i never did temping too confusing for my little brain

 

[ScotchEgg]

We've been going about every other day as normal - haven't paid that much attention, but that seems to be our natural rhythm so if we have already ov'd we should have caught it.

if you sign up to fertility friend, they have a course, but I must admit I never got very far through it. The main theme is that everyone's different, but there's a few generalisations.

Your temperatures are lower before ovulation and higher after. It's quite an impressive jump (defined as 3 temps at least 0.1 degrees higher than the previous 6 temps if I remember right, but I never think about it as it's always so clear when I've had a jump. The jump is the day after ovulation so you can't use it to predict, but you can use it to tell when you have ovulated. Then there's a significant drop the day or the day before AF starts.

Aside from that, I also monitor my CM, although I don't find that conclusive enough on its own. I write down what it looks like each day and although I see general trends, I rarely see EWCM. BUT, combined with the temperatures I can see really clear trends. Again not really anything in advance but I can see what's happened.

I write down as well any symptoms that are related to cycles. If I have sore boobs, if I have mild constipation, tummy aches, tiredness, grumpiness and if we fight. I used to write down everything but I soon found the things that turned up every month and just focussed on those.

It was probably about 6 months before it became clear what was going on each cycle and I probably have a good idea because I recorded so much and learnt what was a sign and what was just random, but the trends are so strong I can see what's going on quite clearly nowadays (hence why I'm so confused having taken my first month off!)

It takes time, but it's a fascinating thing to study.

 

[cosmicgirl]

I'm going to do it!!! Thanks scotchegg, that is really exciting info xx

 

[cherrybinky]

I second what the girls said WOW, thats amazing! Go girl! Ive just started OPKs and am crap at it and dont know my own body at all ! Lol

 

[ScotchEgg]

did an ov test. only one line.

oh well, let's see what happens next

(feeling like I'm in a mystery book or maybe in scooby doo)

 

[ali6183]

Hi cosmic, it's called Billing's method (natural family planning) - if you google it you should get loads of info on it. Or there are heaps of books on amazon. Good luck,

Ali

 

[ScotchEgg]

still not sure what's going on. I want to know if I'm waiting to ovulate or in my 2ww!!!

On day 29, temps are still below my normal cover line and I've still not had sore boobs at all. Hoping it was just mild and I missed it rather than this being an epic cycle like I used to have. CM is not showing any signs of ovulation approaching...

Was so proud of taking a month off charting and now it's driving me nuts!!!

 

[cosmicgirl]

Hi cosmic, it's called Billing's method (natural family planning) - if you google it you should get loads of info on it. Or there are heaps of books on amazon. Good luck,

Ali

Thanks hun x

 

[ScotchEgg]

COME ON

I just want a period so we can start again - pretty sure there's nothing this cycle

I'm so bored of waiting - we made this decision in June. Imagine we'd got pregnant then, we'd have a kid by now....

 

[Lilelephant]

If you don't come on soon I would do a hpt just invade sweetie x

 

[ScotchEgg]

ok, so an update on the 'where am I in my cycle' saga

I've had higher temps the last two days, after staying pretty constant for four days. Both of the last two temps have reached above my normal cover line.

But no CM to suggest ovulation. In fact, very little CM at all.

So my current conclusion is that I'm in the second half, but something was depressing my temps for a few days and now I'm back to normal. I've not had any fertile CM since I started checking again so I'm going to assume ovulation was the day before I started monitoring again (giving me the latest date AF is due as I think I'm waiting for her) - ie 5th March. That'll make AF due by 19th March.

If I haven't seen any real signs or symptoms by then I'm not sure what I'll do. 19th March makes me a 38 day cycle I think which is equal to my longest in the last twelve months so I think it's a good date to fix in my mind.

Not sure what I'll do if nothing's happened by then, but we'll see...

 

[ScotchEgg]

Massive temperature dip today so maybe she's coming...still have no symptoms (sore boobs, tummy pains etc) though