TTC and charting questions - some TMI

[Sweetum]

Thank you for the recommendation to read TCOYF - it's fascinating to say the least :)

I've started to chart my temperatures and have the chart for one complete cycle and am continuing to chart. I have some questions and wondering if anyone can chime in - I'm finding a few things either out of norm with myself or maybe I am not understanding this right. I noticed that after 11 days of a Luteal phase, I started my period. But my BBT did not really drop. It continued to stay high for a couple of days and the slowly dropped, but just on the cover line of the previous cycle. what does that mean? When I didn't see any bleeding yet, I was hopeful that I was pregnant, but now with my period here and gone, I'm pretty sure I'm not, but then why isn't my BBT returning to the temperatures of the previous cycle? Or are the cycles independent of each other?
Also, if my temperatures aren't very high in the luteal phase when compared to the prior phase, does that mean that I am having luteal phase issues?

I was mentally noting the other indicators but will be charting them this cycle.

Thanks for your help!

[essnce629]

I have charted off and on for years (I have 52 charts on Fertility Friend). Your temps can be all over the place during your period. They can be up and down. Mine always go back down to my normal pre-ovulation temps after bleeding stops and then up over the coverline after ovulation. Your coverline changes every cycle so I would never compare it to the previous cycle.

A 11 day luteal phase is not considered abnormal. As long as it is at least 10 days you can get pregnant. With 52 charts to look back on, my shortest LP has been 10 days and my longest has been 15 days. Under 10 days would be considered a luteal phase defect. In that case, taking vitamin B6 can help lengthen it.

As long as you have a biphasic chart with lower pre-O temps and then higher post-O temps, you are ovulating and things are probably fine. Some women don't have very high post-O temps and I've seen plenty of pregnancy charts with low post-O temps or temps with a slow rise. You can search pregnancy charts on Fertility Friend and see there's a HUGE variation in pregnancy charts. Everyone is different.

As long as you're ovulating, have fertile cervical mucus (eggwhite or watery), and a luteal phase of at least 10 days, then you should be able to get pregnant.

[Katigre]

I found that when warm weather hit my basal body temp rose by a few tenths and then dropped during colder months in winter. It's possible this happened to you this cycle.

Fwiw, you'll probably need 2-3 charts before you can spot definitive patterns vs a one time thing so hang in there!

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

[Sweetum]

Thank you both.

[Sweetum]

I have a follow-up question. It seems like this cycle, my temperatures are not rising as they should after expected ovulation. I am a very regular cycle person, it's always 28 days. Is it possible to be this regular and not have a cycle where I ovulate? I have to say that I overslept three days after expected ovulation date and recorded temp 1.5 hours after usual time. Not sure how this will affect.

Also, is it possible that I may not have ovulated yet (for some reason this being a freak cycle), and that we should continue to try? But again, my CM is not there anymore, or barely there. So, what does that mean? Could we still try? should I continue to take evening primrose?

[sste]

Bulkin I can't answer that as I never charted but you may want to use a back up system of OPK. I used these, quite reliable -- they are the same thing babyhopes.com used to carry and were right on the money. You actually do best using them a few months so you get a sense of the line darkness etc and of course you want to start DTD before any line and when the faintest line appears up until when you get a dark line (maybe one day beyond). Anyway, I am not saying this to cut out charting but you an use it as a second system to figure out if you are missing something with your charting.

http://www.amazon.com/Combo-Ovulation-Pregnancy-Test-Strips/dp/B0026995KO/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402340901&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=wundfo

[Sweetum]

I agree. My question is not just for ttc but also out of geeky curiosity :D
I am finding this charting and the book very fascinating - it's been very intersting to find out all this about my body.

I did have an OPK but inadvertenty bought one that is cumbersome to use. So, I'm going to have to buy a better one and be disciplined about using it next time. Funnily, it's been way easier to do the basal body temp every morning than doing the OPK.