Bbt & Opk - Help Please!

[amanthony]

Hi girls!

Just started my period yesterday and decided to start temping this cycle. The pharmacist at my drugstore said there's no difference between digital normal and basal thermometers, but I read online that there is so I returned it and didn't start today. I'm going to start temping tomorrow.

Is there a difference between the two? And any tips/lessons learned? It seems fairly straightforward, but I thought that about the OPKs and learned as I went.

Here's what I think I've learned to try differently with the OPKs:

When I get a second line, test throughout the day until it gets darker...I missed my darker line, I think. Just tested at 12pm, 6pm (70% darkness both times) and 12pm next day it was faded to 50%, 12pm next day gone.

And I've heard to test around 2 pm--heard it's better, don't know why.

And to hold urine for 4 hours (if I can!) even though the test says to lessen fluids 2 hours before (so hold it from 10, reduce liquids at 12, test at 2 I think!?)

Does this all sound right?

It's my second cycle with OPKs and 1st with BBT, so...we'll see! Fertility Friend didn't detect my ovulation without BBT--I want to do it and be sure I'm ovulating!!!

 

[Loo]

I use a bog standard digital thermometer with only one decimal place. My temp goes up like 0.5degrees (celcius) after ov, so its very obvious.

I know some say use the two decimal place ones, but I am not going to change cos mine works just fine! But i think the choice is pretty much up to you! Is there a big cost difference?

My temps vary from day to day and with different 'things' (like did I wake up naturally or by help of an alarm clock!!) but its not enough to ruin the overall picture. So don't get too twitchy about small variations....just look at the overall pattern.

That's all I've learnt really...but it is totally amazing to see how the body changes throughout the cycle and I find it all quite incredible to think how the body responds the way it does.

Well, that's just my little opinion. Good luck x

 

[florentinella]

When I started charting my temps last year, I used an old glass mercury termometer (!). My temps were between 36.4-37.4C through various cycles and I was getting really nice patterns (although we werent TTC then...)

Then we started TTC this Sept, so I bought a new digital termometer "to get it right". But my temps were flat, and about 0.3 degrees lower than on the mercury, and the pattern just didnt look right. So during the second cycle I went back to my old termometer. It works for me, although I'm sure everyone advocates digital termometers...

And, apparently, measuring temp in your vagina is more accure, I never tried

Good luck!

 

[TigerLady]

I think the advice is to use a BBT digi b/c it has more decimal places. Some ladies only go up a little bit, so need something more sensitive. If you are just starting out, go with the bbt digi ... won't hurt and may help.

no worries about not starting today. you don't even have to temp during AF unless you want to.

Loo, is right. Don't get hung up on little things, like individual temps. Look for overall patterns.

use opks in the pm b/c LH takes a little while to build up in your urine and usually doesn't start until am, so won't be enough til pm. Example: I once used FMU with an opk, got a neg. That night, woke up with serious o pain and tested faint pos the next morning. I def o'ed overnight, and would have gotten a better result if i had tested in pm. May have missed it if not for the o pain.

Good luck!

 

[honey08]

the thermomter needs to be 4 digets instead of 3...i thought thats all chemists sold, well they do here anyways!!if ur concered bout not seeing a pos opk maybe buy a better brand till u get use to them as these are better in strengh,lots of pp say they never see a true pos on the internet ones !!
ff can take a few mth to get use to ur cycle/O day etc so if they put ur O day in and uknow its not correct just bare with them cos when u record pos opk/cm and other syptoms they will change it,best of luck hun x

 

[amanthony]

I use a bog standard digital thermometer with only one decimal place. My temp goes up like 0.5degrees (celcius) after ov, so its very obvious.

I know some say use the two decimal place ones, but I am not going to change cos mine works just fine! But i think the choice is pretty much up to you! Is there a big cost difference?

My temps vary from day to day and with different 'things' (like did I wake up naturally or by help of an alarm clock!!) but its not enough to ruin the overall picture. So don't get too twitchy about small variations....just look at the overall pattern.

That's all I've learnt really...but it is totally amazing to see how the body changes throughout the cycle and I find it all quite incredible to think how the body responds the way it does.

Well, that's just my little opinion. Good luck x

THANKS!

I bought one yesterday, but it only goes to the tenth so I'm just going to see how this month goes.

I'm going to try to just relax about it and see how it goes. I don't even know what I'm looking for, I'm just going to plug in those numbers to my chart and see what FF says about it.

I've gained a whole new respect for the woman's body through this process. It is, as you said, incredible. Conception is truly miraculous--the odds, how everything has to line up just right to create a life...amazing.

THANKS AGAIN!

 

[amanthony]

When I started charting my temps last year, I used an old glass mercury termometer (!). My temps were between 36.4-37.4C through various cycles and I was getting really nice patterns (although we werent TTC then...)

Then we started TTC this Sept, so I bought a new digital termometer "to get it right". But my temps were flat, and about 0.3 degrees lower than on the mercury, and the pattern just didnt look right. So during the second cycle I went back to my old termometer. It works for me, although I'm sure everyone advocates digital termometers...

And, apparently, measuring temp in your vagina is more accure, I never tried

Good luck!

Thanks for the insight! Mine's digital--that's what they had, so that's what I'll try for now. We'll see how it goes.

I'm going to go with the mouth for now and see how it goes.

I'm a little nervous about how the pattern will turn out--I wake up in the night and move around sometimes, so that's going to affect it I think???

THANK YOU!!!

 

[amanthony]

I think the advice is to use a BBT digi b/c it has more decimal places. Some ladies only go up a little bit, so need something more sensitive. If you are just starting out, go with the bbt digi ... won't hurt and may help.

no worries about not starting today. you don't even have to temp during AF unless you want to.

Loo, is right. Don't get hung up on little things, like individual temps. Look for overall patterns.

use opks in the pm b/c LH takes a little while to build up in your urine and usually doesn't start until am, so won't be enough til pm. Example: I once used FMU with an opk, got a neg. That night, woke up with serious o pain and tested faint pos the next morning. I def o'ed overnight, and would have gotten a better result if i had tested in pm. May have missed it if not for the o pain.

Good luck!

THANK YOU!

I'm going with digital, because that's what they had. I like the fact that it records the temp too, so I can take it and record later.

If you wake up to move around do you take it, or do you wait until you're going to get up?

I'm definitely doing the OPKs too, starting next week. And I'm going to do them later. If I get even a faint line, I'm going to test with every pee until I get one that's darker!

THANKS AGAIN!

 

[amanthony]

the thermomter needs to be 4 digets instead of 3...i thought thats all chemists sold, well they do here anyways!!if ur concered bout not seeing a pos opk maybe buy a better brand till u get use to them as these are better in strengh,lots of pp say they never see a true pos on the internet ones !!
ff can take a few mth to get use to ur cycle/O day etc so if they put ur O day in and uknow its not correct just bare with them cos when u record pos opk/cm and other syptoms they will change it,best of luck hun x

All they had was one with 3 digits, so I'm just going to try that. If I notice it's not going well, I'll order one online. The stores here don't have much variety--just the one option, really.

And thanks for the info on the online OPKs. I'm just going to use them up, I suppose, but know that any second line seems to be a positive for me. It came and went like a surge, so I think it was mine even though it didn't get dark enough. AF came at EXACTLY 14 days after the OPK said my ovulation should be, and the CM was right. Now I'll have the temps to confirm it again!

THANK YOU!!!

 

[TigerLady]

The prevailing wisdom is to temp after at least 3 hours of consecutive sleep. That seems pretty accurate for me. I have an older dog that often needs to go out in the middle of the night... if I get up and still have 3 more hours of sleep, my temps are usually where they should be. If I am w/in 3 hours of getting up, they are often not quite right. I usually make OH get up if it is w/in 3 hours!

Also, take them as close to the same time as possible, even on weekends. I wake up by alarm on weekends, temp, then go back to sleep to sleep in. Good luck!

 

[amanthony]

The prevailing wisdom is to temp after at least 3 hours of consecutive sleep. That seems pretty accurate for me. I have an older dog that often needs to go out in the middle of the night... if I get up and still have 3 more hours of sleep, my temps are usually where they should be. If I am w/in 3 hours of getting up, they are often not quite right. I usually make OH get up if it is w/in 3 hours!

Also, take them as close to the same time as possible, even on weekends. I wake up by alarm on weekends, temp, then go back to sleep to sleep in. Good luck!

I can do that--as long as I can go back to sleep, I'm good.

What if I'm waking up at various times just to roll over for a second, then fall right back to sleep? Will that mess it up?

I do that often. But I'm thinking if I set the alarm for the same time and just stick the thermometer in I'll be alright, even if I woke up (as long as I didn't get up) in the night? Is that right?

THANK YOU!!!

 

[TigerLady]

I wake up like that ALL the time, too. Of course, could have something to do with the fact that I sleep next to a CAVEMAN (6'4", 280 #) who tosses all night long!

I get good charts despite that. It's all about temping b4 you get up, talk, or do too much lying there while awake.

 

[amanthony]

I wake up like that ALL the time, too. Of course, could have something to do with the fact that I sleep next to a CAVEMAN (6'4", 280 #) who tosses all night long!

I get good charts despite that. It's all about temping b4 you get up, talk, or do too much lying there while awake.

I think that's how my husband feels about sleeping next to me...he says I'm like a tornado! I toss and turn and twist and wiggle...it's ridiculous! But I'm out like a light. I just crash, so I don't even know!

Okay, that's encouraging on the temps. But no talking, even!?! Good to know. He's on the side by the alarm clock and nightstand, so he'll have to hand it to me and shut off the alarm. I can't be trusted. I sleep through it!

THANKS AGAIN!

 

[tansey]

I use to temp but it is really addictive and in some ways can ruin your sleep. I got into a pattern eventually and would wake up within an hour every morning without an alarm. I would try it for a few months but if you Ov regular and have similar patterns I wouldn't continue long term. Give it a go and good luck.

 

[amanthony]

I use to temp but it is really addictive and in some ways can ruin your sleep. I got into a pattern eventually and would wake up within an hour every morning without an alarm. I would try it for a few months but if you Ov regular and have similar patterns I wouldn't continue long term. Give it a go and good luck.

That's good to know. Thanks! I can see that happening to me (though I hope it doesn't!) and wondered if my tossing and turning was due to knowing that I was going to temp when I woke up. Ridiculous! I hope that's not the case.

 

[becstar]

I'm quite a restless sleeper and often wake to roll over etc, but I still have a noticeable pattern. Don't worry too much.

 

[amanthony]

I'm quite a restless sleeper and often wake to roll over etc, but I still have a noticeable pattern. Don't worry too much.

Phew! Good to hear! THANK YOU!!!

 

[interaura]

I'm not great at following the "rules" and my BBT still confirms my ov pretty well - I usually get out of bed and take my temp in the bathroom, but as this is the same every day, I guess the results are going to be affected the same every day. I never get a fully dark opk, but the BBT day of ovulation matches up pretty well with the darkest tests that I ever get.

 

[amanthony]

I'm not great at following the "rules" and my BBT still confirms my ov pretty well - I usually get out of bed and take my temp in the bathroom, but as this is the same every day, I guess the results are going to be affected the same every day. I never get a fully dark opk, but the BBT day of ovulation matches up pretty well with the darkest tests that I ever get.

HAHA, I'm not great at following rules either but I am trying SO HARD to follow them for that !

Good to hear, about the OPK tests. I think some of us just don't need to have that huge a surge to get everything moving. I'm going to try later in the day, but really...it came, it went and even though it wasn't super dark it seemed like a surge and matched up the the other symptoms so...I think it was.

THANKS!!!