Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor test stick-- what does this look like to you?

[kmr1763]

Sooo I posted on here earlier about my CBEFM not registering today as CD 6 for me, but didn't get a response so decided just to reset it to CD5 again so I could be sure to test tomorrow within my testing window... I was very angry! Anyway, I'd already POAS with one of the test sticks, and I want to know what you guys think... Is it low, high or peak? I know it's probably not peak, but my cycles are pretty darn short, so maybe... Let me know!

This is the one from today...
https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh126/kmr1763/IMG_0639.jpg?t=1316183694

And this is the one from like CD 3... You can see that the estrogen line is pretty dark, meaning low estrogen.
https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh126/kmr1763/IMG_0591.jpg

 

[prettynpink29]

so how long do your cycles usually last??

I would say 2nd stick is definitely low and 1st stick could be borderline high. Your estrogen has decreased which means your surge is coming. When you get a peak, your two lines will be about the same color. The estrogen decreases and the LH surges which gives you two lines close in color.

Here are mine at cd10 and cd12. My monitor is still Low. But I am not sure when I will O this cycle because I am taking clomid..

I will try and find a pic of my peak from last cycle, if you would like to see the difference.

 

[prettynpink29]

here is my peak from last cycle.

hope this helps

good luck!

 

[kmr1763]

Thanks so much! My cycles are usually around 15 days long (I know, VERY short!). This cycle I started Soy Isoflavones, and I think I'll only take four days worth instead of five, so take my last dose today. I don't want to mess up ovulation if it's on its way! Or maybe I should just take the fifth dose tomorrow as well... I was on Clomid when I conceived my son, and they say that Soy Isoflavones are nature's Clomid. So I've been using OPKs this cycle and so excited to use my CBEFM! I can't believe it messed up on me! But thanks for your message, so much. I think we'll start BDing today and everyday until I see my temp shift!

 

[prettynpink29]

your welcome!

wow 15 days! sound like you have a progesterone problem to me...

The first 4 months we started TTC I bled none stop.. And it would be in cycles of 14-15 days.. I would bled for 12 and then have a couple of days with no blood. Then I would start bleeding again. I had an HSC in the end of june and dr found a small polyp that could have been causing the bleeding and did a biopsy which showed progesterone deficiency.. Immediately after that I had 2 "normal" cycles july 33 days and august 34 days.

 

[kmr1763]

your welcome!

wow 15 days! sound like you have a progesterone problem to me...

The first 4 months we started TTC I bled none stop.. And it would be in cycles of 14-15 days.. I would bled for 12 and then have a couple of days with no blood. Then I would start bleeding again. I had an HSC in the end of june and dr found a small polyp that could have been causing the bleeding and did a biopsy which showed progesterone deficiency.. Immediately after that I had 2 "normal" cycles july 33 days and august 34 days.

Wow, really? The reason I try to SI now is because Clomid worked for me TTC baby number 1. And I didn't want to go back in and just get put on it again without trying to deal with things on my own. I had the same issues back then as I do now, very short cycles! Only I do not have bleeding excessive. In fact, my periods are pretty normal, three days or so of bleeding and a day before and day after of spotting. I probably do have a progesterone deficiency, but because Clomid and SI help your body to create more estrogen, and helps your egg burst from its follicle, I think that creates more progesterone, therefore a longer LP. This is the reasoning I've got in my head anyway. I'll keep with the soy this cycle and see what happens. If cycle stays the same, I will try vitex next cycle. After that I'll probably just give in and go to the doctor! Urgh! Someone else on a thread said you spend half of your life trying to prevent pregnancy, and then when you're TTC it seems the hardest thing! I totally concur!

 

[kmr1763]

Well now I'm confused, and a little sad. Used my CBEFM this morning (finally!) and it said low fertility. My test from this morning looked pretty much like yesterdays, maybe the LH line is a touch darker. Anyway I was hoping it would read a high! Can it read a high the first time you use it? It thinks I'm on CD 6 (because it screwed up on me and I had to change the batteries!) even though I'm on CD 7. My cycles are usually 15 days long, but this month I've taken Soy Isoflaves CDs 3-7... I'm just feeling urgh right now!

 

[Margerle]

Well now I'm confused, and a little sad. Used my CBEFM this morning (finally!) and it said low fertility. My test from this morning looked pretty much like yesterdays, maybe the LH line is a touch darker. Anyway I was hoping it would read a high! Can it read a high the first time you use it? It thinks I'm on CD 6 (because it screwed up on me and I had to change the batteries!) even though I'm on CD 7. My cycles are usually 15 days long, but this month I've taken Soy Isoflaves CDs 3-7... I'm just feeling urgh right now!

I see you are still breastfeeding (from your signature) that can make your cycles very crazy too.

If it were me. I'd chalk this 15 day cycle up to bad luck and start again with the monitor in 10 days when you would normally start after your period.

I would also bbt chart to see if I were ACTUALLY ovulating. 15 day cycles are very short... I would worry that even if you were able to conceive, that your body couldn't sustain the pregnancy given such a short luteal phase.

 

[kmr1763]

I do still bf but not to often. My menses returned in march, and after a couple of weird cycles, they've been pretty regular at 15 days. I just started charting this cycle so nothing to really see, but I'm taking some supplements this cycle too. I'll know if they an effect only by how long my cycle lasts! I kind of regret jumping right into supplements without charting a few cycles first, but too late for that now!

 

[prettynpink29]

Yes, the monitor can skip low and go straight to high. How long have you been using it? Also how long were your cycles while taking clomid to conceive your first? Now I am curious, how many rounds of clomid did you do the first time?

 

[kmr1763]

Yes, the monitor can skip low and go straight to high. How long have you been using it? Also how long were your cycles while taking clomid to conceive your first? Now I am curious, how many rounds of clomid did you do the first time?

My cycles were about the same length when I finally regulated after getting off of birth control... Let's see, I stopped taking birth control in October 2009, and maybe three months later they were a regular 15 or 16 days long. Very short. I went through sort of a hard time trying to get seen about it. My husband is military, and the military hospital wanted to put me back on birth control to lengthen my cycle, and I said "Uh, whoa there, I'm trying to get pregnant, that seems pretty counter-productive" so I changed doctors, and when I finally got seen by a FS he pretty much just put me on Clomid (I don't remember them doing any kind of checking to see if I ovulated on my own or testing to see why my cycles were so short...) Anyway I got pregnant on my third round of Clomid. I had no self-awareness all the time, I just had tunnel-vision about wanting to be pregnant now. So this time around I'm trying to get to know what's going on with my body before I go in (still in that same town lol where I'm afraid the cure-all will be Clomid!). I am doing BBT charting, taking OPKs daily, and using my monitor (you asked, this is only my first cycle using it, so it doesn't know me at all, and I don't know it lol!)

Um, when I started taking Clomid I didn't monitor ovulation. But it DID lengthen my cycles, so I assume that I did ovulate on it. The third month I got frustrated and went and got OPKs and that was the month I got pregnant. My first two rounds might have been more successful if I hadn't just relied on the medicine getting me pregnant... the medicine doesn't get you pregnant, your spousal unit does! lol Anyway, I'm a little older and wiser now so I see the value in al of these things, OPKs, BBT charting, CP checking, lalala. Next cycle I think I'll drink my vitex tea and that's it, just to see what happens.

 

[Margerle]

Your chart looks nice - no wacky spikes that may confuse... if you get a thermal shift it should be quite straightforward. I'm very curious about what your tracking will show over the course of the next month or so.

I also applaud your willingness and discipline in getting to KNOW your body and how it works. Just because your cycle doesn't fall within the NORMAL boundries that docs have - doesn't mean you're broken !

Just means that your body works a little differently - and I look up to you for getting to know your body.

A book that might interest you is Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Teri Weschler. She's created a compendium of great information about fertility awareness and health. Very easy read. And invaluable information.

https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charg...1909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316289294&sr=8-1

(By the way excellent job on the extended BF ) I was able to bf my now 3yo till she was 18 months

 

[kmr1763]

Thanks so much again marg! I did get a kind of wacky spike today, but my fertility monitor read high fertility so I'm going to go by that for now! I'm actually really enjoying doing all of this! And I plan on continuing to chart after I manage to achieve a second pregnancy!
Lol yeah I still bf my ds. He's 18 months old and I have no idea how to stop without breaking his little heart! So not stopping for now!

 

[prettynpink29]

thanks for answering my questions!! I wish you lots of baby dust and good luck with soy! I took soy 1 cycle too and I loved it.

by the way, I don't know if the comment
" I also applaud your willingness and discipline in getting to KNOW your body and how it works. Just because your cycle doesn't fall within the NORMAL boundaries that docs have - doesn't mean you're broken!" was meant against me................

I was in NO way ever trying to tell you that your body is "broken" or not "normal." I was just explaining to you my situation with progesterone deficiency being linked to MY abnormal bleeding.

Sorry if I offended you!

 

[Margerle]

Oh hon, I didn't think you were trying to be offensive! I was just telling her that given her 15 day cycles it would be really easy for her to feel down about it. I just wanted to encourage her - not that anyone was being mean



to all

 

[prettynpink29]

LOL!! I wasn't sure!!

I really hoped I didn't come across that way to her either

to you too!!!

 

[kmr1763]

I took no offense at anything and VERY MUCH appreciate all of the responses!

 

[prettynpink29]

just wanted to show you my peak stick!

bottom 3 were all low, and today skipped high and went straight to peak


how are you doing?

 

[kmr1763]

Your peak looks like the highs I got yesterday and today! Lol I was contemplating another post, and now I think I will! Update with pics in a few!

 

[kmr1763]

https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh126/kmr1763/IMG_0667.jpg

Okay, maybe it doesn't look quite as "peak" as yours does. I feel like my estrogen line has gotten darker, but so has my LH. I just hope, since this is my first month using it, that it doesn't miss my peak! Haven't gotten a pos OPK yet, though, so fx that I won't miss it! Did BD yesterday after my first high reading, and will every other day until peak or pos opk, and then everyday for three days! Poor DH is in the military and doing night training, so don't want to torture the poor man! Anyway, tell me what you think of my test sticks thus far!