Temp charting... Worth it?

[DuchessDiva]

I was on bc this last time for about 9 years. Due to my age, DH and I made the decision to stop taking it for health reasons. We both understand that I could get pg. I think it would be wonderful (I'm a stepmom, but none of my own) and DH has fine from not liking the idea to being indifferent.

I've been off the pill now since the end if January. Last month AF was about 3 days early. This month she is (I think) about 2 or 3 days early again. (Had spotting 3 days out & light flow since. Not "normal" but definitely a flow.)

I think I'm going to start charting again, like I did so many moons ago, just to see if my cycle is actually shortening up, or if my age means I'm no longer o'ing and looking at the possibility of an early peri-menopause.

Will it help?

 

[Lovebug71210]

From my personal experience, no! I HATED IT!!!! I started temping this month and it lasted until cd18. First thing each morning, before you get out of bed, talk, or anything you have to stick a thermometer in your mouth. Then you have to plug the numbers into a chart. Then you spend each day VERY much aware of your chart and worrying if the fluctuations are "normal". Also, aside from taking it at the same time each day you have to have at least 3-4 hours of uniterrupted sleep, you have to have restful sleep, alcohol will affect it, and lack of sleep will too. I found it to be much more frustrating than anything else. I was so worried that there was something wrong with me and the more and more time that went on the more and more worried I got.

 

[Lovebug71210]

3 days early isn not that irregular. It could just be from stress/excitement from the possibility of getting pregnant. If you are having relatively normal periods than it is VERY likely that you are ovulating. If you want to chart, then go for it. I know some people really like it. I found it very stressful and not at all helpful.

 

[DuchessDiva]

3 days early isn not that irregular. It could just be from stress/excitement from the possibility of getting pregnant. If you are having relatively normal periods than it is VERY likely that you are ovulating. If you want to chart, then go for it. I know some people really like it. I found it very stressful and not at all helpful.

That's sort of what I'm worried about. I am OCD by nature, so I don't want to obsess over any of this. When I was married to my ex, we ttc for years. I was a mess with all the tracking, charting, analyzing, etc. Don't want to go there again. But, I also like the idea of having a bit of notice before AF appears.

 

[Lovebug71210]

I am also a little OCD and tend to jump into things all the way. I did this with temping and it was just a huge headache. I was talking to my grandma the other day and I was in tears because my chart was so whacky I thought for sure I was broken. She told me to throw out the thermometer, buy a sexy nighty, and jump into bed. lol (If you knew my grandma you would know how shocking and funny it was to hear her say that). She said she had a very good friend who charted and analyzed and everything for 2 years trying to get pregnant and didnt. She went to fertility doctors and they couldnt find anything wrong so eventually she gave up and her and her husband adopted a baby. Well when they were gong through the adoption she stopped charting and all of that and ended up becoming pregnant. The stress, for some people, is way more harmful than beneficial. I am one of those people.

 

[anneliese]

I would say it's definitely worth it if you really want to know you're ovulating and if you're doing it regularly. I had normal, completely regular cycles and positive OPKs every month and just started temping as a confirmation of all the other signs. If your cycles are kind of screwy I'd say it's even more helpful because it's really the only way to confirm ovulation, but that's just my opinion. I would suggest trying not to get too stressed out by every new temp though and just use the charts as a guideline.