CD10 of Cycle 9 - Starflower Oil

I forgot to take my temperature today. It’s CD10 and I am expecting to ovulate in the next few days but I don’t think I am going to be able to confirm it with temperatures this month. I have missed the first week of temperatures as I was on holiday and then we had Mr.Sian’s kids over for 3 nights and with them waking us up at all hours I think the temperatures I took were inaccurate anyway. I’ll carry on temping for the rest of the month, just because I’m obsessed, but I am going to have to rely on other signs to detect ovulations.

I’ve got some OPKs to use on CD12, CD13 and CD14. I’m wondering if I should use one tomorrow (CD11) in case I ovulate earlier or if I will just annoy myself if it’s negative... Decisions decisions...

flowersociety.org

I’ll also need to keep an eye out for EWCM (egg white cervical mucus) as I have been noticing that around the same time that my temps confirm ovulation. I’ve noticed more EWCM since I started taking Starflower Oil (Borage Oil). It’s similar to Evening Primrose Oil except it’s got twice as much gamma linolenic acid. I only take it from the day the witch visits to the day of ovulation as it can cause uterine contractions if you take it throughout the whole cycle. I take 1000mg per day and the capsules can be bought at Holland & Barrett Link! It's not cheap, but they've got that penny sale on so now's the time to stock up!

Anyway in other news it’s back to work for me tomorrow – boo! My week off has gone far too quickly. Hope everyone’s had a nice weekend!

CD8 of Cycle 9 - to pee or not to pee

After a lovely few days in Brighton we returned home yesterday afternoon, so I decided to start temping again this morning: 36.24 – nothing exciting. Based on the last few cycles I am expecting to ovulate either Wednesday or Thursday next week (CD13/CD14). I am going to give OPKs a go again so will POAS on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

I bought some Conceive Plus last month from an Amazon seller and some cheapy OPKs were included along with some HPTs, so I might as well use them! They are small thin strips that you dip into urine that has been collected in the afternoon – the only annoying thing is that you have to let the wee get to room temperature and I just can’t be bothered to wait. I’ll do it this month though, pinky promise!

Cathy Wilcox

I didn’t go for the blood tests on Monday after all. We’d taken the week of work and decided that we didn’t want to spend the first morning of our holiday waiting in the hospital. So I will go on the next CD3 instead – fingers crossed I won’t need to!

I’ve also just picked up today’s post and have got an appointment at the hospital for the scan – it’s a Pelvic Ultrasound scan to assess the ovaries, womb and “surrounding structures” whatever that means! There are two methods – transabdominal and transvaginal. The letter has asked me to go with a full bladder THANK GOD as I really hate my girly bits being looked at! Hopefully I won’t pee myself, I have to drink a pint and half an hour and half before the appointment, eek! 

Anyway the appointment is on 22^nd August (CD18) so I will of course update on how that goes.

CD1 of Cycle 9 - and a bit about temping!

As suspected, the evil witch arrived this afternoon – I knew she would as my temperature was on 36.12 today which is right down to the coverline. Boo to the evil witch! So there won’t be much to report on over the next days.

I use a website called www.fertilityfriend.com to chart my temperatures as well as changes in cervical mucus CM (if I notice any). This will be my third month of temping but already it has really helped me to get an idea of when I ovulate as well as, like today, knowing that the witch is coming.

This month I won’t be temping properly until about CD8 as I am going away for a few days next week and as the witch is in town I see no benefit anyway. So I’ll be leaving the thermometer at home. CD8 should be early enough for me to see a pattern anyway as I seem to ovulate around CD13/14.

You can detect ovulation has occurred when you get 3 temperatures in a row that have all been higher than the previous 6. Once you have seen that thermal shift you can be pretty sure that ovulation occurred the day before the first higher temperature. Your temperature should then stay high throughout the Luteal Phase – this is the time from ovulation to your next period. The increased temperature is caused by the progesterone that is released after ovulation.

Science lesson over for the day! 

 xkcd.com

Oh, forgot to mention, I am going for blood tests on Monday to check my levels of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) &ESR (Erythrocyte sedimentation rate), as well as a full blood count and blood sugar level check. Just to make sure that (fingers crossed) everything is working as it should be. I’m supposed to have the tests on CD3 but since that’s a Sunday I’m doing it on CD4 instead. I’m also going to be having an ultrasound scan at some point but need to wait for the hospital to contact me for that.

Happy Friday everyone! :)