Hello Athena,
May I first say welcome to the forum. I hope you find all the support and answers that you are seeking.
I use Fertility Friend. At the end of my post, you will see my current chart from Fertility Friend. Here is lots of advice for you...
<b>What is Fertility Friend?
Fertility Friend is all about helping you conceive. The Trying to Conceive site and community are built around our comprehensive online fertility charting tool. Fertility Friend's charting application allows you to enter your daily fertility signs and get advanced interpretation about your fertility status, ovulation date, and pregnancy prospects.
We will help you learn to chart and interpret your fertility signs to help you maximize your chances of conception every cycle and offer support along the way. The site and service are supported entirely by our VIP members who make it possible to offer free online charting to all. Members appreciate that the Fertility Friend community is private, ad-free and free of targeted product sales. </b>
<b>When should I start a chart?
Your chart starts on the first day of your period. This is the first day that you have red flow (not spotting). This is cycle day one. When you enter "menses" on the data entry page, a new chart will be started for you. If you start charting mid-cycle, make sure your chart still reflects cycle day one as the first day of your period so that your cycle statistics will not be skewed. In this case, you can go back and enter "menses" on the date your period started and cycle day one will be that day. If your period arrives in the night or late in the evening, you can record it for the following day. </b>
<b>What kind of thermometer should I use?
It is important that you use a Basal Body Temperature (BBT) thermometer for accurate fertility charting. If your chart is unclear or unusual, you don't want to wonder whether or not your thermometer is responsible for the ambiguity or unusual pattern. A fever thermometer, even a digital one, is not usually able to give you the sensitivity and precision you need for fertility charting. You need to make sure that your thermometer is a BBT one. It should say BBT, Basal Thermometer, or Fertility Thermometer on the package.You can find a BBT thermometer at most well-stocked pharmacies and drugstores. We recommend using a digital BBT thermometer for ease of use, but a mercury BBT thermometer will also work.</b>
<b>How do I take my temperature when charting?
There are a few guidelines to follow when taking your temperature to make sure you get the best interpretation on your chart.
Take your temperature just as you wake up in the morning, before doing anything else.
Take your temperature at the same time every morning, or as close to the same time as possible. Note the time.
Take your temperature after a solid few hours of sleep.
Take your temperature using a special BBT thermometer.
Enter your data on your chart or bedside notepad as soon after taking your temperature as possible. </b>
<b>How do I check for cervical fluid?
The best way to check for cervical fluid is just to look on the tissue when you wipe after you go to the bathroom and note the quality and consistency. Enter on your chart the type that most fits what you have observed: dry, sticky, creamy, watery or eggwhite. For comprehensive information and detailed instructions about how to check for cervical fluid, please see How to Check your Cervical Fluid in the Fertility Friend Handbook.</b>
<b>What is a typical cervical fluid pattern?
Cervical fluid is produced by your cervix as you approach ovulation due to increased estrogen. It flows from the cervix into the vagina where it can easily be observed. Your cervical fluid changes throughout your cycle, increasing in quantity and becoming more clear and stretchy as you get closer to ovulation.
In the most common pattern, cervical fluid starts out dry after your period and then gets sticky, then creamy, then wet and watery, becoming most like eggwhite as you get closer to ovulation. Usually it dries up quickly after ovulation. You may get different types of cervical fluid on the same day. Always record your most fertile cervical fluid to make sure that you do not miss a potentially fertile day.</b>
<b>
What factors influence cervical fluid?
Certain factors may influence the quality and quantity of cervical fluid that you produce and could thus impact the interpretation of your chart. Some factors may be a result of hormonal factors, while others may be related to lifestyle or medications. Special factors that may apply to a particular observation should be noted on the checklist or notes section of the data entry field in Fertility Friend so that you can recognize why a particular entry may seem unusual or different. You also have the option of displaying those days on your chart with a special square (rather than a circle) so that you can see with a quick glance those days where special circumstances may apply.
In most cases the effects are not great enough to seriously hamper your charting efforts or skew the analysis enough to dramatically alter your results. Nonetheless, the following factors may impact cervical fluid patterns and should be noted when possible:
medications such as antihistamines and diuretics
fertility medications, such as clomid (ask your healthcare provider)
tranquilizers
antibiotics
expectorants (ask your healthcare provider before using an expectorant to increase cervical fluid)
herbs (ask your healthcare provider before taking herbs while trying to conceive)
vitamins
vaginal infection or sexually transmitted disease (ask your doctor if you think this is a possibility)
illness
delayed ovulation (can cause multiple cervical fluid patches)
douching (not recommended unless advised by your doctor or healthcare provider)
being overweight (can cause increased cervical fluid)
arousal fluid (can be mistaken for eggwhite cervical fluid)
semen residue (can be mistaken for eggwhite cervical fluid)
lubricants (not recommended when trying to conceive as they can be hostile to sperm)
breastfeeding
decreased ovarian function
just stopping birth control pills </b>
<b>I'm not comfortable checking my cervix. Do I have to check my cervix to chart my fertility?
If you don't feel comfortable checking your cervix, that's fine. You can get the same information (estrogen presence) by carefully checking your cervical fluid. Checking your cervix is an optional, secondary fertility sign. It is useful for cross-checking your other signs, but is not strictly essential. As you gain more experience and body awareness as you continue charting, you may feel less squeamish about checking your cervix. Indeed, as you see how your other signs are showing you your fertility status, you may feel more comfortable checking your cervix as well. </b>
<b>How do Ovulation Prediction Kits (OPKs) work?
Ovulation Prediction Kits have become quite popular and can be quite useful to help you find your fertile time. OPKs work by measuring the presence of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) in your urine. A surge of LH which is sent to your ovary causes your ovary to produce enzymes which in turn causes the dominant follicle to rupture and release the egg into the Fallopian tube. This is ovulation and it is expected to occur within 24 hours of the surge of LH. An OPK is thus expected to be positive the day before you ovulate.
Following a few guidelines can help you get the most out of your OPK:
Like any product, follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.
If you do not test every day from before you expect to be most fertile, you may miss the surge. Likewise, if you test too late, you may miss the surge. Also, it may not be possible to tell if you are about to ovulate or if you just ovulated since you will have increased LH in both cases. Usually, though, the positive OPK means that you are about to ovulate.
Testing daily once you have started to test is the best strategy since your first positive OPK result probably means that you are about to ovulate and your last positive OPK, if you get more than one, may mean that you just ovulated. Since OPK packages include only a limited number of test strips, timing when to start testing is crucial.
If you use OPKs, use the Fertility Friend OPK optimizer to help you choose when to start testing to make sure you do not waste tests and so that you can get optimal results. Based on your average cycle length and previous cycles entered in Fertility Friend, if applicable, the OPK optimizer can tell you when to begin testing so that you will not miss your opportunity but you will not waste tests either.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions about the time to take your OPK. First morning urine is usually not the best for OPKs since your LH surge usually begins in early morning when you are still sleeping and may not be apparent in your first morning urine. If you test in the early morning, you may miss your surge entirely since LH levels may already be reduced by the next morning. Late morning or early afternoon is usually best unless the instructions suggest otherwise.
Record your OPK results as positive in the data entry page of Fertility Friend if the test line is as dark as or darker than the control line. Record your results as negative if the test line is lighter than the control line.
Do not rely exclusively on OPK results to time intercourse as you may not see an LH surge (positive OPK) even though you may be fertile. Your increased fertility begins before you see a positive OPK result since sperm can live in the reproductive tract for a few days in fertile cervical fluid.
Once you see a positive OPK, keep having intercourse until ovulation is confirmed by a sustained thermal shift. </b>
<b>What is Hostile Cervical Mucus?
Cervical mucus is described as "hostile" when it is too thick to allow sperm to penetrate the cervix, thereby preventing conception.
Women who are taking Clomid to induce ovulation frequently experience hostile mucus.
One way to counteract hostile mucus is to use a lubricant that will create a more favorable environment. Pre-Seed is the only lubricant on the market that has proven to counteract the hostile mucus problem AND is not harmful to sperm. The vast majority of personal lubricants on the market today are not sperm friendly and actually reduce your chances of conceiving due to the fact that they harm the sperm.
Another way to help the hostile cervical mucus problem is to take guaifenesin. Guaifenesin is the active ingredient in Robitussin, and over the counter cough medicine in the US. You will want to find a cough syrup with has the ONLY active ingredient as guaifenesin. Any other ingredients can limit the effect you are looking for.
Recommended dosage is two teaspoons (200 mg) taken orally three times per day. If mucus still appears thick, you can take as the maximum dosage as listed on the label of the cough medicine. Water intake should be increased to encourage cervical mucus production and a full glass should take with each dose of guaifenesin.
Most doctors suggest taking Robitussin five days before and including the day of ovulation for a total of 6 days during your cycle.This helps provide the optimal environment to help the sperm survive and get to where they need to go. If you take Clomid, waiting until the day after the last Clomid pill is taken before starting Robitussin is suggested.
Guaifenesin is also available in pill format, but this format usually requires a Doctor's prescription.</b>
As far as what I am currently doing, I take my basal temp every morning, check CM (cervical mucus), and record intercourse (if any). Also, I took 3,000 mg of EPO (Evening Primrose Oil) from Day 1 until right after OV (ovulation). Now, I'm taking Red Rasberry, which help strengthen the uterine lining for optimum implantation. I have used Robitussin in the past, but it doesn't due much for me. My CM is pretty abnormal which is probably one reason for me not to have conceived by now. Also, I drink 2 liters of water a day. Doesn't help me much. Mucinex (for some reason) makes me feel sick. I used it for one week prior to OV and ended up switching to Robi. I have been TTC (trying to conceive) for <b>19 months</b> and finally decided to see a RE for help.
Okay, I think of gave you plenty of reading material. Hope that helps! If you have any other questions feel free to ask me anytime.
I wish you the best! <img src="i/expressions/heart.gif" border="0"><img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"><img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"><img src="i/expressions/heart.gif" border="0">
