Re: Reading a Basil Temp Chart Question ..... could I be pregnant?!?!?

Posted By maxwellm on May 07, 1999 at 12:46:34
I've been using the basil temp charts for a while now to try and conceive. My charts have had rather similar patterns until this month. This month my temp dropped to 97 during ovulation (I had sticky mucus as well) on 4/28. That was the day we had intercourse. Then on 4/30 my temp went to 97.4, then 97.9, then down to 97.6 and then since 5/3 it has been a consistent 98.1 for four days in a row and today it was 98. Usually my temp had up and down patterns still after ovulation (higher temps than during the beginning of my cycle) yet none the less it has never had such a flat line.
Am I making something out of nothing or could it be a sign that we were successful this month?!?!?!

[GiGi__0]

Posted By GiGi on May 08, 1999 at 12:56:04
After doing BBT for almost a year - and getting pregnant in February
I'll try to give you my thought based on what I know.
You saw a thermal shift from 97 to 97.4 on April 30 and since then your temps have remained above 97.4, yes?
If I counted right, you've got 9 days of high temps, including a possible
third level of highs (triphasic) these past 5 days?
Do you have a copy of Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler?
It's probably the best book out there about BBT and conception.
Most books suggest that you wait until you have 14 days of high temps before you test for pregnancy, although if your temps really have reached a third level of highs and stay high, that is considered a "good sign".
:)
How long is your luteal phase usually? Do you go 10, 12, 14, 16 days.. whatever between ovulation and onset on menses usually?
Most women have for them a "typical" luteal phase - if you usually go
12 days and you see 13 days of high temps and no AF symptoms, that is another "good sign"
:)
As hard as it is, wait a few days to test - the longer you wait (until your period is 1 days late) the more likely an accurate result.
If you absolutely can't wait another minute, you might ask your OB to
do a blood test - they are accurate for hcG as early as 10 days after conception.
GOOD LUCK!!!!
+++++ thoughts

[maxwelm]

Posted By maxwellm on May 11, 1999 at 08:50:11
Thanks for your very interesting feedback and information.  While we've been trying to have a baby for 3 years now, I'm kinda new to reading these charts.  Some of the terms you used, I'm not sure I understand!?! I tend to ovulate around day 9, 10, or 11.  I assume that is what you refer to as the "luteal phase".  What is an "AF symptom"?  My cycle is between 24 to 28 days long.  By the way, I am also taking progesterone tablets twice a day.
I don't know if this is a bad sign, but my temp readings seem to be moving up and down more since my first posting on this board.  Here's what I've been getting so far for temp readings.  4/29 - 97 (ovulation & sticky mucus and intercourse), 4/30 - 97.4, 5/1 - 97.9, 5/2 - 97.6, 5/3 thru 5/6 - 98.1, 5/7 - 98, 5/8 and 5/9 98.4m 5/10 - 98 and 5/11 - 97.9.  Also what is hcG?!?
Thank you again for your help!!!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!!!!

[GiGi__0]

Posted By GiGi on May 11, 1999 at 16:33:55
AF = "Aunt Flo"; a slang term for your period
the luteal phase is the time after ovulation until you get your period.
It is usually between 13-15 days in most women. The luteal phase
rarely fluctuates in a given woman - but the time leading up to ovulation can vary greatly cycle to cycle. For example, I ovulated (and conceived)
at about Day 40 - very late for me, but still enough
to do the trick
:)
Had I not been charting, I might very well have taken
pregnancy tests at Day 35 - 40 and of course they would have been
(-) because I hadn't even Ovulated yet!
HcG is the "pregnancy hormone" - it is what a home urine test
is detecting. Your body only produces it when you are pregnant.
Different tests measure different amounts, so you can use a very sensitive
test and get a + result and then use a different brand
oh test that is designed to pick up higher amounts of the
hormone and it might be -.
Can be confusing!!
I REALLY recommend that you check out Toni Weschler's book.
It gives such a vast amount of info about your cycle, your fertile signs,
(so you know that Ovulation is approaching and you can time
intercourse) as well as giving tons of chart sample so you can
match yours to others and see what it all "means".
I read it and referred to it almost daily - it is a VERY
empowering book!!!
Almost every woman I've talked to about conception and fertility
has said it's the Bible of Babymaking
:)
Your temps still seem pretty high. One thing that her book says is to
look at the overall pattern, not so much focus on one day to the next -
what is the Big Picture??
Keeping my fingers crossed for you,
:)
GiGi

[GiGi__0]

Posted By GiGi on May 11, 1999 at 16:40:36
ps - I forgot to ask:
are you taking your temp at the same time each am?
Different waking times can throw off your temps - best to go for
the same time each day so any shift you see is NOT due to sleeping in.
Also - why are you on progesterone?
(I took it for my first 12 weeks - I had low levels)
Just curious!
:)
+++ thoughts,
GiGi

[maxwelm]

Posted By maxwellm on May 12, 1999 at 10:31:48
Yes, I've been taking my temps at about the same time each day.  Normally just before I brush.  Sometimes on weekends I may take my temp between 30min-2hrs later than during the weekday.  This past weekend; however, I seemed to wake up at the same time as I would to go to work.  Also, to answer your other question - my doctor thought that she'd give the progesterone a try.  She did blood work on me and the results came out normal.  So, I'm not low on progesterone but my doctor was hopeful that it might just do the trick.
I think I will have to look into Taking Charge of Your Fertility book by Toni Weschler!  It sounds like it has some good information.  I find it rather difficult to interpret the results of my temp readings.  Depending on what happens in the next few days with this month's cycle, we will proceed with a semen analysis.  I'm not crazy about the more invasive tests on myself, and I'm not sure how far we are willing to do with all the poking and proding.  We may go for the option of adopting if all our attempts fail.  We are at the point where if we are going to have kids, it really needs to happen in the next year or two.  
..... keeping those ++++ thoughts!!!! (smile)

[GiGi__0]

Posted By GiGi on May 12, 1999 at 12:46:46
Best wishes in your upcoming tests!
One thing that struck me - you take your temp
"before you brush", you said - as in brushing your teeth?
You should really take your temp as soon as you wake
up, while still lying in bed - the less movement before taking the temp, the better.
For later waking times (on weekends) just view those numbers
with a bit less faith that they acuratlet reveal a shift or decline.
Waking temps can increase by a few tenths of a degree for each hour you sleep in beyond your "normal" waking time.
But you'll get all that in that book - it's about $23
at Crown/Borders.

Has your doc determined whether or not you're ovulating?
I know what you mean about invasive testing - it's a lot to
submit to. I think it's neat that you're thinking about adoption!
I'm a birthmom myself (I had two children when I was in college -
they are adopted by the same family)so I think that adoption can be
a wonderful was to build a family. The process can be long, from everything I've read, but I know there are TONS of resources/bulletin boards/etc. on the
Net these days.
Best wishes and I hope your temps stay high!
:)
GiGi











Follow Ups:


Re: Reading a Basil Temp Chart Question ..... could I be pregnant?!?!? maxwellm 5/13/1999
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Reading a Basil Temp Chart Question ..... could I be pregnant?!?!? GiGi 5/13/1999
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Re: Reading a Basil Temp Chart Question ..... could I be pregnant?!?!? maxwellm 5/17/1999
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Reading a Basil Temp Chart Question ..... could I be pregnant?!?!? GiGi 5/18/1999
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