I have no idea why I stopped updating this page. It may be because I started to work A LOT more. So much has happened that is relevant to trying to conceive and our family!
Ill try to relay all of the info that my memory will allow! You can also check our my YouTube channel as its somewhat updated as well!
Last August I was on my 3rd round of Fermera and I also went to see a native American elder who told me to do a few things to help with fertility. I did all of what was asked which included drinking this horrible tea every day!!! I recall that month I had gotten a positive OPK really early on CD 9 or 10. I think I ovulated around CD 11. I made up my mind to not do any tests until 12 dpo. On 11 dpo I had an appointment so after a 12 hour night shift I had a hard time staying awake. I decided to test a day early. I used the online HPT strips and I thought I saw an extremely faint line. So faint I was seriously doubting if something was even there! So i up and went and got a FRER! low and behold there was indeed a BFP! Overjoyed can not even explain how that felt. After so many months, shinanigans, meds, charting, tests, etc I FINALLY saw those precious 2 lines!
I told my husband that afternoon over lunch and he didn't believe it. He thought the 2 lines weren't the same shade therefore its a negative (damn you OPKs for confusing the poor guy).
Much has happened since, including several weeks early on where I had bleeding :( Multiple trips to the OB, ER, diagnostics. My little bean has stuck through it all, even after giving me one final scare.
Today I am 34 weeks pregnant, I did it, I beat infertility/PCOS!
Showing posts with label ovulation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ovulation. Show all posts
Tuesday, 6 May 2014
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
FINALLY
A temp increase has finally happened. I seriously didn't think I'd see the day. I guess I'm technically in the 2ww now however I am a little disappointed. I'm not used to O being so damn late and i didn't time BD with that in mind :( So I'm basically counting myself out for this month now :(
My chart is a mess... I did the ol add 2 fake temps in to get cross hairs and Its giving me an O date of CD 25. The last BD session I had was CD 22 and is very unlikely to happen for us :(
So this puts me into cycle 7 of TTC :( I am beginning to wonder when and if this will ever happen for us :(Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Reviews: Internet Ovulation Tests/Strips
To kick off the week I have a new review! It kind of ties into my last review and controversy over "cheap" test strips. For the purposes of this review I am using:
Where to but Internet tests strip
These are Internet strips which can be bought with a credit card via the Early-Pregnancy-Test website. I chose this site in particular due to suggestions from other TTCers and it seems to be the most trusted and popular site to buy both pregnancy and ovulation tests.
Costs
The tests can be bought individual or in large numbers. Here is a grid for the pricing of the tests:
As you can see the more you buy, the cheaper they are - even as low as .55cents per test. Tests are no more then $1.10 per test. I had gotten a promotional pack which includes: 25 ovulation tests and 10 pregnancy tests for $24.95 - this deal can be found here.
Shipping is free on orders over $14.99 and $2.99 for orders otherwise.
What you receive
My package took about a week to get here. I am in Canada and this order is from a USA company. International orders take longer due to customs etc. When i received my package it was in a plain envelope with discrete labelling (the return address simple says "Online Store". The whole package looks something like this upon arrival (minus the fact i have opened mine):
Inside was the strips, an instruction sheet on both tests, brochures: on other fertility products, receipt/summary of order, and a special gift: a cute collectors tattoo {apparently they come out with a new one on a monthly basis}
This is what my results tell me.... My test line became darker and darker from CD 16-18 with CD 18 having the darkest line AND nearly being a positive. Real life [aka the weekend] took over me and i did not test on CD 19. When i went to test on CD 20 the line was light and almost gone. This tells me the LH surge is over, and I had ovulated. I believe i had a positive test later in the day on CD 18 [yes you CAN get a negative earlier and a positive later/ viseverssa] or on CD 19. Either way I ovulated thereafter.
Ovulation generally occurs 24-48 AFTER you get your positive OPK results. Saving tests is good for comparison.
Now that I have this information I can use it with my Fertility Chart:
**yes I'm slacking with my temping but Bubzer totally stole my BBT and I have a feeling it ended up in the garbage** but i usually O around CD 18. Hubby and I had sex on CD 16-19 so I'm hoping this might be it :) You can see my OPK results listed on the last line.
My final thoughts
I am a fan of theses tests. I would use them again and recommend them to a friend. They definitely have my as a future customer.
Pros
- east to use/read
- individual packaging
- variety packs offer great choices for ovulation/pregnancy test combos
- can save for comparison
- reliable
- free gift with purchase
- CHEAP pricing *like*like*like*
- free shipping on orders over $14.99
Cons
- i needed the tests prior to the day i got them - however i am international and should have ordered sooner
- no options for package tracking (and if you were a spaz like me you'd probably check every day!
- credit card needed for orders
- must test several times to get a clear picture - this is a con of ALL OPKs not just this sites
Where to but Internet tests strip
These are Internet strips which can be bought with a credit card via the Early-Pregnancy-Test website. I chose this site in particular due to suggestions from other TTCers and it seems to be the most trusted and popular site to buy both pregnancy and ovulation tests.
Costs
The tests can be bought individual or in large numbers. Here is a grid for the pricing of the tests:
| 1 - 9 tests | $1.10 each |
| 10 - 19 tests | $1.06 each |
| 20 - 49 tests | $0.90 each |
| 50 - 99 tests | $0.60 each |
| 100 - or more tests | $0.55 each |
As you can see the more you buy, the cheaper they are - even as low as .55cents per test. Tests are no more then $1.10 per test. I had gotten a promotional pack which includes: 25 ovulation tests and 10 pregnancy tests for $24.95 - this deal can be found here.
Shipping is free on orders over $14.99 and $2.99 for orders otherwise.
What you receive
My package took about a week to get here. I am in Canada and this order is from a USA company. International orders take longer due to customs etc. When i received my package it was in a plain envelope with discrete labelling (the return address simple says "Online Store". The whole package looks something like this upon arrival (minus the fact i have opened mine):
Inside was the strips, an instruction sheet on both tests, brochures: on other fertility products, receipt/summary of order, and a special gift: a cute collectors tattoo {apparently they come out with a new one on a monthly basis}
[sorry despite best efforts this pic wouldn't rotate]
[photo borrowed from the Early Pregnancy Tests Website]
Test Details
Each tests comes individually wrapped in foil with an expiration date clearly written on the package alone with the type of test {hcg or Lh}. The tests are very light weight and have a width of 5milimeters. The tests are 99.9% accurate in predicting an LH surge.
Using the test
When TTCing many women are aware of their cycle lengths. This can help determine when to starting testing for LH (the hormone used to determine imminent ovulation). For me i began on CD 16 however i would have started on the CD15 (i received my order on the CD 16).
The testing process was extremely easy:
1) Collect Urine in specimen cup (i used a clean dixie cup) - Collection is best between 10am-8pm. For multiple collection days, you should collect urine at same time each day. The test page says to reduce liquid intake 2 hours prior so the test is diluted. DO NOT collect first morning urine.
2) remove test from foil package and drop into urine but not past the MAX line, strip can be removed after 5 seconds and lay on flat surface
3) results can appear in as little as 40 seconds but a full 10 mins wait is recommended. There is a great video on the company's website showing this process here.
Results
As in any Ovulation Test - a positive result is indicated when both control and test lines are of equal colour, OR when the test line is darker then the control line. A negative would include: no test line, faint test line, test line being lighter then the control line.
Here is 5 of my own test strips over a period of 4 days:
This is what my results tell me.... My test line became darker and darker from CD 16-18 with CD 18 having the darkest line AND nearly being a positive. Real life [aka the weekend] took over me and i did not test on CD 19. When i went to test on CD 20 the line was light and almost gone. This tells me the LH surge is over, and I had ovulated. I believe i had a positive test later in the day on CD 18 [yes you CAN get a negative earlier and a positive later/ viseverssa] or on CD 19. Either way I ovulated thereafter.
Ovulation generally occurs 24-48 AFTER you get your positive OPK results. Saving tests is good for comparison.
Now that I have this information I can use it with my Fertility Chart:
My final thoughts
I am a fan of theses tests. I would use them again and recommend them to a friend. They definitely have my as a future customer.
Pros
- east to use/read
- individual packaging
- variety packs offer great choices for ovulation/pregnancy test combos
- can save for comparison
- reliable
- free gift with purchase
- CHEAP pricing *like*like*like*
- free shipping on orders over $14.99
Cons
- i needed the tests prior to the day i got them - however i am international and should have ordered sooner
- no options for package tracking (and if you were a spaz like me you'd probably check every day!
- credit card needed for orders
- must test several times to get a clear picture - this is a con of ALL OPKs not just this sites
** info taking through my experience using the Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com products via their website and info packages included with the product**
**personal experiences from my own views only and should be seen strictly as personal opinion. I can not speak for anyone else using these products**
Links
Friday, 11 May 2012
PRODUCT REVIEW: Life Brand BBT
For my first Review Id like to discuss the:
The Brand: LIFE Brand - made for Shoppers Drug Mart - Canada. I choose this product because it was the only one on the shelf. I had a heck of a time finding a BBT thermometer to begin with. You can only get LIFE products at SDM, however I'm sure there are tons of other brands
The Product: The product is light weight, easy to read screen which displays the result in Celsius. It has a 1' inch screen displaying a double decimal number ie. 36.62C. The thermometer itself is pink {was the only colour available}. One easy button to turn on and off and holding the button will show its memory of the previous temp taken. The battery is easily accessible from the end of the thermometer with easy removal. It comes with a clear probe case as well as a booklet with charts for the buyer's use. Instruction manual included.
Background Info and Reading Your Data: BBT's is a tool used in fertility and family planning. It helps to determine ovulation and a temperature change is evident after ovulation has occurred. Although it doesn't tell you in advance when ovulation is imminent, it does however give you an overall picture on what your ovulation cycle says. When you take your temperature you do it every AM - at the same time each day and prior to doing ANYTHING else. This includes getting up, walking, moving, and even talking. You can even go back to sleep after if needed so pick an appropriate time and write down results right away! I learned that it can be hard to do this from memory since i lost a few temps doing that. I personally will enter the data on my cell phone! You may also use the products memory however this will only store one temp!
Here is my chart and temperatures using this product for the month of April:
The red cross lines show were i had ovulated on CD 18. All the temperatures after that were "above" the line and consistently higher. The charting/temping process is also useful in determination of imminent menses/period. When there is a significant DROP in temperature during the post ovulation phase, you will likely have your period in the next day or two. In the case of my chart i had a huge drop on May 1st and did get my cycle on May 2nd. The best days to conceive would have been the days before Cycle Day 18.
For comparison sakes here is my chart for Feb and is quite similar:
PRO's of this product:
double digit results
- protective case
- sample charts and blank charts for buyer's use
- effective in showing predicting ovulation and menstrual cycles
CON's of this product:
- slow result time - takes over a minute and that's hard to do early in the morning
- no prob covers included
- memory: only stores one reading. BE CAREFUL when obtaining a memory reading, it is easy to erase/lose the reading so only look at it if your ready to record it!
My thoughts on this product:
I was satisfied with this product. The only problem i had was losing readings from the memory. My toddler actually pressed the button on a few occasions {he is fascinated with the darn thing} and i lost data. Its easy to use, easy to read and overall fulfilled its purpose. I have only done 2 full cycles of temping but my ovulation days were close and were CD 17 in Feb and CD 18 in April. I will definitely continue to use this product! I would recommend this product and the art of chart/temping to anyone who is TTC!
~~~For more information on this thermometer or to buy - visit your local Shoppers Drug Mart Canada. Any personal questions may be directed to myself. For more information on Charting and Temping visit my personal favourite site Fertility Friend!~~
LIFE BRAND BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE THERMOMETER
The Brand: LIFE Brand - made for Shoppers Drug Mart - Canada. I choose this product because it was the only one on the shelf. I had a heck of a time finding a BBT thermometer to begin with. You can only get LIFE products at SDM, however I'm sure there are tons of other brands
The Product: The product is light weight, easy to read screen which displays the result in Celsius. It has a 1' inch screen displaying a double decimal number ie. 36.62C. The thermometer itself is pink {was the only colour available}. One easy button to turn on and off and holding the button will show its memory of the previous temp taken. The battery is easily accessible from the end of the thermometer with easy removal. It comes with a clear probe case as well as a booklet with charts for the buyer's use. Instruction manual included.
Background Info and Reading Your Data: BBT's is a tool used in fertility and family planning. It helps to determine ovulation and a temperature change is evident after ovulation has occurred. Although it doesn't tell you in advance when ovulation is imminent, it does however give you an overall picture on what your ovulation cycle says. When you take your temperature you do it every AM - at the same time each day and prior to doing ANYTHING else. This includes getting up, walking, moving, and even talking. You can even go back to sleep after if needed so pick an appropriate time and write down results right away! I learned that it can be hard to do this from memory since i lost a few temps doing that. I personally will enter the data on my cell phone! You may also use the products memory however this will only store one temp!
Here is my chart and temperatures using this product for the month of April:
For comparison sakes here is my chart for Feb and is quite similar:
PRO's of this product:
double digit results
- protective case
- sample charts and blank charts for buyer's use
- effective in showing predicting ovulation and menstrual cycles
CON's of this product:
- slow result time - takes over a minute and that's hard to do early in the morning
- no prob covers included
- memory: only stores one reading. BE CAREFUL when obtaining a memory reading, it is easy to erase/lose the reading so only look at it if your ready to record it!
My thoughts on this product:
I was satisfied with this product. The only problem i had was losing readings from the memory. My toddler actually pressed the button on a few occasions {he is fascinated with the darn thing} and i lost data. Its easy to use, easy to read and overall fulfilled its purpose. I have only done 2 full cycles of temping but my ovulation days were close and were CD 17 in Feb and CD 18 in April. I will definitely continue to use this product! I would recommend this product and the art of chart/temping to anyone who is TTC!
~~~For more information on this thermometer or to buy - visit your local Shoppers Drug Mart Canada. Any personal questions may be directed to myself. For more information on Charting and Temping visit my personal favourite site Fertility Friend!~~
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