# Basal Thermometer - PCOS, Will it work on me?



## JJJMommy (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi All,
Im looking at every option i have with my condition to ensure i know when im ovulating? Im on Clomid and on CD4 today i am taking my last pill tomorrow as i was advised to take my clomid on CD1 of full flow. 
I have PCOS and ENDO and know very little about how to measure my Basal temp? would it work with my condition and if so can anyone recommend any sites where to buy them from or even any stores?
I read that the best time to take your temp is first thing in the morning with no food or drink or even any activity?
How realiable is this method? any success stories?

Amy x


----------



## kdb (Apr 9, 2009)

Hi Amy

We're almost cycle buddies - today is CD3 for me 

While I don't have endo I do have pco. I started charting my temp before clomid and it was all over the place  Not surprising as I hadn't been dx with pco at that stage but could tell something wasn't right! (No period for starters!)

I've just completed my first clomid cycle in June and it was successful in that it made me ovulate. My chart for June is almost text book - my temp dipped on CD14 (about two days prior to OV) and then increased CD17 (the day after OV). I was scanned on CD15 and was told my OV would happen in the next 24-36 hours. My temp chart confirmed this, and the temps stayed high until CD31 when they began to decrease then on CD33 I got my period.

The temp charting was very reassuring for me - esp having the high temps after OV which is a sign of good progesterone levels, which 1) confirms OV, and 2) is needed to sustain a pg.

I use www.fertilityfriend.com for charting which is free to join, easy to use and does a good job of explaining the "how tos" of temp charting. Not all ladies like to chart because it can get a bit obsessive, but as I am still learning about my cycle I am finding it very helpful. You can also record cervical mucus for each day.

The important points are:
> You need to take your temp at the same time every day
> It must be as soon as you wake up after at least four hours of uninterrupted sleep - don't get up and move around first, not even for the loo
> Keep your thermometer by the bed so you don't have to move much to pick it up.

I take my temp at 6:30am, even on weekends, because that's the time I have to get up Mon-Fri.

I bought my thermometer from amazon.co.uk and it was about £5 but it took three weeks to arrive  Can't remember which company it was but I've since bought some pre-seed (sperm-friendly lube) from a company called Access Diagnostic Tests on amazon and it arrived within 48 hours! I've checked amazon and that same company sells BBT thermometers (also called "fertility thermometers"). Actually they have an NHS one for less than £3 with free pg tests, but probably shipping on top of that.

[I don't think I can post the direct link on here in case it looks like I'm trying to sell you something, but search amazon for Access Diagnostic Tests then click on "shopfront" and then in the left hand menu you can click on thermometers.]

I got one that does Fahrenheit rather than Centigrade, as you can notice slight differences in temperature better. On fertilityfriend.com you can choose to chart in either F or C degrees.

Mine has a memory so after I take my temp I can switch it off, go back to sleep (if it's the weekend  ) then when I get up and switch it on, my temp from that morning flashes on the screen for a couple of seconds then goes back to zero. This is useful because then you don't have to write it down as soon as you've taken it. I would say most digital thermometers have this function.

Bear in mind that clomid *may* affect your temps but in my case I've still been able to see a clear pattern in my temps which has been reassuring.
let me know if you have any Qs.

Good luck!


----------



## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Hi

Think kd has answered most of your questions 

As she says you should always take your temp at exactly same time every morning before you do anything & after uninterupted sleep. Also make a note if you have any illness, restless sleep, alcohol etc as all these can effect your temps. Clomid can cause your temps to rise anyway so be aware of this.

You need to use a digital thermometer with 2 decimal points so it reads eg 36.72 and not just 36.7 ....it's the smallest amount of temp changes and you need to take this into account because 36.72 is much lower in terms of these temp changes than 36.79 but if you only have thermometer with 1 decimal place you could have several days in a row that only reads 36.7 and you won't be able to detect those small changes....if that makes sense ?

Charting your temp will not show you when you are about to ovulate, nor will it guarantee ovulation just because you see some temp changes....however, it can give you a good idea of what's happening with your cycles. You should notice a temp dip just before ovulation and then a rise afterwards....and it should remain elevated throughout the 2ww. Some may notice it drops just before AF arrives, some (like when I've charted) don't get the drop until AF actually arrives. If you were pg then temps remain higher.
A luteal phase (from ovulation to AF) can be anywhere between 10 - 17/18 days and still be classed as normal (I have long luteal phase of 16/17 days but has been known to be 18 days long very occasionally) so temps remaining high can't be used as sure sign of pg either.

Charting temps, along with cervical mucus, cervical position and any other symptoms through cycle may not be guarantees of ovulation or pg but can help you see patterns in your cycle.

Have a look at these...

http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/bbt/bbtfaq.html

http://www.webwomb.com/charting_cervical_fluid.htm

and a good book is Taking Charge Of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler and the website...

http://www.ovusoft.com/

Just ensure you have plenty of sex from around cd10 of your cycle onwards, for at least a week or more......sperm can live for around 3-5 days whereas an egg can only survive for about 12-24 hours once released so you need to ensure there's a fresh supply of sperm ready and waiting in the tubes for when egg pops.

Good luck
Natasha

[red]This post contains an unconfirmed link/information and readers are reminded that FertilityFriends.co.uk or its owners are not responsible for the content of external internet sites[/red]


----------



## JJJMommy (Jun 2, 2005)

Wow thanks LADIESS i feel abit more clearer on what i need to do. i brought the thermometor off ebay which is the right one for all the decimals.

Im just so excited now lol. thats one thing i do not know about my cycles, as i have very few periods i never know when i would would ovualate. although when i do have AF they are most certainly 7 days - having said that im on CD5 and ive become very light now so would this affect my ovualtion or anything to do with clomid?


----------



## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Hi again 

The heaviness/lightness and length of your periods shouldn't make too much difference to anything...you just need to ensure you calculating CD1 on the right day and then start charting everything and taking the clomid on correct day.

If you're on cd5 and your AF has become lighter that sounds quite normal....our periods can vary in length person to person (as can clomid side effects)...my periods are usually extremely heavy at beginning and last about 4 days so I wouldn't worry.

Just make sure plenty of making love from cd10 (or before) onwards and hopefully you'll cover everything.

I know it's easier said than done but try not to get too anxious and get worked up about it all....just have lots of fun with BMS (baby making sex) but don't put too much stress on yourselves....we're all different so our bodies will respond differently to the drugs, we'll get different side effects and our cycles will vary.....we're individuals so likely we won't all be completely the same....

take care
Natasha


----------



## JJJMommy (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi Natasha,
Thanks for responding again, well ive just got everything set up, i dont dont if thats a good or bad thing but i need to learn to know how my body is working so ive printed off all my bbt charts and stuck on the wall lol, anyone else doing this? i will try not to become an addict.

I have another question, regards to the temperature recording, what should our normal temp be and how high will it go and should hopefully stay? 

Sorry for all the questions but i just want to be prepared.

Right then im off to bed
Night x


----------



## PoDdy (Jun 27, 2008)

Hi Ladies,
I used one decimal place Vicks thermometer that has a memory function and have no problems, so don't worry if you can't find one to 2dp.  36.72 would be seen as 36.7 and 36.79 would automatically be rounded to 36.8 but in my case, my temperature shift is 0.4 degrees, so don't need the accuracy, as it is quite clear. 

Everyone's natural basal temp is different.  Mine is (average) 36.4 in the follicular phase with about +/-0.1 degrees bounce and (average) 36.8 after ovulation, with about +/-0.2 degrees bounce.  Some people have bigger thermals shift, some smaller.  Some people have lower temps in folicular phase, some higher..... should def be above 35 and below 38 degrees though, as this is the normal operating temp of the human body.

Also, if you want to lie in at the weekend, then there is a nifty calculation for back calculating your temp at the earlier time.  It is properly detailed in TCOYF and is actually suprisingly reliable in my experience.  Also, you can get paper charts by printing them off at www.tcoyf.com I found this convenient for keeping in the drawer by my bed.

Hope this helps a little, I hope it helps you, like it helped me feel more confident in what was going on with my body.  Please, please, please don't get obsessed though as it will do more harm than good.
PoDdy


----------



## kdb (Apr 9, 2009)

Hi Amy

As Po says, everyone's temps are different - so you don't need to focus so much on what your actual temps are, but rather look for trends or patterns.

Essentially what you'd expect with ovulation is an upward shift in temp around OV time, then a continuation of higher temps until AF comes along (although sometimes you can have high or erratic temps during AF).

If you have one or two temps that are out of the ordinary that's ok -- it's the general trend (upwards, straight along-ish or downwards) that you can use to interpret how you're doing.

It may take a couple of cycles to get used to it all  

kd


----------

