# Clomid, Temps and OPK



## siheilwli (Jan 18, 2006)

I'm on clomid this month (today is CD10), how does this affect my opks and temps? It looks like my temps are all over the place at the moment - is this normal on clomid. I also have a clearblue monitor, and it's give me a high sign already, but I read somewhere that that might happen. I assume that it will still be accurate giving an ovulation (peak) sign!

Any tips or experiences?
Cat


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## KerryB (Mar 7, 2005)

Hi there!

Can't help with the temping, never done it. I used OPK's for a while but as I have PCOS they aren't very reliable. You should get an accurate result otherwise with them. Remember, you get the surge on an OPK a couple of days before you ov so you might not OV until CD12/13.

Good luck


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Hi

Clomid can sometimes effect your temps (often causing elevated temps), as can many other things such as restless sleep, alcohol, illness etc.

As Kerry says, if you have PCOS then OPK's may not be a very reliable but also clomid may effect them as well so again, you may not be getting an accurate result...also, OPK's don't show actual ovulation but detect the LH surge before ovulation...so once you get a +ve OPK then you should usually ovulate around 36 hours later...however, temps and OPK's are no guarantee of ovulation...only a progesterone blood test checked 7dpo can confirm ovulation happened & an egg released.

Here's some info I found...
"Q: Does Clomid cause problems with OPKs?

A: Clomid (Serophene/clomiphene citrate) can cause a false positive in OPKs if taken too soon after finishing the prescription. According to most of the manufacturers you should wait at least 3 days before using an OPK. If you take Clomid days 3-7 you can begin testing on day 10. If you take it 5-9, you should wait until day 12"


Good luck 
Natasha


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## siheilwli (Jan 18, 2006)

Thanks for the replies. I usually o around day 18, so I've no idea what to expect, and what timing I should be aiming for with the BD this month. I'm crossing my fingers that the opk will give me a clue though! 

Just another quickie - if I o late (day 17/1 then will the day 21 blood test be useless?

thanks
Cat


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## MrsS03 (May 23, 2006)

I would like to know the answer to your question too as I am on my first cycle of Clomid and usually Ov around day 18 but wonder if it will be different this month?


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Are you taking clomid to boost (as you ovulate naturally) or because you have PCOS or similar that means you don't ovulate naturally 

You should usually ovulate around 5-9 days after taking the last pill although obviously we're all different so this may vary for some & some ladies do still ovulate later in their cycle... so if you're taking clomid cd2-6 & you're already on cd10 then aim to have as much BMS as possible from now onwards...for at least the next week or so...sperm lives for around 3-5 days but an egg only survives for about 12-24 hours so always best to have sperm waiting for when egg released.

If you do ovulate later in cycle eg your usual cd18, then yes, having a progesterone test on cd21 won't give an accurate result...as I mentioned in my other post, progesterone peaks at 7po so if you will only be 3dpo on cd21 then it wouldn't show ovulation...but if you had done on cd25 then would be more accurate for ovulation on cd18...


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## charna (Feb 6, 2006)

Cat,

I would get the 21 day bloods done on day 24/25 if you ov around day 17/18.  It needs to be around 7 days past Ov for the bloods to show whether you ov'd or not.

Good luck !


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## siheilwli (Jan 18, 2006)

Thanks for the advice everyone, I think I'll have to phone to postpone the blood test if I don't o in the next week.

I'm taking clomid to try and strengthen the o and lengthen my luteal phase (which has been between 6 - 10 days, but mostly 8 days, so too short to get to implantation!)


I do keep my charts online, but don't know if anyone else does here. I'm still working out how to do a signature and smilies etc!!!

bye for now
Cat


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## maxmarnie (Oct 27, 2005)

Is there a test you can do at home to tell whether you have ovulated or not 7dpo?


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## siheilwli (Jan 18, 2006)

Nope, no 7dpo test that I know of, but under normal circumstances (before clomid) I could tell that I had ovulated because my temperatures went higher. I also get very strong ovulation pains, although it's not really clear whether these happen slightly before, during or just after o! Before doing my temps etc, I just thought I was bloated every now and again, now I know it's ovulation pains!

I also use a clearplan fertility monitor, which gives you a low fertility message when you're not fertile, a high reading when your hormones start gearing up for o, and a peak reading when you're within 12 - 48 hours of ovulating. (It's a little easier than OPKs to use, but same technology, and sometimes even same sticks!)

This monitor has been very helpful for me in the past to pinpoint ovulation, and it was this method that showed me my ovulation always happened very late (day 1 and I then only had 8 days before my period started again. (Luteal phase defect - which can be a cause of TTC problems).

Doing the temps is a pain though, and at the moment they're all over the place, so I might just give it up this month if it doesn't become a little bit more consistent 'cos it'll be impossible to see a definite rise after the ovulation. I have read that the temperature rise is the *only* definite way to show that ovulation has happened, because some people get a LH surge that gives a positive OPK result, but the egg never actually pops so to speak!!

Cat


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Just thought I'd add, the only way to confirm ovulation has happened ie an egg has been released, is by having a progesterone blood test taken 7 days past ovulation...OPKs, temps, cervical mucus etc etc can indicate possible ovulation but can not definitely confirm an egg has been released.

Good luck & take care
Natasha


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## siheilwli (Jan 18, 2006)

Natasha, correct me if I'm wrong, I always thought temps was a sure sign that you've ovulated.    Because it's the progesterone released that causes the basal body temperature to rise. (Having said that, I don't know if that's true on clomid!) I have known women that found out they're anovulatory just by monitoring their temps. 

I'm a big fan of the book TCOYF (by Toni Weschler), and found temping and monitoring cm etc really useful in finding out when I ovulate. (which was really late in my cycle, with a very short luteal phase). I also think it's quite empowering when you're waiting and waiting for those doctor's appointments. Of course, I could just be comforting myself that I've got some things under my control!!!! I think I'm the most impatient woman (& control freak) in the world. 

Bye for now

Cat


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Yes, Toni Weschler's book is good...and yes, it is the progesterone that can increase your temps...but so can so many other factors...

I've always been told (by 2 different fertility consultants) that temps, OPKs, egg white cervical mucus etc are NOT confirmation that an egg has been released...although in most instances its highly likely, it is not always the case...this is why clinics/consultants don't use these methods themselves but require you to have blood tests and other investigations...

...but as I said, temps etc are a good indication that ovulation happened but progesterone tested 7dpo will confirm mature egg released...


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Here's just one bit of info I found...

"The term ovulation implies the release of an egg from its growing fluid-filled follicle in the ovary. The egg also needs to be fully mature. The maturation process of the egg is implicitly and directly linked with the maturity of the growing follicle. A follicle is the sac of fluid that grows around the egg under the influence of stimulating hormones from the brain. 

For this reason the state of maturity of the follicle is often used as an indicator for the maturity of the egg. Follicle maturity is shown by the amount of hormones produced: oestrogen before ovulation and progesterone afterwards. It is easier to measure progesterone, when it is at its peak about one week after ovulation.

In response to progesterone, the body temperature rises and temperature charting each day has been the traditional test of ovulation, but is unreliable. It may be difficult to interpret, and in addition, only a little rise in progesterone brings about the full rise in temperature that occurs after ovulation. The temperature reaches a plateau very quickly, but progesterone keeps on rising to much higher levels provided there was a fully mature follicle. A smaller progesterone rise shows the follicle was not mature enough even though sufficient to shift the temperature. Temperature rises are also subject to a number of other interfering factors such as viral illness or early or late rising"


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## siheilwli (Jan 18, 2006)

Thanks Natasha, that's really useful (and very true about the interpretation part!) 


I think what I'll do this month is still do my temps and opks and if I think my o is delayed, then I'll delay my progesterone blood test. (At the moment my appointment is for day 20). I'm still crossing my fingers that my o will be in the middle of the month this time, that would be a real treat for me. I think my eggs take after my husband - always late!!!!!!  

I'm hiccuping a lot this month (Not scientific in ANY way, but I do tend to hiccup around ovulation!!!!! Wierd or what?! But this is the second day of hiccups so far!)

Good luck on your journey (and let's hope you won't need the FET in August!)

Cat


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

I've not done bbt's for ages but I think if you do them, along with OPKs & checking cm/cp & all point towards ovulation then there's a pretty good chance you are !!  It's just frustrating that there's no definites with any of this ttc stuff when checking ourselves (if you know what I mean) 

Wierd about your hiccuping 

Can't remember who it was (maybe Flower  ) but they had progesterone tested at differing intervals throughout cycle to see where it peaked & seemed a good way of pinpointing ovulation if your cycles are irregular with erratic or late ovulation...

Good luck to you too 
Take care
Natasha


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## siheilwli (Jan 18, 2006)

To be honest I did about 15 cycles of BBT, then just gave it up, because I got to know my body, and when it ovulated. I then just used the clearplan monitor, which was much easier. I was obsessing about BBTs and interpreting the charts, and it just got to me! And you're right about no definites, it just gets so frustrating. And then when the timing's perfect, you just wonder why it hasn't happened. 

This is my 21th cycle TTC, and I'm just anxious to get the timing right with the clomid, 'cos at the moment I'm working 150miles away from DH (only until mid July though!!). So I'll probably have to make an "ovulation trip" to see him at some time either today or tomorrow!!!! I really don't want to miss the moment so to speak! 

But I'm not holding my breath this month, because they have said that the cervix is very narrow, and that could be another problem for me!! Of course they were trying to perform a hycose (spelling?) on day 13/14, so my cervix would have been quite firm then, so who knows. That's why I'm hoping the clomid will give me a boost.

But hey,  ! Never say never, and one way or another I'm going to be a mother!!!!

You look like you've become an expert on these things too, your journey has been tough, but it's great that you've got some frozen good embies. 

Cat


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