The Monthly Rollercoaster

This is what my month looks like, with slight variations, but you get the idea.

Day 1-4: Shark Week.  Augh, I am so disappointed AF is here and I'm not pregnant.

Day 4-a few days before ovulation: I hope my cycle is shorter this month.

A few days before ovulation: I have a good feeling. Let's baby dance everyday this week.

A couple days before ovulation: Yes, baby dance day two.  Feeling good about this.

A day before ovulation: Hmm, this is overkill.  Aren't the two days of baby dancing before enough?  Alright fine, but I'm starting to get sore.

Ovulation: YES, OPK positive!  So glad we BD'd yesterday.  Still, just in case, we should BD tonight. So sore.

A day after ovulation: Augh, BD again just for the sake of being sure.  May not be successful on DH's end.

Two days after ovulation:  Ooh, that feels like a cramp.  Is that an implantation cramp?

A week after ovulation: Ooh, that feels like a cramp.  Is that an implantation cramp?

A week before AF: My breasts are sore.  I'm so tired. Maybe I'm pregnant.

A day later:  Still sore, still tired. I should probably stop doing everything that I would stop doing when pregnant. DH must clean the catbox and do all heavy lifting.

A day later: Time to take a HPT.  Negative?  Let me check the chart to see what the accuracy  of HPT at 10 DPO is... oh, that low?  I'll test again in two days.

Two days later:  Take another HPT.  Negative?  Let me check the chart to see what the accuracy of HPT at 12 DPO is... oh, that low?  I'll test again in two days.

Two days later: AF AGAIN?!

Cycle repeat.

Charting Changes and Acupuncture Successes

Jul-Aug: 42 day cycle, 96.5 low temp, 98 high

Don't let the overly optimistic title fool you, I am not pregnant. I am however, going to show you my charts, not because I am awesome at it but because up until the past 2 months, I was terrible at it.

You might not think that getting up at the same time everyday and popping a thermometer in ones mouth would be difficult but it definitely was for me.  Changes in weekend schedules, a lack of routine and general laziness really got in my way.

Charting is so extremely important though.  From charting, I found a couple of major issues in my reproductive cycle that acupuncture has helped to fix.

I went from tracking my Cervical Mucus (CM) and Basal Body Temperature (BBT) to tracking CM, BBT, Ovulation Prediction Kit (OPK) and Cervical Position (CP). I'm not so hot at CP tracking. I think my stubby fingers are just too short.


The problems I found? First, my basal temperature is fairly low which mean my body might not be warming up enough to sustain a little bun.  Second, my cycles were extremely long.

Aug-Sep: 38 day cycle, 96.8 low temp, 98.5 high temp.

My lackluster attempt at charting in July showed a 42 day cycle.  My cycle before that was 40 days which wreaked havoc on my psyche.  Every month I was late leading me to hope that I was pregnant only to be disappointed that my cycle was just lengthening. With a 42 day cycle, I would only get 8 chances a year to ovulate compared to the typical 12.

August's chart was a little better as I had started acupuncture, my cycle went from 42 days to 38 days. My high temp sent from 98 to 98.6 and my average temperatures stayed in the 97s instead of the previous 96s.

Then, while I was on vacation in Minnesota, Shark week came to town 10 days early. Yes, TEN DAYS.  I was thrilled (and completely surprised that I needed to make a Target run for feminine products)!  A 28 day cycle?!  I haven't seen one of those in years.

A 28 day cycle means I get 12 chances to ovulate!  But what about my temperature?  My high temp was back to it's original paltry 98 degrees.  Well, we're working on that.

Sep-Oct: 28 day cycle, 96.8 low temp, 98 high temp.

So I'm going to celebrate this victory and continue to get poked with needles a couple times a week.