Hello everyone !
I purchased some ovulation strips a while back and had been struggling with irregular periods (could have been due to stress , still not sure ) .
Anyway I wanted to know if anyone has been through this or has any tips ?
My las period was the first week of December . Then I had one on February 24th which was shorter than usual (only lasting 3 days ) .
I’m just curious as to when I should start using the ovulation strips and what are some signs you ladies noticed with ovulation ?
I still don’t have a thermometer ... and was hoping I could use the strips this cycle .
Thanks In advance !
@theologybuff When I’m not obsessive about it I wait until I notice some cervical mucus before starting to test. I’m usually pretty dry most of the month so that’s my sign something might be happening. Hope this helps!
@toberebornn I have noticed some changes with my cervical mucus in the last couple of years and Im not too sure how to tell anymore but I think I’m going to try charting it to see if I notice any patterns . Thank you !
@theologybuff When I first started testing I tested every single day for a while because I had irregular periods and I didn’t know the signs of ovulation. Then once I had a pattern I could pick up on the physical ovulation signs like clear mucus, very mild cramping, tiredness, etc. I’d say test every day or every 2 days until you get the hang of your cycle and then test around the time you might expect ovulation based on your previous data.
@daughteroftheking89 Thank you for the tip , I was thinking of this as a possibility since it’s hard for me to tell when I’m ovulating . Lately , I just don’t feel like it’s that easy to tell , I guess my body is just changing with age . Hope testing every two days helps me understand my cycle a little better .I will also have some tests done soon and I hope to get some answers
@theologybuff I usually start testing the first day of fertile CM. If you don't know how fertile CM is supposed to look, then think of your shortest cycle length, subtract 18 days and start then. For example: if your shortest cycle was 30 days, then you start testing at CD12.
@theologybuff $10 Walgreens digital thermometer and I use flo app to log. It’s given me a lot of insight to patterns in my cycle that I had no idea about. Some months are outliers, but after tracking several months, I’m seeing more consistency and patterns that repeat. Highly recommend BBT tracking which will help give you a target of when to start your opks. Maybe or it might confirm irregularities which you should talk to your doc about.
@pragyana I got that thermometer and it broke soon after . I will have to get another one, sadly I only tracked for a week. Thank you so much for the recommendation !
but I think I’m going to try charting it to see if I notice any patterns . Thank you !