Post # 1
Member
4888 posts
Honey bee
DH and I just started TTC last month after I got off my BC. I had been using the FF app for the month prior, just to get used to taking my temps every day. So far, so good.
However, last week, I woke up on Tuesday with a 100 degree temp. I recorded it, and indicated in the Specifics that I had a fever, so it wasn’t records. Since then, I’ve been dealing with a bad cold and my temps have been higher than they have been for the last month (all above 98, when I’m normally in the 97’s). I am expected to get my period sometime this week (according to the tracker, and my “normal” cycle, if I’m not pregnant)… and the FF app said that I ovulated last Friday based on the higher temps and the coverline stuff.
Since I’ve been sick, should all my temps be discarded? Or, just keep them and note the sickness in the app? I have been putting each day in the Specifics that I’ve had an illness.
Maybe I’m just nervous being it my first month, so I’m trying to figure things out and hoping to get a better understanding of how to read my charts, cervical fludi signs, etc.
Post # 2
Member
3716 posts
Sugar bee
Kacie209: I would include them and put a note in that you were sick. I’d also not really worry if you know you ovulated. Regardless of what you’re recording, it’s a funky month.
But a minor illness won’t hurt your pregnancy chances, so I really wouldn’t stress.
Post # 3
Member
4888 posts
Honey bee
Pollywog: I appreciate the response. I wasn’t concerned about being sick effecting anyu chance to get pregnant, just the temps relfecting higher and what it may look like on the tracker.
It definitely is a funky month… which stinks cos it’s the first month. Oh well. Thank you!
Post # 4
Member
3716 posts
Sugar bee
Kacie209: Something that helped me (but without knowing you it may not work, so feel free to ignore it), is that the goal isn’t to get a perfect chart. The goal is to get knocked up. My charts were far from perfect (
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/Pollywog) because the temperature changed, I was on vacation, and waking up earlier. I am a scientist who likes perfection in my data, so it took a couple cycles to realize that I should spend less time focusing on making my chart pretty. If you go back through the April/May charting threads you can see that it was a very long learning curve for me :-).
Post # 5
Member
4888 posts
Honey bee
Pollywog: I appreciate the link to your chart. I have read books about fertility, and every chart they show are so perfect! I think I will not focus so much on what my chart looks like, but also look at other signs – fertile days, how I’m feeling, etc.
I know I will have a learning curve for awhile, as long as I don’t get pregnant. It’s such a new experience.
Post # 6
Member
67 posts
Worker bee
Kacie209: That’s one of the things that really annoys me about Taking Charge of Your Fertility – that all their charts look pretty perfect. Even the abnormal charts they show are very clear in what’s going on. Otherwise, it’s a great book, I just wish she’d show a greater variety in charts. I’m glad I’m not using charting to avoid pregnancy, because I don’t have a clear enough pattern that I could say for sure that I’m not fertile!
Anyway – yes, sick temps can totally throw off your chart and make FF think you ovulated when you didn’t (or didn’t ovulate when you did). I would probably discard the 100 degree temp for sure, and just know that unfortulately this is going to be a wonky cycle, chart-wise. I’m totally with
Pollywog: that it’s so hard to get away from wanting charts to look perfect (or at least just look clear!) I found it helpful to go through the chart galleries on FF to remember that “normal” cycles all look pretty different.