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Body Temperature While TTC/ Feeling Like a Crazy Person

blackberry16

blackberry16

Brilliant_Rock
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May 26, 2009
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I have PCOS and so I knew that I might have a hard time getting pregnant. After trying for about sixth months with no luck have been tracking my ovulation for the past few months and according to the ovulation kits I do ovulate. However my temperature doesn't seem to change more than a tenth of a degree or so. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of issue?

Aslo, while I am rambling, I would like to add. My little sister just announced that she is pregnant with twins. She does not have PCOS but spent three years TTC and became pregnant with the help of fertility treatments. I am thrilled to be an aunt and I am really happy for her but now I can't stop thinking about being pregnant. Then yesterday one of my friends called to tell me that she was pregnant and reminded me that I am "the last one" (i.e. the only one of our friends who has no children). I know that she didn't mean to hurt my feelings but that kind of comment can only come from someone who had no difficultly getting pregnant. Now I am stressed about having to attend 3 baby showers in the next few months while constantly getting similar comments from everyone. Every time someone says something to me I have to run off to the bathroom to have a little cry.

I am able to convince myself every month that this might be the month but then it isn't and I am finding that realization a lot harder than I thought that I would.
 
my sister has pcos too -- i remember her saying something about the temperature taking, but i can't remember what it was. I think she was saying it's kind of fickle, and that it's sometimes hard to get it right. She said something about tracking vaginal mucus rather than temperature was more effective for her (sorry if TMI). Would you like me to call her and ask?

It took she and her husband about 4-5 years to get pregnant with my nephew (now 6 months old). They did eventually have to go through invetro-fertilization, not that you will have to of course. But they are now trying again for baby #2, since this is the best chance she has to get pregnant naturally.
 
blackberry16 said:
I have PCOS and so I knew that I might have a hard time getting pregnant. After trying for about sixth months with no luck have been tracking my ovulation for the past few months and according to the ovulation kits I do ovulate. However my temperature doesn't seem to change more than a tenth of a degree or so. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of issue?

Aslo, while I am rambling, I would like to add. My little sister just announced that she is pregnant with twins. She does not have PCOS but spent three years TTC and became pregnant with the help of fertility treatments. I am thrilled to be an aunt and I am really happy for her but now I can't stop thinking about being pregnant. Then yesterday one of my friends called to tell me that she was pregnant and reminded me that I am "the last one" (i.e. the only one of our friends who has no children). I know that she didn't mean to hurt my feelings but that kind of comment can only come from someone who had no difficultly getting pregnant. Now I am stressed about having to attend 3 baby showers in the next few months while constantly getting similar comments from everyone. Every time someone says something to me I have to run off to the bathroom to have a little cry.
I am able to convince myself every month that this might be the month but then it isn't and I am finding that realization a lot harder than I thought that I would.
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I understand honey. :blackeye:

I'm glad you posted this update and I'm happy to 'see' you again. I was wondering how you were doing.

Please come see us on the TTC, I'd love to see you there. I don't know how it works, but that thread does offer such meaningful support I highly recommend it.

In the meantime, Dreamer is my resident go-to girl for the technical side of this crap, so I really hope she see this.
 
Sorry to hear about your troubles, Blackberry :(( How old are you? Have you seen a fertility specialist yet? You've been trying for 6 months, but I am fairly certain that OB's don't consider that to be a problem until it's been one year of timed intercourse with no conception. It could be different for those with PCOS or other conditions though. When DH and I were ttc our son I didn't temp or anything, but I will admit that I come from a long line of fertile myrtles, so I don't really have any advice on that.

I don't know what to tell you as to how to deal with your friends/family because everyone deals with trouble ttc in their own way. I am sure that your friend didn't mean to hurt your feelings by her comment but she also may not realize your situation. She may have fretted about calling you and telling her the news of her pregnancy if she knows of your troubles, but called you anyways because she didn't want to leave you out of the loop.
 
Blackberry, I'm sorry you're having a rough time but glad you'll get to be an auntie soon! :bigsmile: Have you tried taking your temp vaginally? My oral temp was a hot mess - I must sleep with my mouth open or something.

I don't know if it's possible for those kits to give false positives - maybe your body is gearing up to ovulate but doesn't? I don't know how reliable charting is but, based on my experience with Fertility Friend, it won't show ovulation without a clear shift.

I wish I could give more advice but it's probably time to talk to your doc. Hopefully, they can give you some insight as to what's happening.

Good luck to you - thank goodness there a lots of supportive gals over on the TTC thread!
 
I was/am PCOS as well. My problem was that I wasn't ovulating. Once the found the right drugs to get me to that point, that did the trick! My temps were all over the place until I started ovulating. I ended up throwing out the thermometer bc it made me crazier than adding a data point. I would go to see an RE if I were you. They will run tests and make sure you are in fact ovulating. Some of those test strips are hard to read, and unless you have a smiley face OPK or the CBEFM, I wouldn't take stock in the cheapo ones. The RE can do an ultrasound around the time you are ovulating, and can see it right there, which is nice. They can also run blood work in case it's another issue. I have 3 very good friends with PCOS, and I was the fastest out of them to get pregnant, but that's mainly bc I was ultra proactive. Unfortunately, it can take awhile. Were you diagnosed officially with it?

As far as the comment, that's rough. I'm sure she didn't mean it, or maybe she meant it as in "you still have your freedom...you are the last one...enjoy it!" but I don't know her so I don't know. Try not to let it bother you (easy for me to say). I think trying for 6 months constitutes a visit to the RE!!! Good luck!!!
 
violet3 said:
my sister has pcos too -- i remember her saying something about the temperature taking, but i can't remember what it was. I think she was saying it's kind of fickle, and that it's sometimes hard to get it right. She said something about tracking vaginal mucus rather than temperature was more effective for her (sorry if TMI). Would you like me to call her and ask?

It took she and her husband about 4-5 years to get pregnant with my nephew (now 6 months old). They did eventually have to go through invetro-fertilization, not that you will have to of course. But they are now trying again for baby #2, since this is the best chance she has to get pregnant naturally.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for the offer. I would love to hear the specifics about her temp while TTC.
 
DivaDiamond007 said:
Sorry to hear about your troubles, Blackberry :(( How old are you? Have you seen a fertility specialist yet? You've been trying for 6 months, but I am fairly certain that OB's don't consider that to be a problem until it's been one year of timed intercourse with no conception. It could be different for those with PCOS or other conditions though. When DH and I were ttc our son I didn't temp or anything, but I will admit that I come from a long line of fertile myrtles, so I don't really have any advice on that.

I don't know what to tell you as to how to deal with your friends/family because everyone deals with trouble ttc in their own way. I am sure that your friend didn't mean to hurt your feelings by her comment but she also may not realize your situation. She may have fretted about calling you and telling her the news of her pregnancy if she knows of your troubles, but called you anyways because she didn't want to leave you out of the loop.
Click to expand...


My OB is very supportive and is willing to start fertility treatments as soon as I am ready. I decided to do some more "natural" stuff first. I have lost 35 pounds and plan to continue since being overweight can hinder conception.

My friend does not know about any of the difficulties that we have been having. I don't feel comfortable sharing. I am glad that she called me instead of just letting me hear about it on Facebook. I just don't know why I am so hypersensitive about everything.
 
Lanie said:
I was/am PCOS as well. My problem was that I wasn't ovulating. Once the found the right drugs to get me to that point, that did the trick! My temps were all over the place until I started ovulating. I ended up throwing out the thermometer bc it made me crazier than adding a data point. I would go to see an RE if I were you. They will run tests and make sure you are in fact ovulating. Some of those test strips are hard to read, and unless you have a smiley face OPK or the CBEFM, I wouldn't take stock in the cheapo ones. The RE can do an ultrasound around the time you are ovulating, and can see it right there, which is nice. They can also run blood work in case it's another issue. I have 3 very good friends with PCOS, and I was the fastest out of them to get pregnant, but that's mainly bc I was ultra proactive. Unfortunately, it can take awhile. Were you diagnosed officially with it?

As far as the comment, that's rough. I'm sure she didn't mean it, or maybe she meant it as in "you still have your freedom...you are the last one...enjoy it!" but I don't know her so I don't know. Try not to let it bother you (easy for me to say). I think trying for 6 months constitutes a visit to the RE!!! Good luck!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks Lanie. She meant it in a "get with the program" kind of way. But probably only b/c she thinks we just haven't wanted kids yet.

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 14 so I have known about it for a long time. While I probably should have started trying earlier in our marriage we weren't ready.
 
Lanie said:
I was/am PCOS as well. My problem was that I wasn't ovulating. Once the found the right drugs to get me to that point, that did the trick! My temps were all over the place until I started ovulating. I ended up throwing out the thermometer bc it made me crazier than adding a data point. I would go to see an RE if I were you. They will run tests and make sure you are in fact ovulating. Some of those test strips are hard to read, and unless you have a smiley face OPK or the CBEFM, I wouldn't take stock in the cheapo ones. The RE can do an ultrasound around the time you are ovulating, and can see it right there, which is nice. They can also run blood work in case it's another issue. I have 3 very good friends with PCOS, and I was the fastest out of them to get pregnant, but that's mainly bc I was ultra proactive. Unfortunately, it can take awhile. Were you diagnosed officially with it?

As far as the comment, that's rough. I'm sure she didn't mean it, or maybe she meant it as in "you still have your freedom...you are the last one...enjoy it!" but I don't know her so I don't know. Try not to let it bother you (easy for me to say). I think trying for 6 months constitutes a visit to the RE!!! Good luck!!!
Click to expand...


this above - same thing with my sister - she was on a medication for a while before she even started TTC, because she also wasn't ovulating. Perhaps you aren't either? The other thing she really liked and thought could be helpful was accupunture. If i remember correctly, she belonged to an online forum for people with PCOS and she really enjoyed it. I'll call her and get the name of it for you and find out about her temperature tracking. back soon!
 
Hugs Blackberry.

FYI, I remember reading that girls with PCOS often get multiple false positive OPKs every month because they have raised luteinizing hormone levels, but that doesn't mean they actually ovulate. If you're not getting a clear thermal shift, I suspect you might not actually be ovulating. Could you call your doctor? Maybe they can run some quick tests, or give you an ultrasound to confirm ovulation.

In the patient with PCOS, a variety of any of these hormones may be produced at an abnormal level, perpetuating incomplete follicular development without consistent ovulation. Since the hormonal system operates as a feed-back loop, when any hormone is at an abnormal level, all related hormones are affected. Specifically, LH levels can be higher than normal resulting in an increased LH/FSH ratio, with stimulation of the ovarian follicle but not resulting in maturation and release of the egg. From this link:
http://www.drgalen.com/pcos.html
 
blackberry16 said:
Then yesterday one of my friends called to tell me that she was pregnant and reminded me that I am "the last one" (i.e. the only one of our friends who has no children). I know that she didn't mean to hurt my feelings but that kind of comment can only come from someone who had no difficultly getting pregnant.
Click to expand...

How rude and presumptuous of her. :angryfire:
 
Blackberry-HUGE HUGS TO YOU!!!! This TTC journey can really just suck! I am trying to find joy in the time with my husband and knocking out stuff in my career/school so that I can have more flexibility once I am a mama, but darn it I want to be a mama now! Friends can say stuff that they don't even think about, and it can really hurt! Don't feel bad about getting hurt, but also remember they are probably nowhere near as hypersensative as we are :bigsmile: I'm sure I said really insensitive things to people along the way!Big, bug, hugs to you!!!!
 
Ditto what Laila said about false OPKs.

I'm also a member of soul cysters, which is a forum all about PCOS. They have a great fertility forum I was on all the time. You should check it out...the girls on there are just as helpful.
 
I have PCOS and tried for almost a year before realizing I definitely wasn't ovulating. I had lots of tests done and ended up taking Metformin and something else... Progesterone maybe? It took me about 6 months after that to finally start ovulating and I was pregnant the FIRST month (for me, I noticed the cervical mucous that I also verified with an ovulation predictor stick). Are you taking any medication? I'd recommend checking your mucous if you aren't already! Good luck!

You know... I also lost about 9lbs a month or two before I ovulated so maybe that also helped?

ETA: I know exactly how you feel with wanting to cry about new pregnancies! Several people I knew got pregnant during the time we were trying... some were unwed and very young, some were people I didn't care for AT ALL and didn't seem like they'd make good parents. I was so angry that THEY could get pregnant but I couldn't. I hope it happens for you soon because I know thats rough. I tried to focus on the idea that maybe it just wasn't the right time for me for whatever reason. Maybe there was a better plan for the timing.
 
Laila619 said:
Hugs Blackberry.

FYI, I remember reading that girls with PCOS often get multiple false positive OPKs every month because they have raised luteinizing hormone levels, but that doesn't mean they actually ovulate. If you're not getting a clear thermal shift, I suspect you might not actually be ovulating. Could you call your doctor? Maybe they can run some quick tests, or give you an ultrasound to confirm ovulation.

In the patient with PCOS, a variety of any of these hormones may be produced at an abnormal level, perpetuating incomplete follicular development without consistent ovulation. Since the hormonal system operates as a feed-back loop, when any hormone is at an abnormal level, all related hormones are affected. Specifically, LH levels can be higher than normal resulting in an increased LH/FSH ratio, with stimulation of the ovarian follicle but not resulting in maturation and release of the egg. From this link:
http://www.drgalen.com/pcos.html
Click to expand...

Yup! Seems to me the only hard and fast way to confirm ovulation is with monitoring by doctors. Most of the other methods are just looking for the correlates of ovulation and cannot definitively confirm or deny, really. But in your case, since you have conflicting information from the OPK and temps along with PCOS I would personally be looking for medical monitoring sooner rather than later.
 
Hi! I talked to my sister at length for you - here's what she had to say...she found it very hard to temperature take for success for these reasons below:

if you are temperature taking, you should be taking it EVERY day at the same time, preferably without an alarm clock (apparently it startles you and can give an adrenaline rush). However, if you are using an alarm clock, you'll be experiencing that adrenaline all the time, so you should see a pattern. She said you need to wake up at the same time every day, so if you sleep in on the weekends you have to discard that information as it is irrelevant. She also said you probably already know this, but you should have a spike after you ovulate. She also said if you aren't seeing a spike or a change in pattern of temperature, you are possibly not ovulating.

She agreed with the other ladies above that the ovulation kits are looking for a jump in hormones -- for people with PCOS, this can be a problem, because you don't follow a normal pattern with hormones and often can have the spike in hormones even though you aren't ovulating. She again said the better way to monitor yourself is to get in touch with your quality cervical mucous - it is different at different times of the month - if you need more information on this, I can get you in touch with her - she's great.

I know she was on Metformin (sp?) to regulate and stimulate ovulation for a while before TTC after she figured out what was going on. Looks like oobie was on the same stuff. While she didn't get prenant, she said a lot of women do when they induce ovulation without further medical help. Anything else I can do to help you out, please let me know! I know, from being with my sister throughout this process, it can be very frustrating...but rest assured, there are tons of options and help out there for you.

I'll be thinking of you!
 
Thanks so much for your support everyone.
 
Good luck with TTC blackberry. It is a hard path. Like Oobie I have PCOS, was on metformin, and got pregnant the first month of treatment with hormone therapy. I had to use injectibles, taking clomid was not effective (my 2 clomid cycles were monitored via u/s). The RE said that there was no point in looking at a PCOS chart, there were just too many variables and to keep the thermometer only for fevers. If you can stop the insanity and back away from the charting, it might help. I know honey, was there for over a year, but I wish I had stopped earlier and just gone to an RE right away. You can and will have a baby...do check out soulcysters. Hugs and hugs.
 
I too want to encourage you to seek medical help. The idea of waiting a year is fairly outdated in my experience, especially if you have diagnosed PCOS and are not getting a regular temp chart. If your OBGYN is not helpful, I encourage you to seek out an RE on your own being proactive will give you focus and piece of mind.
 
ponder said:
I too want to encourage you to seek medical help. The idea of waiting a year is fairly outdated in my experience, especially if you have diagnosed PCOS and are not getting a regular temp chart. If your OBGYN is not helpful, I encourage you to seek out an RE on your own being proactive will give you focus and piece of mind.
Click to expand...

My OB is very supportive about moving to the next level of treatment. I am just not sure that I am quite ready to begin that journey. I watched my sister go though it and I feel like I need a few more months to wrap my mind around it.
 
you should absolutely move at your own pace blackberry - i understand about watching a sister go through it, and how that can feel. you'll know when you are ready for further treatment. in the meantime, maybe accupunture would help?

p.s. I've never in my life tried to get pregnant...but i would imagine that i would feel similarly to you if i did, after watching my sister go through the whole process.
 
Hugs to you Blackberry. Hopefully you will not need to look into things any further because you will get knocked up so fast! :))
 
violet3 said:
you should absolutely move at your own pace blackberry - i understand about watching a sister go through it, and how that can feel. you'll know when you are ready for further treatment. in the meantime, maybe accupunture would help?

p.s. I've never in my life tried to get pregnant...but i would imagine that i would feel similarly to you if i did, after watching my sister go through the whole process.
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Thanks for understanding, my DH tries but he doesn't understand what I am going through. It's nice to know that there is a supportive place to go.
 
Dreamer_D said:
Hugs to you Blackberry. Hopefully you will not need to look into things any further because you will get knocked up so fast! :))
Click to expand...

I hope so, but I guess not this month. I got my period just in time for my 29th birthday :(( That was a fun gift.
 
I called my OBGYN and got her soonest appointment ( in four weeks). I think that I feel good about accepting where I am and taking the steps to get what I want!
 
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