Temping Question

[iheartbroccoli]

Hi!

I have a question on charting and temping. This is my first cycle temping, and my temps have been all over the place. I was sick for the first week of this cycle, which I'm sure affected my temps.

This morning I woke up about 30 minutes before I normally do because I had a dry mouth. Took a sip of water and thought I should take my temperature. Fell right back to sleep after I did. Temperature was 96.5.

Woke up at my normal time, took my temperature again right away. Temperature was 96.9.

Big difference and will have a big impact on my chart below.

I've been using OPKs for a few days and the last two days (CD 15 and 16) were so very close to the test line, but just a hair lighter. I marked them as negative and was planning on changing them to positive if FF confirmed I O'd then. This is my second month using OPKS, and the same thing happened last month. Very very close to the test line, but I wasn't temping then to confirm O.

I should have used an OPK this morning, but forgot.

I put my temp for today at 96.5 just to be conservative. Do you agree or think I should change it to 96.9?

Thanks!

ETA: forgot chart.

[cali]

I don't really know how to answer your question about which temp to use but here is what I do know: Drinking water before temping can definitely give you a false lower temp if you're temping orally. When I was temping, I found my temps were much more accurate when I temped vaginally. You can take most OPKs at any time of day, do yours specifically say you must use FMU? I know Wondfos are actually better to do later in the day rather than first thing in the AM, so you might still want to do an OPK today. Also, if you mark your OPKs as negative it will affect when FF gives you CHs, it's better to put nothing than to put a neg if you're not sure.

[iheartbroccoli]

Jul 15, 2016 13:40:58 GMT -5 cali said:

I don't really know how to answer your question about which temp to use but here is what I do know: Drinking water before temping can definitely give you a false lower temp if you're temping orally. When I was temping, I found my temps were much more accurate when I temped vaginally. You can take most OPKs at any time of day, do yours specifically say you must use FMU? I know Wondfos are actually better to do later in the day rather than first thing in the AM, so you might still want to do an OPK today. Also, if you mark your OPKs as negative it will affect when FF gives you CHs, it's better to put nothing than to put a neg if you're not sure.

Thanks! I will keep that in mind about drinking water, I always have a glass on my nightstand and just reached for it.

I am using Wondfos, but I won't be home until really late tonight. I thought I would miss the surge if I waited,though I should test anyway when I get home just to confirm.

I didn't know that about FF and OPKs, I will take them out until I have O confirmed.

[therealbug]

Generally, you use the first temp but, since you took a drink of water before taking your temp, that one may be inaccurate.

In the long run,the difference between 96.5 and 96.9 may not be as much as you think. It really depends on what your post O temps are.

One thing to remember with FF is the more information you give it the more accurate it will be. If you are sure that your OPK was negative, I would put negative. Also, check out the tutorials on FF. They are very helpful. Charting your CM may also help you pinpoint O.

[bethkate]

Jul 16, 2016 13:47:01 GMT -5 therealbug said:

Generally, you use the first temp but, since you took a drink of water before taking your temp, that one may be inaccurate.

In the long run,the difference between 96.5 and 96.9 may not be as much as you think. It really depends on what your post O temps are.

One thing to remember with FF is the more information you give it the more accurate it will be. If you are sure that your OPK was negative, I would put negative. Also, check out the tutorials on FF. They are very helpful. Charting your CM may also help you pinpoint O.

Ditto all of this. In particular, I had the same thought about the difference in the two temps. It may not end up being a significant difference if your post O temps are much higher than pre-O. 

Also, I agree with cali about temping vaginally. That was my experience too. I'm a mouth breather when I sleep and tend to wake up thirsty a lot, so I found temping vaginally to be more accurate for me. 

[iheartbroccoli]

Jul 17, 2016 13:51:50 GMT -5 bethkate said:

Jul 16, 2016 13:47:01 GMT -5 therealbug said:

Generally, you use the first temp but, since you took a drink of water before taking your temp, that one may be inaccurate.

In the long run,the difference between 96.5 and 96.9 may not be as much as you think. It really depends on what your post O temps are.

One thing to remember with FF is the more information you give it the more accurate it will be. If you are sure that your OPK was negative, I would put negative. Also, check out the tutorials on FF. They are very helpful. Charting your CM may also help you pinpoint O.

Ditto all of this. In particular, I had the same thought about the difference in the two temps. It may not end up being a significant difference if your post O temps are much higher than pre-O. 

Also, I agree with cali about temping vaginally. That was my experience too. I'm a mouth breather when I sleep and tend to wake up thirsty a lot, so I found temping vaginally to be more accurate for me. 

Yeah, I'm a mouth breather when I sleep too. And when I wake up I automatically reach for water, so there's been a few times I temped after drinking water. I'll try temping vaginally next month.

Thanks everyone!

[4furrypaws]

YeH being sick will mess up temps. You can dismiss those ones.

You really should have a solid 2-3 hours uninterrupted sleep before you temp. I would have used the temp you took 1/2 hour earlier than your normal time since you had been asleep for a while before that. And 1/2 hour difference is ok. But the water may have lowered it as well. Maybe disregard that one too.

As for OPKs, it helped me to keep several lines up in the bathroom to compare. Some brands you may never get as dark as the control line. So I'd go by my darkest one.