CM and O'ing? (TMI warning!)

[nicoleE]

Ok, well i have been off the pill since March 6th and have been tracking my BBT. I have never really had allot of CM so it was hard to track it really.

As far as my BBT goes it is a little all over the place, i now wake up at 5:45am 7 days a week so i can get an accurate reading without having to worry about if i should be correcting times/temps or not! (although on weekends i do go back to sleep, i aint silly!!) :D

I have just started taking a chaste berry based tablet given to me by my natropath/nutritionist to help regulate my cycle and get it back to normal.

On Saturday i went to the toilet and had (TMI warning!) stringy CM about 10cm long, however it was not clear, it was creamy, but def stringy, it wasnt breaking! lol (sorry)

I must admit, i remember when on the pill i would get this, and although i didnt really take any notice of exactly when (to be honest i didnt really understand the cycle properly) i would say it was about once a month... This is the first sighting since going off the pill.

Can you have fertile stringy CM that isnt clear like egg whites?
Does this CM normally come right on or before O? I have read that it is normally a few days before?

My temps are in my FF link below, but so far it doesnt look like I am ovulating, unless in the next couple of days my temps fall or rise dramatically...

Any ideas if this CM could be the one i am waiting for??!! :confused: :fingerscrossed:

Thanks. I am hanging out to begin O'ing again so we can TTC!!

[nicoleE]

Has anyone not had this? Are everyones fertile CM clear..? Am I the only one? :(

[Oscar's mum]

Has anyone not had this? Are everyones fertile CM clear..? Am I the only one? :(

I would say that is the CM you are looking for!;)

[MrsElle]

I dont seem to have any clear cm. EVER. Its either sticky and whitish, creamy and whitish, wet and whiteish or gluggy and whitish. But never eggwhites. So i cant help you unfortunatly. Probably the reason why i am still not pregnant.

[nicoleE]

thanks guys, the thing is i dont think mine is ever clear either... but my cycle is still not back to normal after going off the pill... I just wondered if this strechy CM was still a good sign of an oncoming ovulation considering that it was not clear... i know that i used to get this exact CM once every month before when i was on the pill, i just never took much notice of it and what it could mean! :o

Although my temp is still not rising, and its now 3 days after the CM

[little_fish]

I have also been worrying about my CM and the lack of EWCM. I found this on another forum in a good descrition of tracking all your fertility signs. I thought some of you might be interested in it as well.

"Cervical Mucous (CM)
There are five basic types of CM. From least to most fertile, they are: dry, sticky, creamy, watery, and eggwhite. Eggwhite is clear and stretchy. It’s the best way to tell when you’re about to O. When you have EWCM, you should have intercourse (BD – baby dance). You usually have 2-4 days of fertile CM. Some women don’t get eggwhite and watery is their most fertile CM. That’s okay. Just be sure to BD whenever you have watery or eggwhite CM. Your last day of most fertile CM or lubricative vaginal sensation is your Peak Day and is the day before or of ovulation. It’s normal to have increased wetness for a day or so before AF, too. If you’ve just gone off BCP, you may have consistently milky CM, which can be confusing. Or if you have really long cycles like I did, you can have multiple patches of EWCM before actually ovulating. "
http://www.babytalkers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2756

I also read of a couple of women who normally have EWCM, and the month they didn't was the month they conceived.

[nicoleE]

Thanks guys, well my temp shot up this morning higher than it has ever been recorded so i am thinking I might have ovulated.... also had clear watery cm on my underwear this morning, i dont think it was stringy though (sorry TMI again, but oh well we're all women... arnt we!! :o :D )

I was very figity and couldnt concentrate much yesterday and was hungry throughout the day and felt hot and cold on and off yesterday and the day before, all of which arent really normal for me so I am recording all of this incase any of it becomes a tell tale sign that i can recognise in the future (not sure of those type of things are)

If I have ovulated, the lowest temp was Monday, it would be too late to BD now wouldnt it? We are trying for a boy so next cycle i will be keeping a close eye on as i dont want to BD too early for the egg. I have an OPK at home with 6 days worth but i didnt want to waste it this cycle...

Question(s):
1) If i have ovulated then it will be confirmed with a period right..??

2) Can I still tell the possible length of my cycle from the number of days from now until my period? Assuming it will be somewhere around 14-16 days from now? (if I did O)
For example, if i get my AF in 14 days (from Monday) I can assume that aproximately 14 days after first day of bleeding I will be due to ovulate again?

[little_fish]

Hi Nicole, I can't answer all of your questions, but from what I have read it's your luteal phase (between O and AF) which remains constant each month. The number of days in the first half of your cycle (between AF and O) can change depending on stress etc.

On a note of interest I read about a study which someone did in France on lengths of cycles, and they found if women slept in total darkness for most of thier cycle, with a few nights in a row where they slept with a low level of light (similar to moon light) the women's cycles became very regular, and women who had been having horrible periods and/or irregular cycles changed to having manageable periods and regular cycles.

[nicoleE]

Thanks Little Fish.

We are going to give it our first shot at BD to TTC tonight anyway, it cant hurt! :D

Mondays temp was higher than Sundays but still within the normal range for me, it is today that it shot up so I am hoping it may have been yesterday that I O'd. I know that the chances of conceiving are slim however I figure we may as well give it a go, atleast I wont get my hopes up as I know it isnt likely to be sucessful but you never know! :fingerscrossed:

[nicoleE]

Well we had our first BD to TTC for real last night... I dont really think that it will work though as I am still not sure i O'd as my temp went down a bit today, will continue to keep an eye on it, but other signs seemed positive. Was also reading from a book last night about a gland you can feel enlarged which signifies ovulation... will see if I can find something on the internet. From where they said it was i could feel the two glands on either side and my right side was bigger than my left, that is if i was feeling the right thing! Will investigate more.

All my fingers and toes are crossed and if i dont get AF in about 2 weeks I will be peeing on that pregnancy stick! :fingerscrossed:

[MilkOnTap]

Hey Nicole. I dont think we've met? I am a long-time TTCer, I've had two ectopic pregnancies and now hubby is away for a few months so TTC has been put on hold.

The most fertile CM is clear and stringy, like mozzarella cheese! There will be creamy cm most of the time before you O, and then again after you O. There is a very tiny window where you actually get to 'see' the clear cm.

The cherry baste product your naturopath has you on is pretty much the same as 'Vitex'. A stack of women have conceived whilst on that product! For me, benefits outweigh anything - it has regulated my cycle, reduced cramps and period pain, reduced O pains and also helped clear up my skin - bonuses all round!

I also noticed you only just came off the pill. Dont despair! After I went off the pill it took us 3 months to conceive. Its pretty normal. The first week or so after coming off it, your body goes into ovulation overdrive, and ovulates a few eggs all at once! Then it just stops, and often wont ovulate again for another month or two. At least your on the Vitex now, so hopefully that should get your body back into some kind of rhythm again.

Best Wishes - I will keep on popping in every now and again to see where I can offer any help! :hugs:

[nicoleE]

Thanks a lot Ali, I appreciate your input.

I have only been off the pill for about 5 weeks and have been taking my BBT every morning at the same time for about 4 weeks. I had a few CM signs and a drop and significant (for me) rise in temp so I figured we would give it a go last night! We are trying for a boy so want to time BD on or after ovulation but not before. (I have been following the shettles method)

As with pretty much all of you TTC I am pretty impatient and so excited that I want to learn as much as I can about all of this so I can take every oportunity that comes our way to conceive. I know it can take months and months (even years) and I am prepared for that (as much as i can be) but i am still hopeful! I have been on the Premular (Chaste berry) only for a week. I guess I let my mind be positive and hopeful however dont let it get carried away with things and keep reminding myself that this is most likely going to take time....

Its funny, when we were teenageers my mum told my two older sisters and I to be careful because she got pregnant really easily.... here we are all those years lager and my eldest has PCOS and another problem and cannot conceive, they have tried IVF with no luck and my middle sister has PCOS and has conceived twice but with the help of ovulation inducing drugs!! But my mum was telling the truth, she did get pregnant easily! :laughing: I just hope I dont suffer a similar fertility fate to my sisters, however I have had an ultrasound for PCOS and it showed up all clear... - I tell you though that advice from mum was the best contraceptive for a teenage girl, anyone with girls, remember that when it is time!

[little_fish]

I was just doing a search on Robitussin, and found the following info, which I thought was so good, I would share it.

I was particularly interested that vit C seems to be bad for CM!

Has anyone out there who has watery CM used Robitussin and had improvements? I'd love to know if you have

Here's the info I found:

Robitussin for Fertility FAQ
Using Robitussin/Guaifenesin to Improve Cervical Mucus
At first most people wonder what on earth a cough syrup has to do with fertility, but the logic is easily found in the fact that it is an expectorant and is being used to loosen and thin mucus - just in a different place than the lungs!

The name Robitussin was used in the title of this FAQ as it is a common brand of cough syrup in the United States. It is used on the fertility boards and newsgroups in the same manner as saying Band-Aid for an adhesive strip used to cover a cut. Any expectorant that contains guaifenesin as the only active ingredient is fine to use.

What kind of Robitussin is used to improve cervical mucus?

One should buy the plain kind with no letters after it. The only active ingredient is guaifenesin, and it contains 100 mg per teaspoon. It is very important to avoid the versions that contain decongestants as those may dry up cervical mucus.

Do I need to use the brand Robitussin?

No. Robitussin is the most common brand name, at least in the U.S., that carries a guaifenesin-only expectorant, but there are other brands and generics available. As long as the only active ingredient is guaifenesin, you can use any variety you find. For those with diabetes or otherwise concerned about sugar intake, there is the brand Diabetic Tussin available.

What is the recommended dose of guaifenesin?

The recommended dose for improving cervical mucus, based on a 1982 article in Fertility and Sterility, is two teaspoons (200 mg) taken orally three times per day. If mucus still appears thick and doesn't have good spinnbarkeit (ability to stretch), one can take as much as four teaspoons (400 mg) four times per day (the maximum dose on this over the counter medication). Each dose should be taken with a full glass of water, and attention should be given to drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day -- one needs water to produce mucus.

What cycle days should one take guaifenesin?

Just as the dose can vary a bit, so can the days. The article linked above had patients starting the guaifenesin on cycle day 5 - five days after the start of menses. This seems rather early as mucus is not an issue until about five days before ovulation - based on the fact that sperm can only live five days at best, and most pregnancies are the result of intercourse in the five days leading up to ovulation. Because of this information, it is now more common for doctors to suggest starting guaifenesin about five days before expected ovulation and continuing through ovulation day (six days total, for those with regular cycles). For those with irregular cycles, one should start taking guaifenesin about five days before the earliest day ovulation might be expected. For those taking Clomid (clomiphene citrate, Serophene) in a 5-day protocol, one can probably wait until the day after the last Clomid pill before starting the expectorant.

Is guaifenesin available in pill form?

Yes, but in most cases a prescription is needed. In the U.S., one can get a 600 mg time released caplet as the generic Guaifenesin CR, or brands Humibid LA, and Fenesin. This is often less expensive than the liquid.

How does one diagnose cervical factor/hostile mucus?

Many women try taking guaifenesin after noting little or no egg white (stretchy) cervical mucus while charting their fertility signals, but clinically it is diagnosed when a doctor checks mucus one or two days before ovulation in what is usually referred to as a post-coital test. The doctor does a vaginal exam and takes a sample of mucus to immediately analyze under a microscope to check for live sperm and for a ferning pattern. It is also checked for signs of infection. Quality mucus will be stretchy, fern, lack cellularity, and have live sperm swimming in it.

Why do so many women take guaifenesin while on Clomid?

Clomid (clomiphene citrate, Serophene) can cause hostile mucus in 30 percent or more of women using it. Higher doses tend to be more associated with less cervical fluid and a thinner uterine lining, than the 50 mg dose.

Will guaifenesin help if there is little or no mucus present?

Guaifenesin doesn't actually create mucus, it only thins what is already there. One would need to look into why there is no mucus (infection, not really ovulating).

Will taking guaifenesin cause any problems if it isn't needed?

Probably not. Since fertile mucus can be watery, there is probably no harm in taking guaifenesin and thinning it out.

What are some other possible ways to improve cervical mucus?

Drinking plenty of water should always be considered in addition to any other therapies one might try. Estrogen is sometimes given to help mucus production, though doctors have mixed opinions of its benefit, especially when used with Clomid (and some suggest using Tamoxifen instead of Clomid). Injectable gonadotropins used for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation often have a positive effect on cervical mucus as well. Some home/natural remedies include eating salty foods such as popcorn (mucus is very salty), taking evening primrose oil, avoiding dairy products (they can thicken mucus), eating lots of baby carrots, and also avoiding antihistamines, including high doses of vitamin C.

Does guaifenesin do anything for male factor infertility?

It is possible that men with thick semen may benefit from guaifenesin in the same manner it helps with cervical mucus in women. The suggested doses on the newsgroups and fertility boards range from two teaspoons twice per day to four teaspoons four times per day.

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Created: May 13, 2000