Is your LP consistent?

[Anonymous]

First, here's my chart: http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/our_wunderkind

Based on everything I've read, LPs tend to be consistent with each woman. I am convinced that Fertility Friend has miscalculated my ovulation date several times. This month, it said I ovulated on CD 10, which has NEVER happened before. My "average" according to FF is CD 14.

The problem is, this month, I had positive OPKs on CDs 9 and 10, and then they turned negative. I had the mittelschmerz on CD 10 as well. But my temp didn't spike for two days (CD 14), which means that CD 13 is also possible. It's all very confusing. My CM during this time was consistently EWCM/watery.

Any thoughts? Are your LPs consistent? Should I do a manual override on my charts or trust FF? Can you actually get positive OPKs and mittelschmerz that early before ovulation? I am wondering if I should just subtract 14 days from each cycle length and make that my actual date of ovulation.

Thanks, ladies!

[Anonymous]

I would say your O date is CD 12. You usually get a + OPK 12-36 hours before O, so that would be the right time. It is also your last day of watery CM, which would also be the right time. I think a slow temp rise is ok (as evidenced by temps on CD 13, 14, 15).

What method are you using with FF to determine ovulation? You can always just set that cycle manually to show O on CD 12.

I would not just subtract 14 from each cycle length because your LP may vary from 1-2 days. They're consistent, but not precisely the same every month.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the feedback. I just have a gut feeling that CD 10 is way too early. What throws me off (in addition to the early +OPKs) is the mittelschmerz, which I always feel on the day of or the day before ovulation (assuming FF is correct). I don't know what would make me feel it that early.

When I take out the OPK data from this month's cycle, it moves ovulation to CD 12. Maybe I just "geared up" way early this month?

[Anonymous]

16:01 here.... I would also think CD10 is way too early based on your previous charts and even your OPKs.

I am not too familiar with O feelings--I shouldn't have discounted that in your original post, I wasn't considering it when I looked at your chart. I wonder if the pain you felt was your body getting ready to pop out the egg, or gearing up as you say, and then it actually got released 2 days later.

I find the whole guessing of this to be frustrating sometimes. As exact as we try to get with the dates, it's hard to know exactly when the egg was released (morning or afternoon?) and then time everything correctly!

[Anonymous]

OP here: You have no idea how many sections in books and articles I've read about mittelschmerz! Still, nobody knows exactly what that pain indicates. It's frustrating because I would really LIKE it to be a primary sign (since it's very recognizable). I think I trust it more than the OPKs, but the temps don't lie either. I get it every single month -- without exception -- about 75% of the time from the right.

We didn't BD at opportune times this month so I will probably have a better idea about when I ovulated when AF comes (another wee -- really?! ugh) .

When we get back on the official TTC wagon, I want to have a year's data behind us so we can at least try to predict ovulation. We're both 29 so I think we should be fine, and my cycles appear normal, but still, I'd like to know when to shoot for (no pun intended).

[Anonymous]

Just wanetd to chime and say that my RE told me that the length of the luteal phase usually varies much more than the length of the other phase (forget the name - but it's the one before you ovulate).

[Anonymous]

Actually, the LP is the most consistent. The FP (follicular phase) is the unpredictable one.

It goes FP-Ovulation-LP.

[Anonymous]

Chiming in because in my months charting, my LP was not consistent. It ranged from 6 to 16 days. My charts were pretty clear so I don't think my O day was off by more than a day at most. So while it's my understanding too that usually they don't vary, they certainly can.

[Anonymous]

OP back here again to update. Turns out I *did* ovulate on CD 10 because my cycle was only 24 days long! Check out the chart. Holy crap! I guess that's really just 3-4 days off, but still, that's more variation than I ever expected. It was so different that it changed my "averages" on FF, too. It now averages me at O on CD 13 and AF on CD 27. It was 14/28 before.

I hope it goes back to CD 13-14 soon. I don't know what caused that!