Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor - number of "peak" days?

[Anonymous]

For those of you who have experience with the Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor - wondering if this seems normal or unusual to you, or what your experiences have been:

Cycles for about 3-4 months showed only "low" fertility with no "high" fertility days before "peak" (ovulation) fertility days - and then I would have 1-2 days of "peak" readings, followed by high (1 day) and then low again until menstrual cycle started. *NO* high fertility days before the peak days. I was consistenly seeing peak (ovulation) days at CD 14 or 15.

This cycle: two "high" fertility days at CD 14 and 15, then two days (so far) of peak (ovulation) at CD 16 AND 17. What does this mean? Am I actually ovulating on CD 17, or on CD 16? I can't be ovulating on both days, so how should I be reading this? Just trying to figure out the timing of this whole production. I'm also finding it a bit odd that my ovulations day(s) seems to have been pushed back by a couple of days, in my otherwise CLOCKWORK 28 day cycle with CD 14/15 ovulation.

Thoughts, opinion, comments would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

It is totally normal for the monitor to go from low to peak. Sometimes it just doesnt catch the upward trend to give you the high days and goes right to peak.

After the monitor get the first peak it goes into auto mode and will always give a second peak followed by a high and then back to lows. You can stop testing (and save yourself money on sticks) after you recieve your first peak. You will see...it will automatically just go to another peak the next day, etc.

I have been told that usually you ovulate later in the day of the first peak or early in the day of the second peak. Basically it is catching that LH surge as your body preps for ovulation. I also chart my BBT (basal body temperature) and do OPKs with the CBEFM and have found that I usually ovulate on the second peak day but everyone is different.
Be sure to get busy with DH on both peak days and the high day after to up your chances of ttc.

[Anonymous]

Thank you PP! Quite honestly, DH and I are pretty much tired of each other at this point, but we'll give it another shot today to try to catch that peak!

[Anonymous]

I use the fertility monitor and have had the same experience for one or two cycles (I usually do see a "high" for a couple of days right before I see my first "peak.") It is totally normal. I believe poster 14:42 is correct on what she said about when you ovulate after seeing your first peak reading. Good luck! It hasn't gotten me prego yet but it definitely helped me learn a lot about my cycles.

[Anonymous]

A "high" is supposed to mean that the monitor is detecting increased estrogen in your urine. When the monitor detects an increase in LH, it should register a "Peak" reading. Typically, the LH surge precedes ovulation by 36 hours. However, since you are using FMU, the LH surge has probably already started by the time that the CBEFM detects it. Usually, you will ovulate 12-24 hours after the CBEFM detects the LH surge (shows you a "peak" reading) because it is detecting the surge only after the fact. For many women, the LH surge begins late morning, and takes 4-5 hours to show up in the urine. So, 12+ hours have usually passed before a Peak reading.

PP is right -- once the CBEFM detects LH and gives a peak reading, it goes into "automatic" and will always give you another peak reading, so you should definitely save your $$ and not use any more sticks after your first peak reading. I called the "help line" and even their representative told me that!

Usually, I got "good" readings, but every so often, my CBEFM would detect an increase in LH that was not the actual "LH surge".. and give me an incorrect false reading of "peak". I know this because I was also using hermometers and checking temps, and I know how long my luteal period ois (14 days...which is constant for each woman and does not vary from cycle to cycle.) So... I didn't know that the "eak" reading was wrong until after the month was over. Just FWIW... if you are checking "other fertility signs" like CM, temps, etc., then you should consider those to be important as well, and dcon't solely rely on the monitor. It will work well most of the time... but not ALL of the time... especially if you have PCOS, which often causes false "high" readings.

[Anonymous]

Your experience is totally normal and it is correct that once you "peak" you will automatically receive another "peak" reading the next day/you can stop testing (I had called the company about similar issues and they also told me that once you peak, you can stop testing because the machine goes into auto mode at that point).

I had cycles where I had 3-5 days of "high" before peaking, and then several cycles where I had no "high" before peaking. I think you also have to know your body. The first time I tried to get pregnant using the CBEFM (after two months of recording my high/peak days), I had sex two days before and the day I "peaked" and didn't get pregnant. The next month, I had sex the afternoon before "peaking" (as well as the day after peaking) and became pregnant. I miscarried, and then charted/recorded a couple of cycles before trying again. Last month was the first time we tried after the m/c and had sex the night before "peaking" and the morning of, and I just found out I am 5 weeks pregnant.

Through all this and my charting/recording with the CBEFM, I learned how to read my discharge and so now I know when I'm ovulating/about to "peak" even before the machine tells me (and that I'm ovulating/should be having sex right before I "peak" according to the CBEFM). But you may be the opposite and ovulating right after you"peak" according to the CBEFM (and should be having sex that day for optimal chances of conception). I think being able to detect the changes in your discharge is really helpful and something you should also be watching (i.e., it goes from thick, sticky white to clear and sticky when you ovulate). Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Thank you to all posters who responded. I really appreciate your responses! Congratulations to the currently pregnant PPs, and best of luck to those still trying!