In Praise of BBT

Strange to be discovering something at this stage which is really so basic, but proving an enormous comfort. I hadn’t realised until I finally buckled and decided to ‘chart’, that the process does more than identify the point at which ovulation takes place. Towards the end of the cycle, if all is as it should be and you have actually managed to achieve pregnancy, your temperature remains high, while if not your temperature will drop back over the last 3 or so days. This has been such a new experience, as towards the end of this cycle (a) I have had a very clear idea of the exact day on which I ovulated, and (b) I could see that my temperature was NOT staying high, gradually, so that somehow it has not involved that horrible disappointment of the p-stick. So that when I was woken up at 3.30am this morning by the (certainly unwanted) feeling that ‘a new cycle had started’, I was expecting it completely and not ‘hanging on’ to that feeling that maybe . . . just maybe . . .

For a long time I have been using OPKs, but I am rarely 100% sure that one line is darker than or the same as the other - it just never seems quite unambiguous. So it has been case of a ‘I think I ovulated about then . . .’ and that has made the end of my cycle very difficult to predict, and I have used at least 2 HPTs most months (which gets expensive in addition to all the misery!) This time I didn't use any at all.

So - what happened in Harley Street? Here's the update. I have not been pregnant since last October, and although I realise this is not particularly unusual I am about to embark on something else new . . . I have just been prescribed a ‘super ovulation’ treatment - a bit of help with a push in the right direction. I now have 10 tablets of Clomid to stimulate some egg production, Ovitrelle to stimulate release, and then ‘timed intercourse’ to follow the Ovitrelle injection (– so no more giggling Mister!!) I admit I am slightly sceptical of all this ‘treatment’ which obviously comes at some cost again, seeing as I seem to ovulate perfectly all right without assistance. A little (greedy) bit of me thinks maybe the result of Clomid treatment will be to provide 2 eggs for a cycle and that I may have the miracle – twins. Of course the point seems to be to improve my chances. I am not getting any younger, and I don’t want to sound tragic, but I WILL stop this whole process at the end of the year if I continue unsuccessful. So I want to give myself the best shot I can.

Here’s hoping.