[nmirwin011108]

Hey Everyone!

Has anyone tried using any fertility monitor? My DH and I are going to be starting FertileAid and better diets, etc. to ttc naturally and I do have PCOS and am irregular, so I wasn't sure if a fertility monitor would work for me.

From what I have read regarding irregular cycles and fertility monitors it basically just says that it may not work to it's fullest, but still helps to get a better idea of ovulation then if doing nothing at all.

I have tried the OPK's and they didn't seem to do anything for me. I just figure since we want to try and conceive naturally that anything like this may help, but the monitors run about $200.00 and that isn't little money if it doesn't work well for issues like PCOS.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!

[bessde]

I say give it a try! I have the Clear Blue Easy Digital Monitor. I suggest buying it on ebay and buying the test strips on ebay as well (make sure they are not expired or advertise the expiration date from the box). The test strips alone are $49.99 at CVS, but online you can find them for less.

Keep in mind that you have to test at the same time (within like a 4 hour window) every day. I always test in the morning, but I know others swear by afternoon/evening testing. Make sure you start day 1 close to the time of day you will be testing daily.

Your first couple of months (hopefully it won't be necessary for you, but it was for me) you will be required to use alot more test strips, but then the monitor will ask you to test less and less as it gets an idea of the length of your cycles and when you tend to peak. The first couple of months, I never reached a peak detection (after my m/c), but after that I started to detect peak between the normal CD 14-16.

Good Luck!

[mgmsrk]

Here is a link from last month dealing with this subject Digital Clear Blue Easy (Ovulation Kit)


I use the Clearblue easy monitor, have PCOS and irregular cycles. I did a pro and con list above. Overall I like the monitor, it only tracks up to 42 days so some months when my cycle goes off a cliff it needs some adjusting but not too bad.

[nmirwin011108]

I think I will go ahead and give it a try. It may take a few months to get used to my body / cycles, but I will just have to be patient and hope for the best.

Who knows.... Just MAYBE since we did get lucky and get pregnant recently, MAYBE my body will start to get on track!

We can certainly HOPE!!!!!!!!

[mgmsrk]

ClearBlue Fertility Monitors with FREE Priority Mail Shipping!

They have the best prices that I have seen $199. for the monitor, 30 test strips, batteries and free shipping. I order my test strips from them, $20 cheaper than the local store and 10 more sticks.

[Krista]

I used the OV Watch for several months and while it was expensive it did work. I stopped using it when we started seeing the RE.

[Bikoturbo]

I almost feel like I am wagging war with my fertility. I am not to the point of going to a specialist yet but I am doing a few things to try to help before then. I purchased an OV watch off e-bay. It came with 3 sensors and the watch for the winning bid of $100. It had only been used for one month and worked for her. I also have purchased pre-seed and want to see if that helps. I am waiting for my next AF and husband to be in same country to start to use it. The worst that can happen is nothing but I am willing to try for the best.

[darlings]

I also have PCOS and tried to use the CBE monitor. It never worked for me or else I just never ovulated...not sure. Anyway, after spending all that money on it, I gave mine to my SIL because I wanted someone to be able to use it (she also has slight PCOS). It worked for her telling her when she O'd but she never did get BFP.

[Fertility]

HELLO ALL!

Im new here so hi! Im really confused and i am hoping someone can help me. I have PCOS and have had problems all of my life. I am 21 and my system has never worked correctly, which i partly blame on poor advice from docs. The reason i say that it becuase my periods were so heavy when i started, i was almost amnemic so they put me on depo provera (at the age of 13!!!) without explaining that this would have a detrimental effect on my fertility. After doing my own research once leaving school i realised what i was doing to myself and decided to make a change. I stopped using the contraceptive injections and tried to let my system naturally settle - which it still hasnt 4 years later!!! I am considering purchasing a fertility monitor but i recently i have been seeing posts about how this may not be the best thing for PCOS, especially since i very very rarely have periods. I know of the clearblue one but i have been hearing very good reviews on the duo fertility monitor - do any fellow PCOS sufferers use a monitor?

What are your thoughts on these?

Is it worth the investment for my condition?

Does anyone have experience of clearblue AND duo fertility monitor?

I want a baby more than anything and typically (as im sure is the same with you all too) i have always known my life will revolve around hvaing kids and being a mother and ive felt this was very strongly since i was 14! I have met my prince charming and now i am desperate to start a family - tho i fear it will never ever happen.

please help and share your wealth and thoughts, i will be eternally grateful.

Thank you all!
H

[Fertility]

I must say, i expected it to a degree but i am overwhelmed by the responses. Thank you for taking your time to give me your advice.

Yes i am concerned that it may not track me correctly if i have the clearblue monitor especially since it is near **** impossible that my cycles would happen 48 between each other.

Does anyone know if the DUO monitors longer periods? I thoguht this recorded this digitally tho not sure on the storage limitations...

Thanks so much for the link mgmsrk & nmirwin011108 - let me know how you get on with the diet resources....i have been on the hunt myself tho not very successfully or i would have shared....

Thanks all and Good Luck!
Han

[ekb88]

On the pcos issue, I just wanted to share one of the things I learned through this journey as I was trying just about everything out there. I've never been officially diagnosed with pcos, but I have some signs of it (high dhea-s levels, that annoying extra hair thing, and oh yea, a hard time getting pg).

I started taking vitamin D supplements in the spring on a bit of a lark, and found that the hair issue mostly disappeared after a couple of months. Then I started googling about vitamin D and fertility and found that there have been studies showing a possible link between low vitamin D levels and pcos. Apparently some women in the studies developed regular cycles after getting supplements and several of them got pg.

Anyway, it's nothing I had heard of until I stumbled onto it myself, so I try to share it with all the pcos ladies I bump into. You can get your levels tested, but if you don't, it's supposed to be safe to take up to 2000iu a day of vitamin D in the "D3" form, and it's best to take it in the softgel form since it's a fat-soluble vitamin.

For me, as you can see in my sig I was blessed to get pg after a long time trying. I don't think the vitamin D thing was all of my success, but I do think it was a part of it. Best of luck to you. Sorry for jumping in on your thread