Menopause Discussion > Alternative Therapies

Charting Basal Body Temp during Peri menopause

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dahliagirl:
There are lots of things about on the web, and you can get apps too these days.  A few years ago, there only seemed to be American sites where people were using natural family planning methods for religious and associated moral reasons.  It seems to be terribly fashionable again.  ;D

  This has some useful info.  http://www.nfpta.org.uk/charts/

Basically you need to take your temperature each morning as soon as you wake and the same time if possible.  This is as close to your Basal Body Temperature and you can get (it changes with activity otherwise).  You need a good digital thermometer for easy use.

Add to this observations on mucus (see Billings method) and if you are really clever, you can add the position of your cervix  ::)

It is also useful to have spaces for notes on other symptoms and also any meds you take.

I did this for about 18 months before I started HRT, then there was no point.  I even made spreadsheets  ;D

Tinkerbell:
And it is preferable to take your temp before getting out of bed.

dangermouse:
I used the free Kindara app to plot mine but they are all over the place, no pattern of follicular and luteal phases so haven't continued this month. Will take the graph with me to specialist I'm seeing next week.

However, I could clearly see that when temps were low (think that's high oestrogen) I felt much worse and high (low oestrogen) I felt better.

dahliagirl:
I found that if I had a 'cycle' that was anovular, then the temperature would go up and down like a zig zag and I was never sure I was taking it properly - I bought a new battery for the thermometer and it was just the same!  I would still get a bleed at about 3 weeks +/- several days.  >:(

In a cycle where they might be some sort of ovulation, then the temperature would hold steady, then gradually rise following the time ovulation should have happened then collapse a week later.

As time went on, I had more nights where I failed to sleep, woke up at stupid o'clock, or crashed out and slept in so I couldn't rely on the temperatures being correct, and also, I could not predict periods (which were frequent) anyway.

It was interesting while it lasted.

Bettyboo:
Thanks all.

And thanks Dangermouse. Yesterday I downloaded and set up the Kindara App and bought a thermometer, lol.

First impressions, I was really surprised at my low temperature. When I tested the thermometer (late evening) it was 36.1 c and then this morning in bed when I did the reading for the app it was 35.8.

Anyway, I will keep up with the experiment.

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