Clear Blue Fertily Monitor - worth paying for?

Catzpaws

After having a ruptured ectopic pregnancy 18 months ago, DH and I are TTC again. We are now in month 3 of trying.... and I'm wondering if it's worth buying a Clear Blue Fertility Monitor (£57).

Had a lot of heartache over the ectopic, where I lost a tube. After this, we put our plans on hold to start trying for a family until we both felt more ready again.

The only thing that is putting me off buying one is the cost - as you can see from my sig, I'm skint at the moment and £57 is a lot of money! But, I don't want to miss out on the my fertility window IYKWIM as I'm 34 already and do not know whether I would actually have problems conceiving because of reduced fertility etc.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

CP

Britwife

Hands down 100% I just got one 2 months ago but just used it for the past time this cycle and just got my bfp today!!! I would buy it again. Get one from ebay, you don't have to buy a new one.

I used to chart but this monitor picked up ovulation at a different time for me. It detects estrogen and then your LH surge so you get advanced notice of when to start.

Best wishes hun

Britwife

Just wanted to say I'm sorry for you loss but don't lose heart becasue of your age, I'm 39!

Plans_all_plans

You can monitor your ovulation yourself by buying fertility charts and a thermometer. You need to have a fairly regular cycle for this method to work. Have a look here for more info http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/basal-body-temperature-charting.html

Interestingly my husband and I use this method as contraception!

Britwife

Charting is fine but the only problem is that it only tells you AFTER you ovulate. You can chart cervical mucus which is what we were doing, watching the signs and temping. However, after using the monitor, my cm dries up just before ovulation so in the past we would stop when the cm went away. If it wasnt for the monitor giving me a peak reading after I dried up, we would have stopped again and certainly would have missed our window.

If your cycles aren't normal each month, that makes it even harder.

fantafan

I can recommend them (got my BFP Aug). They can also bring the downside and pressure on a relationship to DTD on demand at the peak times so be aware that sometimes it can be a hinderance knowing it's now or never!...well, not never, just pointless until next cycle. I bought mine new from Amazon and have given it to a friend to try now...share the love and all that. If you buy new you can always sell on and if you buy 2nd hand, try to get it in a box as they sell better.

I also used https://www.fertilityfriend.com

There's a TTC forum on here which is really helpful and stops you nagging other half when there's like-minded girlies in the same boat there to support you.

Good luck SBDTA x....oh, I'm 22 weeks pregnant and 34 and BFF was 40 at Christmas with her first baby born May last year.

kazzah60

Plans_all_plans wrote: »

You can monitor your ovulation yourself by buying fertility charts and a thermometer. You need to have a fairly regular cycle for this method to work. Have a look here for more info http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/basal-body-temperature-charting.html

Interestingly my husband and I use this method as contraception!

I too used a ftertility chart and thermometer when trying for a baby
dh and I had been trying for 6 years and were finally put on clomid after I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome

my GP was EXCELLENT - she gave me the most wonderful piece of advice in connection to the temperatrure chart and thermometer

she dsaid that everyone would state that your body temp rises when you ovulate - BUT that just before you ovulate you will see a DIP and your temperature will go down a degree or so - if you make love when your temp goes down you are more likely to get pregnant, because you will have sperm in your system WHEN you ovulate.
I was very sceptical - but after three months I became pregnant

after ds1 was born the same GP advised me not to leave it too long before trying again as I may not be so lucky the next time- so we planned on the usual 2 year gap and started trying with thermometer and chart when ds1 was 5 months old- thinking it would probably take 6-8 months to get pregnant again

er - nope - caught the first month and had ds2 14 months after his brother!

i really hope this information will be helpful - it may be that the ovulation predictor things works in a similar way - but if you can't afford it a fertility thermometer and chart should only cost a couple of pounds from a good pharmacy
good luck

welshpolarbear

Hi, Im thinking of getting one too, but i agree they're expensive. I noticed one went for £30 on ebay this afternoon and there are quite a few on there (5 finishing in the next 24 hours for £30 or less...at the moment). Worth a try at least.

Sorry to hear about your ectopic pregnancy, must have been heartbreaking. Keep smiling though, Im sure it will happen for you

PS: I can confirm the TCC forum is great, been no it a week and have had lots of tips and support. Come on over!

SingleMumOf2_3

I know its not answering your question.. but keep going on the clearblue website daily. As they have a pop up now and again (every so many months) and they take on women for their trials. Its a small window of opportunity so you have to keep checking and catch it when they recruit. But they sent you a monitor free.. you get to use it until you become pregnant. They send the sticks aswell to use with it, so all free. In return you send wee samples every now and again. And it helps them with their 99% accuracey claims etc.. by testing the products.

Catzpaws

First of all - congratulations Britwife and Fantafan!

Thanks for all the replies - that's so great. I never thought to look on ebay so will take a peek on there to see what they are going for at the moment. Also the Clear Blue website too.

I am 'kind of' charting at the moment, in that I am checking CM and recording stuff in a diary and doing the deed on specific days. Not checking temperature though, which is probably what I should be doing.

Hmmm... will check on ebay now....

carolineb23

I too have suffered an ectopic (resulting in the loss of a fallopian tube)and have been using a CBFM for 5 months. Still not pregnant. I have regular cycles, I'm getting highs and peaks every cycle, and I'm ovulating pretty much exactly when I thought I was. If you have irregular cycles or aren't sure when you ovulate it's proabaly worth it but for me, already knowing a lot about my cycles, I don't think I'd pay for it (I've borrowed it from a friend). Personally, having not had any success after 5 months using it, I also find it really disheartening reading all the reviews from people who've got pregnant using it 1st go as there seem to be loads of them!