Finishing Up Cycle 37

So, since my favorite message board is down and due to firewall restrictions (which should be sorted out within a few days) I'm not able to log on to my favorite chat room, I guess I'll post here to let everyone know that yes, I am still alive. I am surviving, my first day of my new job went fairly well (though I don't feel that I got anything done), and AF has not yet arrived, which means that tomorrow, after a 14-day luteal phase, will probably be the first day of cycle 38.

Lunaception observations this cycle...
This cycle was nuts, due to tons of traveling, lots of stress, changing time zones a few times, and a few all-nighters. Through it all, however, Lunaception served me well, as I had a fairly predictable pre-ovulatory phase, a definite shift, and a fairly predictable -- and long! -- luteal phase. I had a lot of similar temperatures, which seemed at least in some part to correspond to the amount of time I spent in natural sunlight. I had tons of eggwhite mucus, and slept very well throughout my cycle. When I tried to trigger ovulation, I ended up ovulating two days after my last night of light, but still earlier than my average.

Cycle pic to be uploaded later!

Day 77 (CD22) - An example of how travel can mess up your temperatures!

So who wants to take some bets about when/if I've ovulated?

CD20 - woke up at 3am (EST) after getting about 4.5 hours of sleep
CD21 - woke up at 6am (CST)
CD22 - woke up at 4am (CST)

All three of these nights were following very long, stressful days, and I've had lots and lots of EWCM throughout, including today (CD22).

Option 1: Completely unadjusted temperatures, no ovulation yet... might have to mark CD21 as disturbed later to get an accurate shift
Option 2: Adjusted temperatures, showing a shift, but no ovulation because of my continuous ewcm
Option 3: Adjusted temperatures & put on "temperatures only" setting, shows ovulation on CD19

#1 #2 #3

Put your votes in now! ;)

Day 71 (CD16)

Well, due to some unforeseen events, I'll be needing to travel from CD18-22, so in order to avoid frustrating temperature disturbances right around ovulation, I decided to start trying to trigger ovulation early.

So, last night I slept with the blinds open and without my eye mask. I didn't feel as rested when I woke up, but my cervix was quite open, and I continued having creamy/wet mucus, so I'm really hoping it works. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Day 69 (CD14)

CD2 - indoors / CD3 - 96.8
CD3 - AM walk / CD4 - 97.1
CD4 - AM boating & PM hiking / CD5 - 97.1
CD5 - indoors / CD6 - 96.8
CD6 - PM walk / CD7 - 97.1
CD7 - indoors / CD8 - 96.8
CD8 - AM walk (obviously wasn't enough sunlight... it was shorter than usual, and overcast... maybe that's why?) / CD9 - 96.8
CD9 - AM walk & PM walk / CD10 - 97.0
CD10 - indoors / CD11 - 97.1 ... there goes my predictable pattern
CD11 - indoors / CD12 - 97.1
CD12 - indoors / CD13 - 96.8
CD13 - indoors / CD14 - 97.0
CD14 - AM walk / CD15 - ???

So... the pattern that I thought I was developing isn't really as cut-and-dry as I had expected. With today's observations, however, I definitely entered the fertile phase of my cycle, which I've found is a whole different ball game anyways. I had a LOT of very creamy cervical mucus today, so I'm hoping my body is preparing itself, as I'm really hoping to trigger ovulation on CD18 (Jul 19, the day after the full moon). So that means two more nights of wearing the eye mask for me!

Day 67 (CD12)

My theory about light during the daytime affecting my morning temps now has a hole in it.

CD10 and 11 were days that I spent basically indoors, without even our normal morning walk. The following mornings, however, were both temperatures of 97.1, which I had previously associated with adequate sunlight during the previous day.

Now, I know a lot of hypothesizing is going into it at this point, but perhaps this means that my body is finally getting used to my Lunaceptive seratonin/melatonin levels? I was also surprised to feel distinctly wet vaginal sensations so early in my cycle (CD11-12), a symptom which I normally don't experience until at least CD14.

Previous cycles with more than one day of wet vaginal sensation as of CD13:
c26 - wet on CD12-14, ovulation on CD18
c25 - wet on CD12-13, ovulation on CD16

Perhaps my body is preparing itself for an earlier-than-normal ovulation!

Day 65 (CD10)

Continued observations through CD10

CD2 - indoors / CD3 - 96.8
CD3 - AM walk / CD4 - 97.1
CD4 - AM boating & PM hiking / CD5 - 97.1
CD5 - indoors / CD6 - 96.8
CD6 - PM walk / CD7 - 97.1
CD7 - indoors / CD8 - 96.8
CD8 - AM walk (obviously wasn't enough sunlight... it was shorter than usual, and overcast... maybe that's why?) / CD9 - 96.8
CD9 - AM walk & PM walk / CD10 - 97.0

Each day that I spent an extended amount of time outdoors, I had a temperature the next morning of 97.0 or 97.1.
Each day that I spent mostly indoors, I had a temperature the next morning of 96.8.

I'm not sure how long this pattern is going to keep up, especially as this morning I had a temperature that was a bit off the pattern. I do find it very interesting, however, and I wonder:

Was I always this sensitive to light? Or am I -- through Lunaception -- training my body to be sensitive to light?

Day 61 (CD6)

My prediction was correct! After spending a day out in the sun on CD4, my temperature on CD5 was over 97.0 degrees!

My current trend over the past four days:
- temps on days where I spent a lot of time outside = both 97.1 degrees
- temps on days where I spent most the day indoors = both 96.8 degrees

We'll see how long this trend continues. Today I spent most of the day indoors, though I did go out for a walk this afternoon, so I'm expecting a temp below 97.0 degrees tomorrow. I also took a short nap this afternoon without my eye mask, so I'm hoping that doesn't mess up my experiment too much. I'll keep you updated!