Known as FAM for short, and sometimes known as Natural Family Planning (NFP). I'm not particularly interested in whether or not you're using it for contraception or to get pregnant, I'm interested in what hormonal patterns you've picked up. FAM is an excellent way of tracking your own hormones, and can show up a number of things. Please note that I'm talking about proper charting, where you take your basal temperature and observe your cervical signs, rather than just having an intuitive feeling that you know when you ovulate. Here's what I've noticed:
1. I have a short luteal phase, typically 9-10 days. This suggests that I have too much oestrogen and not enough progesterone, as my follicular phase is about twice as long as my luteal phase. I have PMDD and tend to put on fat abdominally, which are both associated with oestrogen-dominance. I only started charting after getting a copper IUD put in, and there has been some evidence that while copper IUDs are meant to be inert and not affect hormones, they can shorten luteal phases (something to do with prostaglandins).
2. My temperatures stay within the normal range, which is good. When they tend to be too low, that's often a sign of hypothyroidism.
3. Temperatures are meant to be low during the follicular phase, rise at ovulation, remain high during the luteal phase, and then drop before menstruation. Of course, the luteal phase is also meant to be around 14 days. My temperatures rise on cue, but they don't drop until well into menstruation. This is noteworthy because my menstrual migraines usually occur on the day of the most dramatic temperature drop, which is now on CD3 or so. When I was a teenager, my migraines occurred before my periods, not during them.
4. My follicular phase varies a fair amount, though within the mild range of irregularity. My luteal phase varies by a few days.
5. My basal temps dropped when I started losing weight, which is also when I was feeling cold all the time. Taking ginger supplements sorted out both problems. However, since then I've experienced chilliness for unknown reasons, which has not shown up in my basal temps nor been cured by ginger supplements.
1. I have a short luteal phase, typically 9-10 days. This suggests that I have too much oestrogen and not enough progesterone, as my follicular phase is about twice as long as my luteal phase. I have PMDD and tend to put on fat abdominally, which are both associated with oestrogen-dominance. I only started charting after getting a copper IUD put in, and there has been some evidence that while copper IUDs are meant to be inert and not affect hormones, they can shorten luteal phases (something to do with prostaglandins).
2. My temperatures stay within the normal range, which is good. When they tend to be too low, that's often a sign of hypothyroidism.
3. Temperatures are meant to be low during the follicular phase, rise at ovulation, remain high during the luteal phase, and then drop before menstruation. Of course, the luteal phase is also meant to be around 14 days. My temperatures rise on cue, but they don't drop until well into menstruation. This is noteworthy because my menstrual migraines usually occur on the day of the most dramatic temperature drop, which is now on CD3 or so. When I was a teenager, my migraines occurred before my periods, not during them.
4. My follicular phase varies a fair amount, though within the mild range of irregularity. My luteal phase varies by a few days.
5. My basal temps dropped when I started losing weight, which is also when I was feeling cold all the time. Taking ginger supplements sorted out both problems. However, since then I've experienced chilliness for unknown reasons, which has not shown up in my basal temps nor been cured by ginger supplements.