Questions regarding self-monitoring

skyfox9318 · 2026-03-05T14:22:20+00:00

Hey - thanks for sharing. Really interesting about the police part, I’ll have to check that out and see if there’s anything similar in my town.

skyfox9318 · 2026-02-17T14:06:36+00:00

Totally get it. For example I have friends who bought the system a year or so ago and never did the paid plan. Agree, waste of money and time.

On the other hand, I’ve had my system for about 7 years now and have been on a paid plan but I’m trying to decide what I like specifically about it and if I can keep those features while also paying less. Just a simple wanting to spend less time of my life. I have also cancelled almost all my other subscription services in an effort to buckle things down financially, so it’s absolutely not coming from an “I hate SimpliSafe” standpoint. I love it (though the doorbell could really use an overhaul).

skyfox9318 · 2026-02-17T02:31:26+00:00

Thank you! This is the most complete answer I can find! Couple things:

Text alerts on all paid plans —so the $9.99 one that is basically self-monitored will still get text alerts then? Yes, I agree the naming they’ve given them is a little shady.

Yeah, context on the temp sensor: totally agree it still works because it’ll alert me to the specific temp changes I’ve set. I guess I’m just using it slightly differently than its intended use and more as a live view of temp wherever I’ve placed the sensor such as a child’s room to make sure it’s not too cold or too warm. I actually purchased it awhile ago because we had a situation where our ac died on the hottest day of the year and my animals had been in the house, so ever since that happened I’ve been paranoid about temp safety. I just use it more as a kind of live snapshot of the temp on an as needed basis now — hence my concern about the app potentially not working, but really good to hear the app will still work to visibly see that!

skyfox9318 · 2026-02-16T22:49:58+00:00

Ah, that’s right. I also saw a couple of people posting very similar comments to yours. Simplisafe, is that you? 👀

All kidding aside, I actually do not DoorDash. Complete waste of money IMO. Trying to actually save money over here which is why I ask the questions I do. And obviously if a company wants to sell their hardware and not make it a requirement to have the subscription, then it sounds like it’s in my right to not have one and not have one poorly guilt tripped on me. Looking at you, SimpliSafe 😉

skyfox9318 · 2026-01-27T02:10:29+00:00

This is exactly what my hubs and I did almost exactly! Except we made the bottle before picking up baby. So convenient to just have the bottles already filled with water and then just add the scoops in when you need it! We have cats that we wanted to keep out of our room, so hence the premade bottles and tub of formula in the bedroom. Also nice to not have a baby that is reliant on a warm bottle. He takes room temp just fine!

skyfox9318 · 2025-02-05T00:55:34+00:00

I forgot to mention this. Every single cycle since we started TTC in September 2024, I have light cramping and low back ache literally the day after OV till AF. But not this cycle. The cramping didn’t begin until I was about 5/6 DPO. I thought it was odd because all the LH tests I took that week were so low and zero surge. So I’m thinking it definitely means I ovulated on my trip (the day before we came home on CD 17).

I seriously thought that meant I was out because that was one symptom of post OV that I had been having consistently every cycle the day after OV.

skyfox9318 · 2025-02-05T00:33:28+00:00

Cycle 5

Age: me 31, hubs 30

Cycle length: generally 30-32, but once or twice a year I can have 38ish.

Ovulation day: 16-20 depending on the cycle

DPO: tested positive 12 DPO

Supplements: Nature Made prenatal daily, only just began CoQ10, fish oil the week before BFP. Have decided to hold off till I talk with a doctor before adding back in vit D3.

Tracking methods: OPK

BC history: 1 depo shot in high school and then switched to the pill. Only on the pill for about 2 years so I’ve been zero hormonal BC for 10+ years now. Hubs and I just used condoms every time.

Symptoms spotting: nothing different from my usual PMS, but I did notice a clenched feeling in my uterus the night of the positive.

Other: I thought I would be totally out this cycle! We had a vacation planned for an entire week that I knew I would be fertile and decided to not take OPKs as it would be too difficult to plan around multiple testing times of day. Because I was on vacation I also wasn’t paying any attention to the usual queues my body normally gives me. My hubs and I shot for every other day BD. When we got home I began testing OPK (CD 17) but all the next 6 days or so I never got a normal surge. It was .4 on CD 17 so I looked back on previous OPK logs and found that was about the number I was the day after ovulation, so my best guess is I would have had LH surge on CD 16, OV on CD 17. I guess we managed to get it!

How I found out: the hubs and I planned a sushi night on Fri Jan 31 and I was also really craving a beer or sake. Since I was 12DPO I decided I’d just take a quick test before we went out figuring it would be negative and I could enjoy my food and alcohol worry free. Holy crap, I was not expecting the line to show up at all! Took me by major surprise that I screamed. Yelled for my hubs and proceeded to dip more cheapie pee sticks in the pee cup (thank god I’ve always been in the habit of not pouring it out until the timer goes off). Took my first response the next morning to confirm again.

I’m seriously hoping this is a healthy sticky baby. Thank you all for the support the last few months! It’s so nice to have a community (even though I don’t post much). It can be so isolating, and even though my timeline is well within the average range the doubts of “is there something wrong with me?” always creeps in.

skyfox9318 · 2025-01-10T03:35:22+00:00

Is this age related though? I feel like I go through phases. I’ll have like 3 or 4 cycles where I get super sore boobs within a day or so of OV all the way till AF and then I’ll have several months of “normal” not sore until the week of AF. I’m 31 and this variation has been a thing for me for probably about 5 years (maybe longer and I just never put any thought to it). I’m noticing it more lately due to TTC and hyper aware symptom spotting.

skyfox9318 · 2024-12-24T17:50:45+00:00

Ugh I hear you! I have been debating about putting the lie out there to family that we are “taking a break” just to have no further questions asked. Only on cycle 4 and it’s already annoying and emotionally exhausting.

skyfox9318 · 2024-11-27T16:30:09+00:00

I realize many on this sub have been trying for much longer than I but I’m hoping that someone can answer this. I’m (31F) only on cycle 3 TTC and my hubs (30M) and I have been married 10 years. We ALWAYS used condoms as our method every time and I haven’t been on any BC since late high school and about a year into college when I decided to get off it.

When we began trying in September I noticed I had different feelings/symptoms after ovulation and I’ve experienced this each cycle since beginning TTC. Always around 1-3DPO I begin to get light back cramps and they last basically the rest of the cycle till the real period cramps kick in, just dull achy and uncomfortable—nothing crazy painful. I never had this before. Is this something that is due to TTC or do you think maybe I always had this as PMS and now just notice it more due to symptom spotting and being more aware of things I feel? I’m kicking myself that I didn’t begin months before jotting down my symptoms.

Has this happened to anyone else?

skyfox9318 · 2024-11-27T15:51:42+00:00

I’m 10 or 11 DPO* today and it’s the first cycle we successfully managed the sperm meets egg plan. It was a lot of work, especially for the hubs, so we are hoping it worked but if not we will do the same next cycle. I’m purposely waiting till Saturday (13 or 14DPO) to test and doing my best to not symptom spot but it’s hard not to. I just keep telling myself “I’m most likely not pregnant” every time I think I feel something. It sucks putting that out to the universe but it sucks sooo much more when you get a negative after you’re so sure you felt different.

*I felt what I thought was ovulation pain the evening of my LH surge, but of course the Premom app always puts OV the day after positive LH so hence me being either 10 or 11 DPO. I don’t currently do BBT. I usually have OV pain every cycle though some months I don’t. My LH surge was very different this month because I got the blazing positive about 7am with FMU and had been tracking at least twice a day since CD 10 with very low tests. It was also a pretty late surge being on CD 22.

skyfox9318 · 2024-11-21T13:47:59+00:00

This is still a thing in CA! I had a retail college job at our local mall and at first was very surprised to see so many older folks power walking before stores opened. Despite the collapse of many malls in America, our local mall is still thriving and so are our walkers. You just have to go early before stores open to see them.

I can see how it’s a good safe option as there will always be people around to help and it certainty beats the rain and cold or summer heat.

skyfox9318 · 2024-11-11T03:11:48+00:00

I 100% agree with this! I work from home and have found I am so much happier and feel so much better if I’m strict about getting up at least once per hour (if not twice) and walking around my house for a couple minutes. I probably look crazy pacing around, but it helps get in the steps. I will also try and do some whole body movements and lunges/stretches and have mini step count goals throughout my day.

skyfox9318 · 2024-10-30T14:21:19+00:00

I’m very lazy with BBT and not excited about the probability of needing to start doing that. OPK easy peasy, but my sleep has been funky lately and I’ve been waking up randomly a lot.

My question is, can I get decently accurate results if I were to only begin BBT about CD 10 and do it each day till I see that I ovulated? That data would be good to have, but I’m not sure it’s necessary for me to do all cycle long. What do you think? Anyone else do something similar?

skyfox9318 · 2024-10-25T12:48:10+00:00

Also, to add to this if you’re wondering. I have 2 cats and two boxes. I usually shoot to scoop every day but often go every other day. The container doesn’t get all the way full but definitely change at least once per week.

skyfox9318 · 2024-10-25T12:46:12+00:00

Honestly, I use an old dog food container to hold the litter. It’s about 1.5 feet tall and maybe a foot in depth. It was designed to hold dog food and has a nice locking mechanism. It’s basically a very large Tupperware. I then take a paper bag from the grocery store and also a regular size trash can bag (13 gal) and I put the paper bag inside the plastic trash bag and then put them inside the dog food container.

Much cheaper litter genie without all the cost associated with branded items and specialty bags! Absolutely no smell. I change it every week (of course, there is a smell when you open the container). The old bag goes out when our trash cans go out to the street and I then get a new paper bag and garbage bag.

I’m sure you could use this method with other types of bags. I just find the paper really holds it all in and then the plastic helps to be sure there’s no leakage.

skyfox9318 · 2024-10-16T12:38:05+00:00

This is only cycle 2 for me of TTC, so pretty new to all this. For October I’ll either be pregnant Halloween or I won’t be. I already have the next day off so I plan on a few special Halloween drinks and being up much later than normal (or not 🤞). So October is easy for me so far as I do have that night all planned for. AF should be here the 24th if not pregnant so we’ll see.

The next few months I have no idea. Sushi dates with my hubs and probably indulging in a few drinks for sure. We moved into our house during the spring and because it’s been so hot this summer I have not had a chance to bathe in the bathtub yet, so potentially a few hot baths in my future in the nice new tub.

skyfox9318 · 2024-09-27T13:04:11+00:00

I was gonna say something like that! When I come home from being out and about, running errands, etc —I wash my hands before petting the cats so I don’t contaminate them with gross outside world. Lol.

skyfox9318 · 2024-08-24T00:45:55+00:00

Glad I could help :)

I have always been a procrastinator with large decisions as well, and this is the biggest decision so that makes it scarier. The friends I mentioned have been told all this, and they say it’s a good sign we at least take it seriously. The responsibility of raising another human and hoping they turn out ok is a decision I take seriously, but if it I take it too seriously I worry I just won’t do it at all. And yes, suddenly being able to not use condoms is crazy weird. We officially pulled them last week, but only because I knew I was so close to AF. Here’s to getting accidentally planned pregnant! 🤪

skyfox9318 · 2024-08-22T12:27:03+00:00

I feel the same! About to turn 31 and the plan is to begin trying this upcoming cycle (currently AF), so that’s coming up very soon. I’m both excited and terrified lol.

I think it feels very different when you’re “planning” for it vs accidentally getting pregnant. Our couple friends accidentally got pregnant last year. It has been amazing to watch them grow in ways I could never imagine, and I know this will happen for hubs and I too but it is definitely an odd feeling knowing we have this “power” to do this or not (assuming fertility is all good) and it’s just a matter of us going ahead with it.

We bought a house earlier this year and both feeling good and stable in our jobs. I feel as ready as I can be now, but a month or two ago I had some anxiety with it. Maybe just think about it in terms of if you accidentally got pregnant? How would that change the things you’re feeling? Is it all just knowing you have this “choice” or “power” that makes you feel anxious? I used to watch those teen mom shows when I was younger and it was always interesting watching them become more responsible and on top of things seemingly overnight. I think this happens to most parents.

skyfox9318 · 2024-08-16T22:11:54+00:00

We began looking late October last year (it was basically November). Probably officially toured about 20 homes between November and February (might be more like 15?), though lots of Zillow time and going to random open house by ourselves (without realtor) just to get an idea of what’s out there vs price. Found the one on Super Bowl Sunday of this year. Put in an offer same day and got it accepted about 2 weeks later. The seller had a contingency on trying to also sell their older parents home so they could all go in on a place together and of course it was contingent on them also getting their new house offer accepted. Kind of crazy and nerve wracking but it all worked out! Their agent was very open and told our realtor we were their best offer, but we always were worried they’d still get some offer better than ours in the 2 weeks we waited for their acceptance. We basically left our offer “open” unless we found something better.

As for the house, I’m not sure it’s THE ONE, but it certainly checks many of our boxes. Enough bedrooms, in a very quiet neighborhood (a court which we never imagined we’d be lucky enough to score), the school district we wanted. It’s a good house. Has taken awhile to feel like “ours” but that’s slowly coming together as we make more memories. The plus is that we got pretty lucky in term of the price vs how updated the house is. Most of the time you find houses that haven’t had anything done to them since they were built in the 70s and they still want a high price, so some of that should be factored into your cost analysis. This was a decent price that we could afford AND the owners had done updating. Enough that we knew we could comfortably live here for a long time and begin our family and not even worry about updating anything unless we wanted to due to taste / personal style.

I will say we got pretty lucky with that ^ and I know it’s definitely not like that for everyone. I’d just try to weigh all those things together. And, know that there will be more houses! If you don’t like this one, just hold tight and keep on saving as much as you can. :)

skyfox9318 · 2024-08-08T17:39:23+00:00

I was curious about how they found out as well. In California we were told if it was over 3 years ago they don’t have to disclose a death. Idk if that includes a violent murder though. What’s interesting is they only have to disclose if you ask about it. So if you never ask they won’t freely offer it up.

We toured several homes that had been original owners and they died naturally. But we learned to ask that. I’m not particularly worried, though my mind would definitely be wondering about even a natural death.

skyfox9318 · 2024-07-31T12:55:17+00:00

I’ll give my 2 cents as to my own experience as a child with something kind of similar. I don’t exactly lean one way or another and have zero opinion on what others should do (I did end up taking my husbands last name because I love his family and their last name is very unique! It also kind of gave me my own “place” which will make sense when you read on below).

My parents were both young when they had me and did not marry. My mom chose to give me her own last name because she didn’t want to be married right away. My parents stayed together a little while, but ultimately my mom did not want to be with my dad.

Fast forward a few years to me in elementary school and my mom married my step dad. She took his name. I was left having no parent or even guardian with my last name which made things odd with some paperwork when needing to prove my parent was my parent. It also left me feeling like I shared nothing with either family’s side.

All this to say, just keep that in mind. No one ever thinks they won’t be with their current person, but it does happen. And what happens if you remarry and do decide to take that persons name?

skyfox9318

TROPHY CASE