Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Resetting your Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor

So my co-worker recently found and gave me her Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor to use as she isn't using it any longer. I downloaded the instructions to it here.

As it was used before me I will need to reset it or it will be going on its memory of my co-workers last 6 cycles. So I tried to take a picture step-by-step to show you how to do this if you are thinking of buying a used monitor.

Step 1. Make sure the monitor is OFF and open up a test stick. I bought a few expired test sticks for this so that I don't waste a set of new ones.


Step 2. Unwrap the test stick.


Step 3. Prepare stick for insertion into monitor. You must remove the cap (on the left)


Step 4. Place cap on opposite end (over the soft wick).


Step 5. Your test stick is now ready to use in the monitor. The view you see here should be facing up when you insert it into the monitor.




This is what it looks like once inserted.


Step 6. Note: I don't have pictures of these steps exactly as I needed both hands and could not take a picture of it.
   a. Press and HOLD the m button (to the right of the display.


   b. Turn the monitor on. The button will be on the left side of the monitor.


Step 7. At first you will see on the screen this symbol warning that a test stick is inserted and must be removed. KEEP HOLDING DOWN THE m BUTTON!


Step 8. Next, the display will show all of the symbols on the monitor. KEEP HOLDING DOWN THE m BUTTON!


Step 9. Once the screen returns to just the sign warning to remove the test stick, you can let go of the m button and remove the stick.


Now your monitor is ready for it's first use! You'll see the flashing m symbol and two dashes where the cycle day is like so:


So now I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of AF so that I can begin using the monitor! This cycle I intend to use soy isoflavones on CD3 for 5 days to try and jumpstart my estrogen and bring on ovulation.

We'll see!

16 comments:

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Anonymous said...

Very helpful, can you set it to CD 5

Melissa @MotherhoodWantd said...

Anonymous one--I was re-reading your comment and would like to say thank you!

Anonymous two--Thank you for the reminder! At the time I wrote this post, I neglected to mention that you can then follow the standard procedure for setting your cycle day (you have the the first 5 days of your cycle to set it)

Remember to set it around the time you expect to wake up as you get a 3 hour window (1.5 hours before/after the time you set your cycle day).

I believe I did not set my cycle day at that time because I was past CD5 on that cycle and was waiting for the next cycle to start.

Anonymous said...

Hello I was wondering do I follow all this directions on my first day of my cycle I'm spoding really light today . I will start my period tomorrow full force what do I do please help . Thank you

Melissa @MotherhoodWantd said...

These instructions are for resetting your monitor if you inherited from a previous user OR if the last time you used it was several years ago and you want the CBEFM to attune itself to your cycle. Once it has been reset in this fashion, you can use each cycle as indicated in the manual. These steps can be followed before you use the monitor for th first time.

Melissa @MotherhoodWantd said...

Start your first day the morning after your first ign of period. Within three hours of your normal wakeup time.

Anonymous said...

Hello everyone, im really new here in fact I'm really new to the whole clearblue monitor usage thing. I have a question that I would LOVE to get a response to. I started my period this morning( a real eye opener with my morning urine--- was going on 2 days past calculated menstrual start date) Do I program the unit today as day 1 or do I have to wait till tomorrow morning? FYI I did program it for today as day 1--- was kinda excited to use the monitor :( How do I cancel this if this was the wrong thing to do? THANKS in advance.

Melissa @MotherhoodWantd said...

The main issue with starting your new cycle is if you get AF after the "testing window" which is whatever 3 hour time frame will cover when you wake up for the day. Since you set the monitor this morning, you will be able to test 1.5 hours before AND after that time. If you set the monitor at 8AM, you could test between 6:30 & 9:30. If there is no way you can ensure waking between the hours of your testing window for at least 18 days, you might want to set the monitor again. You can set it for up to 5 days. If already set to CD1, WAIT for the next time you wake. Then, press and hold the m button. Once the # starts blinking, watch for it to advance to the appropriate #. If you get to 5, and need to get to 1 again, the monitor will first go back to the previous cycle day frome before your period. Let go of the m button. If you already have, simply hold and press the m button until you reach your appropriate cycle day.

Unknown said...

If i miss the testing window,does that affect the monitor?. This is my first cycle using it.

Unknown said...

Does skipping a day affect the monitor

Melissa @MotherhoodWantd said...

The monitor starts learning your particular patterns. With more use, it is better able to identify your fertile stage. Skipping won't necessarily keep it from working, if you miss 1-2 times. But it won't have as much info to help with predicting. It may be more risky to miss closer to your ovulation as you may suddenly go from low to high.

It will affect it less if you miss at the very beginning, but the monitor tells you when to start testing. It usually won't have you test in the first 5 days as you'll likely be on your period. As it learns your cycle more, it will adjust the first day it offers testing. For instance, if you tend to ovulate around day 18 of your cycle, you might not get the testing signal until day 9 or 10, but if you ovulate around day 13, it will offer testing on Day 6

An important note: once you get the sign for Peak, the monitor will follow an automatic pattern of 1 high day after and then low until your next period. It will still asks for tests, but don't waste your money after you see a peak. You can save the sticks for next cycle.

Melissa @MotherhoodWantd said...

I realized I answered your question below first and not the one about the testing window. If you miss the testing window, you have missed your opportunity to test for that day.

Since it works best if you test with first morning urine, you should set the monitor during the time you are likely to wake each day after you get AF. As AF arrives for many women after they wake for the day, it gives you a leeway of five days to set the start of your menses.

So if AF arrives at 3pm Tues, on Wed morning when you wake up, press the m button and hold down until the #2 flashes. That will ensure you will have your testing window when you have FMU to test.

There were lots of times I forgot to set it until day 6, but since I knew I was a late ovulator and was only off by one day, I would cheat and set my monitor for day 5. If you have 1-2 misses, it shouldn't cause you to miss your fertility window, but if those kisses are near ovulation, you might find your monitor go straight from low to peak.

Best of luck to you!

Amanda said...

I just got out my monitor after years of not using it and want to reset it but like you I don't want to use my new packs of strips so my question to you is this: where did you buy expired sticks?!? I can't find them anywhere.

Great post!

Melissa @MotherhoodWantd said...

I found expired sticks on eBay. Often women who are done with theirs, but still have a month supply. If they aren't too out of date, they still work. But much cheaper than most sources. I bought almost all of my sticks on eBay. A bit of a risk, but I'd save my "in date" sticks for my fertile period.

Unknown said...

Hi i hope you don't mind asking a question as not sure if this is still active! I've bought a second hand monitor but the m doesn't flash. I've reset it as you explained. Just no m on the screen thanks in advance

Melissa @MotherhoodWantd said...

Helen--FYI mine is a much older monitor called Clearplan. I don't know if yours is a newer model and what differences there may be.

If there is no M flashing, do you see the - - at the top for your #of days in your cycle? It may be that the monitor you have that the M part isn't working, if you see the dashes.
There are many error messages for the monitor...I strongly recommend downloading the manual from the Clearblue website.

I guess I would beed more information to know what you actually see on your screen and if your screen has sgiwed you anything.

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