# Female dopers: do you track your cycle? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 24, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-track-your-cycle/434860 "2008-01-24T20:34:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-track-your-cycle/434860/61 "2008-01-25T20:49:33Z")
[QUOTE=Unauthorized Cinnamon] I like to use FAM for birth control, so of course I keep careful track. It is also nice as a “control enthusiast” to know exactly what’s going on in there. Since I was on the pill from the age of 13 till I wanted to get pregnant, I had had no idea your body goes through changes and gives signs all month long. It’s kind of cool. Also, nice to have zero-side-effect birth control without barriers (well, most of the month). [/QUOTE] What she said. It’s a high-maintenance birth control method, but I like the lack of side effects, the low cost, and the ease of reversal should we decide we’re ready for kids(!). I also enjoy watching the cycle happen, and knowing immediately if something’s up\*. \*Basal body temp pun fully intended. ---
**Author:** ![hocow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hocow/32/4112_2.png) [@hocow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hocow)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-track-your-cycle/434860/62 "2008-01-25T22:33:43Z")
I like to use [MyMonthlyCycles](http://mymonthlycycles.com). They’ll email you when you’re due to ovulate and menstruate. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-track-your-cycle/434860/63 "2008-01-26T00:02:51Z")
[QUOTE=Broomstick] As for activities… I can’t think of a single activity that being on the rag would stop me from doing. I might be slightly less _enthused_, but not do something? There’s no reason I’d curtail my activities for that. [/QUOTE] No, nothing curtails my activities, but say, instead of the bleeding surprising me, I may just go to the place (work/club/gym/etc.) with a pad or tampon already on, so that I don’t stain more underwear (or worse). And like I said, I have little or no signs before hand (unless maybe I do FAM, which I don’t and am not interested). The cramps (if I get them) come AFTER my period has started. Yea, I can keep it that way, remembering more or less the week. But I feel safer knowing I wrote it down in the calendar, especially when I have too much stuff going on. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-track-your-cycle/434860/64 "2008-01-26T00:13:49Z")
[QUOTE=tremorviolet] **Female dopers: do you track your cycle?** [/QUOTE] Nope, this thread isn’t about [Lo-Jack](http://www.lojack.com/motorcycle/pages/motorcycle-recovery.aspx). _moves on quickly_ ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-track-your-cycle/434860/65 "2008-01-26T01:00:49Z")
[QUOTE=KarlGrenze] No, nothing curtails my activities, but say, instead of the bleeding surprising me, I may just go to the place (work/club/gym/etc.) with a pad or tampon already on, so that I don’t stain more underwear (or worse). [/QUOTE] Oh, sure - it’s just that my internal signals are clear enough and reliable enough that I can do that, pre-equip for the bleeding, without needing to consult a calendar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-track-your-cycle/434860.md?page=3)