I don't think I'm ovulating

[BBB]

I went to the GP today and one comment he made was like a light bulb moment for me.

I have been off the pill since January and my cycles still aren't regular. I have had one 5-week cycle but the rest have been around 7-9 weeks. When AF does arrive, it is shorter and lighter than before I went on the pill - in fact it is like it was when I was on the pill.

When I was on the pill, I usually took the active pill continuously for about 3 cycles at a time (so I only had AF about 4 times a year). I don't know if this has anything to do with it.

The doctor has sent me for a range of blood and urine tests and one of the things he said was "sometimes it takes 12 months for the body to start ovulating again after stopping the pill".

This was my lightbulb moment - it would explain why my AF isn't like it was before I went on the pill.

Has anyone else gone through something like this? The doc said it is probably nothing to worry about (but hey, I feel like doing something productive, I'm patient 99% of the time but sometimes you just need to feel like you are actually doing something, other than BD of course :laughing:)

I have just started using maybe baby this cycle but so far it is not showing that I have ovulated (now CD31).

Thanks in advance for any advice. :wave:

[BBB]

Sorry for posting this thread twice - the computer told me it didn't work. Is there some way I can delete one of them?

[anemone]

Hi BBB

Sorry, don't know how to delete threads, but I wouldnt worry abt it.

With your cycle, Id suggest going to see a naturopath or an acupuncturist. They might be able to help get your cycles more regulated. Doing MaybeBaby as you are, or charting, is also a good idea to get a handle on what your cycles are doing.

Hope you start O'g again soon and get your BFP!

[nugglyboysmum]

I think Im in the same boat as you. I stopped taking the pill about 5 months ago, I didnt ever skip periods when I was on the pill though, but since I've been off the pill, I had my period every 2-3 weeks and it was very light and short, and atm I am on week 8 with no period and counting...

I have been thinking about getting a Maybe Baby, just to see whats going on in there

[Josephine78]

Hi BBB, I don't think i'm ovulating either. I went off the pill in April after 7 years. My cycles have been 39 days, 39 days, 33 days, 28 days, 35 days & 34 days. AF is usually heavy for the first 2 days & then very light for a couple of days.

I started charting last month & it appears that I didn't ovulate. I went to my dr last week & she has also sent me off for a heap of blood tests. She also recommended I try Maybe Baby aswell which I started using on Saturday.

I'm hoping that it's just taking my body awhile to get back to normal.

:fingerscrossed: for everyone. Hope we all get that :bfp: soon.

[BBB]

Well I went to get my blood test yesterday, so will wait and see what it shows :fingerscrossed:

[NanaK]

Hello All,

I am in a similar situation. I wrote a post about it in my TTC Diary... but long story short I had an Implanon for just over 2 years and since I had it out in March I have not had a real period, thus leading me to the assumption that I am not ovulating.

I too got a Maybe Baby this month and to my astonishment I had Ferns on Sunday (8th Nov 2009).

Are you taking Chaste Tree or Dong Quai. It may be worth seeing the advice of a Naturopath prior to taking Meds. Often hormones can be rebalanced naturally.

Long story short, I have found the Maybe Baby much easier to use and more effective than BBT Charting wich I have been doing for the last 8 months. My husband and I like to have a good cuddle around 4am and I think that trows off the BBT charting. Also, my dogs sleep on to of the blankets at the foot of the bed and depnding on if they are covering my feet or not I think the effects BBT charting too.

Maybe Baby has proven to be very good for me so far.

[mrmoosmum]

After taking the pill for years and skipping lots of AF while on it, I had 70+ day cycles and BTs confirmed that I wasn't ovulating. I had acupuncture and my cycles reduced by 10-15 days each time until they were a perfect 29 days and I fell pregnant next cycle.

Good luck...

[MrsLH]

Hi BBB, sounds like im in a very similar situation to you also. I went off the Pill after about 9 years on it without a break, at the end of March this year and have had very erratic cycles. Went to 2 different GP's and have had blood tests, etc. and it turns out that i am not ovulating, although they are unwilling to do anything until we have been trying for 12 months as there is a chance my body will sort itself out. Not wishing to sit around and waste time, I have started seeing a naturopath, who has put me on herbs and other things to regulate my body and cycle, to get me to ovulate. So far this is my second month taking the herbs/supplements so will let you know how i go, but i'm crossing my fingers very tightly that it works!

[mimsie]

I wasn't ovulating (been off the pill now for 4 months), and I have a high eostrogen level (symptomatic, and unfun basically lol). Anyway I started taking vitex (or chaste berry as mentioned here), maca root powder (in capsule form) and vitamin b6, and they obviously did something :) My skin cleared and wasn't oily, the cysts I was getting cleared up, the headaches and aching stopped... and we got a BFP the first month.

In my case I wasn't sure about continuing them so I stopped and the eostrogen dominance came right back, I had a m/c about a week or so after the symptoms returned :( But I've done more research on the risks and benefits and this time around will continue them through the first trimester on a lower vitamin b6 dose, and wean off the vitex afterwards - they say if you take it through not to have it in the 3rd trimester so t use the 2nd to wean :).

Anyway they are often looked at as almost natures clomid, they help balance the hormones so you ovulate + get a sticky :)

[Katieee]

This is my first month off the pill after 12 years. I skipped AF most of the time for the last 8-9 years, probably no more than 2-3 AF per year. I've just ovulated (on cd39) and I'm interested to see if the long cycles continue.

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/kate1982

Wondering if perhaps I should be looking at herbs/naturopath sooner rather than later given how long this cycle has been so far?

[BBB]

Thanks for all the responses. It's nice to know I am not the only one going through something like this - I'm so sick of friends getting pregnant the first month of trying!!!

I'm not able to get in to see the GP for another week and a half because of my availability. :( Oh well, whats another couple of weeks after I have been waiting all year??

Can anyone recommend acupuncturist or natural medicine person (don't know what they are called) in Brisbane?

Thanks :)

[BBB]

Oh yes, naturopath :laughing: me speak good english...

[BBB]

Update - I went to the doc today for my test results. As it turns out, AF turned up 9 days after I had the tests. Almost everything was normal, but there were 2 hormones (can't remember which ones), and because one was significantly higher than the other, it indicated "ovulation imminent" or "ovulation impeded eg PCOS".

So I am going for an ultrasound on Thursday to find out if I have PCOS. I don't think I have it because I don't seem to have any of the other symptoms (eg I am quite slim, not too hairy :laughing:)

If my ovulation was imminent and I ovulated after I had the tests, it would mean the time between ovulation and AF was less than 9 days. I was using maybe baby and according to it, I didn't ovulate.

I know there were a few other recent posts from ladies who have gone off the pill and are waiting for regular AF so I will post another update once I have had my ultrasound.

[BoyCrazy]

ok a few things

please be careful relying 100% on the maybe baby..they are known for error. ive heard of male's getting ferning on them lol

id suggest using opks (ovulation prediction kits), the digital ones are the best, but quite expensive. u can get good deals for a bunch of opks on ebay...look up lullaby conceptions. these are so much more reliable than the maybe baby.

get a 21 day blood test done for ovulation

google luteal phase (this is the time after ovulation and before af) it needs to be aprox 10-14 days for implantation to occur. U can get tablets natural ones to increase your LP.

good luck!

[meggsy]

I'm glad I found this thread. I came off the pill in March and all was good for the first 3 or so months. After that, I had a 42-day cycle, then a 72-day cycle, and my last one was 37. So I have no idea what's going on.

I'm temping at the moment and using fertility friend, but only have a simple digital thermometer and not a fancy one for TTC. Does this matter? I'm still waiting for the temperature surge - I thought it went up but then came straight down again the next day.

Will be following your stories with interest - good luck :)

[BoyCrazy]

I'm temping at the moment and using fertility friend, but only have a simple digital thermometer and not a fancy one for TTC. Does this matter? I'm still waiting for the temperature surge - I thought it went up but then came straight down again the next day.



a 2 decimal point thermometer is alot better for temping your cycle as its alot more accurate, u can pick one up for under 20 dollars at the chemist..mine is a surgipack ovulation digital thermometer.

when i was charting using f friend i would get a big temp dip followed by a big spike upwards indicating o on the temp dip day.
:)

[meggsy]

Thanks Jazzy - I thought that when the temp went up, it had to stay up to indicate ovulation?

[BoyCrazy]

yup thats right, so for example on your chart, youd have your pre ovulation temps (probably around 36deg, then a big dip (mine would go 35 or so), then a increase again where it would stay up around 36 and ideally increase if i was preg.

wish i had charted the month i got my bfp with jasper! was the one month out of 18months ttc that i didnt temp lol

[6fornow]

I used Maybe Baby, found it useless to plan anything, but I ended up pregnant twice while using it which resulted in my last two babes being born, so that was ok anyway :laughing: Just found out in May I have mild polycystic ovaries and I am slim and not all that hairy either, so symptoms do not always present themselves, it is hard to diagnose under just one category of people iykwim? Anyway, I have been having 21 day progesterone blood tests done since May, although not every month, so far they have indicated that I am ovulating, so they will not help me out until early next year. I know I have 5 treasures already, but it doesn't mean my desire for more children fades because of this fact y'know? Hope your cycle regulates soon and that your bloods come back fine, it has not been a bed of roses for me and its only mild pcos, I have empathy for those who have more severe cases, I really do. I think the more charting you have done though, the better, for future reference should you end up at a fertility specialist. I got upset after charting for so long and feeling "over it", I threw mine in the bin and shouldn't have:rolleyes:
Anyway, good luck, hopefully all of you will get your bfp for Christmas:noel: So wanted to use that, its so cute!

[meggsy]

Hi Guys;

Can you tell me how to setup a link to my fertility friend chart? I tried to do one like Katie's above, but it wouldn't show up properly - said the page could not be found.

I'm looking for some feedback on whether you think I've already ovulated, or still have it to come.

Thanks!

[Katieee]

Hi Guys;

Can you tell me how to setup a link to my fertility friend chart? I tried to do one like Katie's above, but it wouldn't show up properly - said the page could not be found.

I'm looking for some feedback on whether you think I've already ovulated, or still have it to come.

Thanks!

Hey Meggsy :wave:

Once you log into FF, go to "Sharing" on the left side menu and select "Home page Setup". Once it takes you to this page, at the top you will see "Your charting home page web address" and underneath is a link. You just copy and paste the link into your signature or message.

On this page you can select the bits of your chart you want people to be able to see.

If you want to personalise the link in any way, just click on "Change URL".

Hope this helps :)

[meggsy]

Thanks Katie :sunshine:

So... can anyone tell me their thoughts on whether I've already ovulated?

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/298b57

Ta;
Meggsy

[Katieee]

Hi Meggsy,

Just my opinion - but doesn't look as though you've ovulated yet. There's no clear temp shift.

If your last cycle was 37 days you would have O'd around CD23, but given that your cycles have been a bit all over the place it's difficult to know what this one could be.

Last cycle (first off pill) I thought I had O'd around CD17 (based on CM/OPK) but then FF put it at cd23. I had a temp drop around CD36 and thought AF was on the way, but then got a positive OPK shortly after followed by a temp shift.

It's a bit confusing when cycles are erratic, but if/when you do O it should be pretty easy to see on FF.

I've just started on Vitex to see if it will put things on the right track. I don't really want to continue with 50+ day cycles :(

Hang in there :babydust2:

[BBB]

Update-

I had my scan today. Afterwards I asked the lady if it showed anything, she said that one ovary looked normal, but the other one looked enlarged and not normal so it is probably a degree of PCOS. I think that is what she said anyway.

I cried all the way home (not the safest thing when you are driving) and then went in and told DH and cried again.

I know it's not the end of the world and there are treatments you can have to help you conceive, but I really never wanted to go through all of that. I always hoped it would just happen naturally. I'm sure I'm not alone in that wish!

I'll go to my GP tomorrow and see where to from here.

I'm still feeling pretty upset. :gloomy:

[meggsy]

BBB, I am so sorry to hear :( Things will be fine - you have an answer now and can start taking steps to fix it. You will get your BFP, and it will be even more special because of it! x

As for me, I had a big drop in temperature today (0.5C). It's CD24 so even if I do get a big spike in the next few days, it's going to turn out to be another 38+ day cycle. <There needs to be a 'rolling eyes' smilie!>

:fingerscrossed: to everyone

[NanaK]

BBC I am just at work and on my phone, but I saw your post and just wanted to give you a big virtual hug!!!! I am very sorry to hear that, but it is true now that you know there is something you can start working on it. I know that won't make it any easier to deal with, but keep smiling.

I can tell you from the other side, they say I have nothing wrong but this is our 9th month trying and nada, I sometimes almost wish there was something wrong so that there was something I could to to try to fix it.

Everyone has their own path ttc, and for most if us on bh, it's just a bit longer than others.

Have a very restful weekend and keep your head up!!!

[NanaK]

And I did mean BBB stupid predictive text, sorry if my last message us in half code!!!!

[BBB]

Thanks guys. I have got over the shock of it and feeling okay now! Booked into see naturopath in a week. Couldn't get into gyno until March! That's okay, I don't really want to go down the medical path yet. :)

[meggsy]

Hi Guys;

Can I impose on you again and ask if you think I've ovulated yet? I was excited when I saw my temperature drop and then spike the next day, but since then it's been erratic again!

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/298b57

Thanks,
~M :babydust2:

[purplecat]

hiya, I'm just a stranger reading your thread and a former FF charter.. no it doesnt look like you've O'd yet.. temp rise needs to be sustained for 3 days above cover line, FF will plot it for you when you have O'd.. looks like its close though hang in there.. are you using OPK's too? good luck