TTC - Irregular cycle

[Anonymous]

We are trying to get pregnant but my extremely irregular cycle is making it difficult to figure this out. I went off of the pill in early April and have only gotten my period once at the end of May since. I figure that should mean 2 missed periods since the one at the end of May but several pregancy tests have been negative. Any advice would be so much appreciated!

[Anonymous]

You can go to your gyn who will likely prescribe 10 days of progesterone. After you stop the proesterone you should get your period 4-6 days later. It is possible this long cycle is indicative of a problem suh as PCOS or it might take time to adjust to going off bc. Your gyn should be able to help you figure it out.

[Anonymous]

I was just going to suggest the exact same thing as PP. Three of my friends in one week span found PCOS was causing there irregular cycles. All taking progesterone currently to start their period up.

[Anonymous]

I had the same issue and was also diagnosed with PCOS. Went on metformin to start ovulating and got pregnant a few months later.

[Anonymous]

I didn't even know that was a diagnosed issue. I looked up PCOS and I don't have any of the other symptoms but I am scheduling an appointment to find out. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to weigh in that it might not be anything to worry about... it just might be your cycles. Were you regular before you went on the pill? I've always had long cycles and typical for me when we were TTC was anywhere between 40-55 days. So end of May to now would not have been unusual. It was very frustrating when TTCing, but I figure the rest of the time I'd rather have longer times between periods. For what it's worth, for us what worked was charting so that I would know when i was ovulating since my cycles were so irregular.

[Anonymous]

I was regular in the sense that I got my period once every 5-6 weeks. Sometimes it was longer between periods and sometimes it was shorter. Never right on schedule like most women seem to have. What is a good resource to learn how to chart? Would you recommend the ovulation tests?

[Anonymous]

People love Taking Charge of Your Fertility as a resource for charting and everything else. I never read it, but found plenty of information on the web. I actually used fertility friend to set up the chart for me. I used ovulation sticks as well, but only around the time that I thought I'd be ovulating - otherwise for a long cycle you go through a ton! Hang in there - i know that it's really really frustrating. I used to feel cheated out of additional opportunities, but wound up getting pregnant 3 times (now have 2 kids, 1 miscarriage) and each time I conceived more quickly than the time before... I think it was just a matter of me getting to know what my body was doing, which was not the typical 28 day cycle. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

FWIW my friends also have PCOS and none of them have any other symptoms other than irregular period. No excessive body hair and not overweight.

[Anonymous]

Is PCOS something that is diagnosed just by what you tell your doctor in terms of irregular periods or do they actually look at your ovaries for cysts?

[Anonymous]

There are a few different ways of diagnosis. Blood tests for different levels of hormones, looking for cysts, and some other stuff.

[Anonymous]

I'm one of the PPs. I have no other symptons other than irregular periods. I was diagnosed by 2 drs by just telling them that, but they did blood tests and an ultrasound to confirm.

If you think something is wrong, trust your gut and go see someone. I wish I had earlier instead of listening to friends who told me it might be nothing.