Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Conception

Working out your cycle when coming off Microgynon?

18 replies

KitKat1985 · 30/10/2013 10:02

Hey all.

Have been 'lurking' on these threads for a while. Me and DH have wanted to have a baby for a while but things have always delayed us (most recently DH losing his job, although thankfully he has got a job now, albeit on only a semi-permanent job basis; and my job as a nurse being 'at risk' due to proposals to shut the hospital unit I work in). However, we've both decided just to go for it, and give up waiting for the 'perfect time', as we've been waiting months and am just tired of having our lives on hold! I'm 28 and he's 32, and I think DH has been particularly broody since his nephew was born in the summer. Anyway, I have a few days left of my current pill packet (I'm on Microgynon) and then my one week break, before we can actively start trying. I'm pretty lucky in that whenever I've come off Microgynon before (for medical reasons, as oppose to TTC ones) my normal cycle has resumed near-enough straight away, and has always been near enough perfectly regular although I was quite a bit younger then, and I'm trying not to get my hopes up that my cycle will come back straight away, and that I'll get pregnant quickly. My question is although I'm aware that the bleed you get at the end of each pill cycle isn't a 'true' period, would I still count my first day of bleeding as being day 1 of my cycle? I'm trying to work out when I'll be about halfway through my cycle so I can estimate when I'm likely to be ovulating. Or is impossible to really work out accurately when coming off the pill?

Many thanks for any advice, and good luck to everyone trying this month. xx

OP posts:

Report

shelterbelter · 30/10/2013 10:11

I think it takes a while to settle into a normal cycle but you'll certainly ovulate. I came off two months ago and both times I've ovulated I've felt it as been on the pill for a while. Also noticed EWCM which helped.

Amedea · 30/10/2013 10:55

I've recently come off Microgynon too and just had my first 'real' period, 26 days after coming off, so technically that's my second bleed since the last pill. I didn't even consider counting the last pill bleed - don't know if you should or not, but I was planning on only using the real period date for working out ovulation...

However, DH mentioned that he'd read somewhere that women are often most fertile in the few months straight after finishing the pill, so maybe that will be true for you... unless he made that up because he's broody/horny!

MrsCarridge · 30/10/2013 11:20

Hi same as you, ttc #1. I actually came off the pill in July just a week after starting a new pill packet! I had a withdrawal bleed mid august and again bled 2 weeks later when AF would have been due at the end of the packet, Af again beginning of September and beginning of October, and she's due again around 4th November so I've been pretty regular since stopping.

MrsCarridge · 30/10/2013 11:23

Woops withdrawal bleed around mid July! Not august! Had normal period starting 3rd august!

KitKat1985 · 30/10/2013 12:17

Okay, looks like the first few weeks are a bit tricky to work out then in terms of where you are cycle wise, but quite reassuring to hear a lot of people's regular cycle kicks in pretty quickly, so you can do the 'period maths'. I think I may just DTD with DH quite a bit next month just in case we're lucky enough to DTD around ovulation time. I think there is some truth Amedea in being extra fertile in the first few weeks after coming off the pill. I know at least a couple of people who got pregnant in the first couple of weeks off the pill, and I have a couple of friends who conceived unplanned - one because she was 3 days late starting her next pill pack (late putting prescription in) and one because she forgot a couple of pills over the course of the month, so certainly is possible to conceive quite quickly for some people. In a way I wish I didn't know these things though, as don't want to be too disappointed if AF turns up in December and I've got my hopes up. Or perhaps even worse, if AF doesn't come in December and I end up all excited and do a test and get a BFN, and find out the only reason AF hasn't come is because my cycle hasn't kicked back in yet. I feel like I'm going a bit crazy already, even though I haven't even really started yet. I think because me and DH have been waiting so long already to start trying I find the thought of having to wait months to get pregnant and countless 2WW's almost unbearable. :(

Hope everyone else is okay, and thank you for all of your responses so far. xxx

OP posts:

VJONES1985 · 30/10/2013 23:40

Hi there. I don't think I believe the claims of increased fertility following the pill. I came off in July after 12 years and ovulated on cd17 (with cd1 being first day of withdrawal bleed), then af arrived 7 days later. Cycle 2 - ov on day 17 then af 7 days later. Cycle 3 - ov on day 19 and af 7 days later. As you can see, a short luteal phase is a very common side effect of coming off the pill. I'm now on cd14 of cycle 4.

Tea1Sugar · 31/10/2013 07:00

My period came back 25 days after stopping the pill. Second cycle I fell pregnant. So don't listen to the claims that it takes everyone ages to acclimatise to being off the pill. My first was conceived whilst on the pill! Afraid I don't support the view that a short lp is a "side effect" of coming off the pill vjones. I think that's your own body's reaction to settling down from it.

BurnThisDiscoDown · 31/10/2013 08:59

I don't want to piss on your chips, but I took 12 months to start ovulating again after coming off the pill. Having said that, I know plenty of people it's only taken a month or two. So, I think what this incredibly helpful (not!) post is saying is that I think it depends quite a lot on the individual.

VJONES1985 · 31/10/2013 10:15

Tea What I mean is that it's a common problem after coming off it. And you're right when you say it doesn't always take ages to settle down again after the pill but I was under the impression that it's straightforward for everyone and I am now finding out that it isn't always the case, so I think people should go into it without too many expectations. I learned that the hard way!

KitKat1985 · 31/10/2013 20:41

Hey. Thanks everyone for your comments. I think from what you have all said it sounds like it very much varies on the individual, and there's not much point therefore me trying to work out at this point when I'm likely to be ovulating. I think it would be best to mentally prepare myself for it taking a while, rather than getting my hopes up too high that it will happen quickly, and end up disappointed.

Wishing everyone a lucky month! x

OP posts:

ReginaFelange22 · 01/11/2013 21:53

I've just come off this too, had my withdrawal bleed as normal. I'm really hoping my AF will just appear in 4 weeks time, my OH works away and I'm concerned that we'll miss our chance every month if he is away when I start to ovulate :(

ClearlyMoo · 02/11/2013 08:30

Took last microgynon in early June, with June 13 being first day AF of pill bleed. TTC immediately. Forgot doctors advice of using other form of contraception til you have your own cycle. Didn't matter got my first "natural" AF 26 days later, and second another 26 days later. Was AMAZED at my body as was on pull to regulate periods - cycle previously 33-36 days long. Then one more period 5/07 then WHOOP! 01/09 BFP!!!! :-) still amazed!! I'm 34 with suspected PCIS so there was just no way that we expected to fall so quickly. Delighted! Baby due in May! So moral of the story. Doesn't take too long for everyone's cycle to return and to conceive! All the best!! Lots if love and positivity!

Shesaysso · 02/11/2013 08:34

I came off Microgynon after 10 years and was pregnant before I even got a period. I was expecting it to take a while and it just happened straight away.

VJONES1985 · 02/11/2013 10:00

clearlymoo Despite my v short luteal phase, my periods returned immediately and have been regular too, just like you. I was really pleased about that and here's hoping my LP sorts itself out as well :)

ClearlyMoo · 02/11/2013 21:43

vjones1985 that's good news. Hope that you get a BFP soon!!

Typo tastic was my overexcited thread above. Last period started 5th AUGUST, BFP 01/09 (26 day cycle) so that was just 2 "proper" AF after break through bleed.

KitKat1985 · 02/11/2013 22:33

Massive congrats ClearlyMoo! xx

OP posts:

MacaYoniandCheese · 02/11/2013 22:37

You should calculate using the first period after coming off the pill. This can be complicated by the fact that it can take up to a year for that to happen for some women and, obviously, you will ovulate before that. All three of my babies were conceived between 9 months and a year after coming off the pill with no period.

MacaYoniandCheese · 02/11/2013 22:40

Am not ttc, btw. Just wanted to give you a cautionary tale .

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.