No Ovulatio, No Period?? confused

[MrsTrump]

Hi all, my first ever post! :o
Ok a quick run down - I'm 33, don't have any children and have never been pregnant, we've been ttc since July 2011. Period pretty regular - usually between 27-29 days.

Last month I had a Projesterone 21 blood test done and when I called for the results the result was 'not successful, no ovulation' :( - my period was due on Sunday 19th Feb - but no period as yet..I thought I was getting my period as had crampy feeling Sunday night, Monday
(I had thought I was ovulating every month as I got what I thought were ovualtion pains but maybe I'm wrong..)

Anyhoo - any advice? experience of this? Any other month I'd be so excited to be late and now I'm just plain confused

[whatmess]

Hi, I had similar although without the regular periods and was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries.
My periods used to be regular and then after a MC they became very irregular. I would often get a sharp and intermittent pain in one or the other of my ovaries and sometimes a positive on an ovulation test stick, but after months of TTC I was referred to a specialist who informed me that I was not ovulating. We could not confirm the progesterone level as my irregular periods made it impossible to do the test on the right day, but he suspected my progesterone levels would not be right.
In effect my eggs were getting ready but then at the point when one should release it would not, and instead formed into a cyst. I had a scan done and the doctor showed me at least 13 of these cysts on each ovary. Apparently the positive OPK tests were due to the lutenising hormone ready for ovulation which then would not happen. I am booked in for an operation which will drill holes in my ovaries and hopefully help me get pregnant. It's called lap and dye ovarian drilling or ovarian diathermy.

I would take it as a good sign that your periods are so regular and that the cycle is 27-29 days, but suggest you get referred to a specialist if you haven't already. A simple scan would show if it's PCO/PCOS.

Was the progesterone test for this cycle. If not, just because a previous test was negative does not necessarily mean you have not ovulated this cycle. I have managed to be pregnant twice despite probably always having this problem. So for me, occasionally an egg did get through.

Hope this was helpful.

[MrsTrump]

Hi whatamess, thanks for your reply. The test was for this cycle..
My GP practice is a medical centre therefore I do no have a regular GP - therefore the GP who suggested the Progesterone bloods wasn't the same one who took the bloods - the GP who took the bloods thinks I'm way to early getting any sort of tests done..however once my period finally decides to arrive I will get a second Day 21 Progestrone test done and if I'm not ovulating that cycle then hopefully I may get referred for tests..

[theplumfairy]

I am in a similar position! But I have irregular periods so think I am probably going to be told to "wait and see" if I go to the doctor. I just posted earlier today but had no response to it - this is my post:

I am a novice at TTC and mumsnet! I have got a 2 1/2 year old DS and got pg immediately with him.
This time round, I came off the progesterone-only pill in October and have had two AFs since then, with a 6 week interval between them. I started trying to track my ovulation last month with sticks but had no LH surge for three weeks, and finally got fed up with it about a week before AF was "due" according to my 6 week cycle theory.
I started to get cramps at around that time but no AF. It is now 7 weeks and two days since my last AF.
Around two days before my AFwas "due" (I say it like that because I am so irregular) I started getting more painful cramps, increased discharge and feeling very tired. I have more sensitive nipples than normal and I "feel" pregnant but know I could be wishful thinking. The cramping is really quite uncomfortable, like when I was pg before. Have done 3 tests between when I was due and this morning, all negative.
I have looked online and I know some people have negative tests when they are pregnant but how common is this and should I go to the doctor for a blood test or just put up with the waiting game? Don't want to be a time waster!

[theplumfairy]

If you don't ovulate does that mean you don't get a period?

[MrsTrump]

theplumfairy - you still get a period as you need to get rid of the uterus lining each month - googled it! :)

I'm confused... I've been off the pill since last July and my periods (luckily) have been fairly regular since..now nada (well 3 days late) and no ovulation - gah! :(

[theplumfairy]

Could you have missed your ovulation somehow? If you're late have you done a pregnancy test?

[whatmess]

If you didn't ovulate, your period can come at any time. The luteal phase is the best predictor of AF as it is 14-16 days before AF, but if you haven't ovulated then your period will come when the uterus lining gets so thick that it cannot sustain itself anymore and you have a bleed. It isn't caused by hormones but for want of a better description, by gravity. Hence, the irregularity.

[theplumfairy]

In that case I wonder if I haven't ovulated... but have had cramping for three weeks, period was kind of due 10 days ago but I am irregular, haven't had one for 7.5 weeks. Could the cramping be a side effect of 'needing' to bleed but not having done so yet?

[whatmess]

not sure why you get the cramping. I do as well, spent a fortune on Preg tests in the past, convinced the cramping was my womb preparing itself, but it wasn't.

[MrsTrump]

Thanks whatamess, didn't realise that my AF wouldn't come at it's normalish time - doh