Irregular periods, day 71 - help!!

[KylieP]

Has anyone had crazy long cycles with some brown spotting in between and found out why they had it? I think I have PCOS and am being referred to Homerton but I am going mad as I'm on day 71 and have had literally 2/3 weeks (broken up) of brown spotting. Has anyone had this type of thing - please let me know if just for reassurance but also if you might be able to shed some light on what's going on...thanks

[LemonLovesLilac]

Hi I am currently on day 73 of my cycle last time was a 77 day cycle and before that 123 I have also had the brown spotting thing maybe 4 times in the last two years so not that often! I am trying to conceive for 17 months now and my gp thinks I have PCOS! I am heading off to gynae soon to get proper diagnosis! It sounds like you may have PCOS but obviously you need to go to gp! When I told my gp about the brown stuff he said once I wasn't bleeding after sex it wasn't likely to be anything more sinister ( I had myself convinced it was cancer )! Hope that helps!

[KylieP]

My gp couldn't really help - she suspected PCOS and my ultrasound results implied it, but she's referred me to a specialist to look into it all properly. No one seems to understand the frustration and keeps telling me to relax even though I do and my body just doesn't work! Sounds like I have loads of tests coming my way and then perhaps clomid but how can they even do that if I don't have a period/cycles - they won't know when to test me or give me the drug? Sorry to rant...getting myself into a real state. If anyone has any experiences, please let me know

[LemonLovesLilac]

I know I feel the same....it's like it's my body yet I can't make it work the way I want it to work and the way it should work!!! My gp told me that I would more than likely beout in clomid and or metformin! They can also prescribe a drug ( I think it's called provera but not sure on this one!!) to bring on your period so that you can start clomid and then they will track your follicle growth with internal scans to see if the clomid is working! I think it is also highly likely that you will have to get a lap and dye test so they can see if everything is normal up there! I cannot wait to get things started myself and just know for certain what the problem is and what can be done to deal with it and get me preggo pronto!

[KylieP]

oh my god I am reading online about what a lap and dye actually is, the risks and potential complications - I just hate the fact that I need to put myself at risk to get pregnant and that it doesn't seem likely to happen naturally. I'm really into eating well and being healthy/natural (apart from wine!!) - and so I don't like the idea of needing all these drugs/procedures...but then I guess lots of people do it and are fine and have healthy babies. I just want to try everything I possibly can naturally first but that hasn't worked so far

[iwantbabies]

Hi ladies, I just wanted to offer some words of hope. I had crazy long cycles - about one AF per year due to PCOS. Basically no chance of getting pregnant so was referred to fertility clinic. I decided to follow a low GI diet, went to pilates and started reflexology. I was charting my temps for months and noticed a temp spike around the time of my appt at the clinic. Turned out I had ov'd and was pregnant. I'm now 16 weeks. I get brown bleeding which I had a lot in the early stages of pregnancy. The medics have told me it's cervical erosion (has a new name now). There's loads about it online. Brown blood is just old blood. I was adamant I would have to go through fertility treatment and it wouldn't work but I've been really lucky. Try and stay positive. Goodluck!

[Ava1985]

Hi just wanted to put in some advice...! I had issues with my cycles a few years back after coming off the bc pill, anyways after doing some research I came across ALOT of success stories related to a certain herb called agnus castus (vitex) Anyway I decided to give it a shot and after only a couple of weeks of taking it I got a cycle and then started tracking my fertility signs (cm and bbt etc) and then got pregnant! (only take the herb up until ovulation and do lots of research on it first and dont take whilst preg!) Anyway once my daughter was born my cycles naturally returned to be regular :) until one month when I was struck down with the flu (and I mean THE flu) I skipped my period and as we decided that month to ttc no.2 I decided to try the herb one more time and went on to get preg again first month! Please research it and only take up to ovulation.. worth a shot! :) good luck! x

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

Brown spotting is old blood; sometimes this also occurs when the level of progesterone is too low. Spotting should always be investigated further to ascertain the actual cause (cervical erosion is another possibility) but its often not serious.

Would try and ascertain from the GP the month you will be initially seen by the hospital you mention.

Clomid is prescribed often between days 2 and 6 of the cycle; if your cycle is non existant (as mine was) blood tests can and should be done according to calendar days. You may not actually need a laparoscopy; this is more often than not a diagnostic procedure. The dye part of the lap/dye can be achieved also by having a HSG test done which is a tubal x-ray and you would be fully awake for that as it is not a surgical procedure.

For some PCOSers a keyhole surgery op called laparoscopic ovarian diathermy can have a more favourable outcome than just a lap alone as in that op the surgeon punctures the cystic follicles with an electrical laser or needle, in some women this can kickstart ovulation. I became pg as a direct result of such surgery.

Would refrain from self medicating with AC at all as in some cases it can make the underlying hormonal problems worse. If you did want to try AC it is best to seek the advice of a properly qualified medical herbalist re dosage beforehand rather than self medicating.

[Jpurkis]

Hi where can I get agnus castus from and what dosage did you take please I’m on day 77 cycle this is a regular thing for me I’ve been trying to conceive for a year this January in that time I have had 4 periods I have spoken to gp they don’t seem that bothered and will only look into it when I have been trying to conceive for 2 years as they say they have just up the time from 1 year to 2 years for under the age of 30 I’m 27 and my husband is 30.

[Jpurkis]

Message for Ava1985