Ovulating on CD5?!

[RetroHippy]

Came off the pill in September, since then I've had cycles of 26, 50, 18 and a perfect 28 days.

AF arrived on the 5th, chucking me off the Feb bus.

Last day of my period I removed my mooncup and there was (sorry, tmi) a big string of very stretchy EWCM, tinged with blood, but definitely there.

I'm temping for the first time this month and my temp has shot up from 36.10 to 36.66 in two days.

Could I have ovulated already?! We DTD three times, stealth boast on Sunday just cos we could and I was feeling frisky. Thinking about it my 18 day cycle started on Christmas Eve Eve and I was so frisky the next day I had to stop chopping Christmas veg to drag DH up for a quickie

My cycle pre-pill was always irregular but I've never really noticed what my body was doing before.

Oh, and my boobs are agony, have been sensitive since pre AF but really hurt now. Don't know if that's just a new Ov symptom that I could do without .

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

Ovulation is not an exact science and a person can ovulate earlier, later or not at all in any given cycle. I note too that your periods pre-pill were also irregular and so it has reverted back to that pattern.

It is likely with such erratic cycles that you are not ovulating regularly if at all currently. Signs like you are seeing can be misleading; the best thing going forward is to have blood tests done (you need a day 2 test to begin with to check your LH level against that of FSH) to see what your hormone levels are like. That would be a far more accurate indicator as LH and FSH kickstart the ovulation process. If these two levels are awry then ovulation is affected.

Consistently irregular cycles often point to hormonal imbalances; in this regard a condition called polycystic ovaries is a common culprit. Also I would refrain from temp charting in your circumstances as well as this is not helpful when cycles are irregular.

[RetroHippy]

Thanks Atilla, would that be something I can get done via a routine trip to the docs? I know I've only been off the pill a few months and things take a while to settle, but if it is something like pcos then I'd like to know sooner rather than later.

Might see about making an appointment for the morning.

[sebsmummy1]

I would recommend using the clearblue smiley face opks. Least you will get an idea of when your fertile window is and time sex accordingly. Three times in one day won't make a difference if it's the wrong day

[RetroHippy]

But it was lots of fun

I used the internet cheapy OPKs last month, got a positive on CD 12 then AF was spot on on day 28. I know a positive doesn't mean you definitely ov'd but that cycle at least seemed relatively normal

Did one yesterday and the test was there but fainter than the control, will keep it up for the rest of the cycle.

[sebsmummy1]

Sounds like you are BDing on the right days. From what I understand lots of shagging before O is likely to get you knocked up quicker than waiting for a pos opk and then DTD.

I had to check with OH that we had done it three times in one day as I wasn't sure, he said yes. So I'm now.

[RetroHippy]

Haha we're getting it in now. As I understand as soon as DCs are in the picture the days of all day shagging are long gone!

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

RetroHippy,

The pill actually leaves your system very quickly after taking the last tablet.

A day 2 test will compare your LH level against that of FSH; I would find out what these are like first and foremost. This can be done via the doctors surgery.

OPKs are pretty much useless to use at all however if the menstrual cycle is so irregular. I would avoid using these as of now.

[RetroHippy]

I'll stop wasting my money on them then! Calling the docs when they open this afternoon for an appointment with the family planning doc.

You seem to be a bit of an expert at this Attila, do you kind me asking, have you been through this or is it your area of expertise?

[RetroHippy]

And will the docs refer me for any tests if we've not been ttc for a year yet? Starting to realise this could be a bit of a marathon we're in for.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

Been through this. I had a year's worth of fertility treatment from my local hospital.

[RetroHippy]

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I hope you got your baby at the end of it all.