Cycles after coming off pill- reassurance please!

[Kate8989]

Hi Everyone

I came off Microgynon back in Sept, had my withdrawal bleed smack bang on time. Period came 38 days later. Now on CD 35 waiting for my next period. Am I still in early stages of things settling down? ! ?

Thanks

[Helen290]

Yes it takes time for things to regulate I had long periods for a couple of months before they reduced, only advice I would give is just get to know your body you can get great apps on your phone which can help I use “flow” you can track symptoms everything it will help you be more in tune with your body, hormones take a while to regulate again.

[Helen290]

If after 6 months your periods are still all over the place maybe speak to your GP to get some bloods done to check your hormone levels if your concerned, but it’s early days at the moment I’m sure it will regulate itself.

[Helen290]

Sorry the app is called “Flo”

[stellarfox]

I’m also the same. Came off the pill in sept and I’ve started tracking my period on the app Flo like the above poster. It really helps so you can keep track and learn how long your cycles are going to be (and when you might be ovulating). I am expecting it to take a few months for my body to return to a normal cycle. Give it a couple more months and it’ll probably go back to shorter cycles.

[MonkeyToucher]

Obviously everyone is different so this might not be that helpful, but when I came of microgynon I found that the gap between each period got a bit shorter until it settled back to 26. So first was about 40 days, next gap was 35 days, then 30 then 26 where it stayed. Took my 15 cycles to conceive DS of which I reckon the first 4 were messed about so don’t really count!

[Kate8989]

Thanks for all your messages!

Feeling a bit weepy today as im getting cramping down below but could be this, could be that! Who knows!

I really don’t want to get to a stage where this is taking over my life and I feel even in these early days it is xxx

[heavenforbid]

Hello!
I came off the pill in March and it definitely took at least 6 months to sort out. My cycles have been way, way longer than they were before I went on the pill (ten years ago ) and were up and down for a few months.

Doctors have done some bloods to see if I’m ovulating so just waiting for some results. Plenty of people get their periods back quite quickly and plenty have to wait so both are normal, but good luck for yours coming back normally soon! If you’re still over the place in a few months I’d speak to a GP but for now try and be patient (easier said than done haha)

Hope you feel better tomorrow

[MrsXx4]

I've been off the pill since May. It took 6 weeks for withdrawal bleed and then my cycle was 30 days for 2 months but just recently it's been around 40 days. I don't think I'm ovulating though as I have zero signs. I'm not worried at the moment as we aren't trying until summer but I would like some reassurance I'm all in working order.

I wouldn't worry if I was you as it's still very early days.

[Kate8989]

Thanks ladies for all your messages of support.

It’s really nice to let off some steam without feeling judged!

MrsXx4- how long were you on the pill for? When I think about it logically, our bodies have been told not to ovulate for so long. Surely it’s going to take a while for things to settle down into some sort of routine and rhythm!

Problem is- Impaitient ha ha

xxx

[MrsXx4]

Kate, I was on the pill for 16 years.

I know its hard and the wait feels like forever but you just have to relax and take your mind off of TTC. The more you think about it and put pressure on the situation the more you will stress, and stress will have a negative affect on things working properly...that's how I see it anyway!

[Merrz]

Hi, liking this thread! I came off the pill in March after almost 13 years with no break at all. I had usual withdrawl bleed then cycles have been 38days, 37, 33, 30, 30, 30, 32, According to cb advanced fertility monitor i ovulated in my 1st 2 30 day cycles as in it detected LH surge but haven't since
But this cycle is the 1st i have felt as if i actually ovulated, ovulation pain, lots of cm and feeling a bit frisky around cycle day15/16 so my gut instinct tells me this is the 1st cycle i have actually ovulated since coming off the pill 8 months ago

[MrsXx4]

Same here Merrz! I was sure my first cycle I ovulated and I thought 'Great! - that's reassuring' I had cm and was cd 15! but since then nothing!

[Gem173]

I came off pill (on it for 2 years with breaks) end of Sep, 1st cycle was 31 days then just finished my second cycle and it’s lowered to 28 days. Hoping my third cycle will stay the same at 28 days :/

[Kate8989]

Merrz, the advanced digital ovulation. Is that the really expensive one? It’s encouraging to hear your cycles have settled down. I’m on CD 36 today and hope it will rear its ugly head sometime this week! I feel like a weirdo wanting a period, as when I’m on it I hate it ha ha

Also, what did your ovulation pain feel like? I had a day just over a week ago with strong period like pains I had some pinky discharge but then all went away the next day.

Oh the joys of being a woman!

xxx

[Helen290]

Some women get pain when they ovulate also cramps and spotting post implantation have you done a pregnancy test?. X

[Helen290]

My cycles were 62,39 and 38 however the 38 was longer due to a miscarriage so it would of been 30 days I had 9 months of no period post pill however that was due to very low weight and excessive exercise. X

[Kate8989]

Hi Helen, I am so sorry to hear about your miscarriage.

How are you feeling now?

I did a test on Sunday, but it came back negative so I am pretty sure it was just ovulation pains- but who knows!! xx

[Merrz]

Yes i think it was about £80 and the refill sticks are expensive too. Tbh i'm not sure i would bother with it again.
My ovulation pains just felt a bit like period cramps but also was getting like sharp twinges in what i assume is my left ovary.
Yes i think you should maybe do a pregnancy test Kate8989
I actually wish i had come off the pill a lot sooner and given my body a year or so the settle down before starting ttc

[Kate8989]

I’ve read some reviews on Amazon about the advanced ovulation kit and most weren’t great. I have tried the Clearblue ovulation sticks (without flashing smilies) but never got a high. Then I tried the flashing smilie ones, but never got a peak- just constant flashes.

I’ll see how things go this week, will take another pregnancy test at weekend if AF doesn’t arrive. I’m pretty certain I’m not pregnant though.

xxx

[Merrz]

Well the advanced one seemed to work well for me for a start, 1st cycle it said 6 highs but no peak (which is apparently quite common 1st cycle using it) then next 2 cycles it gave me 3/4 highs then 2 peaks and a high again but the last 3 cycles it's just given me highs and tells me to keep testing for almost 20 days, which costs a small fortune so i'm not 100% convinced it's completely reliable.

[mummyG2C]

I came of the same pill after getting married in March 2016 had been on it for 10years. I had withdrawal bleed like you then had two long cycles like between 38-45 days that go, I read that taking the conception vitamins help to regulate things somewhere so took them for a month and low and behold the third period arrived at about 28 days. I have no idea if that helped or would have done it anyways but it made me feel better knowing I was doing something to try and help at least! We then decided to try and conceive half way fourth cycle and two weeks later found out I was pregnant I think the vitamins really helped! Maybe worth ago but it is fine and your body will adjust 😊 good luck

[Kate8989]

I’ll see how the next few months go, I may give the OPK’s another try but get the cheapies instead.

mummyG2C that’s really reassuring to hear, thank you for posting! May I ask what vitamins you used? I’m taking Agnus Castus, have been since end of Sept. I got really lazy the last 2 weeks and have only been taking one instead of 2 a day. I’ve now upped it again, also taking Starflower oil.

xxx

[mummyG2C]

I don’t think they were anything special just like Tesco own conception vitamins or something just one a day with main meal! Try not to stress too much I think these things take time, I am currently pregnant with no 2 and it took my periods a good 7months to readjust again after finishing breastfeeding and took a few months to conceive this time rather than after coming off the pill, hopefully you should just regulate and be absolutely fine, first time we didn’t use any ovulation strips or anything I tried to use some this time to try help pinpoint when I was ovulating (bought cheap internet ones) but to be honest I found them more confusing and stressful than anything else, I actually found like other posters said getting to know your body and when you think you are ovulating, we actually fell pregnant after stopping all the faffing and just having a lot of sex and trying to enjoy trying without to much stress (I know easier said than done) but you are fairly early on in the process and am sure you will be fine and fingers crossed you with be successful in no time!

[Kate8989]

OK thanks for letting me know, I didn’t know there were such things as conception vitamins. I might give them a try if the Agnus Castus doesn’t do the trick

Oh wow, congratualtions! How far gone are you!?

Thanks for your support, I hope things settle down to. I’m just so ready to be a Mum, I want everything to happen quickly lol

Xxx

[Helen290]

@Kate8989 I’m ok it was really hard the first week but now I’m starting my new cycle I feel hopeful 🙂, and apparently my fertility nurse told me after an MC your more fertile for some reason so that’s something.

I tried Angus cactus and it did nothing I tried all sorts of vitamins but to be honest I think those things are a load of crap make sure your eating healthy, exercise make sure your getting sleep etc and your periods will regulate and if they don’t get hormone tests done don’t waist your money on all those things and if your low in anything your doctor can tell you what to take, only thing you need to be taking is folic acid I use pregnacare it has some added vitamins but I mainly use it for the folic acid.
I tried ovulation strips also and again crap I told fertility I was using them and they told me to stop they are based on a standard women’s hormones if your a bit different and then that it want pick it up waste of money.
honestly hun save yourself the stress of doing those tests! Use an app and track your cycles and soon they will regulate and you can work out when you ovulate your cycles are all over the place due to being on the pill it’s normal for them to be irregular after just have sex don’t stress and honestly things will get better, I felt the same trying to rush it etc and it didn’t work but make me miserable. Xxx