if you have your period bang-on regular every 6 weeks, does this count as 'regular'?

[emeraldgirl1]

I've just realised that my last 5 periods have come to the day 6 weeks apart... this is after around a year of them bouncing between 5 and 8 weeks. Could this just mean I have an 'unusual' rather than an actually irregular cycle? I have heard that people can vary with their cycle, but 6 weeks seems a long-ish one to me. But it's certainly regular...

I'm waiting for test results for PCOS; I've been assuming for tha past few months that my periods are 'irregular' but now I come to think of it (and now that AF has arrived bang on 6 week schedule this morning) i am starting to wonder if I do have regular periods after all... I've had some reflexology recently which I think may have stabilised them...

Anyone know any more about this or in similar position? Thanks so much!!

[ImmaterialGirl]

Hi emeraldgirl,

from what I understand, cycles that last between 21-42 days and do so regularly are considered 'regular'. So sounds to me like you are, although you obviously have long cycles.

I'd give it a month or three of using opk's (get cheapies and do it for a long time, maybe as much as between CD10 and CD35 ) and see if you can establish when/if in this cycle you ovulate...

[emeraldgirl1]

Hi Immaterial - that's a great idea about the opks... hadn't occurred to me! I'll try that. Just a question, forgive me because I know it's a stupid one!!! - but what do you mean by CD10 and CD35? Is that the 10th and 35th day of the cycle ie the 10th day after AF?

[ImmaterialGirl]

Not a stupid question at all

And you are right anyway. CD (Cycle Day) 1 is the day you get your period. CD10 is thus 10 days after it began. You're highly unlikely to ovulate before this (although the Clearblue Fertility Monitor which I've just started using this month has you peeing on opk's from CD6 -I guess it's being extra considerate...).

With a 6 week cycle you're exactly 42 days, so I guess if it turns out you haven't ovulated by day 32 you should speak to a doctor...

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

A six week cycle may well be one in which ovulation is not regularly happening. Any changes to the nature of periods like this warrants further investigation. With a previous cycle of between 5 and 8 weeks it was highly unlikely you were ovulating regularly then if at all.

With regards to your blood test the level of LH and FSH should be checked and compared against each other as they can look "okay" if looked at separately. Hopefully this test was done around day 2 in the cycle. Another thing that could be done is for you to have an internal ultrasound scan to see what the ovaries look like (in terms of both size and appearance). I mention size too because a polcystic ovary can appear larger than a normal (walnut) sized ovary.

I would refrain from using OPK's in these circs as they are beset with problems anyway and can give multiple positive results.

[emeraldgirl1]

Hi Attila! I think we've come across each other before and you're always so helpful and knowledgeable!!

The blood test I had done was NOT on CD2, I don't know if that means the results will be less accurate...?

And I had an external ultrasound, not an internal one - I actually went there expecting an internal as this was what my GP had told me, but the woman at the hospital told me she could see everything she needed (this sounded like a fob-off to me) and that they don't do internal scans unless they need more clarity... Should I demand another scan? Or do you think I should wait for the results of the blood test and take it from there?

I have to be honest, whatever way the blood tests come back I am going to ask for a referral as I do want some answers. Would an endocrinologist be more appropriate than an obgyn?

Thank you Attila

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

Hi EmeraldGirl

You're very welcome

When was the blood test carried out and when do you get the results of same?.

External u/s are no good at all in these particular cases as they cannot hope to see what the ovaries and uterine cavity look like. Think you were indeed fobbed off there, particularly as you were also led to believe by your GP that you were going to have one of these. I would inform your GP of what happened and hopefully you will have an internal u/s next time around.

I would ask for a referral regardless and if you get the choice ask to see a gynae/reproductive specialist. Ideally you should see the same person each time but this cannot and does not always happen.

You need a diagnosis first and foremost and you will need to be persistant in order to get answers.

With best wishes

Attila