Waiting to try, and cycle a mess from the pill

Hi Gx! Oh I know it's just so confusing. I feel like I've spent the last 10 years or so trying my best not to get pregnant and now I'm just hoping my body starts working again. DH compared me to a car that hadn't been started for a good few years and said it'll just take a while for the engine to get going normally again don't know if he was trying to cheer me up but never been compared to a rusty old car before lol!
Miss Clarke i totally get what you mean. When my cycle dragged on last week I kept imagining AF was starting when I was in work. Kept running to the loo to save any embarrassment!! X

Hey ladies can I join ? I understand the post says waiting to TTC after bcp but I can't find any thread for TTC after the pill ....
I came off the pill start of September and had the usual withdraw bleed then nothing for 38 days , really confusing month becoz my body was all over the place
Mood swings
Cramps
Headaches
Sore/ veiny boobs
Honestly thought I was pregnant until I googled post pill symptoms !
I am currently on cd 29 of second cycle , I used OPKs this month and got a positive OPK on cd19 with EWCM ( didn't temp ) so not sure if we r in for a chance this month
Think I probably should have waited to TTC like u guys because the TWW is driving me mad X

Trying to set to know your stories at the mo , good luck to all those TTC and for those wanting their AF X
Slowly realising how much strain this all puts on us xx

Men are silly aren't they? Mine suggested I stop the pill, then a week later said he didn't want to try until after Christmas, then said he didn't mind "not preventing" but didn't want to feel like a sperm donor (I was a bit over excited the first week!). Now we're not using condoms but I'm also avoiding talking about it because he gets stressed by the conversation!

I'm still waiting for my first real AF. On day 29 of cycle (counted from withdrawal bleed from my last pill packet). I really hope it comes soon so I can have some idea about fertility. I also hate not knowing when it could start - every little inkling and I run off to the toilet just in case, hate it whenever I'm at work!

Ohhh I just typed loads too and lost it! Thanks for info poin. Oh no, I didn't see anywhere about not taking Angus cactus straight after pill. I read not to take it with pill as it makes it less effective. But I saw a few articles that recommended it straight after pill to reduce hormonal symptoms after pill. There's so much conflicting advice isn't there! My plan was to take it until cycles shorten and then stop and hope my body takes over. Although I suppose if I have got pcos it could do more harm than good. Iv also been wondering if I do go to go for tests I shouldn't be on agnus as I assume that could affect results. Interesting though!

Yeah cookie, I wonder what the men really think! We initially agreed to stop preventing as it is likely to take so long with my crazy cycles. And then the other night we were talking about a friend who has been trying for 6 months with no luck and hubby said "can it take a log time sometimes then??!?". He was genuinely shocked when I said women are only fertile for a few days each cycle! They are a bit clueless bless them.

My skin is shocking at the moment (never got bad teen acne) my face is more spot than face! xx

Ahhh damn. Typed loads out and lost it!!!

Magnesium seems to be the go to vitamin.

Lots of do's and don'ts with agnus castus so please research and check with gp. Mainly: dont take under age 18, dont take with fertility drugs, do not use for more than 6 months continuously, do not take until you have been off the pill for 3 months, be cautious if you have PCOS
Post pill syndrome
You can get post pill acne - the worst time is the first 3 months whilst your body adjusts to the natural hormones in your body
Post pill PMS - same again your body should adjust
Post pill amenorrhea and PCOS - your ovaries have been suppressed whilst on the pill so may take time to come back again.

Well worth a read girls. You can get it on kindle for 6.66 but i got the book (and have index tabbed bits i want to read again...nerd alert!) for 10.99.xx

Poin- that sounds so interesting. I had a wee look on Amazon, might get it myself! This TTC business is costing me a fortune already! xx

It's not terrible at all Sunny, I feel like I'm behaving in exactly the same way! DH keeps saying 'we'll see what happens' so I'm taking that as as a 'let's not actively stop it from happening' type answer! Yet he becomes a bit funny whenever i talk about OPKs etc. I think l might start temping too as I have been really worrying about PCOS. My skin is horrid right now and it's never been that bad, even when I was in my teenage years. Hoping it's just a side effect of coming off the pill and not anything else! Xx

I'll let you know if anything looks good in this book. About a 3rd of the way through and the front bit is all about contraception (the woman is really against the pill because of how it messes you up) and other methods, then there is a "maintenance" section whre it tells you how to combat pms symptoms etc. Agnus Castus is mentioned a lot. Iodine for sore boobs, magnesium is good too. Will take a flick through and see if i can find out about regulating. She does mention about OV and what can happen if you dont but still bleed etc. Will try and find the names of the reasons so you can google xx

Haha, no not mad at all! I think all this stuff makes us feel a bit crazy cos be we have no control over it... So it's all a bit of a surprise when our bodies do something. Like I said when I came on in the night, I woke up at about 2am with cramps and did a little woop! Was so happy I wanted to tell someone! Had to wait till the morning and come on here and tell you guys! :)

Well the fact your cm was exactly 2 weeks before is encouraging. Mine was all over the shop. I had about 3 separate lots spread out over the 98 days last time. Most of this Iv learnt on mums net: Apparently the only way to know for sure you've OV'd is to temp. Even opk doesn't prove OV as LH can surge without egg release. Is it a terrible for my marriage that Iv started temping without telling hubby? He doesn't mind "not preventing pregnancy" but doesn't want to actively try with kits and temps etc which is fine... But I'm so convinced Iv got PCOS and not ovulating that I'd feel better temping and knowing what's going on.. No to get preggers but just for my own peace of mind. Iv done it last 3 mornings and even the thermometer beep doesn't wake him lol. Of course I will be honest if he asks. I just don't want to rock the TTC boat. I'd even start using condoms again until we properly try as long as I knew what my bloody body was up to!

Cookie 3 cycles in is good, sounds like things are settling. Xx

Ooh that is so interesting Sunny about the CM info! I feel I may not have ovulated last cycle but had quite a lot of EWCM 2 weeks exactly before my AF. Can you get a lot of EWCM and still not ovulate? You can tell I'm new to this TTC malarkey
I just feel so so relieved I've eventually got my AF. Technically on 3rd cycle - first was withdrawal, 2nd was 35 days and this one 55 days. Hoping it regulates now!! Hope yours comes on time too Sunny. I felt like I was on the 2ww for AF and just as frantic as I would be waiting for a BFP is it mad saying that?? Xx

Welcome poin and max. Yeah do let us know if there are any good tips in that book? I'm willing to try anything. 1st cycle off pill was 98 days... I was hoping this one would be somewhat normal but currently day 20 and no sign of ovulation yet!! Grr. Tried very cheap opk this month but none have been positive, had egg white mucus for 4 days this week and like on opk got a bit darker yesterday and then faded again but didn't go pos. apparently your LH can try to build but doesn't get high enough to OV, and then it tries again later in cycle. Think my body did the same a few times last month. Apparently this is more common if you have PCOS, which Iv convinced myself Iv got (although it's prob just coming off pill) ... It's feeding the crazy!! Lol.

Yay for AF cookie! So are you into cycle 2 off pill? How long was that 1st cycle? Fingers crossed it's regular now xx

Ooh you will need to let us know if there's any good tips in that book, Poin! I'm also trying my hardest to win round my DH but I feel as though I want to give it a go TTC this month; considering how hard it may be now with my wild cycles. Xx

Hey ladies,
Not TTC yet (still got o win round my Peter Pan) but stopped Cerelle on the 22nd October, had a withdrawal bleed on 26th - 28th and feel a bit crampy and rubbish today but think thats just withdrawals. Have bought a book called Period Repair Manual which has tips to regulate cycles etc so am devouring that! I think i was pretty regular before (went on the pill at 17 and have just turned 29) so hoping i go back to that quickly.
Great news that AF arrived Cookie! Hoping that means you're regular ish again!xx

Hi Max, welcome! I'm sorry, I don't really know much info about tran acid and utovlan but fingers crossed for you. Well I'm over the moon today as my AF finally showed her face this morning! So happy and relieved (though I know cycle could be a mess again this month!) xx

Hi, I am TTC came off the pill between 2/3 weeks ago but am using tranexamic acid & utovlan to help stop heavy bleeding. Anyone know if these will allow me to conceive & if it will cause any complications atall
Thanks in advance x

Mines were always 30 days or thereabouts. Hoping it arrives over the weekend but no signs as yet! It's so frustrating. Also had a lot of stress at work recently and I know that won't be helping. My first one came fairly regular and I think it gave me false hope! xx

Yeah Iv heard some good things about Agnus castus, and some who found it made no difference. From what I can gather you should only take it until you OV, and not after in case pregnant.. Trouble is I think il struggle to work out when Iv OVd.

I think my periods were pretty regular, it's been 13 years so it's hard to remember! They were heavy and painful, I remember that! Lol. We're yours regular before?

We sound similar. I also have low b12 and am on the 3 monthly injections now. They tell me I don't have pernicious anaemia, although apparently the test isn't very reliable. My iron level is good at the moment but Iv been anaemic in the past. X

Sunnydays I've just ordered some Agnus Castus now off Amazon, will give anything a try! Have heard a lot of good things about it after lurking for a while on here also have some internet cheapie OPKS to try next cycle if AF ever arrives.
Hopefully your cycle isn't as long this time! Were you quite regular pre pill? I have always had very heavy periods and also have pernicious anaemia, so on a high dose of iron, folic acid and b12 injections. Just hope this doesn't affect anything and I know all the worrying won't be doing me good either!! I think I'll give it another week and see what happens (tho I do keep saying 'another week' and AF still doesn't come!!).

Haha cookie Iv just seen your other post, thought id reply here. It won't hurt to see your GP. I get the feeling that with any problem GPs will always say "see how things are in 3 months", so if you leave it till 6 months for your first visit they will make you wait longer. So at least if you go soonish if they do tell you to wait at least you won't end up so far down the line without an answer. However I do understand their rationale... And this is what I keep telling myself: It probably isn't anything to worry about. It does take ages to get the pill out of your system. And even if it is something like PCOS, loads of people still get pregnant naturally within a year with PCOS... And if you can get pregnant naturally that's better than shoving your body full of medication ie clomid which has its own risks, ie multiples that then makes for higher risk pregnancies etc. doesn't make it any less frustrating though!!

I think it's hard to accept that we have no control over our bodies. That's why the opks and temping help some people feel more in control and know what's going on in there. Although it is crap seeing negative ones every day! :)

I forgot to say Iv also been taking Agnus castus which is supposed to shorten and regulate cycles. I don't know if it's helped but like I say.. Last time I stopped pill a few years ago it was 10 months for 1st period (ie 300 day cycle)... This time with Agnus castus 1st was 97 day cycle. Might have been a fluke but taking something makes me feel like I'm doing something pro active! Still waiting for 2nd period so fingers crossed this one is quicker. Xx

I can completely empathise with the crazy skin Sunnydays! My skin has been shocking since stopping the pill and I feel like I've got constant spots around my chin area. Feeling quite upset about things today now that I've reached CD50 with absolutely no sign of AF. I was all excited about trying either this month or next but now I feel I'm left in limbo at the moment. Was also winning the hubby around too I think he was secretly excited at the thought of trying (though I don't try to pester him too much incase he changes his mind!!) never have I hoped to see AF as much! Wish she'd hurry up!

Hi cookie Alex and Loki, and anyone else who is still reading.

I know cookie, even though we weren't planning on TTC straight away, and even though (I pretend) I'm not desperate for a baby immediately... I still feel like I should have come off the pill earlier! But my skin is awful at the moment... Never had spots as a teen and now I get terrible acne as an adult (that's not fair)... So In that respect I'm glad I didn't come off the pill before our wedding otherwise in our photos I would have been spotty!!

Alex, glad you had a great holiday! that's good that your periods have been regular.. And exciting that you are starting to try next month! Fingers crossed it happens quickly for you. I know what you mean about hubby.. I just haven't mentioned it since our original conversation. He was the one who suggested we should stop preventing... I daren't say anything in case he changes his mind! Lol. So I'm trying to keep the crazy at bay. Trying to track my random cycle on an app and secretly started opks but no positives yet! Day 15 at the moment so it might be weeks or even months before I get a positive! Want to check temp (mostly cod I'm geeky and love a good chart) but it would be exhibiting the crazy, what with the beeping thermometer at 6 am!! Haha

Anyway keep us updated if you have any news!

Hi everyone, hope you don't mind me joining in! I came off the pill in August after my honeymoon and hoping to TTC #1 December onwards. First proper AF came on cycle day 37 and I'm now on CD 43 with no sign of AF!! Feel much more reassured since reading this thread that there's others out there in the same boat. I feel like I may have left it too late to come off the pill & now hoping AF makes an appearance soon!!

Hi all. How is everyone getting on? We've just got back from Bali, had a lovely time! How was everyone else's holidays?? Good diving?

So on the issue of waiting to TTC, our luggage got lost on the way to Bali, resulting in no condoms and a discussion about TTC.. Decision made to stop trying to prevent pregnancy. I think that's DH way of saying we are trying but he's too scared to say the words! Lol. At that point it had been 3+ months since stopping pill with no period so we figured it is unlikely to happen quickly.

Anyways, I woke up really early this morning, crazy period pain.. And iv come on my 1st period since stopping pill (apart from withdrawal bleed)... Cycle day 98! Which is better than my 10 month wait last time. Not sure if it was the Angus castus or not as I didn't take it on holiday.

So I know my cycles are likely to still be really irregular but I guess we have more chance of conceiving now. I do wonder if I actually ovulated at all this cycle, cos no signs of it 14 days ago... And we dtd quite a lot during that time. I'm going to see what happens and then maybe start okps if no sign of ov.

Hope everything going well for you all x

I had my implant out yesterday. It had reached the end of it's life, evidenced by the fact that last week I had my first proper period in 3 years. I'd forgotten how bloody painful they are! This month I am taking conception vitamins, as is dh. I'm also using opk tests so that I can track my cycle and find out when I'm ovulating. I'm hoping that I will ovulate next weekend, get my period on the 10th and then start ttc straight after. Hopefully my cycles will return to the 28 day cycles I had before the implant. I chose the implant because you are supposedly fertile straight away but we shall see!