To not understand ovulation and periods?

[Walkingonsunshinewoaahhh]

Ok, I know I should definitely know this by my age (24) but I’ve only just realised that I don’t. I’ve tried googling and watching YouTube videos and I still can’t wrap my head around it.

what is ovulation?! Like, I know about periods obviously but I always presumed that was ovulation but it’s actually a different thing?

the reason I’m wondering is because I posted about having extremely irregular periods (anything between 30-100+ days between each period) and I could count on one hand how many periods I have in a year. Someone asked if I was ovulating normally and I realised ovulation is different to periods (I always thought it was the same thing!) and I don’t actually know if I’m ovulating on the months my periods are missing. I know you can get tests to check but what does ovulating mean and what does it mean if my periods are missing but I’m ovulating normally? Or if I’m not ovulating?

If anyone could explain this I would be seriously greatful!

Sorry, don’t want to be alarmist OP you need to go back to your GP and insist on more tests. You’ll probably want to get this looked at if you want to have children. It’s hard to get pregnant if you are not ovulating and from the spacing of your periods you may well not be. But also keep in mind that no one on the internet can diagnose PCOS for you good luck x

Sounds like PCOS. I had exactly the same..my doctor dismissed me as I was young, telling me it takes a few years to settle down..he only referred me for tests when I pointed out I'd been having periods for 9 years. I had no other symptoms apart from the gaps in periods.

Get the Flo app and log your periods
show the results to your doctor
it tells you when you should be ovulating ect

Please get the book mentioned. Taking charge of your fertility. It’s something all young women should read to understand their (amazing) bodies.

im way past fertility now - I’m menopausal - but the things I learnt in that book are still helping me now and still relevant. I’m teaching my teenage daughter the same principles.

your cycles are a off and you do need to see the GP but this book will give further advice too .

The podcast 28-ish Days Later is very comprehensive and interesting on the whole menstrual cycle/ ovulation thing.

I had periods like you from when I started my periods. I have PCOS and it should have been addressed as it led to breast hypoplasia and I was unable to breastfeed my children. Irregular periods need addressing not ignoring

Thanks again for all the help🙂

I started my period when I was 12 ish.

I was told I don’t have PCOS because my blood test was fine and ruled it out. My thyroid is also fine. They also said I don’t have any of the typical symptoms of it- I never get heavy periods, never get clots, never get cramps or pain at all. Everyone’s always said how lucky I am not to have any of this and I know I am, but deep down I’ve always been worried that my periods are all wrong.

Nobody has ever been sure why they’re like this but they’ve always said it’s normal

would getting some ovulation sticks be useful at all? I could use them to see if I’m ovulating or not but I wasn’t sure if it would actually mean anything with regards to the missing periods?

thanks again for the help x

Have you been particularly stressed when you haven't had a period? Stress can affect ovulation which will then result in no period

Hi Op, you could try tracking your basel body temperature. What that means is taking your temperature every morning before you get out of bed and start being active. Before you ovulate it will be up and down each day. Once you ovulate it tends to rise a bit and also seems more stable. I will find a photo of a graph to show you. It will be useful for you because over a number of months you can see exactly when you ovulate and how often. When my periods were very erratic I would sometimes have periods where no ovulation had occurred too.

You could use Google, you know... See www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/your-menstrual-cycle

But go to the GP. You don't have normal periods, and that needs to be investigated. Are you underweight? A common reason for missing periods.

If you ovulate, then you will definitely start your period 12-16 days later, unless you are pregnant.

But you can have bleeding, regular or irregular, without actually ovulating. For me personally, learning about different types of discharge really helped me pinpoint if/when I was ovulating (it wasn't regular for me). So if you're feeling brave (and if you've already eaten!) then you could Google EWCM.....

Haven't read all replies so apologies if I am duplicating! I use the Flo app and it's brilliant. Tracks your cycle but also tells you what's happening at each stage and what to expect next. It's made such a massive difference to me and my understanding of it all x

Some women chart to work out where they are in their cycle to see when they are ovulating. That could work for you - not to get pg, just to know a bit more about your body.

See www.babycentre.co.uk/a3195/how-to-chart-your-temperature-and-cervical-mucus for more details.

Here's an example of the graph of the temperature op. The follicular phase is when your body is getting ready to release and egg. Once this has happened the luteal phase usually lasts 14 days and your temperature is warmer, it is thought this is to make your uterus more hospitable for the egg to implant.

Whoops, I don't think my picture loaded.

You might be able to tell when you're ovulating because of some white mucus in your pants and also feeling great - skin feels good and clear, you might want sex or to masturbate more than usual, you might have good hair days and feel good in your clothes, and more energetic, that kind of thing! I get an ever so slight pain in an ovary area sometimes (it'll be one side or the other each month) but I have to be tuned in to notice it. The more you track what your body is doing and how you're feeling the more tuned in you might become to when you're ovulating. Using ovulation sticks to start with might help you track and notice more especially as it'll be a bit challenging for you to get to know yourself with being irregular.

I'll try again! By the way if you aren't ovulating the gp can prescribe things to encourage your body to do so.

I already said in my opening post -‘I’ve tried googling and watching YouTube videos and I still can’t wrap my head around it.’

yeah after this thread I’ll try and get an appointment to get this checked out again, I don’t want to be a nuisance and going back for the same thing again when I’ve already had a blood test and it was fine but it’s not getting better so I’ll go back and ask the GP about it. No I’m not underweight, I’ve always been in the healthy weight range but never over or underweight (always just sort of average!)

There are no typical symptoms of PCOS, everyone is different - my only indicators were lack of regular periods, adult acne and being a tad on the hairy side! No heavy periods, no weight gain, etc. The thing that clinched the diagnosis was an ultrasound scan which showed my ovaries covered in cysts. blood tests can be unreliable as they need to be taken at specific times in your cycle which, when you have irregular cycles, is nigh on impossible.

It's not silly op. I learnt so much more about my body when trying to conceive - I wished I'd paid more attention earlier, like you are!
Ovulation sticks will tell you when / if the hormone surge that triggers ovulation occurs - but it doesn't necessarily mean you ovulate... as others have suggested bbt is meant to be a better way to see that. It never quite worked for me but others get on well with it...chatting cervical mucas can help too... after a few years of trying the sticks, temperature and the mucas thing, I now know when ovulation happens and (for the first time!) actually know when my period is due (for me the luteal phase is always constant at 14 days)...
I would definitely speak to the gp again for some advice.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bvg9nm?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

This podcast might help. It really clearly lays out everything you need to know about understanding your cycle and your body.

Just a quick correction to the science. Fertilisation takes place in the Fallopian tube. The fertilised egg then starts to divide into a handful of cells that then travel down the Fallopian tube to the uterus where it embeds into the uterus lining which should be nice and thick. Once embedded the cells continue to divide and eventually grow into a baby.
This clips is well worth watching. it is a fascinating animated journey of the sperm.

What was the blood test? You need a scan to rule out or confirm PCOS.

radio 4 had an interesting series called 28 days later that wa on recenly - it's still available on iPlayer
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bvgdqd

vm.tiktok.com/ZMNwy3CKQ/

Adrian Bliss has just covered this.