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!

Hi op, I really hope your appointment goes well and you start to get some answers. Sounds like you’ve had lots of helpful replies already but I really wanted to recommend the book ‘taking charge of your fertility’. It explains what happens during your menstrual cycle and all the different kinds of mucus and what you should pay attention to in a really helpful and clear way.

Good luck OP!

I've also been told i have PCOS after an untrasound and blood test, prompted by missing a period for 2 months and my hair thinning out. My periods were always a little irregular, but usually around 40-50 days in between. Pretty much no other signs or symptoms.

The erratic period issue has been easily solved by getting on the pill. Fully aware it might be an issue if i ever decide to get pregnant, but other that that it's a condition that has been easily managed and really not impactful. So don't freak out if you get the same diagnosis!

How do you get to 24 and not know that

And
How do you not know about Google
You know.. Google? Where you can look all stuff like that?

Just out now.

I had absolutely no reason to be worried because the person doing the scan was lovely and so reassuring!

she thinks it’s pcos but recommended a blood test to confirm it. I can’t remember the exact details but there was too many follicles although she did say that can be normal in younger people so might be ok. She said it’s likely PCOS though and that my ovaries fit the criteria.

slightly frustrating that so many people dismissed me and acted as if I was being dramatic about it. I’ve been complaining about my periods for 10+ years and while some people have been really helpful and sympathetic, others basically acted as if it was all in my head and I was hysterical for worrying about it. I remember a doctor once visibly rolling his eyes when I mentioned it and told me there’s nothing wrong with having 5 periods a year.

Some girls grow up in very sheltered conservative religious families where anything reproduction related is taboo and shameful. And that's an influence that is hard to outgrow even as an adult.

So maybe let's not shame?

Has the doctor mentioned treatment options @Walkingonsunshinewoaahhh ?

How about you fuck off?

It’s almost as if I said in the OP that I tried Googling but still couldn’t understand it. You know, the OP? The opening post?

(also, thanks to everyone that explained it to me- I just couldn’t seem to get my head around it!)

I had a different childhood to most people and maybe that’s why I didn’t understand it. Not that I have to explain myself to you. If you don’t like it, leave.

I don’t think your GP is taking this very seriously (a fairly standard response to womens reproductive health). Something is clearly not right if your periods are so sporadic. I know you’re only 24 but one day you might want to have children and if there’s something wrong you would be better off knowing sooner rather than later.

Op your period should be regular by your age now, definitely go to see doctor again, because something is off.

No, she just said to go to the gp for blood tests to confirm it because sometimes it can be normal in younger people. I’ll double check the notes when I go home (she printed off pictures of the scans aswell as her comments) but if I remember correctly it was something to do with too many follicles and the ovaries were both too bulky x

so I’m home and I’ve had a look at the comments from the person doing the scan. She said both ovaries had ‘polycystic morphology’ and were ‘bulky with polycystic appearance’ and recommended going for blood tests aswell because sometimes it can be normal in younger people. I got sent the scan photos aswell which is really cool but it doesn’t really mean much to me because obviously I can’t read them but it’s still interesting!

slightly annoyed it’s taken over 10 years for me to actually get somewhere but hey that’s just life I suppose.

im so glad I went today. Even if it turns out not to be PCOS it’s still a step closer to getting my body more ‘normal’.

Glad you got your scan OP and that you've taken charge over your body and health.

It's very frustrating when GP's dismiss patients as nothing to worry about just because they don't see it as endangering your health.

When you go back persevere until you get answers because you want to know your fertility so that when/if you decide to try for babies in the future you can be prepared. Also as others said women with PCOS can be more prone to other diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiac and vascular disease and hypertension.

Keep us posted OP.

Hey I just saw this on Twitter and thought of this thread

twitter.com/JulioFdez79/status/1570658893151477760?t=rebridL1KQtoV4xUgnUCnA&s=19

Quite hard to understand how you failed to learn any of this when your peers, presumably, were learning. Did you never read teen magazines? Google? There are books, in shops and libraries. It’s pretty simple.

That said, your very irregular cycle should probably be investigated.

Sorry OP I’d missed reading the middle pages here, I’m glad you’ve got some investigation going on and hope it all works out well.

Just to reassure you, my periods were like this until my thirties.
I had normal bloods but pcos on scan. I was worried about fertility but was fine. I took Agnus castus herbal liquid to shorten my cycle when trying and it helped to conceive. The only time I had more regular periods was when I lived with seven other women and I think this regulated my cycle.
Since having kids I've had a much more regular 35 day cycle and it's shortening as I'm getting to menopause age