I'm generally confused about my cycles, lack of AF, a BFN, please help! ( VERY LONG SORRY!!!)

[saoirse86]

Hi everyone, I feel a bit odd posting on this board as we're not actually TTC.

A bit of background:
I was on the pill from 15-21.
Started bleeding a lot throughout cycle whilst on the pill so, after STI tests, was told to come off the pill and use the depo injection. That made it loads worse, but I was encouraged to stick with it for 3 cycles (8 or 9 months).
By the time that last depo ran out I'd been bleeding every day for 2 years.
I had a scan which they said showed polyps so booked in for hysteroscopy.
Meanwhile had a smear which came back abnormal so had a colposcopy which showed nothing.
It was around this time I was told I wouldn't conceive naturally (but wasn't TTC) so didn't bother with protection from then. It seems now that this was a bit of a throw-away comment by a consultant that I took seriously.
Had what I now believe was a MC but have no idea how far along I would've been. I had been just spotting for a few weeks rather than proper bleeding. That day it was sudden, heavy and with mini contractions which were very painful and made me keep fainting.
About 2 weeks later I had my hysteroscopy which showed nothing (no polyps either ).
3 months later I had had a week of only spotting, which hadn't happened since the possible MC (usually normal period-type bleeding). Did a test which was a BFP.
The doctors and MW weren't interested in my history and just ignored me left me to it.
At my 12 week scan I found out I was 16+3. It turned out I'd been bleeding up until 7 weeks pg, with more bleeding at about 9 and 14 weeks which were more like periods really, except clearly they weren't!
Had DD is september and tried BF but ended up expressing till 4 weeks.
Had my first AF at 12 weeks, then 15 weeks, 19 weeks, 24 weeks. These have been increasingly long and painful but very light over the last 2. DD is now 30 weeks and nothing. [buconfused]
We have only had sex a few times since DD was born, a few times in January and once this week.
I did a test today which was negative.
If I conceived this week, when would that show as a positive given my lack of AF or any distinguishable cycle?
For those 2 1/2 years of bleeding everyday, I had a kind of calendar of what my bleeding was like and it showed no clear cycle at all.
I never had hormone tests or any investigation into whether I was having a cycle.
Could that be my problem now? Just a lack of cycle?
I'm so confused, someone please give me some thought/advice/experience.

Thanks [busmile]

Sounds very confusing and like the doc's ought to be doing hormone investigations etc. Anyway, with an irregular cycle it is recommended that a person tests 18 days after unprotected sex. Hope this helps.

Thanks, that is really helpful.

I think because there's not been an obvious answer and I've never TTC, the doctors can't be bothered investigating it. They told me for 18 months it was chlamydia and kept testing me for that wasting my time and theirs. (I've never had chlamydia, I had been tested prior to being with DP and they were always negative since being with him).

It annoys me that they're not interested in my problems. I'm sure if it was them bleeding everyday and having to have a full range of tampons in their bag/car/bathroom/everywhere then they'd be doing tests pretty quickly!

If I was to have hormone investigations, what would I need to be asking for? I've been told something about doing 4 tests each a week apart to look for a cycle because one test wouldn't necessarily show abnormalities. Are there any other things I need to ask the doctor to do?

There are a few different hormone tests that could be done, I think the one you are referring to would be traditionally known at the day 21 test, it is test looking at the progesterone levels to check if ovulation has occurred, however in women with long/irratic cycles it needs to be done more than once as the progesterone levels rise 7 days after ovulation (hence why day 21 used as it assumes most women ovulate on day14 of their cycle). So by testing a week apart over several weeks you are more likely to pick up the rise in progesterone if it occurs. If it does not occur it would indicate that you did not ovulate.

If/when you get your next AF, do arrange to get day 3 blood tests (on day 3 of your cycle!) this will help look at if PCOS is an issue, and generally look at your hormone levels to see if you have excess estrogen or progesterone. You could also request a thyroid test. There are plenty of blood tests they could do, but I think that this would be the starting point.

I really think that your gp should be looking at this more closely.

After having a baby, your menstral cycle can take a while to settle down, an can be different from previously, but considering your previous history, I don't think it should be ignored long-term. I think pushing for hormone tests is wise.

I hope you get your gp to help soon.

Thanks for your advice. I'll book an appointment on monday to talk to them about it and get them to agree to/sort out that day 3 test.

I'd been kind of stuck and not knowing what to do next before I found out I was pg and had kind of hoped it'd sort itself out.

I appreciate your help.

Just to chip in, I agree with galwaygal (to be fair, I usually do, she's very wise!). I'd highly recommend looking into buying a mooncup or similar:
www.mooncup.co.uk/
It's okay to wear for any type of flow, costs just over 20 quid but within a few weeks you'll recoup your money and it'll save you a sodding fortune in the long run! (Better for the planet too).
If your Gp is not helpful, see a different GP. You can't go on like this! Hope you get things sorted soon.