coming off the pill and signs of ovulation

[TremoloGreen]

I came off the pill at the end of November and had my usual pill withdrawal bleed. I haven't had a period since then, but I have been looking out (just slightly obsessively!) for signs of ovulation. I wondered if any MNers who charted straight after coming off the pill could share their experiences and tell me if this sort of thing is normal Please note, lots of detail about cervical mucus to follow, so look away if TMI!

Had several 'dry' days after my period and low, hard closed cervix

Then about a week of tacky/dryish CM and then two weeks of milky/lotion-like CM. All this time my cervix stayed low, hard, closed. I should say that when I was on the pill I would have this milky mucus or nothing pretty much all month long.

THEN I had some weird things happen, which I really want to believe were signs of ovulation:
I produced a lot of mucus, some of which was watery/milky and some of which was big clumps (sorry ) of clear, very thick jelly-like stuff. It didn't really stretch - kind of too thick. This was for two days. Cervix still hard though.

The day or so AFTER this CM, my cervix went higher up and kind of squashy (I think. Still not entirely au fait with this method). I'd like to say open, but really not much difference. Back to lotion-like CM at this time.

Now my cervix is still high but hard again. CM drying up.

I'm just waiting it out now to have a period. I guess I'm very anxious - I've had some health problems in the last few years and I'm worried about their effect on my fertility. I want to say I'm ttc, but really I know I won't be until my body starts behaving normally. Did anyone else notice anything similar after coming off the pill (Yasmin)? Is it normal for the change in CM to precede and not really overlap with the change in cervical position? Thanks in advance.

I came off the Pill (Binovum) in May 2010, had a withdrawl bleed and then nothing, absolutely nada for 6 months. I went to my GP and after investigations it turned out I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome which had been masked by my being on the Pill.

I'm not suggesting that this is your problem too, but it is something to beat in mind.

GPs won't investigate absent periods until at least 6 months without a bleed, so there's not much point in talking to a Dr yet.

Stick with it, it can just take time for your body to settle down.

I was on Yasmin too for years and it also took me 6m for my cycles to come back... I'd forced my doctors to refer me for scans by then, and I actually had a scan the day after I'd ovulated for the first time which was pretty good timing :)

I wasn't that aware of CM and CP I'm afraid during that time: have learnt it all since!

However, I personally would rely a lot more on CM than on your cervix position. As I understand it, your cervical position can change a lot during the day, depending on what you do, so it's a bit unreliable unless you're really consistent with it.

The jelly like discharge sounds more fertile than the creamy stuff, so I'd take that as a good sign - that your oestrogen levels are starting to climb.

As CaveMum said, I'm afraid it's a waiting game...

Tremolo,

I am in the same position as you, came off Yasmine, had my usual pill period as i call it, then nothing. But my CM sounds exactly like yours, all clumpy and kinda creamy but nothing stringy or stretchy fertile CM yet etc. plus im charting too, and my temp is all over the shop, it seemed to be going up then dropping, so i thought ok i must have ovulated but now its fecking rising again... WTF. . My poor body is in shock after 13 years of pills, it doesnt know what to do!

From my other posts, im not allowed technically TTC yet, but wouldnt mind my body back to normal so if the odd chance my husband comes to his senses, i can know exactly when to jump him time it correctly .

Hopefully someone else who has gone through the yasmine/ pill maddness has more insight??

THanks all

Freckly - how long have you been off the pill then? I have not tried basal temp charting, since I'm not disciplined enough (!) I suppose seeing as I don't know whether I have ovulated or not, I will have to wait until I've had one period anyway. Hope your bloke gets on board soon!

TG I heartily recommend temping. Just keep your thermometer next to your alarm clock/phone and stick it in your mouth first thing. Most therms have a setting where they save the last temp taken, so you can temp and even go back to sleep after if you like, and then just bring up the recorded temp later.

Are you using fertility friend? It really is a godsend. fertilityfriend.com
All you need do is put in your temp data, and it confirms ovulation automatically based on that. sooo easy. You can put in cm data too, and it factors that in as well.

It sounds to me like you did ovulate, btw. Temping would confirm it, but I think you did. The thick, clear, jelly-like cm is almost definitely fertile mucus. You likely ovulated two days after it appeared.

You can also get opks (ovulation prediction kits). You pee on a few a day from cycle day 10ish onwards, and when you get a positive you're going to ovulate within 12-48 hours. You can get jumbo packs on the net for cheap.

Hi TremeloGreen,

Unfortunately both temp charting and OPKs are of no real benefit at all if the cycle is irregular or non existant. Such problems too are more often than not caused by hormonal imbalances. Blood tests can be done to see if there are any problems like thyroid imbalance or polycystic ovaries. Both are a common cause of absent periods.

The pill leaves your system very quickly after taking the last tablet too.

If cervical fluid is too "thick" the sperms cannot readily penetrate it. Also CM is a very poor indicator of actual ovulation.

I note you were put on Yasmin originally; I think I am right in thinking that this particular pill has anti androgenic qualities. If you were put on this pill also for that reason (to address the problems of eiher excess hair or spots) I would seek medical advice sooner rather than later and have blood tests done to see if PCO is behind the irregularity of cycle.

You need a diagnosis first and foremost.

Hi I'm in the same position as you,came off the pill at end of November and periods haven't started again yet.
I've been charting my CM on ovuview,not sure if it's at all accurate but very easy to use. I noticed a sort of jelly like CM about a week ago, so hoping and praying that will get my period this week,fingers crossed! Hope yours start soon but sounds very similar to what I've been getting

Hi Tremolo - I was in a similar situation when I came off the pill, had been on Microgynon for about 12 years, stopped taking the pill in April 2009 and had normal bleed then nothing until the end of July 2009 when I had a 'natural' period, I then conceived the following month which was really lucky! So I think it can be quite normal for it to take a good few months to get back to normal again after the pill. Fingers crossed for you!

Hello ladies.

I stopped Yasmine Oct 2011 (Been on the pill for 10 years, different ones over that time). All over the place since. No AF for 6 weeks ish, then a 32 day cycle, now im onto day 37 and no sign of AF. Grrr. Been getting all those AF on its way symptoms for the last 2 weeks though, but nothing. Did a test just to make sure and negative.

Waiting til june before TTC so just hoping things sort themselves out by then. Fingers crossed.

Don't remember being told any of this when i started the pill, nor in the last few years when i've enquired with the GP. "Don't worry as soon as you stop taking it all goes back to normal straight away" hmmmm...

I have been on Dianette for 12 years and Yasmine for the last year as they dont have dianette where i live now so i changed over.

I came off it a month ago and still waiting for my period. Im def getting period symptoms,- starting crying in the car for no reason (usually my pre period sign!!), extra hungry, etc etc but nada, zip, nothing.

Temping is super easy, i wake 5 days a week at the same time for work, so i pop the themom in then, and it records it for later when i can function/ see clearly to record the time on my phone app etc. Wkends, i automatically wake at the same work time, so i do the temp and then go back to sleep without too much brain activity

Yeah, wasnt told that it would mess up the system at all- ignorance on my behalf but i did go on it at 15 for my acne and never came off since

Wow - thanks for responses

oikopolis - here's hoping. I am having weird symptoms which might be PMT, but I can hardly remember what that feels like (!)

Attilla - I'm pretty sure I don't have PCOS (no symptoms pre-pill) but I will be going to the doctor if my period doesn't show another two months from now so I will push for any investigations needed. I'm on Yasmin because the first pill I tried gave me spots - the doctor's logic was 'well this is what they give people FOR spots, so surely it won't cause them, here you go'

bearsarah and freckly - I have ordered a thermometer so I can give it a go once it arrives! I assume you need a baseline from the first day of the cycle... since I don't know whether I've ovulated or not, it probably won't be much use until I've had a period but I'll try and get acquainted in the mean time. Is Ovuview available for android? Or is there something similar? Bear - let me know then if you get a period? (!)

Maisie wow - congratulations and thanks for the good luck story!

spotty You are dead right that no-one warns you about this, but tons of people have a similar story! I even asked my GP about a year ago if I would have any problems like this (if he had said yes I would have come off the pill then!) and he said no I suppose they do their best to give 'evidence-based' advice, but evidence about this sort of thing can be a bit dodgy - I say this working in the pharmaceutical industry

I have been having a really weird feeling for the last few days - can feel it when I lie in bed - kind of like heavy (dragging?) sensation in my lower abdomen. Dunno if this is pre-menstrual (endometrium filling with blood?) or what, since it's been so long since I had a natural period. I would be quite happy if I got a couple of spots really

I have an android fon- i use ovuview :)

Good luck, hope you get your period asap so you can start charting but its no harm getting into the habit of using the thermometer etc before the period starts, so its automatic.

Best of luck- ha who would think we would be wishing for our periods!!

I know definitely would never have thought I'd be wanting periods to happen so much, will let you know when it finally starts! fingers crossed for you both tremolo and freckly,let me know.
Had been on the pill for 15 years, no wonder my body doesn't know what's going on!
Will try and get a thermometer this week and start doing that as well, will it only work once my periods get back to normal?

Positive story - I came off Trinovum in November 2008 due to no withdrawal bleeds and DP and I decided we would not use any contraception and see what happened rather than actively TTC. I had nothing until large bleed in mid Jan 2009 and conceived DD in Feb 2009, she was born in the November. Good luck, x.

yay, period has arrived, hope yours do soon freckly and tremolo!

Bearsarah, never thought id say it but im jelous! LOL

However, i think/ hoping that i am ovulating as been monitoring my CM and my temps are rising etc..... we shall see...

Good Luck with the TTC- start monitoring temp from day 1 of period and go from there!!

GP told me to go in if it takes more than 6 months for a post pill period. That's how long it took me when I came off Yasmin a couple of years ago.

Oh, good for you bearsarah, here's hoping you're enjoying a regular cycle soon

Well, goodness knows what my body's up to at the moment. I've had the fertile signs of high/soft cervix, watery CM for nearly two weeks now, although there will be the odd day when I think it's changing, it'll be back to 'fertile' the next day. Having quite a bit of pain in my lower abdomen and off to either side. I had a streak of blood in my CM the other day too, so it all sounds promising but then it just stays the same. I wonder if my body is 'trying' to ovulate?

I started temping, but it's all over the shop too although I'm not sleeping too well at the moment so that's not helping. Definitely haven't seen a clear rise though.

I suppose I'll just have to be patient. Really nauseous today as well which is making it hard

Thanks guys, keeping my fingers crossed for you both, let me know
Now just have to start phase two...ttc!

WAHOO, got my period. never so happy to see it. 41 days it took to arrive. Hoping i can now get some idea of my ovulation and cycle now the period is here.
Roll on dec for some TTC!

that's fab news, congratulations freckly!

Although I'm now on the watch for next period, it seems to be a very long cycle!