Can a dominant follicle grow too big on an unmedicated cyle?

[Poutintrout]

Hello
I wondered whether anyone can shed some light on the question of whether follicles can grow too big to be viable or whether I have finally tripped over the edge into insanity!

I currently have the "unexplained" label and am having baseline cycle monitoring. I had my second scan on Friday, CD9 and the doctor informed me that she could see a dominant follicle and given the size I would likely ovulate between that day and CD11 (Sunday).

This seemed early since my usual ovulation day is between CD15 and CD17 but I didn't question this because on CD6 I had had some jelly like cervical mucus which I was in two minds about and did wonder whether it was the start of EWCM or the petering out of my period. Also last month I ovulated unusually early too on CD12 (I assumed that it was a hangover from having had a lap and dye the month previously).

Since the dubious cervical mucus on CD6 I have had no further signs of ovulation & no positive ovulation stick to indicate an LH surge that would tie in with what the scan indicated. Also I have had no ovulation pain (I get this every cycle) and no sore breasts which is another indicator for me of ovulation.

Today I have some definite EWCM which would indicate to me that my body is gearing up to ovulate closer to my usual day 15/16 ovulation pattern.

However this is totally at odds with what was indicated on the scan. I am wondering therefore whether it is possible for follicles to grow too big, too quickly and therefore be unviable at the time of ovulation.

Have anyone got any thoughts on whether this is a credible theory?

BTW I have been investigated for PCOS and while a scan some time ago flagged this as a possibility it was later debunked by the consultant who described the scan of my ovaries as "unremarkable". My FSH/LH levels also do not indicate PCOS and numerous Day21 blood tests appear to confirm ovulation.

I would be really grateful of any thoughts on this.

Bumping this pout as I'm interested in this too. I often have ewcm that signals ov should happen but no rise in temp or pos opk til ages after.

Thanks wine.

I fear it could be one of my more harebrained attempts at self diagnosis

Hi pout - as you know I have had a number of unmedicated IUIs and they discovered my follicles grow larger than most/some; they expect the LH surge from 18/19mm and my last two cycles the follicle did a bit of a sneaky growth spurt, leading to a 20/21mm on the scan without positive O-pee stick), which according to them simply meant "my follicles grow nice and big" (about 24/26 on O-day). So the experience you describe I remember well from my monitoring cycle (and then of course AF was "late" which got us all excited, but now I think they misjudged the timing of ovulation).

pout - seems to have turned in to a 10+ t hread here but the woman doing my scans would tell me when she would expect me to ovulate based on my scans and the size of my follies but i know she was always a couple of days out and i have been told before that my egg releasing mechanism isn't great. However by the sounds of it there is a 5 day difference with what your scan showed and when you think you ovulate. Can you call your gynae to squeeze in another scan because they should have a look to see what is going on now?. I am not sure how he could be but perhaps he was confused by what he saw on the scan! Did he say the size of the follicle? When it reaches about 18/19mm it's suppose to start growing 3mm a day and then i think ovulation takes place between 21-25mm. But perhaps the follicle he saw shrunk and a new one took over??
Also according to his prediction of ovulation wouldn't you have a 20 day luteal phase? which again wouldn't be right.
And another thing - from what i remember your progesterone levels were always quite good weren't they? From what i have been told, if progesterone is high and not off the scale that means the corpeus luteum is good and strong and suggests good ovulation. [this is what my acupuncturist told me so take that with a pinch of salt].
Sorry if this isn't helpful...just throwing a few thoughts in to the hat!

Thank you lovely 10 plussers!

lemons that's interesting about your experience, it does sound similar to what's going on with me. I think my question was triggered by some sparse Google info that indicated that in medicated, assisted cycles follies that grow too large can be considered unviable/unfertilizable.

Joycep I remember now how you had to tell your scanning gynae when you thought ovulation was likely to happen for you.
How did they work out that you had a weak egg releasing mechanism?
I didn't think to ask the follie size (doh!) but have dug out my scan record and while I can't make out most of the the scrawl there is a box that says "Right Ovary 18, left ovary 1" under the date I had the scan.
My progesterone level has always been okay, though given my usually later than 14 days ovulation, done on the wrong day (day 21).

Thank you ladies.

that was my last gynae. She did say that some people didn't have a good follicle release mechanism so that's why she was giving me ovitrelle to release the egg earlier as by day 13 I would have a follie around 23mm but I wouldn't normally ovulate until day 15/16ish by which time my egg would have got a bit overdone. It's definitely worth speaking to your person about because this could be your problem. Now thinking about it, it could be mine as well. I'll just add to the list of possible problems .

Thanks Joycep. Most cycles I have a late ovulation too & have often wondered whether this was optimal (and enquired). I think that it is telling that my Googling has shown up how over mature eggs are rejected on assisted cycles. I have just run it all past DH and even he seems quite sold on the concept. I came across Ovitrelle on my meander.
I guess we will have to add it to the Freds list of self diagnosed problems. unfurls impossibly long list and adds it between not having a bowl of oranges by the bed and issues with sperm that haven't been issued with SatNav

I strongly believe it's all about the absent oranges. I'm surprised you haven't mentioned it before. I've been deliberately leaving the oranges aside just as an extra challenge.