TTC irregular periods

[rharry2]

Hi everybody, I'm a newbie, please be gentle with all the abbreviations I've already seen lol! My hubby & I are "trying" for a baby - literally only just started, we've spoken about it since our big day six months ago and we had a big heart to heart on Saturday night, where we decided to take the next step!

This is all great, but over the last 3 months or so my periods have been all over the place. I haven't been using any contraceptive pills, and I've always been regular until now. My last proper period started on 26th July, and that was 3 weeks late. Since then, I've had some light 'spotting' type bleeding around 10 days ago, which lasted for a couple of days. And nothing else :(

I'm a little concerned - I've taken several pregnancy tests, all negative. I've spoken to my doctor who isn't concerned, it's "normal" for young women apparently. He said it could be for any reason, have I been stressed recently? I suppose I have, I've been working more than usual and my nan passed away a few weeks ago which was obviously a difficult time for everybody :(

Any help, advice or tips appreciated. My cycle is certainly not its normal self, and I'm worried it will effect trying to conceive!

Hi rharry! I know you say you haven't been using the pill, but have you come off it in recent months (or any other birth control for that matter?) or have you never used it?

I stopped using Cerazatte in December last year due to it not agreeing with me at all. Before that I was on Microgynon for around 2 years but had to stop taking it due to high blood pressure. So it's been 9 months since I've had any 'prescribed' contraception. :)

I think stress could have affected your cycles, if your doc isn't worried you shouldn't be as well. Hopefully ecerything will regulate next cycle!

Hi I sometimes have this. I have 'skipped' a period, been a week or 2 late and also have had longer or shorter/lighter periods because of things like moving, going on holiday and once starting a new job.

So more stressful events seem to affect my cycle more than others maybe. I tend to have a slightly irregular period generally as well.

If I were you I would just keep dtd every second day and keep a note of your very light spotting period and also if you know when you ovulate, so that if you did fall pregnant without a regular cycle these records could help with dating the pregnancy along with scans.

Do you mind if I ask how old you are as well? Just "It's normal for young women" seems a little patronising and fob off-ish if you're no longer a teenager... I'm not saying there's anything to worry about, but I don't think that's a very helpful answer from your GP.

As for your periods having been regular up to now, they will have been when you've been on the Pill as that regulates your hormones controls when bleeding (a 'withdrawal bleed' rather than period) can occur. When did your periods first start to go awry? There are quite a few threads on here from women who've come off the Pill and had normal periods for a couple of months and then they've suddenly got much longer. That seems to be common, and I believe it settles down in time. Some midwives and gynaes say that it takes a good few months for the Pill to get totally out of your system, so I guess that would account for that.

As for ttc, regular sex at least every 3 days is probably your best bet. If you want to do it more, great , but sperm do live for at least three days and can live for up to 10 if they're super-swimmers so daily sex isn't necessary.