Late 30s, TTC, irregular periods, want to give up charting - Stressed!

[artylady14]

Hi all,

I have irregular periods (up to two month cycles) and have had great difficulty pinpointing ovulation using opk test strips (showed positive when I was clearly not ovulating), the CBFM (I know it doesn't work for longer cycles now) and even BBT (due to persistent colds/illness and fever in the past few months!).

I have just had my day 21 and day 3 results back - good results. For the day 21 test we couldn't tell when the right day for it would be as I don't know when my period is coming. I went when I felt my period was due and it was actually four days before my period and I got a result of 38. My doctor said this is good and no need to test it again as it showed I ovulated. The day 3 test result was not indicative of PCOS but I have an USS in a few weeks which may well still show cysts.

My query here is whether there are any other women of a similar age/circumstance who have found a consistent reliable method of pinpointing their fertile days.I know the ideal is regular sex but my partner works away a lot! According to my tests, I must have ovulated on around Day 48 this cycle when I had given up opks, was ill and feverish anyway, and just expecting my period anyday so not dtd !

Thanks for any advice and good luck to you all on here!

I haven't seen anyone with long cycles not with pcos results... interesting.
I do understand. I have pcos and varied 25-38 days and that was hard enough for dtd and doing these tests.
I think the opks probably didn't work for me as the blood tests showed not ovulating.
Have you had a SA done.
Any issue may not lie with you.

What hormone levels were tested on day 3; did they look at and compare your LH level to that of your FSH?. They should have done that. How was it determined the day 3 was not indicative of PCOS?.

There is no reliable method of self testing for ovulation if periods are irregular in nature so I would ditch both the OPKs and temp method as of now. Its not helping and can also lead to more stress. My guess as well is that you did not ovulate on day 48 either.

Both of you should be tested further; subfertility is not the sole preserve of the woman.

I think I have seen some women with pcos get pregnant naturally so some do ovulate sometimes.
I'm sure someone said though the quality of the egg may be less after cd20.
I think it would be a lot harder to get of with 2 month cycles, only 6 a year.
I suppose for timings I would rule the first ten days maybe. (
Then look at your longest cycle take off the last 8 (you need over 10 before period after ovulation.)
Still leaves a lot of days.
Or if although long your cycles are relatively similar you eg. 38-42 days you should be ovulating cd24-28 and 28-32
That would be 10 to 14 days before period. Though some people o earlier.
What were your charts showing?
Do you have any pcos symptoms excess hair, weight gain?

Thanks for your replies. My blood test results are not consistent with someone with PCOS but I haven't had the scan yet so could still have them. My good friend is a GP and said that about half the women who have the scan show cysts on their ovaries so it is very common. I do think I have it although I am not excessively hairy or anything.

This last cycle being two months long was very late for me and I spent most of it very unwell with persistent colds, chest infection and fever. Being ill does make my cycle worse but I would say my cycles are normal anything from 30-40 days.

Naty, a friend of mine with PCOS has just had her second baby, again with no medication so there is hope. We are having the sperm analyses and my scan in the next few weeks so will see. I am doing my best to stay healthy with low GI food and exercise and hope that now I am not sick, my periods will get more regular. The charting seemed to agree with dr test results but I am going to give it a break I think as I find it quite stressful. Good luck to the rest of you :)

Sex every other day whenever he is around. Best method.

Exactly Mrs Kent! That's what my Dr suggested and I think is the way forward. Be happy, be healthy, and have lots of sex!

PCOS however, is a very individualistic disorder and affects each woman with it very differently so what is a problem for one is not an issue for another. The only commonality amongst PCOS patients is the cystic follicles on the ovaries (which do disappear only to be replaced by further cystic follicles).

artylady

Think you are wise to keep going with the low GI/GL eating plan; far more sustainable in the long term as well.

Unfortunately it is quite possible to have periods without actually ovulating. It does not follow that a woman ovulates around 14 days before the start of her next period. Ovulation is not an exact science and it can occur earlier, later or not at all in any given cycle.