Irregular periods/not ovulating/grrrrrrr!!!

[Sln1984]

Hi, I'm after a little help...

I am 29 years old and have been TTC since Aug/13 when I came off Mycrogynon. I had been on this pill since I was 16 with no breaks.

Since coming off, I have had just 3 natural periods with an irregular cycle length between each period of between 50 and 65 days. I have been taking angus cactus since early December but it's not helped!

I am also unsure if I have been ovulating in these cycles as I have had symptoms (mucus) but result in negative ovulation tests (tried various brands!) and my period doesn't come for many weeks later. I have also been trying to trace my ovulation by taking frequent tests throughout the month(s!) all have been negative.

Before I started the pill (being aged 16) my periods were also irregular, but I can't remember how irregular - I know teenagers have irregular periods but I have subsequently read that by that age they should have normalised.

I have been to the Drs and I only mentioned the infrequent periods (as that's all I was aware of at the time) but was laughed at (yes, laughed at) and told that it was normal to take 18 months to regulate following stopping the pill. However as per the NHS website and everything else I've read, periods should regulate within 6, if not 3 months. Plus considering all the other symptoms I have I am certainly not convinced by her prognosis.

I am a healthy/normal BMI, non-smoker and rarely drink.

Finally, sorry. I realise this all sounds a bit obsessive but I'm driving myself mad trying to self diagnose as I just can't find any anything or anyone who has all the same symptoms as me and I wanted to lay out all my symptoms so to give the full picture.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be wrong with me?

Thank you

Have your gp do a test for raised prolactin. The pill long term can raise this and mean ovulation can be very infrequent (it's the same hormone produced when breastfeeding but you don't need to be breastfeeding or even have had a baby for it to be high). If it is high they can give you medication to reduce the levels to kick start your periods.

I have a prolactinoma and my levels are 4000 odd. When I wanted to conceive my dc I took tablets to reduce it to a lower level. I have two dc.

Sounds like your GP was a bit rubbish. I have been off Yasmin since October and had 2 periods since, only one that I would class as normal, which was the last one and now I'm on CD 42 with no signs so far. I also had OV symptoms around the time I would have expected to OV but I can't have done but I've had a good few bfns and still no sign of af.

I went to the doctor on Wednesday and she said that it can take quite a while for cycles to regulate and there's really not much at all that you can do but she has sent me for basic blood tests, which I'm having done today. So it makes me feel like they are actually trying to help. She did tell me not to bother with anything herbal because it can cause as much damage as good.

Maybe try going back to see another doctor?

I would stop taking AC as of now because in some cases it can make any underlying hormonal imbalances worse. Its never a good idea to self medicate with such things, the advice of a properly qualified medical herbalist should always be sought.

The pill actually leaves your system very quickly after taking the last tablet so that doctor told you a lot of old tosh out of ignorance.

A common but under diagnosed condition called PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) may be the root cause of the irregularity of periods; another possible one is problems with the thyroid gland. As your periods have always been irregular I would think that PCOS is more likely but both should be looked for now.

You need though a diagnosis first and foremost. GP can arrange for you to have blood tests done to see what your hormone levels are like. You need a day 2 test done (as your periods are so irregular the blood tests can be done according to calendar days).

If GP is unhelpful would see another doc within the practice or change GP practice.

Thank you ladies, I think I will stop taking AC - the pills are massive and it keeps repeating on me so I'll not be sad to bin them!

I'm going back to the Drs next Saturday so I will outline everything and insist on blood tests. I was reading another forum last night about ladies in a similar situation to me which although made me realise I'm not alone, it appears I've probably got a long road ahead of me. Perhaps I will buy those wardrobes I've wanted out of the "baby fund" after all!

X

If you haven't been getting positive opks it doesn't mean you are not ovulating. I know I ovulate and never got a positive from those.

Just another thought, b vitamin deficiency can cause hormone problems. It might be something that simple good luck with it all op. My doctor also told me that about taking anything herbal as I self prescribed progesterone cream and it did more harm than good but b vitamins did help regulate my cycle.

Hi sin, I was in a similar situation to you, came off pill December 12 and didn't have a proper AF until July 13. Went for blood tests and all hormone levels were normal, but scan showed cysts. Didn't have another period until October 13 then December, but since then have had regular 31/32 day cycles and I appear to be ovulating, so they can work themselves out, sometimes just takes a while. Fx things regulate quickly for you :)

Did you request a scan or were you offered one?

I was offered one as part of trying to diagnose pcos

I agree with seeing another Dr, just to rule anything out. However it could all be fine - I also came off the pill last year, very irregular periods. Tbh I'm not sure whether any were 'proper' periods - no signs of ovulating and it was just a couple of days of small amounts of brown blood each time. I never had a proper period but am not 10 weeks pregnant! I think I got pregnant the first time I ovulated and just took a long time for the pill to clear. Fingers crossed for you!

Hi Sin1984, I'm a newbie on here and thought i'd have a look and see if anyone is having similar issues to me - and it's like you're talking about me! I came off the pill in August 13 after being on mercilon for about 10 years, no break. I too recall having fairly irregular periods but can't think how irregular just that I went on the pill to sort it out. Maybe it's masked bigger issues. Anyway, have been ttc since then, but is a challenge to say the least as I've only had two periods since then - 9 weeks and 11 weeks apart. This week is 12 weeks since my last with no sign of it...I too think I ov (mucus) but haven't tried any tests yet as I'm still waiting for af to start them. So frustrating. I went to my Dr in December and was also pretty much smirked and giggled at. I'm a professional woman yet it makes me feel childish, and then angry and frustrated. Having read all these helpful posts I'm going to make an appointment next week and make sure I'm listened to. Wishing you luck!