Quick advice please.

[darrenwis]

Hi,

Me and other half have been trying since i come off my pill in December, my periods have been a bit allover the place, 35 , 38, 39, 42 days and sometimes it has been a normal period and other times just a little blood.

We have been using OPKs but i have never had a positive on them. Line is never as dark or darker as test line. Not sure if they work for me?

Any ideas please?

Not totally sure as I'm in a very similar boat (irregular periods, and although I get a line on the OPK's it's never quite as dark or darker, but it does range from not there to nearly as dark!) That said I'm using IC's to OPK so am not sure how dark a a line is properly dark!

If you're worried about whether you are ovulating you could speak to your GP's about getting your day 3 bloods done. I did (which came back normal) which helped a bit, but if if this BFN streak continues I might see about getting the day 21 (or 7 days prior to period) bloods done to check progesterone levels.

To help with this paranoia I've got a cheap Clear Blue Fertility Monitor off ebay, which might help as it tests two hormones (LH and E3G) but I'm yet to start using it so am not sure if it'll be as helpful as I hope it will be.

Also - I don't know how long you were on the pill (I was for 16/17 years) but it's going to take a while for your body to work out which way is up. I know it sounds trite but try (as much as you can) not to stress too much as it might just be taking it's sweet (and very annoying) time - but nothing could be wrong.

Good luck!

There is no real evidence to suggest that the pill is responsible for failure to ovulate but what it can do is mask any underlying hormonal imbalance.

The pill also leaves your system very quickly after taking the last tablet. Stress does not cause such problems to arise, physical problems do.

OPKs are next to useless if the cycle is not regular in nature anyway.

What were your day 3 levels Phryn; were your LH and FSH both tested and importantly compared against one another?. If this was not done a further day 3 should be carried out.

OPKs should be avoided if irregular periods are a factor as well. They are based on two principles; namely that a rise in LH is immediately followed by ovulation and that there is only one rise in LH every month. Both of these are simply not true.

Could i be ovulating but just not be showing opk's?

I would speak to the GP and ask whether blood tests can be done to see what your hormone levels are like. You need a day 3 test to compare your LH level against that of your FSH level; these two hormones are important as they kickstart the ovulation process.

A blood test would give the clearest indication as to whether ovulation happened that cycle or otherwise.

GP receptionist didn't tell me what my levels were, just that they were "normal". Pretty certain from talking to the nurse when the bloods were taken that both LH and FSH were tested, but eye balling the data myself would be a good plan and one I have been mulling over!

Think I might give them a call on Monday to ask them for the figures themselves! Thanks Attilla for the reminder to do so!

darrenwis the GP was happy enough to send me for tests when I talked about my history (irregular periods since being off the pill, hormonal spots, slight increase in hairiness - the last one could totally be in my head but nevermind!) When I say happy enough they did try and talk me out of it as not really necessary which (being cynical) might have been about cost saving. If you're worried - stand your ground though and hopefully they'll offer you the tests without that much fuss.