New to testing - help

[Ladypug]

Sorry to ask a really stupid question but when can you test? My periods aren't regular so I have no idea when they are therefore when am I supposed to take a test? Every test seems to be X days before period is due - I am completely in the dark. I've had two cycles in 5 months so don't have a clue what's going on!

LP x

I would not bother testing in such circs but instead seek medical advice sooner rather than later. Irregular periods are often caused by hormonal imbalances that can be treated. You need a diagnosis first and foremost.

If periods are irregular blood tests can be done according to calendar days. You need a day 2 test initially to check and compare your level of LH against that of FSH. An imbalance of LH to FSH may well be indicative of problems that affect ovulation.

Thanks Attila,

I think I'm just irregular as I came off the pill 5 months ago for the first time in 10 years, hopefully it will calm down x

Are you ovulating? Have you been doing any ovulation tests at all?

No ovulation tests but I can kind of tell when ovulating, I just don't understand testing x

Well normally you'd test around the time of your period. So if you had a 28 day cycle, you might ovulate around day 14 and test 2 weeks later. Obviously cycles vary slightly. But you don't know for definite you're ovulating so it might be worth using opk's, or give it a couple of months to see if things settle down before starting to intervene.

I was in your situation so I started taking my temperature and doing OPKs. Not as complicated as it sounds. I didn't start ovulating until 7 months after coming off the pill (I assume as that's when my periods really changed to how they had been when I was a teenager and not like they had been for previous 12 years). I never knew when my period was due but knew when I ovulated so I would test 14 days after that (although I tested 11 dpo in Jan on a hunch and was gobsmacked to get my bfp lol