Ovulation test - I'm confused

[DeborahKilpatrick]

Hi, I'm nearly 39 and my partner and I have been trying for a baby since last August, when I had my Mirena removed. It had been in for 8 years.
Last month since nothing has been happening I went to my GP who booked me in for a blood test on a certain day of my cycle - I can't remember which day of the cycle it was now but they're usually pretty regular at 28 days.

This time though it was 32 days between the start of my last period and the start of my current one.

I had a phone call from the GP's receptionist today to say I had to come back in for another test 7 days before the start of my next period.

For one thing I'm confused about why this would be - does it mean the first test didn't work? I've booked an appointment with my GP to ask.

Also, I'm not sure how to work out when 7 days before my next period would be given this one wasn't regular. Confused!

The other thing is that my periods have been weird since I had the mirena out. I'll have one day of light bleeding, up to a week of nothing and then up to a week of heavier bleeding. My GP says this all counts as one period. I'm concerned that it's a sign I'm going into menopause or not ovulating or something.
Help!!!

When I was trying to get pregnant the most useful thing I did was take my temperature every morning, before I got up.

For 2 weeks it looked like nothing was happening then all of a sudden it went through the roof!

This really helped me to understand when I was ovulating and I then fell pregnant straight away.

I believe that's CD21, or 7DPO.

It's how they check whether you ovulated or not.

As for knowing when you ovulate, even knowing your cycles there's a 20% chance of getting pregnant so those that catch easily/early are luckier than they think and forget there are people out there who are aware of their cycles but still don't catch "straight away" and that writing it like it's fact, and that everyone should be able to fall pregnant once they know their cycle, is unnecessarily (and typically unknowingly) rude.

Err... are those your knickers all in a twist Baby? I hope you're not referring to me. Because that really would be bloody rude!

The OP says she isn't sure if she's ovulating or not. So, as no one else had replied to her, I thought I'd relay to her my own story. In case if was in any way helpful. Probably wasn't, but it might have meant her post caught the attention of someone more useful.

If you read my post, I wrote only about myself. Yes, it was written "as fact", because it is "fact", fact that happened to me!! Not at all did I suggest that knowing when you ovulate is all that is required for successful conception.

Hi, I'm grateful for the replies! My period started properly today - same as usual, one day a light bleed, next three nothing and now a proper bleed. I don't know what's going on and if this is normal. I also don't know how to work out when it will be 7 days till my next period. I suppose I'll have to wait till this one ends and then assume the cycle will be 28 days. Doesn't seem a very exact science though if the test relies on being on an exact day.