It's all pointless isn't it - random 19 day cycle!

[TempsPerdu]

Feeling pretty down today and beginning to think it just won't happen for us. Been ttc DC1 for 7 months, without a sniff of a BFP. I'm 36 and DP is 42, so wasn't expecting it to be straightforward, but my recent weird cycles are really worrying me.

AF arrived this morning, 19 days after my last period. I have short cycles (typically 24/25 days) which I've been seeking help for - thought the acupuncture/B6 supplements were helping, but this is my shortest cycle ever. Pretty sure I didn't ovulate either, as OPKs from CD 8-16 were all negative, but I've read that anovulatory cycles are normally longer? Or could I have O'd even earlier than CD8? I've never had this happen before in 3 years of tracking cycles.

Last cycle was weird too - 29 days, LP at least 4 or 5 days longer than normal, and lots of weird symptoms (annoying tingling nipples, lack of normal PMS stuff, lots of thick CM, pricking/stabbing pains in lower abdomen, ended with a heavier than normal period) - had suspected a CP, but didn't test until 15DPO, and then it was negative.

Any ideas what could be going on? Do I need to visit my GP? My recent Day 21 progesterone test was normal, and I had O'd, and I know I have fibroids but they're meant to be the kind that don't impact on fertility (subserosal I think).

Had anyone else experienced crazy cycles since ttc? I'm doing absolutely everything by the book - healthy weight, great diet, exercise, supplements, acupuncture - but I'm now worried I'm just past it in fertility terms. Terrified I'm perimenopausal.

I'm with you, although bit of a different experience. I used to be a regular 27-29 day girl - that's when I conceived my DS (now4). My cycles, since ttc last Feb, have gone down to 24 days. I think I am ovulating but much shorter luteal phase (10 days, which is borderline on what is considered ok). I had a random 21 day cycle in March last year too.
We've been trying for a year now. 1 miscarriage in September.
I'm doing another round of 3/21 tests.
BTW - you know that you shouldn't do a 'day 21' test if you have short cycles? Needs to be a week before your period, which in your case might not be cd21.

I am pretty sure that the problem is there in the shorter cycle for me so I'm trying to work out what is the issue here. Typically, a short luteal phase is usually read as a low progesterone issue - this may have been 'normal' according to your last test (when did you take it) but did you look on what side of normal it was? Our bodies are individual after all?

GP should screen your thyroid too - did they?

Do you take supplements - if so, what apart from B6 which you mentioned? I'm not sure the ones I've taken have done me much good - in fact, I wonder if they've not messed it up rather than helping. I also have a pretty severe reaction to folic acid (insomnia, high body temp)- not sure that's good when ttc!

It is maddening - particularly because I'm 38 now and I know my time is limited here! But am trying not to stress about it. Interested to know what happens with your investigations though = will share mine. I'm going for a private consultancy next month I think, as I don't have time to play with.

And btw - I know what you mean about the anxiety of weird cycles. If it was 'just' a matter of time, that would be bad enough but when you feel that there is something wrong, which you can't seem to get the root of - there madness lies.

To reassure you, there's still plenty of for you to get to the root of it and successfully conceive. Don't lose heart.

Thanks Best for such a detailed answer - so reassuring to know I'm not alone!

Yes, my short luteal phase is the reason I've been having the acupuncture. It averages out at 10/11 days, but I had a couple of random 8 and 9 ones last year (despite taking B-50 Complex), which panicked me into seeking help. I find it relaxing, but my therapist is quite 'woo' which I have to admit I do struggle with a bit!

Day 21 test was done a bit early to compensate for my short luteal phase - think it ended up being only about 5dpo, but I figured that since progesterone peaks at 7dpo, getting a 'normal' result a couple of days early was a good sign? Having said that, I wasn't given the exact numbers as results came via GP receptionist, so I probably do need to push for those. I'm in London though and my GP surgery is one of those where it's a 3-week wait to see a named GP, so it can be a bit of a struggle! No fertility-related thyroid test, but I think it might have been done last year when I had a complete blood count done for IBS symptoms - everything came back fine.

Supplements-wise I've upped the B6 dose to 100mg, and am also taking folic acid, EPO, magnesium, royal jelly, vitamin D and spirulina and wheatgrass, which are meant to help with fibroids. I'm pretty much rattling by this time! I've also been drinking pomegranate juice in the first half of the cycle and eating brazil nuts in the second half - i.e. literally all the ttc tips you get on sites like Mumsnet. Agree that I'm not convinced any of them are doing much - it's sheer desperation really!

Finding it so confusing how symptoms as well as cycle length can change - until a couple of months ago I'd know I'd ovulated by the onset of side breast pain a couple of days later, and also changes in CM. Now my boobs seem to hurt more underneath/inside, and I've been getting less CM in general (which is partly what made me think I didn't ovulate this month).

Quite cross with myself really as I've been a bit of an ostrich - cycles started changing 5 or 6 years ago now (like you, I was always v regular throughout my '20s, with zero period pain and very uneventful, moderate periods), and although I did seek GP advice I put off ttc properly until last year. Now time's ticking by though I'm having a huge panic! Doesn't help that this bonkers cycle means DP will miss the whole of my next fertile week as he's off skiing on Sunday - so frustrating!

Also, I think a big source of my anxiety is that I hate the lack of control that ttc brings. Once you start looking into menstrual cycles and so on you realise that even medical professionals often know very little about fertility matters, and so much of the advice seems to be based on anecdote and folk wisdom rather than scientific fact. It's such a minefield!

God I know what you mean about loss of control!

Looks like an uber short cycle for me this month. I have a peak ov reading from the CBDO kit on cd9. Fanbloodytastic.

The only difference this months is that I took vitamin D (D3) AS ALL ADVICE SUGGESTS!

Grargh....