Question re Ovulation - Advice Please

[FurryFox]

I have a 38 day cycle which I only realised over the last two months. On CD10 or 11 I always get mild cramps, similar to those of AF but not as strong. Have always thought these were OV pains but now not sure.

Could I OV on day 10 or around this time if I have a 38 day cycle or is it too early and it is possibly something else?

As you can see not very clued up on this stuff Thanks

Hi Furryfox,

Not that clued up really myself, but having just gone out to buy ovulation kit, the table said that I should test for LH surge on CD12 (I have a 29 day cycle) so I presume that means that I wouldn't ovulate before then.

So having a 38 day cycle would then mean that 10 days is possibly to early for you to be ovulating. But then I'm sure everybody is different and somebody more clued up than me will come along and give you the correct answer.

Hope you are well by the way

you can ovulate at any stage during your cycle .. although doctors use the statistical average of 14 days before you period as date of ovulation .. some of them get confused and think this is a definite rather than a statistical average (meaning some women may ovulate day 8 and others day 23)

You can test for yourself using Ovulation Predictor Kits or charting (see www.fertilityfriend.com and Toni Weschler's book 'How to take charge of your fertility)

HTH

Hi Gracie - Thanks for that. I'm good thanks. How are you?

Twiglett - Had no idea you could ovulate at any stage during your cycle that has really surprised me, not sure why I am so shocked though Thanks for recommendations, will check them out, thanks

So the cramp type pains I have could actually be ov pains then???

Hi Furryfox,

I'm much better thankyou, being a lot more optimistic and feeling much happier

I knew somebody would come along and tell you the right thing. It's made me think about the OPK tests as there are only 7 test sticks in a pack so may have to get some more.

I'm quite surprised as well about ovulating at any stage which could possibly mean that I haven't really had a clue when I have been ovulating just been trying to BD as much as possible from CD10.

So it sounds like your cramp like pains proberbly are OV pains then.

Gracie - Glad you are feeling optimistic

Lottie - You are full of so much info I have learnt three things in the last hour. 1) You can OV at anytime in cycle 2) the luteal phase is never longer than 16 days and 3) What the luteal phase actually is

Don't know why I always have these pains then and what they are if they are not ov pains and still no idea when I ov

Is 38 days quite a long cycle does anyone know? I used to be 28 but have somehow gained an extra 10 days over the last two months Why would this be? Am soooooo confused

Furryfox

A "normal" cycle is a cycle length of between 21 and 35 days so you are a bit outside of that.

Would suggest you not use OPK's as they can be unreliable indicators. A LH surge is not always followed by ovulation and women can easily have more than one such surge every month.

A woman can ovulate earlier, later or not at all in any given cycle.

It may be wise to visit your GP to have a blood test done. This will give you a proper idea of what your hormones are like in relation to ovulation. If your hormones are out of sync then ovulation will be affected. If you do get a blood test done ensure that your GP compares your luteinising hormone (LH) level against that of your follicle stimulation hormone (FSH). Ideally these two should be the same but if not you may well have an idea why you are not ovulating regularly.

Hi, sorry to hijack. Attila, do you know anything about the day 21 blood test and what the results mean? I have started another thread on this but no answers yet. Seaside thought you might know.

Sorry again.

Furryfox, that sounds very early to Ov but we are all different. Have you tried temping to see if your temps show a similar pattern to your cramps?
Sorry not much help.

Attila - Thanks for that info. MNetters are so great

This is only my third cycle ttc so think I will see if AF arrives (only another 26 days to go) and if it does will make an appoitment with gp and ask about getting bloods done just to see if things are ok.

Should I be worried that I have a slightly longer than average cycle? I kind of am a little bit as used to be clockwork 28 days

3cats - Have thought about temping but was going to leave it a couple of months to see if anything happened before then. No worries about hijack

Hi all,

As we're on the subject of ovulation - could somebody please tell me. When is the best time for temping and how? (Sorry proberbly sound really stupid)

Furryfox,

If your cycle continues to stay at this length from a previous 28 days one, then I would seek some general medical advice. The GP may or may not want to do a blood test at this stage.

The general consensus seems to be that if you're over 35 and have been ttc for six months plus then medical advice should be sought. If under 35 some GPs like to see people after 12 months of trying.

(I was referred to a specialist after six months of ttc as my periods were pretty much non existant. The other problem I had was when AF did finally put in an appearance it was extremely painful to behold).

Thanks for advice. I am only 25 and already have DD who I conceived on third cycle. Am not particularly concerned with regards to getting pg again just slightly worried about having a longish cycle as never used to.

Think I will to gp next month if not pg and just ask about long cycle.

Thanks again for advice

when you're pregnant your hormones all change round to support the pregnancy .. its like they've been thrown up in the air .. when you are no longer pregnant and your hormones settle back down they can land any which way .. so however your cycle settles down after a pregnancy is normal for you .. it could be the same or totally different

I do know that a luteal phase should be a minimum of 10 days to allow for conception .. anything shorter than that is considered a luteal phase defect

I would recommend charting personally (note down day of period, which cycle days (starting with CD1 on first day of period) you ahve sex and date of ovulation

btw it took me 2 packs of opk kits (with 11 in each one) to pinpoint my ovulation date in my first cycle .. because I was one of the late ovulators (and after 3 months we identified a luteal phase defect as I only had 8 days from ov to period starting) .. this was secondary infertility as I had conceived DS within 2 months of starting to try ... but it was identified and I was put on clomid and conceived DD that first cycle