Could I be ovulating without period? (Pic included)

[Pastaallday]

Hello,
I came off the pill mid September (I've been on it for 15+ years) and since then have not had period. I have been doing the cheap OPKs this month and tonight had this. I've obviously been worrying about my lack of periods and concerned I'm not ovulating. Could this potentially mean I might ovukate even thought I've not had my first real period since stopping the pill? Thinking the worst and that there's something wrong as I've not a period.

Could be your first off the pill! I'd go have some fun. ;)

The thing is, I did get a fairly farm line back in September after I'd finished my pill, although I still didn't get a period after that. I'm so confused. Is it even possible to ovukate if you're not having periods. And does my OPK even show potential ovulation? I'm new to this and don't want to talk to anyone in real life about it yet!

*that was meant to say dark not farm!

Well, some women getting off the pill never get a "real" period because they get pregnant right away. So yes, absolutely. You can ovulate without having had a period yet.

An OPK is not positive unless the lines are equally dark (such as here) or the test line is darker.

Of course, the OPK detects the LH surge, not ovulation per se. You can never know for sure whether you have ovulated using only OPKs. Unless you get pregnant, of course.

Don't worry too much. I remember getting off the pill seven years ago, and it took many months for my periods to return to normal. I'd consider this a positive OPK and DTD if I were you, and then leave the OPKs alone until you've had your first period.

Ok thanks. We were waiting until the end of Dec to TTC but haven't been being particularly careful really up until now. I have just got it in my head that nothing would happen as I had no period and assumed I wasn't ovulating. I have just started temping (literally last few days). I'm definitely no pregnant as have done a test which is negative. I really hope I am ovulating though but understand that just because I get a positive opk doesn't mean I am. I was thinking of visiting my gp in Jan if my periods still haven't returned?

@Pastaallday
Similar situation here..stopped BC and have had nothing, no withdrawal bleed or AF, I've been doing OPK's and I'm often getting a faint 2nd line but nothing more so no idea what's going on. I've made a Dr appt though. Good luck with your + OPK! Xx

@wannabebump yes this is a dark line, darker than the control and darkest I've had since I began testing in September! Im just wondering whether it's possible to ovulate without periods. I have seen people on here get pregnant without a period so im hoping it's possible!
Let us know how you get on at the doctors as i think I'll be booking an appointment in the new year at this rate.

Your period generally arrives about two weeks after you ovulate. The time between ov and af is pretty static for an individual. You can ovulate on any cycle day.

We always think of a cycle starting with af (probably because it's more obvious when this happens, but it's better to think of your cycle starting at ovulation.

Ok so of my period still doesn't arrive in a few weeks what does that mean? That I'm potentially ovulating without periods? Would it be possible to get pregnant still? I know my body's settling down from coming off the pill but surely if I'm getting positive opks I should be having periods?

Don't worry about something that hasn't happened yet! Odds are your period will come. This was your first positive (a faint line is not a positive - we all have fluctuating LH levels throughout our cycle) and so in all likelihood your first time ovulating since you came off the pill.

If your period doesn't arrive in 2-3 weeks, ovulation was either interrupted, or you are pregnant.

Anywhere between 1 and 3 months is completely normal for your cycles to start up again after using the pill. It can take up to a year for them to settle completely. So yes, if your periods have not returned in January, then perhaps call your GP.

You cannot ovulate without getting a period. If you do not get your period, you did not ovulate (or you are pregnant, hurrah!).

No you won't have ovulated yet as you have not had your period. However that is not to say that you might be ovulating shortly for the first time since coming off the pill. Just because you haven't ovulated yet doesn't mean you won't soon. It can take up to a year for your body to go back to normal after the pill. The people that get pregnant straight away will have ovulated and if they hadn't conceived they would have got their period. They only didnt get their period because they were pregnant straight away!

Also just so you know you can sometimes get positive ovulation tests where your body is trying to ovulate but then it doesn't actually happen...so you might then get another positive ovulation test in a week or two when your body tries again if it doesnt happen in the next couple of days...

...So you can't ovulate without periods but you could get pregnant when you ovulate before you have your first period! So if you have sex now yes you could get pregnant if you ovulate. The only way to confirm you have ovulated for sure is start tracking your bbt with a thermometer.

@stellarfox thanks for the info. I have begun trying to track my temp for the last 4 days. Struggling to know if I'm doing it correctly. The cheap thermometer I bought off Amazon doesn't beep even after it's been in my mouth for 5 mins so I just write the temp down it says after that.

I've felt some mild cramp/pulling sensations in my right hand side between my belly button and hip tonight. I've also done another opk and now the dark line has gone very faint.

An ovulation test will also turn positive if you're pregnant... just saying... You might want to do an HCG test too (where even a faint line is positive; it isn't about comparing to a control).

I'm not pregnant according to a test.