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Original poster

Folic Acid and delayed period

40 replies

MrsBxxx · 08/05/2020 17:29

Hello,

My husband and I started trying for a baby in February. I have been off of any form of contraception for 18 months now and we had just been using condoms. My periods eventually sorted themselves out to be the most regular I have ever had - every 30 days and this has been happening for many months now. I started taking folic acid in January. For the past two cycles, my periods have been delayed (I use a tracker). The first cycle, I got my period on day 36 and the most recent cycle, I got my period on day 45. I did take pregnancy tests but they were negative. Up until I started taking the folic acid, I was pretty confident about my fertile parts of the month but it seems to be all over the place now. The only thing I can think that has changed is me now taking folic acid every day. Has anybody else experienced similar? Thanks

OP posts:
limmylee · 08/05/2020 17:46

Mine were 30 days not long after coming off the pill , but a few months ago I started getting crazy cycles ranging from 36 to 45 days.
I took evening primrose oil capsules each day of my cycle until I thought I was due to ovulate and they got shorter, then I got pregnant but my most recent cycle was about 32 days so they did help.

Chlo2701 · 08/05/2020 17:49

This is interesting, as I was having 28 day cycles, & then started taking folic acid & my following cycle went to 31 days. I carried on taking it & my next cycle was 29 days. I'm still taking it so I'm intrigued to see what this cycle will be for me. Maybe it just affects us/ delays our periods the first month or two we start taking it🤷‍♀️ hopefully someone else can shed more light in the situation for us. Good luck in trying to conceive x

Original poster
MrsBxxx · 08/05/2020 18:30

So, @limmyleelimmylee, did you take the capsules as well as folic acid or instead of? It's all new to me so I feel like it's a lot to get my head round!

@Chlo2701, my sister and friend are both trying and taking folic acid and haven't had much of a variation. I have tried to research it and I think slight variations, like you seem to be having, are normal but mine was two weeks longer which I couldn't find anybody else experiencing. Like you say, maybe other people will be able to share their own experiences. Good luck to you too. x

OP posts:
Rhubarbe · 08/05/2020 19:13

There has been some talk on Twitter about lots of women having delayed periods (not pregnant) since COVID19. Might be stress related with pandemic/lockdown etc

BernadetteSunday · 08/05/2020 19:32

Hey! Thought I’d join in to say yes folic acid has an impact on cycles - for some women it lengthens them. The first month I was ttc (cycle 10 now) this happened and it took me 3 to figure it out!

Like you, I’m super regular. I found some academic papers / trials where they found this. If you like the detail - have a google of “folic acid supplement use and menstrual cycle characteristics”

I’m not sure what ones you’re taking but on my Pregnacare ones have a note on the side of the box that says some women experience a change in their cycle.

Basically, you’re not going mad!

limmylee · 11/05/2020 19:51

@MrsBxxx I took it along with pre-conception vitamins (including folic acid) as my doctor is me it's best to take folic acid for at least 3 months before conception just to be safe.

Original poster
MrsBxxx · 11/05/2020 19:55

Thanks everyone, good to know that I am not alone. I had done some research and found that it sometimes added a couple of days to a cycle but it's reassuring to see that others are familiar with it too!

OP posts:
JustStephi93 · 05/07/2020 12:10

I'm so so glad I found this! I thought I was going out of my mind. I started taking folic acid around ovulation time as my husband and I are looking to start trying for our first in a couple of months time. So far it is now 5 days past my expected period (using apps to track) and still there is no sign of it starting. I've taken 2 morning pregnancy tests (just in case, we are only using condoms at present) and they were both negative. I have been regular before this month around 30-35 days mark since coming off the pill at the start of this year and the only difference was taking folic acid tablets.

RedOasis · 05/07/2020 12:20

Have you tried an ovulation pack? I didn’t have any difference when I started taking folic acid but maybe if you can’t gauge it a lot might help?

flipping4gym · 17/02/2021 05:50

Hey, I started taking 1200mcg folic acid at the beginning of my cycle, in addition to several multivitamins and supplements. Since folic acid was the newest addition to my regimen and I know it has a direct effect on progesterone production I knew it had something to do with my weird cycle, but I never expected it to last this long. I was expecting a 26 day cycle. 21 is my shortest and 28 my longest. I’m currently on CD32 with no signs of AF and no BFP. I also did not peak on my OPKs when I expected. It started to rise at the expected time (CD14) then suddenly leveled out and dropped... I stopped checking and figured I missed it. Then I experienced 2 days of spotting at CD21. I thought it was AF or IB. But neither signs came. So now I believe it was very very late ovulation, and my literal phase being 11 days I should get AF on CD33. Just sharing this for everyone out there.

Hammybear · 17/02/2021 08:58

This same has happened to me this month. My cycles are usually 30 days long. This is the first month using ovulation tests and I started testing and never got a clear peak, some days were high but nothing stood out as the peak. I assumed that I missed ovulation or that I was using the sticks wrong as they were just the cheap ones from amazon. I am due on my period today and something randomly made me want to test for ovulation a couple of days ago and it was high, I tested again and it was peak. I have done a pregnancy test as I know sometimes a positive opk can indicate pregnancy but it was definitely negative. The only difference is that I’ve been taking folic acid this month and I think it must have delayed ovulation. It’s so bloody confusing.

Kally9 · 17/02/2021 09:08

@Rhubarbe

There has been some talk on Twitter about lots of women having delayed periods (not pregnant) since COVID19. Might be stress related with pandemic/lockdown etc
This is very true for me. I went from regular 28/30 day cycle to 35-45 days since march 2020. I thought it might have actually been Covid that knocked mine out. But maybe just stress! We'll probably never know!
glow92 · 17/02/2021 13:15

This is really interesting, I'm desperately trying to work out what's going wrong me for me this month and didn't even consider folic acid.
Last month was 25days with a clear OPK peak, this month I'm already CD20 and absolutely nothing on OPK's... not even a slight rise 😞.
I've been taking folic acid for about 2 months now.

Annwen · 17/02/2021 14:07

We're using condoms after coming off my pill in December while my body settles down before TTC. I was thinking of taking folic acid, but after reading this maybe I shouldn't? Hoping just using condoms will allow my cycles to regularize (and they were very regular before I went on the pill) so don't want to do anything to jeopardize that!

glow92 · 17/02/2021 14:41

It's so widely recommend when TTC I'd like to think the benefits outweighs the potential effects, hopefully things settle down soon I haven't been off the pill for too many months myself.

flipping4gym · 17/02/2021 15:45

Yeah. So I’m thinking the dosage could have an effect too. It’s generally recommended to take 400 mcg as a supplement for pre-conception, but I’m taking 1200 mcg. Also, you could just eat leafy greens, sunflower seeds, beans, and any foods that contain folate and that will cover your supplementation bases. I think it’s actually a good thing for me to extend my cycle though because they say that having a cycle shorter than 26 days is associated with less chance of being pregnant, because there is not enough progesterone and the egg doesn’t properly mature. I don’t think what the folic acid is doing could be a terrible thing. Also I’m on CD33 and still going strong! 8 days late.

Original poster
MrsBxxx · 21/02/2021 20:43

I am just catching up with this! I started using ovulation sticks and I do think my cycle started to sort itself out and I'm currently 37 weeks pregnant so I think it just messed up my body for a while. I do believe folic acid benefits are worth persevering with it too.

OP posts:
flipping4gym · 22/02/2021 22:12

Hi, updating. I’m on CD38 of a regular 25 day cycle and still no sign of AF. I’m still taking folic acid. HPTs are negative

glow92 · 23/02/2021 15:05

I'm sorry 😞, since I messaged week I managed to catch ovulation on CD23 (could have been 22) so I'm now 3 or 4 DPO - very strange after a 25 day cycle last month. If I have the same short LP then I expect AF CD32 but really praying I can hold-out for longer.

Hammybear · 23/02/2021 15:47

Ahh I caught my ovulation on CD29 which is so random as my cycles have been around 30 days so I was super confused. My period is due 2 March and I am now 7DPO.

How random that this happens, I’m so glad I continued to use OPKs because if I hadn’t known I’d ovulated then I would be seriously confused right now

Amz24 · 28/06/2021 16:44

Hi, we are currently TTC (i already have an 8 year old) i came off the pill exactly 3 months ago, i had a heavy withdrawl bleed and then since that nothing until the past few days i had some brown/wet discharge Taken 2 test both negative. Rang the doctors today theyve advised it can take awhile to get back to normal. I can get bloods taken if i wanted to but i have realy bad health anxiety and the though of something being wrong i cant bring myself too but i did have blood before, some cramps and im hoping its a period coming now. Has anyone had anything similar, im so anxious i just need reasuraceSad

Waseela07 · 27/09/2021 13:03

Hi

I started taking folic acid for the last month and I missed an entire period. I have checked since then I had every symptom of pregnancy but no period or no baby.

I also recovered from covid 19 in July.

Are there more people who had this ?

P.S before I took folic acid my period was regular.

MrsAmyC6490 · 01/10/2021 20:13

I’m in exactly the same boat except I haven’t had covid. My last period ended 3rd August. I started taking folic acid at the end of October.
I thought a few weeks ago I had implantation symptoms. I’ve been on and off sick. Cramps. Yesterday my boobs have been feeling sore. I’ve done around 10 negative tests. I did a blood test at the doctors which just came back negative.
I don’t understand what’s going on.

jessiiief · 16/12/2021 11:26

Hi so i started folic acid a few weeks ago and have noticed that my cycle either started a day or two earlier, now my cycle is only 21 days (i know lucky me LOL) but now on my second cycle with taking folic acid and i had a light spotting about 12 days before my period was to start. the more the days go on it was not heavy at all and now its 4 days before im meant to start my cycle and i have a lot more when wiping and im feeling all the cramps that come with it just not a full flow yet. I also want to say that i cannot be pregnant as me and my wife are going through a clinic to try have a baby and havent done the procedure yet and ive had normal cycles for years and ive had loads of tests so all i can think of is the folic acid tablets is affecting me. This is my experience with it all, sorry for the long read

Hafsee · 26/01/2022 18:28

This thread is really helpful. I'm also TTC started taking folic acid over a month ago and now my period is delayed for 16 days. Current circle is 44 days and my circle usually doesn't go above 30 days. I also had all the symptoms of implantation but over 5 pregnancy test now and negative 😒