Unexplained ovulation and no period.

[LucyFromHere]

Hi all 👋🏻

This is my first post so if I ramble it’s because I write frenetically and I’m super worried. 😅

Since I had my coil removed in October I’ve been tracking my cycle. My husband and I are in two minds as to whether to expand our family. We have a 2 year old girl and feel like we’d like a sibling for her. I’m also approaching 41 and feel like time is running out.
I’ve been using the health app on my phone and it’s been useful in tracking when I’m menstruating and when I’m ovulating. Until the end of November. I had my period at the end of that month and for some reason got my next one 9 days early into December. Since then I’ve ovulated twice (I’ve taken tests and I know my body well enough to know when it happening) and the second time was when I should of been menstruating. That was 10 days ago and I’ve still not had a period (the last one I had early December was unusual too, longer, heavier and more painful) and I’ve taken 3 pregnancy tests this week and they’ve all been negative. I’ve been having unusual cramps over the past few days and peeing more than usual. I really don’t know what to do now. My gp will want to take bloods but I know that given the current situation I won’t get an appointment or have a further investigation for weeks if not months. We’ve also only tried once to conceive, during my surprise second ovulation, which was almost 2 weeks ago.
I exercise 4 times a week and eat well. I don’t smoke and I rarely drink. Apart from carrying a little weight from my first pregnancy I’m in good shape.

Any advice would be welcome 🙏🏻

Hi OP, positive ov tests don't guarantee that ovulation occurred, unless backed up by a subsequent rise in BBT. Its fairly common for our bodies to ramp up in an attempt to ovulate but for it to fail, and then to have another go in a week or two. It sounds like this is what happened to you. If the second ovulation attempt was successful you would then expect your period in however many days your luteal phase normally is (10-16 for most people). If your second positive ov test was around 10 days ago then you should expect either a period or a BFP within the next week. Good luck!

Thank you for your reply.
That all makes sense. I think I’m anxious because I know that menopause can start as early as 40 and up until now my cycle has been like clockwork since my teens. Even when I was contraception free when trying to conceive my daughter I could put money on when I’d get my period. And during that time I got pregnant, didn’t get a positive test and ended up having an early miscarriage 3 days after the last negative test I took. I don’t take my temperature every morning because it was so inconsistent. I run a bit cold and it never made any sense in relation to ovulating. I normally just go with her my body is doing and testing. I don’t understand why everything has gone tits up over the last 8-10 weeks :/

@LucyFromHere whilst perimenopause is a possibility the average age for it is a few years on from where your are - if everything is normally clockwork if day this is more likely just a delayed ovulation.if you are worried about peri you can go to your GP and explain that you are TTC and request blood tests for FSH and progesterone. You FSH result should tell you whether you're close to menopause and progesterone will confirm that you're ovulating. You can also get an follicle count scan and an AMH test which will give you an idea of your egg reserve but these would normally be done privately - might set your mind at rest though. Don't forget that perimenopause didn't mean you can't get pregnant, just that your ovulatiin willi be less reliable. I've just turned 43 and am currently 15.5 weeks pregnant with an embryo that we froze when I was 40. I also have twins from that same round of IVF when I was 40 so it is absolutely possible to do have some good eggs at age 40 and beyond.

Sorry about all the typos, trying to type with one hand whilst feeding one of said wriggly twins with the other 🤣

Thank you for your reply. It’s definitely something to think about. I’m going to wait until Monday and if nothing has changed I’ll call my GP. Blood tests and any other investigative work might be difficult at the moment with the pandemic rates in London but I’ll see what she says.