TTC Irregular Cycles

[Sparkles512]

Hello,

Currently on CD 33!

I have always had terrible periods, sometimes lasting up to 2 weeks.
At the age of 13 I was put on the contraceptive pill to help manage the pain. I either bled constantly for months on end or had nothing at all for months.

Has anyone conceived with irregular periods and could give me any advice please?

Should I speak with the Dr's or it is just a case of sit and wait and to continue not knowing when my next cycle will arrive so we can continue baby making!

The choice is ultimately yours.
The NHS recommends having unprotected sex every 2-3 days until you get your period or a positive pregnancy test. You might want to try this for a few months and see how it goes.
But if your cycles are too long and too unpredictable and/or if you have symptoms such as: spotting unrelated to your period, pain after sex, you might have an underlying issue that is best reviewed by your doctor. Menstrual cycle issues are most of the time easily solved, so don't worry too much about it.
Best of luck!! 🙂

@eloiseislost thank you for your reply 😊
I will give it another couple of months and maybe speak to the Dr's.

DH wants me to do another pregnancy test but I just get disappointed & upset so I'd rather wait for AF 😢

@Sparkles512 I know the pain of BFNs well! The thing to remember is that men don't quite understand this, because it's all happening in our bodies!
Maybe try to explain to him that taking frequent tests will not change the outcome -if you're pregnant, you'll find out eventually, it's not like it will happen without you! 🤣 Try to reach a compromise, set a date that's a week more than your longest cycle in the last year, and agree that you will test then.
I'll keep my fingers crossed you get your BFP very soon! 🤞🏼💓

@eloiseislost thank you so much ❤️

My husband is supportive but he's a typical bloke and doesn't understand why I get upset with the BFN, and he thinks every time we DTD then I must be pregnant, if only it was that simple 🤣

I took a test around 12/14 DPO but wasn't FMU and husband thinks he can see a faint line but I really can't see anything, what do you think?

I think I will take another test next week if AF hasn't arrived.

@Sparkles512 Exactly like my DH, they just don't get the process at all! 😂
I think this is a negative, I'm sorry. Try with FMU in a few days, you're not out until AF arrives! 😉 Fingers crossed for you! 🤞🏼

@eloiseislost
CD37 and took a test this morning BFN.
Still no sign of AF.
Feeling fed up now and just want AF to make an appearance!

Oh I'm so sorry @Sparkles512 😞
It sounds like you ovulated later in your cycle this time and it has pushed things back. I know how frustrating this can be. Before I started tracking ovulation, I would get the odd 32-day cycle (my normal is between 24-27) and it would drive me absolutely crazy! Once I started tracking, I knew exactly when AF would show up, which can be a bit reassuring at least!
Maybe consider using ovulation sticks next cycle, to get a better idea about how your cycles work?
Sending you a virtual hug 🤗

Hi I'm so confused!

I have just had a Positive OPK, my last period started on 2nd January so I'm on CD 46!

Am I just ovulating but not had a period this month or are they just faulty!?

What does this mean, I just want AF to arrive so we can try again!

Hi @Sparkles512! Did you get another positive OPK before today? If not, it sounds like you haven't ovulated yet but you are about to!

@eloiseislost I stopped doing the OPKs as was just waiting for AF but had stomach pains today and would be around the time I ovulated if I had my period this month so decided to do a OPK!

Sounds like you have missed an ovulation, but the positive thing is it looks like you are about to ovulate now! Your period should come back in a couple of weeks or so, unless you get a BFP of course! 🤞🏼💕

@eloiseislost I have just ordered some more OPKS so I need to make sure I do them every day to keep track
Fingers crossed 🤞

Hi @Sparkles512 don't give up hope.

I have irregular cycles - they varied from 32-37 days generally, but I've had several 42/43 day cycles and even a 50 day cycle since I started tracking a couple of years ago.

Despite this I have managed to conceive 4 times in the last 2 years. 3 early mcs, which I believe were due to an undiagnosed response to pregnancy, not anything to do with irregular cycles. I'm currently 14 weeks, and on meds to hopefully tread the suspected problem.

Have you tried acupuncture? I would highly recommend it

@daffodil21 thank you so much for your reply.
I'm so sorry to hear about your losses 😢
Congratulations on your pregnancy! 🎉
I will have a look into acupuncture thank you.
Are there any other things you would recommend? I've looked into myo inositol to try and help regulate my cycle but haven't ordered any yet.

@Sparkles512 I was also looking into myo inositol and was planning on starting to take it if I didn't get my bfp when I did.

I did have reflexology as well, but mostly just because I quite liked it. But I believe the acupuncture really did make a difference. I had it once, just before ovulation and conceived (that pregnancy didn't last) and then I had it again after that mc to try and start regulating my cycles. That month I ovulated earlier than I think I ever had when I started tracking. Normally after a mc you can expect to be delayed by at least week, but this was earlier than even a 'normal' month. I conceived again that cycle (and still pregnant now - but that's probably to do with the meds rather than the acupuncture!) if you can afford it, I'd recommend going every two weeks - that was my plan but it never happened like that because I got pregnancy afterwards twice. My acupuncturist said we wouldn't bother timing it for just before ovulation because of my varying cycles and would just see how every 2 weeks went. However I did track the second time and when I got the flashing face she booked me in ASAP (even though I had a session a week or so before), and soon after I got my static (the last time I tracked I had 10 days of flashing before the static) It may have had nothing to do with it, but I'm pretty convinced the acupuncture is why I ovulated so soon after mc.

I took various supplements but that was more to do with recurrent loss rather than varying cycles - I took high strength vitamin d, methylfolate instead of folic acid (but now take both), omega 3-DHA (the vita west one) and COQ10. I also stopped heating things in plastic containers (to avoid BPA exposure, as it is a hormone disrupter.

The months I did conceive we actually dtd as often - we had been dtd every other day typically, but the last two times we conceived I just cba anymore. I think we even left it 4 days in between! We also used pre-seed the last two times we conceived too (the only times we have ever used it!)

And, I'm embarrassed to say, I put my legs in the air both times too 😂 I joked to my husband that was the only thing we hadn't tried so I would give it a go - seemed to have worked!

Sorry for long post, I realise a lot of the above isn't specific to varying cycles, but it helped us...!

@daffodil21 thank you so much for all the information it's really helpful to hear things that can work!

I think I will order the myo inositol supplements and try using the Conceive plus lube and keep our fingers crossed 🤞

I will definitely be looking into acupuncture and see how much it costs sounds like it is very useful!

Hi! Just wanted to get my story in as I have conceived twice now (first my daughter 2 years ago and now I’m pregnant again!) I’ve always had irregular cycles since coming off the pill in 2018 after 10 years. They range usually from 32-36 days. I did approach my doctor first time round but they said they wouldn’t investigate until 1 year of trying and we conceived after 6m and then 4m.

My best tips would be:

• I didn’t waste money on opks as I would literally be taking them everyday from cd 11 ish and sometimes going on forever! It was a tough slog but we had sex every other day from CD10 to when my period came (or didn’t!)
• From CD32 only allowed myself to test once every 3 days or I would go mad.
• I also found losing a bit of weight helped regulate my cycles. I cut out refined sugar in September 2020 and started drinking apple cider vinegar daily and by December my cycles had dropped from 36 to 32 days. We conceived the next month. I think often irregular cycles are to do with insulin so cutting down on sugar can help sometimes.

hope this helps! Stay strong, it will happen for you, it’s totally possible with irregular cycles maybe just a little less straightforward. Good luck xx

@Inhaleexhale23 thank you so much for sharing your story!
We often have days where we are too tired to DTD but then some weeks we manage it every day, I just hope it's the right days haha.
I go through phases of doing OPKs regular and then forgetting to do them or getting home late from work.
Weight wise I'm not too bad but I am a big chocoholic and really need to cut down on sugar as both my parents are diabetics 🙈
I might try the apple cider vinegar, do supermarkets sell it, how much do you have to drink?

@Sparkles512 yes I’d recommend the apple cider vinegar. For me it wasn’t really about weight either as my BMI is normal but I read somewhere that the menstrual cycle is linked to insulin in the body and it can disrupt hormones. So cut down on refined sugar (not natural like fruit) and started the apple cider. I got it from Holland and Barrat and drank one diluted glass a day. It’s not that nice! But I put a bit of honey in and it’s bearable.

I would def have burnt out if we were doing it every day! Every other was the way forward for us

Hi Ladies,

I'm feeling really deflated today.

AF arrived last night & I've been awake all night with period pains.
I used to manage the pain with birth control & tablets but both are unsuitable when TTC.

Any tips for relieving the pains?

Feel like just giving up on my dreams of becoming a mother because I can't even cope with a period let alone a pregnancy & labour 😭

Sorry for the miserable post just needed to let it out.

Any advice really appreciated, thank you ❤️

Update; I have spoken to my GP who has said I can have a blood test to check progesterone and it needs to be a week before my expected period.

Now to guess what day my expected period should be!

At least this is progress feel much happier today thank you for the support ladies!

@Sparkles512i know this post is a year old but I’m going through the same and wanted to know if you had any success, if your still around? Thank you

@Peonies94 Hello! Yes I now have a beautiful 15 week old baby boy 💙

I was taking the Concieve Plus Ovulation support capsules and we used the Concieve plus lubricant gel. So might be something you could try using too?

I also had blood tests from the doctors to make sure I was ovulating.

Sorry to hear you are struggling but don't give up hope you will get there in the end.
Stay strong ❤