Came off pill last April and no period in 165 days...

[LaDou]

So I'm 29 and last April I came off microgynon after almost 10 years when myself and my hubby decided we wanted to start trying. I had a period on the 8th July, 14th August and 7th October. Since then nothing! It's been 165 days and I'm at the end of my tether.

Rang the doctors after it was 100days but due to covid they wouldn't physically see me but I got blood tests done with the nurse which flagged up I might have PCOS.

Fast forward 2 weeks and I went for a scan to see if any cysts were there. Nothing came up so I was just kind of left in the lurch of what the next step was until I rang the docs again to get an update and to also tell them I was having very uncomfortable pains in my side.

Basically they don't know what's wrong and just told me I've been referred to gynae which could take a couple of years to get an appointment. Just fobbing me off really. No harm, but I'm not really willing to wait 2 years to see what is happening. Before I went on the pill my cycle was like clockwork.

Has this happened anyone else or something similar? Any advice or help would be appreciated.

TWO YEARS to see a gynaecologist?! That’s insane. I think seeing a specialist here is the natural next step. Not sure if you can convince your GP to refer you a but more urgently or if you could go private? Conception aside, to not have a period for so long would have me concerned about general health and I’d definitely want answers within weeks, not years. Good luck, and I’m sorry you’re going through this!

Hello lovely! My situation is slightly different, but I wanted to give you some hope.

I had no period for around 2 years, they then found dermoid cysts on my ovaries, removed them and a normal cycle came back for around 7 months. Periods then disappeared again for 2 years+. I was tested numerous times for PCOS but always negative. They took me into surgery to find out what was wrong and came back with nothing.

I was pretty much told they didn't know why I didn't get periods, but they wouldn't look into it until I was actively trying to conceive, which I wasn't.

I then had the coil put in for contraception, and just had that removed Feb 2021 after 3 years. No period returned, again I was left with no cycle and thinking I didn't ever ovulate because of this. However today I got my BPF.

I know that not knowing why you're not having periods is incredibly frustrating, especially when help feels so far away. But don't assume that you won't be able to conceive like I had. I haven't had a period for years and years. Sending you lots of luck ♥️

I'm sorry to hear you're going through this. But respectfully, doing blood tests, scans and referring you to gynaecology is not fobbing you off -- sounds like they've done all the investigations available, and this really is something you need to see a specialist for.

Unfortunately the wait for gynae is insane due to covid, more than double what it was before the pandemic in my area anyway. It's a scandal, really.

Sadly you may need to consider going private even just for one consultation if you can't wait and you can spare the money.

So sorry you’re going through this. Not sure whether this will be helpful or not but its my experience so wanted to throw it out there just in case! Do you exercise a lot/diet? I came off the pill (microgynon) a few years ago when I was a healthy weight but exercising heavily and on quite a restrictive diet to lose weight and for the 4-5 months I was off it I didn’t have a period at all. I then met my partner and went back on the pill so never found out if/when they’d come back but have always been super worried about it since then. Due to lockdown and the gyms being closed I’ve not been exercising quite as much/am carrying a few extra pounds (im still healthy but definitely eating more and failing miserably at resisting treats!) and when I came off the pill in December 2020 my period returned 30 days later, I actually couldn’t believe it after the stress of last time. I was really lucky and got my BFP that cycle so who knows if they would’ve continued like this or been irregular but I’m sure the fact I’m eating a bit more/not over exercising played a part. Good luck ❤️

I had the same problem when I stopped taking microgynon. I found taking Agnus cactus tablets helped regulate my cycle. I can't remember exactly how you take them but think it is up to expected ovulation then stop until bleeding starts if you're trying that month - I'm sure google will help.

I fell pregnant a month or so after starting them could just be a coincidence but worth a try. I got them from Holland and Barrett.

Jesus, why don't they just give you northisterone to kick-start your cycle? Worked for me, I was at CD 50 something when my gynaecologist prescribed it. Private prescription, cost about £8 and got my cycles back on track...

I was the same as @cams88. Came off the pill august 2019 didn’t have a period went to see my gp and they did bloods and sent me for a scan. But I exercised a lot and probably didn’t eat enough for how much I exercised. I didn’t have a period but when the gyms shut last March I found out I was pregnant in April so I think it had something to do with it. So just because not having periods doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant. Keep pushing the gps I found the locums at my gp were willing to help more. Try not to get too stressed about it, I know it’s hard not to.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the responses. I do heavy exercise 3/4 days and light the rest of the week but I was always active even before going on the pill, my weight hasn't changed much and I was always 28/29 day cycles. I just don't understand why they haven't put me on a tablet to help stimulate ovulation, I'm obviously not ovulating.

@lawandgin was that through a private clinic or NHS?

@LaDou mine was private but I see no reason why an NHS GP couldn't prescribe it. The cost of the private prescription was less than an NHS prescription.

You can actually get it over the counter from superdrug I believe - although that would be to halt a period, I.e. for a holiday. I'm sure you could get it with a little back story though...

I've just re read your OP - did they check to are whether you might have an ovarian cyst? These can sometimes halt ovulation, hence no period.

@lawandgin did you get have to get a private appointment to get the prescription?

Yeah they did an ultrasound on me and couldn't see anything, left the appointment now knowing what the next step was and waited 2 weeks and rang the doctors back again.

I was the same too have always exercised before I went on the pill but then the last few years did more intense workouts like hiit training, once I stopped this I got pregnant on my first cycle because I hadn’t had my periods start. It might be worth a try? My gp advised me to just walk instead because when your body is under a lot of stress the reproductive system is one of the areas of the body to switch off to use the energy elsewhere needed from intense exercise.

It was private, but I'm lucky enough to have private health insurance through work.

It's really not acceptable though and if I were in your position I'd be complaining to the GP and asking for a prescription for norethisterone to induce a bleed. Don't make it fertility related though, phrase it as a health issue (which it absolutely is and you definitely should not have to do this, but that's another conversion) as they generally couldn't give two craps about fertility issues.

Sorry yes, I meant I did have to have a private appointment. I saw a gynaecologist but a private GP could prescribe and would be a cheaper appointment too.

I second the northisterone - although it might not prevent the next cycle from being really long as well. A private doctor's appointment is like £50 and they can prescribe it then.

If you can afford it I'd go to a private fertility clinic to be honest - waiting 2 years for the gynae is a joke. It doesn't even sound like they'd check anything else related to fertility, purely gynae?

I have made an appointment for a private clinic but soonest they could see me was the end of May. Currently writing this tearing up as I don't know what to do until then, my mine is all over the place.

I had a few symptoms which I thought could be that of early pregnancy (tired, sore boobs, cramps, excessive creamy white discharge), took a test this morning and another negative.

At this stage I just want a period 😢😢😢