Post Pill Party – The Garden Soiree

[TheHotelCalifornia]

Tables laden with high-end afternoon tea, beautiful bouquets of fresh flowers, and a string quartet playing softly in the background…it’s the Post Pill Party Garden Soiree! The girls have swapped their checked shirts for pastel dresses and it’s time to sit back and relax after a stressful few weeks (months…years!!)

Welcome to the 10th (!) post pill party thread for women who have recently come off the pill. Whether you’re struggling with an insanely long cycle or an insanely short cycle, your luteal phase is crazy short, your temps are all over the place, or you’re just feeling like if you see one more day of a damn flashing smiley you’re going to throw it out the window…we’re here for you. Perch yourself daintily in a chair and join us!

Ladies already at the soiree:

@juno231
@Kay00
@Moocher90
@Emmgrem
@Nellieee
@TheHotelCalifornia
@ams19
@chinchilly
@sperr
@crabette
@LauraT94
@TheDaydreamBelivers
@cams50
@robyn101
@abi555
@tillybabs
@MissC07
@minipilling
@glow92
@FlyingGiraffe
@Elsie2021
@Gracie2021
@Flowers222
@MancMama39
@firsttimemumm321
@mrsmacmc
@MintGreenLife
@Ttcin2021
@Melissaq94
@AllyCat31

Please tag anyone I’ve missed!

@Springflower3 @CaptainGT Welcome! Definitely in good hands here. I came off contraception mid February and waited 42 days for my first AF to show, and she only popped up to say hello for a couple days! Symptoms before she started I noticed a week before I got really sensitive nipples and insane cramps. If I’m 28 days she will show again next Monday, if 30 then the Wednesday etc etc. Just hoping she comes on time so I’m not waiting for another 42 day cycle but on CD20 this time round I had high ovulation from an OPK! Just wanted to reassure you that although it seriously feels like such a long, obsessive and agonising wait that your body will return to normal. 😊 Will either of you be tracking or just trying to keep it relaxed?

@abi555 Again, like the others, without even opening it I could see that’s a line! Fingers crossed your FRER shows an obvious positive so you can stop doubting.

That was supposed to say on CD15 I had a positive OPK! Getting too into the tele and not paying attention, can’t even blame it on a G&T this evening either! Haha

Hey @ChillysT thank you!
42 days sounds like agony! Did you start tracking straight away? So will you be testing next week or waiting a bit???
I posted a pic of my opk earlier? I’m hoping someone will tell me it’s a good sign 🤣🤣 I’m being silly but still I need to cling to hope!!

@whirlingD yes! If your opks are starting to get dark then start testing several times a day 😊 and start DTD!!

Welcome @springflower3 and @CaptainGT!!

@chillysT my cycles have remained very long, I have been off the pill since end of May 20 (11 months), but have only had 8 cycles in that time (only 6 ovulatory). On a good cycle I ovulate around CD27 but have ovulated as late as CD47.

@abi555 eeek!!!! So pleased for you!! A great line for 10DPO xx

I'm currently on CD3 of cycle 9. I have my first fertility appointment in early May. @juno231 is your Lap next Tuesday? I have my colonoscopy and gastroscopy on Weds next week so will be having my covid test on Monday. Good luck with it all xxx

@Springflower3 It wasn’t too bad but I definitely googled everything before I even let my body start back up again, without giving it a chance which wasn’t a good idea. I stopped when I realised I was probably gonna cause unnecessary stress, and in turn likely delay AF even more. If you happened to read through any previous posts I’m originally tag @JT90! I was having 28 day cycles to a tee when I was on the patch, so expected AF to come back in that exact routine off the patch, I should have come on 15th March to stick to the 28 days. But I instead came on on the 29th. So it worked out only 14 days ‘late’ as I bled exactly 2 weeks past the date of my 28 day count if that makes sense? I’m hoping this time she shows next week and becomes regular now I’ve had one bleed, but I’m still so early into not being protected I just don’t know. Although now I know that I’ll be looking out for cramps and sore boobs as that’s what I had about a week before she showed last time! Because I ovulated this time too with a positive OPK, I’m thinking she’s probably gearing up for a bleed next week.

I didn’t track anything waiting for my first AF as like I say, I had absolutely no idea when she was gonna show up and I didn’t want to keep just using sticks or getting stressed. I was convinced I would be waiting 3 months as the patch leaflet says it can take 12 weeks for cycles to show up again after use. I just let her come naturally as relaxed as I could, and then once my first AF came and went, I decided to use OPK’s 10 days past my bleed, going into what I assumed would be the ‘middle’ of my cycle on a rough basis of anything between 28-35 days waiting for the next one. Because I had my high reading on CD15, I’m thinking she may show up next week if that makes sense. If she shows up Wednesday then I know I’m ovulating smack bang in the middle of my cycle. But I think I’ll still need this one and another month’s work of tracking to get it figured out properly.

I did see your picture. I think it always shows as LH being in your body, but keep an eye out for it rising. I can post a photo of my high last week if you want to show you how my readings changed seeing as I’m only a few weeks ahead of you in terms of coming off contraception?

@abi555 good luck for tomorrow's test! I hope amazon turn up early!!!

@Springflower3 it's definitely getting darker which is a good thing I'd say maybe a few more days. You'll 100% know when it's positive though. I tend to get a slow rise and always have really low levels when I test. Do you also temp? I found that really helped me! Have put mine from this month below as an example, fingers crossed for the next few days for you 🤞

@Kay00 Good luck with your colonoscopy and gastroscopy next week. Have you had them before?

@Kay00 Wow. Do you notice you have any pains or anything to show you that AF is gearing up? I believe I should be due on next week, and today I’ve started getting abdominal cramps and lots of hunger! I always find I want to eat a tonne a week before so this is a good sign for me so far. Just waiting for the sensitive boobs to come into play now! I found I ovulated CD15 on my first play with OPK’s which I am hoping to be a good sign. How many days is your average cycle atm?

@ChillysT yes please I want to see as many examples as I can! Mine have rose very slowly... usually get a 0.08 in the evenings but tonight it stayed the same as this morning!
Who would have thought we would go through this now as when we were young it was drummed in to us that sex = pregnancy! They made it sound so easy!!!!

Thank you so much @MissC07 I love seeing other ppls! I am impressed with his app although I don’t think the pics actually do it justice in terms of how much darker mine are? How low was your value starting off with?? Mines prob just a standard every day value 🙄🙄 xx

@abi555 wee keeps for that amount of time but otherwise it keeps in the fridge as well - you'd just need to bring it back up to room temp before testing :)

@Kay00 ah yes mine is on Tuesday! Got my test on Sat. Best of luck to you too! Will yours be under general anaesthetic as well?

@abi555 defo a line there! Congrats x

@Springflower3 So I came off the pill in November and only started doing OPK's in Jan. they literally would stay at 0.33 until about CD28. I stopped using them until at least CD15 once I worked out I had longer cycles. I also now usually only do them once a day as I found I was dehydrating myself and stressing myself out.

@Juno231 Good luck for next week with your procedure too x

Ladies, reckon I’m on the cusp of a positive now?? My CB every morning has been flashing smileys and 2mo will be day 6 of them we have covered DTD well this month but it’s a pain I’ve not peaked yet so having to continue every other day just in case I do ovulate in the coming days

@Springflower3 I’ll attach 2 as I was at first putting them in the wrong column. I started logging on the easy@home tab then realised as they aren’t they brand they should be in the others tab instead. So you’ll see both! But I was a slow riser, then my peak came out of nowhere! The only good thing was that it is hopefully around the same time as what would be for a 28-30 day cycle so fingers crossed for next week. Although I am also in my TWW as without realising when I was gonna peak, I DTD the day before so if I’ve caught it that would be good and if not then at least I’m starting to understand my cycles better! I agree with the photos don’t show as dark as how you see them in real life though! Mine look much fainter in photos than right in front of me!

Haha oh I know. I felt quite embarrassed that at 31 I didn’t actually understand my cycle properly until I decided to come off contraception and track it properly. I had no idea that the periods we have on the pill etc are false either, until I got to researching pregnancy etc! Schools and doctors definitely didn’t go through all this, just the sex part and writing a prescription.

Thank you @ChillysT

I’ve just done one there this morning (I know they say not to use fmu but I’m not dehydrating myself) and it has gone up to 0.28 which is my highest figure! I’m just up it continues to rise!!!! If not then I will be so deflated!
As it rises so sharply your better to cover all bases and dtd every day! Does your DP know your doing the opk? Mine vaguely does but I don’t think he understands it 🤣🤣 xx

Had some bleeding this morning :(
Now frantically googling implantation spotting vs AF, but feeling the dread set in. If implantation spotting wouldn't this have occurred before I got a line on a PT? Suspect this may be a second chemical. Damn the hope zone and myself for testing early before AF due! I promised myself I wouldn't after my last CP as the disappointment is so painful.

Try not to get discouraged! There could be several reasons for the bleeding.... is it like your normal period/ bright red/ cramps etc?

It was bright red, but seems to have stopped now. No cramps or other symptoms.
Maybe I am being melodramatic, just really wasn't expecting it this morning. Have let myself get far too carried away.. Reality check; very early days, haven't even done a FRER yet, calm down, what will be will be. Sorry for dramatic post above, just felt so shocked and sad when I wiped this morning and saw it! Feeling more stable now, just have to play the waiting game for a bit longer!

@abi555 how much are you bleeding? Implantation spotting continues until week 8 I think so it's def normal to have spotting pretty much throughout the first trimester.

@Springflower3 That’s good, just keep testing until you see your high reading! But I honestly wouldn’t stress as you’re so early coming off contraception. As others have said, it can take months for some and only weeks for others for things to regulate! I only had a single day of high but as I say, luckily we covered it. I think DTD everyday would stress my partner out, atm we are trying to take a relaxed approach and being so early into all this I don’t want to take the fun out of the bedroom and have him feel like I’m only jumping him to get me pregnant! Still regularly DTD but only every other day or every couple, as we both work long shifts and our morning alarms vary so much and often differ to one another! Just going to make sure we do it that little bit more around ovulation week though! My DP does know about my OPK’s but I explained I needed them to try and work out if my body is doing what it should after 9 years on contraception. Again I think he just doesn’t fully understand and goes with the flow majority of the time. 🤣

@abi555 the fetus and sac continue to attach to the uterine wall up to week 9 so spotting can be totally normal for many weeks!

@abi555 if it has stopped I think your grand! Our bodies can defo play mind games with us and your hormones will be all over the place too...

I know I am being a total dose here but this morning when wiping (tmi alert) there was a about a 2cm jelly like mucus tinged slightly with brown and a speck of red? Could this be the allusive period or something else?? Xx

@abi555 sorry you've had a bleed this morning, it can be completely normal so try not to worry. I really don't want to be a downer but have you tried another test yet? I had a proper line like this last month pink and very there but frer was negative, then did an experiment and my husband and bathroom tap also got a line. I really hope this isn't the case for you but just wanted to let you know. I can find my batch number if that helps in case they are the same ones? 🤞🏻

@Springflower3 are you waiting for ovulation or post ovulation?

@Moocher90 🤞🏻 for you hopefully it's close! If I were you I'd test again this morning/lunch time

Sorry for everything else I've missed I had to have a break after all my faint lines and weird hormones I hope everyone's ok!!

So guess what I have more faint lines! I haven't been well either though so when I spoke to the dr he was concerned and has me booked for a scan tomorrow to rule out ectopic :( if not it's likely another early loss :(

@firsttimemummy321 I am waiting for ovulation..... my opk are getting very slowly darker but I’m not sure tbh! I use the premum app and 6 days ago it was 0.08 and this morning it was 0.28 🤷‍♀️ Xx

@firsttimemummy321 I really hope all works out for you! When is the scan?? Apart from not being well have you any other symptoms that could point towards any issues?? Xx

@Springflower3 could that be EWCM? If so, ovulation sounds imminent...!

@firsttimemummy321 I'm so sorry to hear that and hoping it's not an ectopic and that you're okay - hugs!
You make a v good point re: bad batch. I had heard one step are a bit useless tbh and have let myself get carried away mentally so am trying to regroup. Waiting on an amazon delivery now with a FRER so will know one way or another later on! Will just have to sit on my hands and stop googling until then!