Can you have long cycles and no PCOS?

[YawnyOwl]

My cycles have usually been on the long side... About one every 2 months ish, sometimes a bit more regularly. I was in the process of getting tested for what was going on when I fell pg with DS after 9 months of TTC. I only got positive OPKs once or twice but didn't do them very regularly as my cycles were such a mess I'd be doing them every day, not knowing whether I was coming or going.

Going to try and TTC but still breastfeeding... Think it'll be a nightmare getting ball rolling with docs as is. Just wondering about any experiences with long cycles really. Stressed already just thinking about it x

I think PCOS is more related to irregular cycles or no cycles. Mine can be anything from 4-12 weeks.
But I'd ask your GP to start the ball rolling as it can be a long slow process.

Oh god, how excruciating... I'm already dreading speaking to the receptionist there

I think they'll fob me off because I can't give info about cycles as I'm still bf and only have had 1 period

Yes I have long cycles - anything from 5.5-8 weeks and do not have PCOS. You might get luckier TTC your next child - my second baby was conceived on what would have been an 8 week cycle and that was our first cycle of trying. It was a good year after finishing breastfeeding though.

@monkeyted can I ask how quickly you got your first proper period when breastfeeding? Or once you stopped?

Both mine my periods returned after about 10 months.

Was that 10 months post partum or 10 months post finishing bf?

@YawnyOwl With both babies I got the first one around 7 months into breastfeeding. I then stopped breastfeeding around two months after that.

@monkeyted thank you, I think I had my first one last month (so 7 months pp) but it was reaaaaally light and pale brown. DS is voracious feeder, especially at night which I read can stop periods resuming. Can I ask what made you stop bf? Return to work?

10 months PP, I fed DC1 to 14mths and stopped to get working on DC2. I wanted a 2 year gap.
DC2 I fed for longer I was in no rush to stop.

@YawnyOwl In both cases I just found it hard to keep up the breastfeeding at that stage - I felt my supply diminished once they were weaning and sleeping through. They became frustrated with the breast and wouldn't feed but gulped down milk from the bottle. I've never found I can pump much, so moved over to formula for the couple of months until they turned 1. I'm sure everyone is very different but my first periods postpartum were clearly periods -perhaps even heavier than pre-pregnancy.

Long cycles means that ovulation for you is delayed or made irregular by something. PCOS is one reason ovulation can be delayed. But, if you had regular cycles before you had your baby, then it's unlikelyto be that. Another major thing that can delay ovulation is still breastfeeding a hungry baby @YawnyOwl!