Is it possible to have not ovulated even if you have your AF

[zez]

Feel a bit silly asking this but if you have your AF does this mean you have ovulated, and also if you don't have your AF could you still have ovulated.

I know this sounds a really stupid question but this ttc lark has really messed up my head.
My AF has suddenly showed itself after a 4 month absence my doctor put my absent AF down to a recently diagnosed underactive thyroid discovered with a blood test to determine the reason for my absent AF.

Just wondering if now my AF has come back if I have a better chance of concieving.

I am currently on cycle day 22 of ttc the first time since my AF came back my AF should be due again around the 7th of January and I am waiting to see if it decides to do a dissapearing act again. If it does I will probably start going through the trauma of carrying out numerous pregnancy tests only to constantly get a BFN as before.

I would say yes it does mean you have a better chance. But also, yes it is possible to have your AF even if you haven't ovulated.

You're right ttc can really mess up your head. Personally, I gave up doing pregnancy tests and figured that if I was pregnant my body would tell me soon enough. That was after several traumatic episodes, as you describe, of having a really late AF and pregnancy symptoms followed by a BFN.

I did eventually get pg btw after 4 years of ttc (and now have lovely 17 month old DS). Being convinced that a test would be negative I didn't do one until everything was crying out to me that I must be pregnant. That was when I was already 8 weeks gone.

Good luck with everything.

Thank you taking the time to answer me.
I am so confused atm as I have heard that an underactive thyroid can prevent ovulation and therefore create difficulties ttc.

Also I have just turned 37 so feel that time is not on my side.

I totally agree with you that its best not to keep carrying out tests and wait for your body to tell you.

My only concern is if I was pregnant I would want to know straight away as my job involves alot of heavy lifting.

Oh, that's more difficult then. If it's any comfort, almost everything I've read has said that heavy lifting shouldn't be a problem in the early stages. That didn't stop me worrying though.

yes you can have a period and not ovulate

your period is just the lining of your womb sloughing away because the egg has not implanted itself, it is not to do with ovulation itself

i found this out when i was ttc dd2, who is now 11

i was having periods but not ovulating

Thanks for that lou33.
Do you know how they find out if your ovulating or not is there some sort of test that is carried out.
I would really like to know if I am ovulating or not so that I am not wasting my time ttc.
Obviously if ovulation isn,t taking place I would like to get that sorted first.
I did use cheap ovulation predictor tests for a while that was during the time my AF was absent for almost 4 months.
Tbh though I never got a positive with them.
but maybe I was testing at the wrong time.

over/underactive thyroid can affect your periods. Generally, if you are ovulating you will be having periods, but it is possible to still have periods and not ovulate.

There are blood tests that your gp can do on days 3/21 to check your hormone levels and to establish whether or not you are ovulating, generally they will only do these tests though if you've been ttc for a year, or 6 months if over 35. Tbh I would get your thyroid levels sorted first before thinking of undergoing any treatments for ovulating, as once the thyroid problem has been sorted your cycles may return to normal on their own without the need for further intervention.

zez - you can ask your doctor to test your hormone levels to see if you are ovulating. they will probably test your progesterone level a week after you think you've ovulated.

for some standard reason this is usually done on CD21, but if you think you ovulate later then they should also do one on CD28.

If you have ovulated then you will have elevated levels of progesterone as this is only present once your egg has hatched. some women can have low levels of progesterone even after ovulation...hence it's impossible to test for 100% certainty whether you are ovulating or not.

The opks can be a waste of money if you've got an irregular cycle. I know I got LH surges without ovulating, I was doing pregnancy tests two weeks after a positive opk only to get a BFN and still no period. Best thing to do is have lots of sex throughout the month, if you're used to doing a lot of lifting then you'll be fine even when you do get PG, just be as cautious as you would normally (i.e. to prevent doing your back in).

Hope that helps

it was a simple blood test done on a certain part of your cycle, iirc