Advice - long cycle lengths and new to TTC

[AROSE9]

Hi, I’m looking for some guidance and advice. I came off my pill (after more than 10 years) in August and TTC. I have only had 2 periods since then my cycle lengths are irregular - 48 days and currently on CD56 and no AF or BFP.

I have been using Clear Blue Digital Ovulation tests which have showed positive ovulation around CD35. I am worried that this is too late and I’m either not ovulating or I have fertility issues (PCOS etc.) is it too early to think this way?

From what I have read your luteal phase should be 14 days and so if no AF or BFP after that should I assume I did not ovulate?

Just purchased a thermometer to track BBT and booked in for blood tests at the doctors but not until the end of the month. Starting to think the worst and wondered if anyone had experienced anything similar? or had any advice? am I other thinking?

Sorry for the long post and thank you in advance!

I had a similar experience and assumed a positive ovulation test was positive for ovulation Periods took about 6 to 8 months to regulate a normal length after removal of contraceptive implant (about 27 days for me after some which were about 56 days) and I did conceive a few months after they settled in length by using the ovulation sticks to time everything.

I was about to try a home fertility test just before got a bfp anyway so that could be worth looking at.

Good luck to you. X

Following as am in a similar situation. Came off combined pill after 11 years, had withdrawal bleed as normal, first cycle 27 days so thought all would be fine and ok. Currently on CD34 with no sniff of AF and BFN tests. I have also started to think the worst already! It's so hard not to be irrational 😂

I haven't been testing for ovulation as we wanted to take the 'see what happens' approach first, but this continued longer cycle is starting to stress me 🙃

Good to hear @JoannaStayton your periods regulated eventually and you conceived, thankful for positive stories like these!

I am TTC#1 and what I find quite hard to wrap my head around with the whole thing is you don't know you can conceive until you do!

Positive vibes!

@JoannaStayton I’m glad to hear it all regulated and worked out for you. Gives me hope!

@Sagittarius25 this is our TTC #1 also and stupidly assumed it would be a lot simpler than it is! I thought a longer cycle would be ok as long as you ovulate, but with it being over 2 weeks since I ovulated and no AF or BFP I’m starting to think it was a false positive. I hope we can keep this thread going and it’s nice to know I’m not alone - I hope it all works out for you! How long have you been TTC?

@AROSE9 yes it would be nice to get some other experiences on the thread too. Literally only just started really as came off the pill start of Oct. Just trying to remain as relaxed as I can despite no AF etc. just the perfect first cycle of 27 days really thrown me off 😂

I am someone who needs a plan for the next stage though, and I read on NHS if you miss 3 periods in a row to go to GP. So I've worked out when that would be for me 😂 but obviously really hoping I get some sort of period before that and realistically I know it's likely I will get one eventually.

i came off the pill 12 months before we ttc, it took ages for my cycles to regulate but once they did we fell pregnant quickly.

every friend I know who ttc after stopping the pill took between 7-12 months to conceive however with their seconds fell pregnant almost straight away as they never went back on the pill.

I’m very pro the pill but I do wish they would do some study’s that might show you need to be off it x number of months to allow your cycle to recover before ttc.

Good luck with your blood tests, I’m betting you fall pregnant in the spring

@Sagittarius25 fingers crossed you get your AF soon and please keep me updated! I’m currently CD57 and no sign of AF appearing. I’m starting to wonder if I even ovulated or how to track as the app throws me off saying my cycles are irregular. Feel a little lost!

@Greyphoto thank you for your message - that reassures me a lot! I know I’m very early in my journey but just assumed it would be simpler than this. I have friends and family with PCOS too and so just got it in my head. I’m not sure if you know the answer to this but my CB Digital Ovulation test was positive for ovulation on CD35 but no AF or BFP 2 weeks later - should I assume I did not ovulate as advice online seems rather confusing! Not sure If I can still ovulate without AF.

Will keep you updated on the bloods etc and a spring pregnancy would be lovely! X

@AROSE9 hopefully you get AF soon too! Yes I know what you mean it's hard to know if you did even ovulate etc. I found an old long thread of someone asking for success stories with long irregular cycles and there were so many positive stories! A lot of people in that case sort of just went with it as best they can, had lots of sex and they did fall eventually. And these were even people with cycles in the 40s, 50s days length. A couple with even longer.

Need that positive mental attitude but I know it can be so hard!

@AROSE9 it’s super frustrating isn’t it. We get taught if you have sex you get pregnant and that isn’t always the case.

Intimate question; when your clear blue is stating you are ovulating are you getting an increased amount of cervical mucus / discharge? Most people get increased wettness around the time they ovulate which is a sure sign. There is an app which I can’t remember the name of but you can track your temp and CM.

Oh also so you don’t go crazy, book in things to do that you can’t if you are pregnant. Like massages / highlights / theme parks etc. I drove myself crazy at times but started to give myself other things to look forward to if I wasn’t pregnant.

@Greyphoto yes I do get that, but i also had it a few days ago so that also throws me off. I don’t want to over think it all but also want to make sure I’m tracking accurately and heard BBT is the best way!

thank you for your tips, I am going to try and distract myself and not put too much pressure on myself. Just annoying as no AF is here so don’t know if I have to wait for new cycle before I will ovulate again.

I also came off the pill in august. My cycles weren’t long but my luteal phase (time from ovulation to period) was short, only around 7 days so this obviously wasn’t enough time for a pregnancy to implant etc. I was having really heavy periods too so I kept wondering if my body was trying to get pregnant and losing it before it got a chance to implant, I don’t know. In the end up I have taken maca root (Red) to try and bring ovulation forward. It seemed easier to do that than to move with AF was happening because I didn’t think I would be able to do much to change that. I’ve only taken it for 2 cycles, from first day of AF until ovulation then I stop. Last month I got to 8 or 9 days. This month I got to 10 and got a positive pregnancy test! Now in a weird limbo because I’ve started bleeding and thought it was a chemical pregnancy but that’s another issue 🙈 Maca root is definitely worth a try!

I also bought ashwagandha as I was really stressed at work and cortisol can stop progesterone from rising enough to sustain the luteal phase. I also took a vitamin C drink every day and stopped my pregnacare tablets because there were come reviews saying they can alter your cycle, I took plain folic acid on its own instead. I did buy agnus castus but heard some dodgy reviews of that (it seems to be taken in the luteal phase more) but I was too put off to try it. Good luck!

@BCxx thank you for your advice - I’ve just placed an order for folic acid as heard a lot of good stuff about that so hopefully it will help.

At this point I just want AF to appear so I can start a fresh cycle - close to CD60 now 😫

Thank you for sharing your story it reassures me and is nice to know I’m not alone in this!

@AROSE9 I've also ordered omega 3 (making sure it contains DHA) as I've read having enough fatty acids helps balance female hormones and for men can help improve sperm quality (which can only do good!). Neither me or DH get enough fatty acids from our diet alone so only seeing this as a plus 👍🏼

P.s. still no AF over here 🤣

@Sagittarius25 CD60 and still no AF 😫 I’ve started taking folic acid vitamins too but not sure whether to get the conceive plus? Just want a fresh cycle to start!

@AROSE9 oh no! 😩 CD38 here and no AF, although not sure if she's on her way as I've got some spotting. Hopefully she is and not just random spotting! I'm not sure if the folic acid/general conception multivitamins will help bring on AF. I've been on the Holland and Barrett conception which includes folic acid the whole time. So frustrating isn't it!

@AROSE9 sorry to gatecrash your thread but you mentioned you have family with PCOS, is it immediate family? Are you in a position to get a blood profile done?

@Harper02 Hi! Yes it is immediate family. I have booked blood tests for next week. Im hoping AF comes soon!

Ahh might be PCOS, it's so genetic! I was diagnosed a year ago, had no idea I had it :). Good luck for your bloods. If it is PCOS, there are lots of supplements that can help regulate your period/help you ovulate. I'm currently on clomid :)

@Harper02 I know there’s lots of success stories with irregular cycles/PCOS etc but just so disheartening at the very start! Good luck to you on your journey 😊

@AROSE9 how are you doing? AF arrived today for me so last cycle was 38 days and one before 27 days. Only two cycles since being off the pill.

@Sagittarius25 still no AF on CD61 - this is my second cycle since coming off the pill in August. I’m glad AF started for you! Last cycle was 48 days.

@AROSE9 what pill were you on out of interest? I can imagine how frustrating it is getting to CD61 and no AF 😕 just try and keep positive and calm as stress/cortisol won't help, but of course I know it's so hard!

A positive ovulation test doesn't mean you ovulated. It just means your body sent a message to release an egg but an egg may not have been released. Did you keep doing tests to make sure you didn't get a second LH surge?

@Rowen32 no I didn’t, but I have had EWCM in the last week so I assume if u had I would have had another surge. What would it mean if I had more than one surge per cycle?