Cycle lengths changing and feeling lost- any advice?

[LittleCosette]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice, reassurance, or just to hear from anyone who's been through something similar.

I'm 34 and have been TTC since August. My cycles used to be a pretty consistent 28 days, but the last three have been all over the place—39, 37, and now 41 days. Initially, I panicked, thinking it might be premature menopause, but blood tests confirmed everything is normal. So now I'm just confused. Why would my cycles suddenly stretch out like this?

To make things harder, I’ve just had another negative test, and recently been diagnosed with a life-changing condition. It doesn’t affect fertility, but honestly, I feel like a stranger in my own body. It’s like everything I knew about myself has been upended, and I don’t even know where to go for help.

If anyone has experienced something similar—longer cycles out of nowhere, Any advice or places to turn to would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance 💜

Hi @LittleCosette can I ask if you take any supplements? Or have you added anything new in the last few months?

I’ve stopped all supplements. The only thing I take conception related is folic acid. I spoke to a pharmacist today and he said he thinks I might’ve been pregnant but nothing developed.

Did you take a pregnancy test when your cycles were longer?

What helped me regulate my period again was to cut out sugar. Realistically I eat ‘low sugar’ diet, not ‘no sugar.’ But what I mean is I don’t eat desserts or anything with added refined or processed sugar. When I started doing that I hadn’t had a period in 90 days. I soon got a period and since then my periods are back down to 36 days (which was my usual).

it’s not quick results but it’s reliable, and I feel a lot better in my body. The weirdest unintended side effect was I don’t get my usual pms symptoms anymore or period pain. I always, without a doubt, got sore boobs after ovulation. Now it’s not happened in 3 cycles. Confusing for me but I was also checked and it seems to be normal.

Sugar can add to inflammation so you might be like me and inflammation has increased, causing these disruptions to your cycle. This might help. :)

Oh my god, me!!
I have hope in abundance for you!
Almost as soon as we started trying to conceive last year my cycles went from 28 days to 29… 30… 32… 35… I thought oh my fucking god I’m going through the menopause (only turned 33 this month).
I bought a digital ovulation thing, that kept saying negative every day. I was devastated. I wasn’t even ovulating.
Well I’m clearly shit at tracking my ovulation because I’m happy to report I’m now 33 weeks pregnant.
Good luck to you OP 💛

Thank you ladies! All so hopeful and thank you for giving me hope. I would say I have a very high sugar diet.
Since we’ve started trying in August I’ve only ever tested when my period was like officiallyTa 16 days post ovulation.
@PopThatBench I show your message to my husband and he said it was crazy how identical our experiences were- hopefully mine will end with a baby too!

Yes, I can definitely relate to you.

I’m 40 now and ever since I turned 35 my cycles went all over the place. I’ve tracked them for years and they’ve varied from 26 to 40+ days.

I have hypothyroidism and anyone familiar with how the NHS treats it will know you’re not necessarily “treated” for it. So I don’t know if that affects me.

I couldn’t get any sort of answer on OV tests this month. Last cycle was 28 days and a CB digi OV test said I surged on day 20!

I’m on CD29 for this cycle and didn’t see anything on OV tests, so I’ve started tracking my basal body temp. I didn’t think there was much science in it before, but seeing other people’s charts; they clearly show that they have experienced ovulation. So I’m going to try and see if I can work out what’s going on by using that.

Did you stop taking the pill before ttc? My cycles were all over the place for over a year after I stopped the pill.

I haven’t used hormonal contraception in 5+ years so I don’t think it’s related.
Thank you for sharing your story @EmPeEf