I am completely fucking sick of my period not showing up when it's supposed to.

[ProfessorBranestawm]

Cycle getting longer each month, currently on day 43 (previous longest 38). I wouldn't mind so much - having fewer periods over the year - but I still get cramps and mood swings from day 28 or so. So I spend days and days expecting it any moment, in pain and tearful.

I've asked around before about this and people have said that stress can delay ovulation. But I've been ovulating at the normal time each cycle, day 15ish.

I saw the GP last month as I was wondering if I had a UTI (I once had one that got so back my periods stopped), but nope.

I'm not pregnant so what is this? It's really ruining a huge amount of my month.

I'm 30, had 2 healthy pregnancies age 20 and 22, never been on any hormonal contraception.

Any ideas please?

My periods were totally erratic from when I started age 13 till my late thirties (finished having babies mid-thirties). They were heavy, esp in teens and anything between one month and four months in between. I never had it investigated, but it was a nuisance always having to be prepared. Full sympathies to you here

Same here I'm afraid. I have pcos and also ttc#3. On cycle day 31 ATM, had a small bit of spotting then nothing. My boobs are sore, hormonal as fuck , eating like a pig but not no bloody period (tests bfn). Feel your pain

I've never had regular periods. Anything from 28 days to 35 days is me. This is my normal

Thanks all

What I should have made clearer is that until last year sometime my periods were like clockwork really - used to be 26 days no matter what. Then for some reason lately it's completely changed. I feel like my life revolves around this stupid issue now!

I was convinced I was pregnant last month because it was so late, I was feeling sick too, but nope (we aren't TTC but would've been happy)

I forgot to note down when mine appeared last month, so this month I know I'm probably going to have one in the next week but no idea WHEN. It's incredibly irritating because of the crazy PMS!!!

How do you know you're ovulating on day 15 each cycle? Your luteal phase is supposed to be the same length each cycle (around 12-16 days), not your follicular phase.

I would go back to your gp op. If irregular cycles aren't the norm for you then it warrants investigating.

Any other symptoms? This was one of the early symptoms of my hyperthyroidism.

Mine have never been regular anything from 21-35 day, have had to put up with periods on many a holiday too!
I am now two years past meno so no longer get them, but that brings its own issues and I would rather be have irregular periods!

Thanks again all, ovulation I am aware of because of pain

I shall google follicular and luteal phases BTW thank you, haven't met those terms since biology class! 😳

Thyroid issues I have been tested for although a new blood test wouldn't hurt. I will go back to the GP. I had ultrasounds a couple of years ago due to gynae symptoms but nothing needed sorting from that (apparently my uterus is backwards and I had slightly errrrm calcified lining?!)

I will have to be persistent, I have some (non-gynae) chronic illnesses so any new thing tends to be put down to that. Or the ubiquitous 'stress' (I mean I am stressed, but I have always been so, huge MH history so not like stress is new to me!) But when I've been regular for the entire 17 years I've had periods this is a massive change

Luteal phase: time between ovulation and your period.
Follicular phase: start of period to ovulation.
HTH! I'd definitely go to the doctors, as a change should be investigated. Good luck.

That's a nice easy to understand explanation thank you I see what you mean now. Weird. I mean, I am sure it's ovulating pains I'm getting and when I was regular it was always in the middle of the cycle.

Last month I felt sick, sore boobs everything but obviously no pregnancy. I'm feeling like that again now and I hate it 😡

I bet its perimenopause. It can go on for years. See the excellent posts by PollyPerky.

You need to ask for a referral to a gynae.

Peri doesn't start at age 30 unless you are having a very premature menopause or premature ovarian failure.

There can be all sorts of reasons for longer or irregular cycles but you need checking out. Having only a few cycles in a year long term puts you at risk of various diseases later, including osteoporosis.

Go back to GP and be insistent.

I had this but when periods came they could be anything from 3-30 days! Lots of tests all negative (good thing really!) and I went on the pill for three months and it sorted it out! Then started happening a year or so later and went back on the pill for a few months (and it was SUCH a relief to have a break from the stress of it all, even though I don't like the pill) and it's been fine again since. Might be an avenue.

Whoops I read late 30s my mistake

I did too to start with! :)

I know my mum was told she was having a really healthy menopause (can't remember why exactly something to do with the time it took or something) and was hoping I'd be the same! Certainly wasn't thinking of peri now! :( I will ring the GP tomorrow and book an appt. Just want to know what's going on.

I've never been on the pill or anything, but I would definitely consider it short term if it could kick start me back to normal.

Not that we are TTC or anything, but the BFN last month certainly made us both sadder than we were expecting and that really made us think.

Nope, I am thirty. And a half. :o

Urgh I hear you! I had a 61 day cycle recently and I'm only 38! GP says I'm not in perimenopause. I have a weird cyst thing on an ovary (it a big bugger but complicated and not easily removed) but I've had that for at least 4 years and it's only in the last year that may periods have gone mad. It's either a small gap (20 day cycle) or a massive one. Very annoying! Maybe you should get checked for a cyst in case though...

61 days!

Thanks, that's definitely worth thinking of too. The ultrasound was a couple of years ago now so anything could've changed since then. I have had a smear test recently BTW and it was very very slight changes but all they did was test for HPV (clear) and said there was no need for anything else.

Thinking about it also, I only ever get ovulation pain on one side now. I'm sure I used to alternate. That's not normal either is it? Isn't it supposed to be one side one month then the other side the next? And even if one ovary had stopped working wouldn't that mean I'd ovulate every two months instead?

Starting to realise how spectacularly ignorant I am about reproduction I just took it all for granted TBH

Mine have never settled down into a definite pattern, my cycles can last anything from 31 to 63 days. I use a website to mark them down and it tells me when my next one is roughly due based on average cycle length but it's still not reliable. I've never had that thing of knowing the exact day it will arrive. I feel your pain.

No that's not the case about ovulating on alternate sides.
It can be any side.
If a woman has only 1 ovary if produces eggs monthly not bi monthly.

Thanks all.

I use an app now, I wish I'd been using it longer to track everything properly. Even based on my growing cycle length I'm still about 12 days late according to that.

Interesting about the ovaries thanks, must be one of the myths I picked up in sex ed. It (the pain) definitely did used to alternate but now it's not. Just the left now.

I really wouldn't mind so much if it weren't for the PMS arriving according to my old schedule. The cramps and stuff never bothered me a lot before because they'd only be for like a day, but it's non stop until it finally arrives, constant wondering at any errrm dischargy feelings (sorry ) oh is that AF arriving now? Argh! Sorry I know I'm harping on now, I'm just frustrated this evening and my boobs hurt like hell and I'm a bit freaked out as I don't want something to be wrong. And I don't really want invasive investigations either, that recent smear test was the first time I had any intimate exam without either crying or drugs being involved! I mean I will obviously as I need to find out if something is wrong, I just hate it, due to childhood stuff I'm not good with anything like that.