Is this normal for AF? Or should I visit a doctor?

[OhBling]

I was diagnosed with PCOS at age 19 and was on the pill more or less ever since to manage it. I am now 31. By the end of the time I was on it, AF was quite short (2-3 days) and very very light.

6 months ago I came off it as DH and I would like to have a baby. AF didn't come the first time for nearly 4 months. Then it came after 34 days and now 40 days. This sounds bad, but by my standards, this is pretty good because as a teenager, it was about once every 3 months.

But... all three times I've had AF since I came off the pill, it's been relatively heavy, especially for the first 24 hours, but astonishingly short - like 36 hours. Is tnis normal? Should I be concerned about such a short time? On the one hand, it's probably the same amount as before, just in a shorter time period but I'm not sure that such short periods is good?

Am happy to go to the doctor if it seems necessary, but don't want to be whining to him if this is normal....

Hi OhBling,

I have PCOS as well and my periods were very similar to yours in terms of both length and heaviness/lightness. They only used to last 2 or 3 days too.

It is actually quite possible to have periods without ovulating, with PCOS this is a distinct possibility.

If you have PCOS you may need some medical help in order to conceive. As you already have a PCOS diagnosis (presumably the GP is aware of this) I would be asking the GP at what point the referral to the hospital's subfertility unit will be made. I would be looking into getting a referral to such a unit and indeed the appt was made in my case after 6 months of ttc.

Verity's website may also be helpful to you -
www.verity-pcos.org.uk

any other questions just ask

Attila

Thanks Attila.

Currently, doctor wants to see what happens for a few months too (this is the conversation I had with him pre coming off the pill - especially as after more than 10 years on the pill and an early diagnosis, he feels that there is a good reason to see what nature comes up with) my plan is to go see him anyway by end of year, but if the very short periods are a "bad thing" then perhaps go earlier.

Currently seeing private doctor through work so need to register at NHS (private is so much easier but will need NHS for fertility - as I'm already PCOS diagnosed, although long ago, I can see private doctors to assess cycle, but not for fertility treatment itself).

I've never found the Verity website that helpful... is that bad?

I think what I need to do is prioritise getting registered at an NHS doctor so I can go straight onto the fertility things if need be?