Not ovulating - HELP

[sunflower1993]

Hi all,

I'm sure this thread has been posted numerous times but I'm seeking advice. However, none seem to deal with my specific concerns and I'm just wondering whether people are currently in a similar situation.

Last year I was forwarded for blood tests due to irregular periods (my cycle ranges from 33 days to 42). The results came back as normal with progesterone slightly low but I was told it was 'nothing to worry about.' I also failed to go on the 'peak' days of my cycle which could explain this.

However, I'm now 27 and looking to start trying within the next twelve months (it was due to be imminent but I'll wait to see how COVID develops). I've purchased ovulation strips and at no point in my cycle are they showing any LH surges which indicates I'm not ovulating. In fact, at no point in the past 3 weeks have the sticks displayed any more than one line!

I will book an appointment with my doctors but they don't seem to take me seriously due to my age, despite my mum and nan both going into early menopause (39 and 42).

Has anyone else experienced similar regarding ovulation during lockdown?
Has 'slightly' low progesterone ever hindered anyone's conception?
How do you effectively track ovulation with such a haphazard cycle!?

I can't stop worrying and ruminating. It's making me feel unwell at this point because I'm obsessed with my fertility and I've just got this huge gut feeling that something is wrong.

Thanks in advance xxx

Well, I haven't been in your situation but I'll try to help.

Irregular periods aren't necessarily something to worry about. Mine vary from 28 to 42 days (average of 35). I still managed to have two children fairly easily. I found things such as stress had an obvious impact on cycle duration but even when not experiencing stress, I could never know when ovulation was due. It could be anytime between cd14 and cd25. Spent fortunes on opk's because of that.

However, the fact that your ovulation strips only ever show one line is really strange and potentially worrisome. Normally they almost always show two lines, with varying degrees of faintness, and the results is positive when the test line is as dark or darker than the control line.

So I'd start there :

• are you sure your ov tests are good ? (check expiration date, whether the brand is reliable, etc). I'd try a different brand just to see if the result is different.

• how to keep track of an irregular cycle : I started testing fairly early (around cd10) just to be sure I couldn't miss it. I'd test once a day at first then, when I was getting closer to ovulation, twice a day. For some people the surge can be quite short so testing twice a day makes it certain you can't miss it. It's usually recommended to test in the middle of the day (10h-18h) but I just tested in the mornings and evening (around 8h-20h).

Don't let doctors fob you off, but you may not be able to have investigations done until you've been trying for quite a while (12-24 months), considering your age. Unless you're able and willing to go private.

You could also try temping. I've never done it as it seemed quite a hassle and my situation was not the same as yours. But it could bring you some peace of mind as it's a way of knowing if you ovulated (whereas opk's only tell you there's been a LH surge).

Also remember that even if you are not ovulating, there are drugs that can help with that, such as clomid.

You many times a day are you testing with opks.

Many people who end up pregnant never get a positive. It may mean your surge is really short.

Trust bloodwork over opks all day long.

The best test of your fertility is ttc. It's really almost more art than science...

Hi @sunflower1993,
Even with the textbook 28 day cycles it is absolutely normal to have an anovulatory cycle every so often, don't be so hard on yourself. Try to monitor it for few months and don't jump into conclusions as yet. Remember the Opk tests do not confirm ovulation you better try bbt charting instead.
If you are worried just tell your Dr you have been trying for a year or explain your worries so you can have the blood tests done.

sunflower

A "normal" cycle is a cycle of between 21-35 days or with less than 4 days of variation from month to month.

Progesterone is however only part of the story. You need a day 2 blood test done to compare your LH level against that of FSH; if these are awry then ovulation is affected. These two hormone levels should measure the same (what many GPs can fail to do as well is compare these levels which is something that should be done).

Both OPKs are temp charting are problematic when the menstrual cycle is irregular like described.

OPKs work on two misleading principles; namely that a rise in LH is immediately followed by ovulation and that there is only one rise in LH every month. Both principles are not true.

You need blood tests done monthly ideally to fully establish what is going on and you need a diagnosis first and foremost. A referral to a subfertility unit should be sought. Do not mess about further with OPKs and temp charts (you could well end up with a chart nigh on impossible to interpret with any degree of accuracy); many gynaes as well do not take much note of these precisely because they are so unreliable.

Explain further to the GP you've already had blood tests done to investigate this and you've been trying for a year to date. Such issues too are outside their general remit and you do not want them to further potentially mess about in ignorance.

Bear in mind the op has not yet ttc! So cannot go back to gp and say ttc for a year, as that would be a lie!

Might be an idea to try ttc, as many women who think they'll have issues don't find that to be the case. Then again, they might struggle. But without trying, it's impossible to say what camp the op will fall into...

Unless I misread the whole we were going to start ttc, but then covid (understandably) put them off...

Ahh thank you for all the advice. It's been really helpful. I've been in a right panic over it but I know I just need to slow down and focus on the fact I haven't even tried yet, I've not been the doctors in the past twelve months and I think the ovulation strips may be rubbish after reading some reviews.

It's worth mentioning that I have fallen pregnant before in my late teens but sadly, it wasn't meant to be. I think this is part of the reason I worry as my mum/ nan both suffered from multiple early and late miscarriages.

It's also worth mentioning that I'm a teacher and my irregular cycle didn't begin until I had my first exam classes. I work an awful lot and struggle to relax- I appear to be 'late' in times of high stress and panicking is probably not going to aid ovulation.

I've added some of my more recent sticks for reference if anyone can make sense of this. Technically, I should be ovulating today!

@physicskate Covid has put me off- I wanted to try this Autumn so began tracking ovulation but we're looking to buy a house (currently renting a two bed flat) in the next 6 months and the instability has thrown me right off plans!

@Malysh this was such lovely advice. Nothing was sugar-coated for me which I feel I often get. I'll make sure when I ring the doctors I make them pursue it and take me seriously

I'm also classed as 'obese' (BMI over 30) but I'm a size 16 with a reasonable diet. I'm currently trying to lose a few stone before I TTC as I want to be in the best possible health for me and my baby

Hi all,

So glad I found this today!!

I decided to TTC about two months ago, so came off the pill. I know two months isn't long, BUT my concern is... I tracked and tracked and found my day of ovulation by using OPK, however I have had a period since... and it's been weeks and weeks... I am definitely not pregnant, I have used every type of test everyday for the past two/ three weeks. Why am I not having AF if I ovulated.

I am so worried something is wrong with me, and if I don't get AF, I can't continue to TTC.

Any advice please x

@glasses2020 I'm not sure if there's a direct message button on this as I'm very new but I wondered if you wanted to keep in touch as we're both in the same position/ seeking same support?

What ovulation tests have you used? I've just Peanut and learned that a lot of them are absolute crap which has put me at ease slightly haha!

Are you tracking your cycle every day of the month? Some people ovulate at really weird times for no obvious reason so could be worth a try? Xx

Hi Sunglowet!

I'm totally new to this too and am not so sure how it works either!! 😂 Yes is live to keep in touch!

I used cheap ovulation kits, some from Tesco, and some from home bargains. I feel quite confident that they worked because for weeks I had nothing but then I had some egg white CM, and some real cramping on my left side the day after the high OPK.

But I have tested for pregnancy loads and also have no symptoms, so what happens to the egg? Why is there no AF yet?

It's such a confusion isn't it! 🤷🏽‍♀️😂

Sunflower that should have said, sorry!