Weird cycle - reassurance please!

[PeriodWhereAreYou]

I'm having a bit of a weird cycle and wondered if anyone's had similar.

I track my bbt and am pretty sure that I ovulated on day 10 or 11. I'm currently on day 24 and my app says my period is due today, but so far just have very crampy back and legs and the tiniest amount of pink discharge which doesn't seem to be turning into a proper flow.

For info, I am very much NOT trying to conceive. It would be a disaster. DH and I didn't have any PIV sex last month at all, but did, ahem, fool around in other ways during my fertile window. Nothing occurred that could realistically have led to pregnancy (no penetration at all, just oral) and yet I'm starting to feel slightly paranoid... (DH thinks I'm crazy).

I had some random spotting on day 18, more random spotting on day 22, and now (day 24), Im spotting and cramping and hoping that AF is on the way!

I've taken two pregnancy tests today, just in case, both negative.

I guess my question is, would negative tests be reliable at 14dpo? (internet suggests they should be).

Given that I haven't actually had sex last month, please reassure me that my pregnancy fears are pure paranoia! I'm sitting here wondering why I've had such a weird cycle (the spotting is unusual - I often spot a bit the day before full flow starts, but not usually in this stop-start way). For reference, I'm 42 so my cycles could just be going a bit wonky with age?

Bump

How's it going op? I was just scanning the health threads before posting something very similar to yours...

Hi there 80skid. Well, my period arrived properly the next day and all was fine, so I'm just putting it down to a slightly off cycle (I don't usually get spotting for that long before my period, but am nearly 43 so probably getting into peri/low progesterone territory).

What's going on with you? I hope it's somewhat reassuring to you that my (frankly quite bonkers) pregnancy worries turned out to be totally unfounded. I think pms anxiety actually had a lot to do with it 🙃

I'm glad you're ok 👍
Very similar story, similar age, less than no desire to conceive. Usually very regular cycle now 8 days late. Just wondering if we weren't as careful as we ought to have been after some Christmas cheer. But here I am googling early pregnancy symptoms and wondering if I should do a test or wait it out.
Hopefully just a wonky cycle too...

At 8 days late, a test should be conclusive either way, so I'd say take one ASAP. Chances are it'll be negative and you'll have the weight off your mind (and be able to stop panic googling symptoms), and in the unlikely event that it's positive, better to know as early as possible (knowledge is power and all that).

You're absolutely right of course. It's admitting I'm genuinely concerned enough to go buy a test though. The thought of it being positive is not anything I want to consider. Mind you, a future of unpredictable perimenopausal periods isn't filling me with joy either!
Thank you.

I did a negative pregnancy test, so less worried now. If this is what perimenopause has in stall for me, I'll miss my regular as clockwork cycle. I never thought I'd say that!
Thanks for being kind OP, it was nice to not confide in real people in case difficult decisions needed to be made...

Thanks for the update, 80skid , I've been wondering how you were getting on. Phew! I'm very glad the test was negative.

And i know what you mean about missing predictable periods! But this doesn't automatically mean every month is going to suddenly be strange. This may be just one random cycle. Maybe contact your GP if there's still no sign in another week...