Thread for TTCers with Long Cycles

by **worriedmarried** » Tue Feb 21, 2022 9:40 pm

hey mar09
thks for your response
definately going to give the acc a go- just started on the ac- hope it hasnt actually lengthened it as i am now a week late on af :o(

when would you say would be good to start this for my next cycle- if this one ever finishes!!
best of luck for your appt- i have a docs appt in 2 weeks so not sure what that will bring but hopefully start trying to get some answers... have you been trying long now?

x

by **mar09** » Tue Feb 21, 2022 11:28 pm

Well i don't know if you could call it trying as i wasn't ovulating but i came off the pill 13 months ago to start trying but alas it didn't work out like that :o(

Anyways, good news is that the app went well enough today. The consultant confirmed what i knew already myself that i have pcos and has started me on clomid. She also took bloods for a full hormonal analysis. At least now my condition will be treated and at the very least hopefully my cycles will shorten now that i'm on the clomid. Have to get bloods done again 3 weeks from today and if they show that i ovulated i keep on the clomid till my next app which is in 3 months, that is of course unless i get pregnant between now and then. If they show that i didn't ovulate then she'll up my clomid dose. So that's where i'm at. All was fine with my hubby so at least we have no added complications to my problems!

You should probably wait to get a period before you start the acu as at least then the acupuncturist will know where you're at in your cycle and therefore work on the correct points. Hopefully your doc will shed some light on your situation but honestly if i were you i'd ask to be referred to a specialist. :babydust:

by **worriedmarried** » Wed Feb 22, 2022 9:26 pm

hi,
thats great news for you, at least u can start to get things moving now...
i have my doubts now as to whether i even ov as although getting pos on the sticks cos i am ov so late I just dont know what to think and have also been wondering if i could have pos due to my irregular cycles. 12 mths for me now off the pill O:|

just started spotting today which is nearly 10 days later then last few cycles which puts me at around 53 days- so dont kno why its late again now- the longest was 57 prev but was hoping that would be the last time!

so keen to try acu now so will give it a go when AF finished- just wish she would come and go now so i can start again :o(

by **mar09** » Wed Feb 22, 2022 9:37 pm

Oh believe me i feel your pain, after coming off the pill in Jan 2011, my first cycle was 91 days, next was 56 days, next was 81 days and then the last one was 180 days. I don't think i ov'd on any of those cycles. I got a pos opk on the 56 day cycle so maybe i did ov on that one but the fact that i have pcos means i would have been getting false positives on the opk's as my body would have been gearing up for ovulation but then it wouldn't happen. I suppose the fact of the matter is that if you're having irregular cycles then there's a hormonal imbalance somewhere which means that there is something wrong somewhere but chances are its only something small and very treatable. I knew myself for the past few months that i had the pco! That's why i'd be inclined to tell you not to waste anymore time and to get a referral because at the end of the day you're better off seeing a gynae than your gp! Hope your period just comes on now and you can get started on the acu for the time being anyways. :babydust:

by **worriedmarried** » Thu Feb 23, 2022 1:28 pm

gosh you poor thing, thats so head wrecking....
i have always had a pos on the opks but like you say not sure if i am actually ov. i did start temping but stopped again as was doing my head in :o)ll

i am quite worried now that i have pcos (my sis has too)- does the doc test you for this? i have my appt next week and have no idea what to ask - but was thinking i should say that i have been ttc longer then 1 year even though im nearly 35 now to ensure that they take action, what did you do?
do they refer you straight away or do you have to push for it? how did you get your oh along mine wont come with me yet (very nervous of doing the tests- men!) and said it would come in a few months but i know that me on my own is only half of the problem so im not sure what they will do for me on my own but at least they may be able to do bloods or test me for pcos as i know the cycles are my issue!! sorry for all the q!! :duh:

by **mar09** » Sat Feb 25, 2022 9:29 pm

My doc actually suggested that i go to a specialist. He just said that there was obviously something wrong that my cycles were so long and irregular so there was no point waiting any longer. I think if your gp is any good at all they will say the same as really anything over 12 months warrants a referral to a clinic! If your gp does refer you to a fertility specialist then your oh will have to go along with you as the app will be for both of you. My hubbie didn't mind at all, he just wants us to get sorted so that i can get pregnant asap :-)

To answer your questions re the pcos, there is a good chance that you do have it with the fact that its in your family and you are having long irregular cycles. My doc didn't think i had it as he said i would have been overweight but i knew he was wrong about that as i had read up on it and knew that while being overweight can be a sign or symptom of pcos you don't have to be over weight to have it! That's why i think you're better off going to a gynae cos at the end of the day they are the experts in that area whereas as good and all as your doc may be most of them aren't that great when it comes to fertility. Some doctors might be able to diagnose pcos by your hormone levels taken on day 3 of your cycle but really an internal scan is the only way to confirm the diagnosis. Hope you get some answers and a referral soon.

mammymcphee · by **mammymcphee** » Sun Feb 26, 2022 3:49 pm

hi girls,
havnt been on in ages. I got my bfp on 17th january, but couldnt tell as have some friends on wol. hope to see you all in p&b really soon.
:babydust:

by **mar09** » Mon Feb 27, 2022 3:55 pm

Ah that's great news mammymcphee, congrats

by **worriedmarried** » Mon Feb 27, 2022 9:31 pm

congrats mammymcphew- and re assuring to know it can still happen with long cycles :o)ll

mar09 I am defo going to request a test for pcos and a referral thanks to see what is going on hopefully- just want to take things to the next level now... think hubbie will come with if they refer me - he will have to as im only 50% of the problem and without him we just dont have the big picture. have my appt thurs so everything crossed something happens from there... i spoke to my friend who does my reflex today to tell her i was thinking of accu to sort my cycles as the reflex didnt help after 3 sessions this time.. my cycle was actually 10 days longer (af finally arrived yest) and have also stopped again with ac as worried that may have delayed as well as first cycle trying it- just so

hard to know what is causing it- have also been quite stresed this cycle - and hard weekend with my dads annivesary of his death so guess they all could be contributers...
she is advising me not to try acu till i have had more reflex sessions as its not as effective to chop and change and i havent left it long enough to work but i just dont want to waste any more time... just dont know what to think at this stage.. may just wait and see what doc says but i dont think they really agree with the hollistic approach :eek

- will be on day 5 of cycle so not sure if they can do anything then

by **mar09** » Mon Feb 27, 2022 10:48 pm

Don't think it would matter that you're swapping from reflexology to Acupuncture to be honest! I have decided to leave all interventions now as in reflexology and acupuncture and just try the clomid on its own first. If my long cycles were unexplained then i would keep the acu up to see if it would improve things for me but now that i know the reason for the long cycles i think i'll let the drugs try and fix the problem!

Stress definitely doesn't help things so maybe now that you know you're going to the doc and you're going to seek a referral maybe you will be able to relax a bit now. Sorry to hear that you've lost your Dad, anniversaries are really hard!

Ask your doc to take bloods for a full hormonal analysis. Day 3 - 7 is optimal time for this so at last you'll have that much done. There's not a lot else you can do then until your app with the specialist to be honest. Hope your app with the doc goes well. Let me know how you get on!

by **worriedmarried** » Tue Feb 28, 2022 8:39 pm

hi there
to be honest i was thinking that myself so i am going to wait and see what doc says before i do anything else i think... came off agnus castus again this week too.
i do think stress is quite a contributor althou i dont always feel outwardly stressed im sure i am overthinking everything...
have heard lots about clomid on here, what does it do for pcos?
i am getting my list of q and previous cycle history ready also....
will defo let you know how i get on O-O

by **cheekywife2011** » Fri Mar 23, 2022 9:41 am

hi ladies think im officially going to join you here, came off the pill last July and have had only 2 periods since then last of which was 15th Nov am at my wits end. Have been putting off goig to the doctor and started Agnus Castus last week just to see if it brings on anything but no joy so far
Any of you that have tried Agnus Castus how long did you stay on it and did you find it beneficial think i know myself that i need to make an appointment with doctor at this stage am hoping its not pcos and that my body is still adjusting to being off the pill although i would have thought that by now it shoudl be out of my system
Any advice girls

by **worriedmarried** » Sun Mar 25, 2022 9:55 am

hi ladies,
well went to the docs a couple of weeks ago, got my 21 day bloods done(normal) and ultrasound - with suspected polycistic ovaries...! mar09 i think your post gave me the nudge to go so thank you for that... feel relieved in a way as it explains my really long cycles. have a follow up with doc in a wks time to discuss next steps and am guessing i will be prescibed clomid? is that the only medication does anyone know? does this shorten your cycles at all or just wake up your ovaries? My sis has this with her first child so i am hopeful still that we still have a chance but the long cycles are difficult as we have to wait so long to ov, if i am at all. - is anyone else in this boat?
thanks x

by **MrsPositive** » Fri Mar 30, 2022 11:29 am

hi worried married glad you got some answers as to the reason behind your long cycle so best of luck unfortunately I cant answer any of the questions though.

Mammymcphee suggested i join here so here I am!

Im concerned as I was on the pill for years and so sorry I didnt come off the pill for a year before my wedding. what a disaster. Im 36 since earlier this year and ttc for nearly a year, but in fairness the first few months we were dtd at the wrong times etc. then got cbfm and got pregnant first time (chemical pregnancy in the end) but we were hopeful.

now my cycle has gone from 41 days after the chemical pregnancy to 34 days last cycle to 36+ this cycle.

I went for accupuncture and it seems to have lengthened my cycle, im so annoyed as she took me for 5 sessions and wanted me to go for two more all within the one month.

Just started agnus cactus last night and hoping that will help.

wishing you all the best and heres hoping we get our BFP,

xxxx Im 17dpo today according to the monitor (thats if i can take it that i ovulated after the Peak days) and nada and hpts negative.

by **mar09** » Fri Mar 30, 2022 12:17 pm

Hi ladies,

I started Clomid in feb and had my first regular cycle hence the lack of me posting/visiting this thread since. I'm on cd 10 of my second clomid cycle so i'm hoping that this will be another normal cycle. However i said i'd come on here to see if i can help by answering any of your questions. So here goes!

Worriedmarried, if you have it you should be able to see what looks like a string of pearls around your ovaries, could you see that on your ultra sound? If PCOS is confirmed you may be prescribed clomid or metformin depending on your symptoms etc. Clomid is a drug used to induce ovulation so if you are put on it and you respond well you should ovulate at the right time i.e day 14 - 16 and therefore you will have a normal cycle. If it kick starts your ovaries to work at the right time then this should help the other symptoms of pcos if you have any. For eg it appears that i ovulated on time last month and as a result had my first normal cycle since coming off the pill in Jan 2011 and my beautican with whom i'm having electrolysis done fortnightly said and i agree with her that my facial hair isn't as bad so the clomid is definately working for me. It doesn't work for everone though and it may take a few months to find the correct dosage that works for you or you could be lucky and it could work first month on a low dosage.

cheekywife2011 - if i were you i wouldn't put off going to the doctor any longer. Your period should have returned to normal by now so you should at the very least have your bloods taken on day 3 and 21 (or 7dpo if you don't ovulate in or around day 14 of that cycle). This will give the doc a good idea of your hormone levels. If there's nothing wrong then you'll have piece of mind and well if there is something it may just be a small thing thats easily fixed so why wait any longer! AC didn't work for me. Took it for 3 months, that particular cycle lasted 6 months so i took it for 3 months and then was off it for 3 months before a period finally arrived. It does work for some people though, however if you do have pcos i don't think it will work for that. It's not the worst thing you could have either, just means you may need a little medicated help to get pregnant.

Mrspositve - It's such a pity you ended up with such a bad therapist! If you find one thats recommended on these boards by other ladies in the same boat as yourself, then i would highly recommend giving it another go. Try and get one that specialises in fertility though. I see that you responded to my post in the 2ww thread so you know what you should be looking for in a therapist now. It may just be a case that your hormones haven't settled back fully after the chemical pregnancy. I wonder is it a case that you didn't ovulate then as 17dpo you would imagine either a period or a positive hpt. Don't want to deflate you but maybe your body geared up to ovulate but it just didn't happen. I don't know much about the monitors though so take what i say with a pinch of salt. Have you been to a doc and had your bloods done?

Hope i've answered some of your questions girls!!!

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