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HI THERE,
HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CONCEIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR 8 MONTHS NOW WITH NO LUCK.
WAS ON THE PILL FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS SO MY CYCLE IS STILL ERATIC.
HOW LONG DO YOU WAIT TO SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE?
HAVE TRIED OPK BUT STOPPED BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS PUTTING TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON BOTH OF US.
HAVE NOT TOLD ANY FAMILY WE ARE TRYING YET FOR THE SAME REASON BUT IT IS HARD WITH NO ONE TO TALK TO.
ANY ADVICE.
THANKS, J
Hi J
Sorry to hear about your TTC problems. Not very nice! But this forum is full of really nice people who I'm sure you'll be friendly with in no time and we're all in the same boat.
From what I can gather, most doctors won't refer you on until you've been TTC for a year (I know that's the case in the UK and from what I've read here it seems to be similar in Aus) but you can ask them to do some blood tests to see if you are ovulating or where in your cycle you are, let them know you are TTC and I'm sure most doctors are helpful.
I was on the OCP for 8 years and my cycles were 5 weeks, then regular 6 weeks, bit annoying from the TTC point of view but great from the lack of backache point of view. Some people don't get regular cycles right away, but once your cycles start (can take months) it's usual for them to settle down. Oddly enough, my cycles were anything from 3-7 weeks pre-OCP and having them within 4 days of each other is quite odd from my PoV.
If you don't want to do OPKs there are other ways of checking your ovulation time. You can rely on EWCM (egg white cervical mucus), which your body makes just before you Ov. This looks like raw egg white (I can't be the only one who wondered if it was poached or boiled and hoped it wasn't fried, right?); there's usually quite a bit of it and it's slippery. You can also do temperature charts (like those with fertility friend), but that's less passive than just lookng for EWCM.
Do you have any other medical problems which could affect your TTCing, including things like weight? How old are you? Are your cycles (for example) 4-5 weeks, or are they really mad like 3-12 weeks? Have they become less eratic the later you go (like 3 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 5 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks, 5 weeks... would indicate a bit more settled, though you remember the earlier ones more so may not have noticed it)?
Best of luck to you with TTCing and I hope you get your baby soon!
Ryn.
It probably wouldn't hurt to go chat to a doctor now... they usually like you to have waited for 12 months, but if you suspect there may be a problem (like the irregular cycles), it probably wouldn't hurt to go see one about the irregular cycles and your concern that it will make ttc difficult/impossible. If you have a decent doctor, they should be willing to do some tests to put your mind at ease, even if they won't refer you on for complete assessment just yet - it all depends on age.
I think I've woken up feeling a little tetchy this morning... Using all capitals online is considered shouting, and generally frowned upon...
BW
I was having long irregular cycles after coming off the bcp and spoke to the dr about after 6 months and was referred to a gyn as the dr suspected I wasn't ovulating - not a great thing when you're TTC!
So I had all the blood tests etc, laproscopy and nothing wrong was found, I just don't ovulate! So, 12 months since TTC I'm on clomid to help me ovulate! I was really glad that I spoke to the dr early and didn't waste time!
DJTTC,
I have only been TTC for a few months but I suspected that I wasnt ovulating either. I decided to be proactive and so I saw my GP and he referred me to a fertility specialist. My specialist is so awesome, I gave him my history about my irregular cycles and I had an ultrasound and some blood tests. This has all happened in the past few weeks and I am on day 16 of my first Clomid cycle now and we are praying that the big O is just around the corner (no sign yet :( )
I wish you luck and definately recommend taking the first steps towards getting some help. Hey it cant help right!
Tink x
thanks guys for the replys and thanks for the heads up on using capitals.
ouch - I think i've got a lot to learn.
I am 26 but hubby 33 so probably don't want to wait too long to see a doctor.
I was thinking I would try one more month and then go see one.
I have been tracking my ewcm which I do seem to get and the opk have worked but still nothing.
On the pill my cycle was 28 days which lasted a couple of months as well after pill but then it ranges between 31 and 34 days although this month it was 36 days which concerns me.
I actually thought I might be preggers this month and tried not to get too excited but it was a huge let down.
It's funny you try for soooooooooo long not to get pregnant and then when you want it you can't do it.
I know there are people on here that are worse off but I'm sure we all know the great dissapointment of every month and the feeling of failing.
Any of you guys have children already or just starting out like me.
Thanks, J
Hi J
Sorry to disappoint you but with less than a week's difference, that's not classed as an irregular cycle. My cycles are about 10 days longer than yours (41-46 days) and so if I got to 49 days then I may think about testing, but not before.
I have no children either and right now am very bitter about it, but DH doesn't want to TTC now (or forever, I start to feel) so just have to take everything as it comes. At 26 you still have tonnes of fertility, not very helpful but everyone keeps saying that to me, but if you are worried do go see a doctor and see what they can do. Probably make "helpful" suggestions like BD every other day or stop worrying, but they might actually do something useful.
Best of luck to you.
Ryn.
Hi J,
I am 30 in May and DH and I are trying for our first child.
I have very irregular cycles most likely caused by PCOS (I have polysystic ovaries but no other symptoms..). I was nervous about seeing a specialist so early in our journey but I am so glad we did.
All the best.
Tink x
Hi Ryn and Tink,
It is so nice to be able to finally talk to someone going through the same thing!
Tink good luck with your first clomid cycle, I really hope it works for you.
I bet you are sooooooo relieved you went to a doctor early on.
Ryn sorry to hear your not having much luck either, yours is quite a long cycle, I haven't done any research but do you know if it means anything.
I find it so annoying because if it goes a day over you automatically jump to the conclusion that you are preggers and then get that dissapointment.
I guess the only thing we can do is try to be positive but some days you just can't pull yourself out of it.
Don't feel guilty about being bitter, we all have that.
I feel real anger at all these young girls getting preggers with no husband and its just because they don't want to work and think it will be sooooooo easy.
Then you get people like us who would be great parents and it takes ages.
We will get there, J
J, you're just the same as me! I could scream when I hear about teenagers being given free houses when we can't afford anything like my taxes pay for them! Then they just have more and more to get more money and don't get married because their benefits will stop - what sort of mad society do we live in?
Anyway, cycle length means nothing, it's luteal phase (post-ov) length that's the important bit as that's the amount of time the eggie has to get down the tubes and implant safely. It's meant to be the same for every woman, but in the 2 cycles I know I O'd I've had 11 days then 20 days so was most excited last cycle for nothing - so just waiting to find out if I have a normal length if I settle down a bit! I O'd on the 17th so AF is due anywhere between Monday 27th and the 8th of March! I'm thinking probably first weekend in March, or just before, as that fits in with the six weeks thing. Anyway, know I'm not pg this cycle so aren't too worried, but I want DH to worry a bit and change his mind so we can TTC sooner!
Ryn.
Hey Ryn,
I am confused about something!
I read everywhere that you will get AF two weeks after you ovulate, yet I get the ewcm when I o but I don't always get AF two weeks later.
Even when I have tried opk it hasn't been excately two weeks, is it only approx. two weeks.
Thanks, J
The medical books I have are all written for doctors, so only ever talk about a 2-week luteal phase when that's not always the case.
Basically, a woman gets her sperm-friendly EWCM, ovulates on either the last day or the day after the EWCM: once she has ovulated that's luteal phase. Luteal phase is meant to be constant and can be any length, not just 14 days, though "normal" is 10-19 days. Consistantly less than 10 days means the egg may not be able to implant and more than 3 weeks is just cruel. Again, I think a day or two out isn't abnormal for a luteal phase, but like the main cycle if you're looking at differences of more than a week there's something odd going on.
If you know how long your luteal phase is normally that may save some heartache - if it's always 12-14 days then you needn't get worried about CD33 when it's only 11DPO, IYSWIM. That way you know on 16dpo it's a better time to test. There are some medications that can extend a luteal phase if it's shorter than 10 days so if you have a short one your doctor can help with that.
Oh I just need to add that I try to be happy for other girls who get pregnant and not be too envious but sometimes it doesnt work...Did you see in the paper yesterday about the 63 year old Californian woman who just had her 12th baby....I actually think thats quite cruel...(hope that doesnt offend anyone) but she is unlikely to be around for much of his life and knowing how much I rely on my mum I just feel sad for the little one...
On a positive now, surely if she can do it....My fingers and toes are crossed for all of us!