Has anyone experienced a severe lack of AF? ?

I was just wondering if anyone is in the same boat as me, or at least experienced something similar in the past?? I've had no AF since coming off BCP last year in Aug...

I have been seeing a FS since January, and I need a Laparoscopy and won't be covered by Private health until November. FS is working on situation as has been for over a month now. And I'm just really sick of it all. It just seems that everyone else in the world has a female body that actually works and I'm stuck with this confused and seemingly clueless 1!

I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance that everything will be ok and that we will eventually get to the bottom of this situation.

I really thought ( and silly I know) that after this long I would be at least pretty close to being PG. Thanks for listening.. I guess I'm having a woah is me moment! :cry:

Cant help u im afraid.... once i stopped BCP in Oct 05' AF continued just as regular and i feel pg in Feb 06'

Good luck with tests and i hope you get a BFP real soon :)

Hi smuggle!
I hear you!! I am in the same boat!
I knew I would have problems with ovulation and therefore AF though before I went off the BCP because that is the reason that I went onto it.
I have PCOS...so don't ovulate and don't get AF.
I have been taking CLomid and it hasn't been working and so I have had to take PRovera to get AF and then start Clomid again.
So nope you aren't alone!
Do you have PCOS? have you been tested for it?
SAM :)

Hi Smuggle

I stopped taking BCP in early March and haven't had AF yet, but that's nothing compared to what you are going through. My heart goes out to you :hug: .

I am trying acupuncture next week as I've heard a lot of success stories about it regulating cycles, fingers crossed!!!!!

Wishing you the best of luck :)

hun - you are SO not alone in this boat, i promise!!

i am like Sammy88 and have PCOS, so ovulation and AF are rare naturally - in fact we had a m/c in December 2005, and without going on meds, AF wouldn't have arrived still! i have been on both primulut and provera - and even then my body doesn't always respond!

i'd be asking the FS to investigate why AF isn't arriving (ie, u/s and hormone bt's) - and seeing if he can do something to trigger AF - you can't move onto anything else until she shows up! good luck hun

Smuggle, I went off BCP early March this year and had a very small AF 3 days later and then my cycle was 48 days cycle so had to wait ages for next AF and i'm currently 16 days from last period so hoping its only 28 day cycle this time around and beyond! Before BCP i was always 28day cycle on time every time so hope it goes back to that.

I really hope you get AF or BFP very very soon so you have something at least! I'm sorry you have had to wait so long to get answers. fingers crossed it all happens soon!

Hi Smuggle and other gals,
You are SO not alone! I actually just logged on to have a giant whinge myself and saw your post!
I think I'm winning in the waiting-for-AF stakes - it's been since June 06 for me - not a race I want to be winning though... So I'm nearly at the 12 month mark. Ugh.

I've been so patient (well relatively) and in the last few months have been trying everything to get AF to return. I'm taking gross herbs from my naturopath 2 x a day, as well as a host of other supplements, plus I started acupuncture about 5 weeks ago. I actually was FULLY convinced that I ovulated about 2.5 weeks ago, and then was having major PMS symptoms (sore boobs, bad skin, grumpy etc) so I was completely sure that AF would arrive this week... and... NOTHING!!! ARGH!!! Oh and there's NO chance I'm preg.

I'm just so over this whole thing now. It's so incredibly frustrating. Why doesn't my body work???

Anyway you're definitely not alone - just have faith and eventually AF will return (though I think I've just about lost faith for myself now...).


ETA - my FS says I need FSH injections to make me ovulate - but we don't want to take that path until we actually want to fall preg (which is not right now as I'm still finishing uni this year) - but I just want my cycles to return naturally and don't like the idea of 'tricking' my body and becoming preg when maybe it's not ready for it...

You probably have tried it but try "vitex agnus castus" tablets from chemists. i bought Blackmores. took it for 4 days and my AF came after a long 48day cycle (long for me). after coming off BCP.... have you tried that? give it a go as lots of ppl reccommend it and it helped me... good luck :) you must be so over it poor thing (helps regulate hormone balance)

Hi Renstar,
Yep I'm taking vitex daily, first thing in morning - have been for about 2.5 months now. It's called Premular.

I'm just about tearing my hair out. Trying NOT to stress because stress is one of the reasons I'm having probs in the first place - but that's easier said than done. I must say the acu makes a big difference in the way I feel - so that's something positive at least.
But man I have spent a LOT of $$$ - I'd estimate around $700 - on supps, acu and naturopath stuff. We joke about the 'million dollar baby' that we'll eventually have...

I think maybe we got everything working except the actual process of AF, so fingers crossed that AF arrives next cycle... if I'm having cycles?!?

Plus like all other girls I'm surrounded by babies and preg women - and of course on mother's day was hassled by gran-in-law about it - "You'll be a mother next mother's day". I just want to tell them all to BUTT OUT - and say something like "Oh well see I'm not able to bleed to so I can't have children" - terrible I know but you just get so sick of it all....

Mrs P, i'm sorry you are going through all this... you deserve a big fat BFP!!!! I hope you get it very soon... try to relax (i know easier said than done) but stress really isn't good for our bodies or minds! I am a stresser too. I try not to be. I am a worrier too! Try not to be!!!

Ignore what others say, ppl can be so hurtful and insensitive but can't understand as they haven't been through it themselves. it must be very hard for you when there are lots of mums and babies and you see them every day.... :hugs:

Mrs P,

Sorry to read about your AF woes. I'm having some AF trouble myself.

I came off the BCP at the beginning of Jan 07. My husband and I got clucky and decided it was time to see what we could do. I had been on the BCP for 15 years... so this was pretty scary stuff for me. I went on the pill due to an irregular cycle when I was 16. I asked my gyno about this some time ago and she told me that "I probably don't ovulate" so if we don't get pregnant within 6 months then I may need meds - I'm guessing Clomid...

Anyway did some reading on the net to discover that if I knew when I ovulated then I could predict when AF would arrive. Tried Maybe Baby (hopeless) and have now moved on to Ovunow OPKs (seem to work well). Anyway after a lot of waiting I did ovulate and the first cycle was 84 days long! OPK told me the O date and then AF arrived 14DPO. A VERY long cycle but apparently that's ok after you've been on BCP.... I've ovulated again now and am headed for a 54 day cycle - but hopefully will get a BFP :crossfingers: If not then I hope my cycle will be reduced in length again next time.

Have you been to your GP or gyno? From my experience you're best to get a referral to a good gyno. Sure, GPs know their stuff but they are a "jack of all trades" and know a little about a lot of things. Specialists are the experts in the field tend to be far less alarmist....

I know you said you weren't trying to conceive yet but trust me when you decide you want to, you REALLY want to and its best to get all the info about your body that you can and be prepared.

Good luck

Thanks sooooo much everyone... you all know exactly what to say in such a situation!

I am trying to keep my chin up and think of all the positives I have in my life at the moment and how lucky I am to have such a supportive husband etc etc We really are blessed with everything else we have in life and a little bubs would just be such addition to the little family we have already created together.

I guess it's when nothing much is happening and you just get more and more frustrated as time goes by. It's just seems such a waste of time when you're waiting on someone else to contact you regarding everything. I have great specialist - who was referred to me by a very close friend.. and I really like him. He has been so quick with everything else that I just hoped that this wouldn't be any different.

I hope that your Mrs P, Renstar and all the others get to the bottom of everything you hope for too! It makes it so cool when you can talk to people in very similar situations so I thankyou all for that.

I took a whole bottle of Agnus Castus (Chastberry thingymagig) and NOTHING! My FS suggested that he should put me on something to bring on AF then onto something like Clomid I think to make me ovulate etc. I had some blood tests done to see what my hormone levels indicate etc... and they indicated a very mild form of PCOS. I gues that explains the fact that I only had my period every few months as a teenager before going on the pill. I'm so annoyed that I left it this late to see what my body's doing. I really thought that it would only take my body a few months to get itself back in order and that I may only have one chance every couple of months to fall pregnant, but I NEVER anticipated this trouble.

OH well ... I 'm a big believer in things happening for a reason and that things happen exactly when they should. Until then ... I guess I just have to be patient (not very easy for someone like me! )

Thanks again girls.. and keep in touch! XX :)

Smuggle best wishes and i hope it all works out for you, you deserve it :)

I'm another one in the same boat. It is so nice to find people to commiserate with!

I stopped BCP in Jan 05 and had my first period in August - not quite as long as some of you girls! When I asked the GP about he said 'Oh, that's normal. Anyway, you're young, you've got plenty of years to have a baby - why rush??' Grrr! I could have socked him one! Like it's any of his business when I want to have a baby. Anyway, I have a happy ending - My 2nd cycle after stopping BCP I Ovulated at about CD 55 or something and got a BFP. Now we are TTC #2 and I'm back to endlessly long cycles. At least I have a supportive GP this time who is going to run some tests and try to help me.

It is so frustrating to want to have a baby and you feel like you can't even START TTC until your body decides to come to the party and 'recover' from BCP. I would say go for the provera/clomid routine. I have heard HEAPS of success stories and 9-12 months is really way to long to wait for AF!! Good luck!

Hi Girls

Just wanted to know your opinions. I stopped taking the BCP 10 weeks ago and have not yet had AF. Started going to acupuncture this week and at least the terrible PMS symptoms have eased!!! The acupuncturist is really positive about getting my cycles more regular, so I am looking forward to further treatment. What I am wondering is - should I go and see my GP anyway. I conceived both of my DDs naturally (about 10-11 months TTC), so should I just be patient and see how acupunture goes????

Thanks for advise

Best wishes to you all :)

Hi Jen,

If you are concerned you could see your GP or maybe wait until the 3 month mark? Were your periods regular before the bcp and DD's?

Smuggles you are most definitely not alone with a body that just won't do what it is meant to. I too have PCOS so my AF were feral. My record was 94 days with my AF induced with provera and another drug.
But as you can see from my ticker I have just given birth to my gorgeous precious daughter, so please don't lose hope of getting your BFP.
Some of us ladies just need a little bit of extra help to be able to hold a baby in our arms.
Best of luck.

Hey Smuggle - just wondering if you were still waiting for AF? Unfortunately I am :doh:
Hope things are going much better for you!! ;)

Mrs P - if you're looking to TTC in 2008 i would seriously consider going to the FS to look at having AF induced and give clomid a go. there's no guarantee it will work first time (or at all) but you don't want to leave it several more months before experimenting - we started clomid in august 2006 - after having a visit from AF forced using primulut (provera doesn't work for me) - no success even on three tabs a day of clomid. ended up having 8 attempts at iui with FSH injections last year before moving to IVF - it's not something you want to wait around for if you can help it. you may find the FS will want to do additional tests, so it can take a while to actually get anywhere along the ttc journey...

good luck hun

Hey BG - thanks for the post :)
We're going to wait until my hormone results on Jan 18 before making our next decision...

I'm clinging to the hope that removing the cause of my stress (uni) will help things... and I should be done in April :pray: I've had PCOS ruled out, and it seems that the only cause of my secondary amenorrhea is stress, I just don't fit any other categories.
So it's likely that all my adrenal hormones will be depleted, and hopefully my new naturopath will help me sort them out.

But I am fairly realistic - I'd like to sort it out 'naturally' but I know that we need to set a deadline and see the FS again if it's not sorted. I guess because I've still got a bit of time on my side, and because at this stage I'd like to work for the rest of 2008 and have a bub in early 2009... well I guess that means I want to get pg in about 6-9 mths from now... so maybe we'll set June this year as the deadline...

But it's SO frustrating to know that even if we wanted to be pg now, we can't!! Argh. :wall:

this might sound weird, but having it checked now might help you out - i'm sure the lack of AF is possibly due to stress, but stressing about lack of AF will make it even worse! is it possible to get something happening to see if you can get back on the O track without actually trying (so ovulate, but avoid BD at the fertile time) - would possibly help to calm you down...

i know how extremely frustrating it is to just not know - or, to be like me, know, and know that what works for 4 out of 5 people just won't work for me! grrrrrr!

good luck with finishing your uni stuff and getting on the right track! and remember, just cos you think you'll start to try in June, it doesn't mean you'll have luck straigh up - so your early 2009 baby might not happen (sorry, just trying to be the voice of reason - i've been through that heartache of expecting it to happen and then finding out it wouldn't!)

BG you are the voice of reason ha ha. You make a good point. Several good points actually!!
I'm holding off until the hormone test results and we'll make our decision based on how good/bad they are. As much as the 'natural' way sits better with me (and my TCM therapist and naturopath) I may have to go to the 'dark side' ha ha. Time will tell!!

the dark side really isn't that bad hunny - when your body just wont play the game when you've tried everything else, well, you don't have a choice!

the 18th isn't too bad a wait time - get your results, talk to gp and see what they think - and don't be too stressed about seeing a FS - mine is fantastic and would prefer minimal intervention where possible...

Hi there i had a D&C 10 weeks ago after i had a miscarage, still no AF , went to doc today she is worried that i might have ashermans back , i had it 13 years ago, she rang the hospital to see someone i now have a app next friday, some action at last , i fell i am running out of time.

Hi bettyboop,
Fingers crossed that your appt goes well - at least you've got some action happening, and you'll get an answer soon - good luck!

I Stopped the pill and got AF back for about 5 months then it stopped completely for 8 months and came back the cycle after my wedding. ( stress maybe ????) Then I fell pregnant 2 months after that.

Good luck hope it gets sorted for you.

Hi Kristy - thanks!! Glad to hear that it does come back ha ha.
In the last 4 years I've gotten married, built a house and have been doing my PhD, so stress is definitely the cause. But I'm hopeful that it will resolve soon!!