How do I know if i'm ovulatating if I don't get my period?

cdm1984

Ok my husband and I are trying to get pregnant and so far.......it's been more fun than serious about what we are doing/trying to achieve. Obviously I dont want to loose the fun aspect.

I have always suffered from painful and heavy periods or times when I have had no periods. I think I have polycystic ovaries and its also a family inherited thing. I came off the pill in October and had my period in November and December....but since then nothing.

So I am at a loss! If I am not getting my period, how will I know I am ovulating and therefore know when to try and concieve......its a bit frustrating and expensive because I am not getting my period, I think I am pregnant and get a test but nothing....

Can anyone advise or has anyone gone through the same? I will make a doc appointment soon.

CDM1984

DetectivFoxtrot

you won't know for sure unless you begin charting your fertility signs. Here is a link to a a charting website:-
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/

charting online is free, or you could pay a little extra (bout €3 a month) and become a subscribing community member. There are thousands of women on there and the support is excellent.

It is very difficult to know if you've ovulated if you don't have regular periods, I sympathise and am in the same boat. I have learned so much about my cycle since I started to chart last May, and would highly recommend it. If you wanted to start afresh, I would suggest you go visit your doctor and ask for Provera (I think that's the name) - this brings on your period and kicks your body into starting a new cycle, or just naturally wait it out (in any case, you can begin charting straight away).

You'll know definitively that you ovulated by a sustained basal thermal shift. After ovulation your 'resting' body temperature increases, and usually stays high until the onset of your period. This is because progesterone in released just after ovulation and that hormone causes a temp rise.
In order to measure your body temp you need to purchase a basal thermometer (bout €10 online) and take your temp as soon as you wake up each morning. It sounds like a chore but you get used to it. You need to take your temp at the same time each morning (or with half an hour at the most) and do it as soon as you wake up. Don't go the loo, or hit snooze, as any actions could cause your temp to rise naturally, you need to get your 'resting' temperature. Most thermometers store the last temp taken so don't worry about writing it down there and then, you can take it, fall back asleep, and then add it to your chart later.
Lots of people think that ovulation trip tests confirm that you're ovulating - they don't. All they do is measure the hormone that surges at the time of ovulation - LH (Luteinising Hormone). When the surge occurs ovulation usually occurs, but not always. So the only way to confirm ovulation is by your temp.

You can monitor other fertility signs. Your CM (cervical mucous) changes during different stages of your cycle. During non fertile times it is sticky (thick, pasty, crumby, not stretchy), this type of mucous is to protect the cervix and uterus, and is actually hostile to sperm. It gets creamier (like lotion) leading up to fertile time. When it turns watery (clear, wet) you are very near your 'fertile window' and you should have intercourse every other day, when it changes to an 'egg white' consistency (slippery, clear, stretchy) you are very fertile. After ovulation your CM dries up, and you enter the Luteal Phase of the cycle (when the progesterone rises) and if fertilisation did not occur at ovulation you will get your period (about 10-15 days after ovulation).

I use ovulation tests, montior my CM and take my temps. As a result I now have a very good handle on my cycle and when I have been ovulating.

Best of luck

May79

Oh my god that is great advice

sootiescot

Hi May79 you can also have day 21 bloods done for progestern to see if you have ovulated. These are normally taken 7 days after ovulation. Women with normal cycles,28 days, usually ovulate around day 14.

I found temping and opks usefull.

mell61

I'd also recommend a really good book about female reproduction (ie its not just about TTC, it covers up to menopause) called 'Taking Charge of Your fertility ' by Toni Weschler. It covers using your temperature and your body indicators to track and monitor what your body is doing. I though I was fairly well versed in all aspects of fertility, but this book does present some thing that I hadn't considered!
The book isn't cheap, but since buying it I've loaned it out to a heap of friends who are TTC, so per user its paid off, most have ended up buying their own copy - its around €25 in bookstores, but cheaper online, if you dont mind the delay for posting it.
I'm sure you are already aware that one of the best things to do with PCOS is lose weight, a lot of experts reckon 10% weight loss (if you are carrying any excess) can make a huge difference. Please don't think I'm being insensitive suggesting that, but a lot of doctors won't go near the topic of weight and fertility, yet if you end up at a fertility clinic they won't touch you unless your BMI is under 30!

May79

Another question as usual.... having taken provera and clomid for 1 month. I have a script for a second month. I know that i must do a pt before taking the next round of both but when do i do this? As in when do we start the second round of provera? CD28 or what? Doc has confused us big style.

Skadi

An easy way for irregular periods is to test your saliva and look for signs of ferning to show a surge in estrogen. This is easy to do and also not expensive.

http://www.ovulation-calculator.com/microscope.htm

Along with monitoring my Body Basal Tempetature this worked well for me last month as I able to see that I had ovulated.

I would also recommend the book 'Taking Charge of Your fertility ' by Toni Weschler as a previous poster did. This really makes you understand things a lot better. Doctors don't explain it to you and if you have irregular periods then getting blood tests done at 21 days often don't show up anything. At least if you are monitoring things yourself you would have an idea of when you are about to ovulate and could work out then the best time to get the blood tests done.

Also http://www.fertilityfriend.com/ as recommend earlier is a good site. At least then if you seek help for getting pregnant you have a history of your periods and whether you believed you ovulated or not.

May79

AF arrived (without assistance) on cd31. Have to start clomid today cd2. It's good in one way that af did come without having to use more medication to induce it, but still a little uncomfortable that we got a bfn.

Pinklady828282

Hi Cdm,
I know someone said about temping, and although in theory it sounds good, with pcos it's kind of a waste of time . .& you'll have to temp for MONTHS before you see anything, IF you see any pattern . .

You should go to your GP/Gynae & seek their advice & get put on metformin & clomid . .

Good luck x x

boarduser1980

Hi guys
i was diagnosed with pcos in may this year, is http://www.fertilityfriend.com/ okay for ppl with PCOS to use i.e irregular periods??

DetectivFoxtrot

Dambant wrote: »

Hi guys
i was diagnosed with pcos in may this year, is http://www.fertilityfriend.com/ okay for ppl with PCOS to use i.e irregular periods??

totally! In fact it'll help you pinpoint ovulation to a T (if you take your temps and do ovulation tests). I know my cycle inside out and I am totally irregular.... If you need any help navigating FF let me know, I am a feckin expert at this stage! ps there is a board (like this) dedicated to PCOS, with lots of people sharing their experiences. FF has about 100 boards specialising in all sorts of fertility scenario's.

May79

Doing tests with opk daily and never getting a +. Am i doing something wrong or is it normal to miss it? (if ovulate ata ll that is) Also, is there special thermometer for temp testing?

DetectivFoxtrot

May79 wrote: »

Doing tests with opk daily and never getting a +. Am i doing something wrong or is it normal to miss it? (if ovulate ata ll that is) Also, is there special thermometer for temp testing?

Yes, it's called a basal body thermometer, you'll pick one up online for about a tenner, think they also sell them in the larger Boots stores. It measures your bodys 'resting' temperature. Measuring your regular temperature (i.e. during the day) is no use as so many factors affect your temp e.g. digestion; physical activity, stress, the weather...... during the day our temp goes up and down regularly so no post-ovulation spike will be identified, seeing as the spike is so small a rise anyway (about .2 to.4 degrees Celsius).

Temping isn't for everyone, and for some it can be stressful. i.e. you have to take your temp as soon as you wake (can't even go for a pee or move much as all of this affects your temp), at the same time every morning, so that includes weekends. You have to have had at least 3 hours sleep, if your sleep was broken (e.g. trip to the loo during the night) then that could compromise the temp. Also if you've sleep with your mouth open you could get invalid readings. Temping vaginally is a better option.

Personally I have found it very useful. I know which cycles I did / didn't ovulate in, and I know the exact duration of my Luteal Phase (post ovulation days in the lead up to the period), and this was helpful as too short or too long a Luteal Phase is a fertility issue in itself.

Try it out - it's not a big investment, so if it's not for you just ditch the thermometer.;)

cdm1984

Hey guys it's been a long time since I've posted this. Thank you for all your advice and comments.

Just a catch up.... I took clomid for 2weeks and it didn't agree with me so I stopped but the two weeks was all it took as I fell pregnant 2 months later. It kick started my cycle. So I had a beautiful baby girl last May and we are now pregnant with our 2nd and due in Feb. This time it was easier as I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and as soon as my meds were right my cycle was perfect.

So I'm a happy bunny and I hope everyone else gets on well too.