Looooong cycles. Need advice.

[Virginia884]

Hello ladies! DH and I are gearing up to TTC in about a month. We tried for a month in August, but stopped because of baby timing reasons. In December we can start trying until (a hopefully quick) conception with nothing to schedule around.

Here's my dilemma. I was on Nuvaring for 3 years and came off in February. My cycles now are RIDICULOUS. Absolutely ridiculous. Since Feb I've had long, random cycles (86 days, 44 days, 55 days, 50 days and waiting to O). I also have basically NO CM so that makes charting hard. I've just started Maca this week (DH, too). My one glimmer of hope is that I have a nice regular 14 day LP.

I'm worried that this is going to be so stressful when we start TTC. Any thoughts, tips, stories about TTC with these ridiculous cycles? Causes for long cycles? Is this something I should DEFINITELY go see a Dr. about now? Can a midwife help treat this? Any other herbs you would recommend?

It would be great to get things ironed out now so we can start. I feel like I've already been waiting so long (timing reasons) and if we only get like 6 chances a year and it takes forever to conceive I will be a mess!

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/25d85e

[bunziemom]

I had the same problem after I had DS. I had 43 day cycles that were driving me bonkers so I feel your pain.

I know its not popular on this board, but I have had nothing but success (minus a BFP-unless you count the chemical preg i had a couple months ago ) with the use of vitex.

It truly is my holy grail giving me on average 28-30 day cycles. I take thoroughout my cycle. The one cycle I did not take my vitex resulted in a good old 42 day cycle.

I had to give it about three months to see the results in cycle length but I saw my ten day AF clear up immediately.

My point is, do your research and trust your gut about what is right for YOU.

[MaerynPearl]

As long as you are not BFing going to a doctor will likely result in a prescription for Clomid (doctors tend to be awfully script-happy and would rather do that then spend the time trying to figure out what is wrong)

I do not particularly suggest it. First I would say... are you temping? You know your LP is 14 day but is the temp shift particularly strong or is it pretty questionable until AF comes? Meaning... is it actually possible you are having anovulatory cycles?

There is a good chance your body just needs to *come down* from the hormones in Nuvaring especially after 3 straight years of being on it, it could take a while.

[NewDirections]

Have you tried acupuncture? I had long cycles too after going off the pill. Acupuncture really helped to stabilize my cycle. It's very relaxing too

[RedOakMomma]

I used acupuncture for long cycles, too (and ended up getting pregnant). My cycles are still around 37 days, but they're much more regular now than they used to be. One nice things is that, even four years after the acupuncture, my cycles are still much more regular.

[Virginia884]

Maeryn- I do temp/chart, and while my temps are normally up and down throughout my cycle, I can see a definite shift after O. I'm Oing, just later than normal. Which leads me to ask, would that be problematic? I've seen others mention "old eggs", what's that all about?

RedOak & NewDirections- I have not thought to use acupuncture. Anything specific, or would the acupuncturist just do a general 'fertility' treatment? What is the cost on something like that? Thanks for the idea!

Bunziemom- Sound like your cycles were long, but regular. Mine are long and irregular so with something controversial like Vitex, I don't know if I'm willing to go there just yet. But thank you for sharing!!!

[HulaJenn]

At least there is a definite shift indicating O. I don't know much about vitex but have heard a lot of ladies mention it. You may just want to do your research on it or other possible herbal remedies. People that work in a health food store or a naturopath would be a better route than an OB (like Mae said, you are more likely to get an rx for less than natural things from an OB usually). Good luck Adrienne!

[Jrene]

I have long cycles too. Usually around 40 to 60 days apart. Its annoying , I just want to be like every other normal cycled woman. Last cycle I ovulated on my own, but I missed it because it happened so late in my cycle, I though it just wasnt going to happen and quit testing.

I wonder if this happens to a lot of ttc'er, they just miscalculate their O'ing date?

[bunziemom]

I just want to add that I was NOT regular before vitex. My AF would last for sometimes as long as 21 days (doubt I was ovulating).

Doctor was absolutely NO help. He put me on provera and then wanted to put me on BCP. I even tried a D&C (to help with the long AF).

Sometimes the herbal route is the only "natural" way if you don't want to go the OBgyn route.

[MaerynPearl]

Old Eggs really do not exist.

Your body is born with a supply of eggs. The eggs you release have been in your body since you were born, so what time of the month you ovulate in does NOT matter. You are (more than likely) still only gearing up to O and Oing the same amount of time pre-O that any other woman would... it just takes your body longer to decide to do so. Why? Im not sure, perhaps a lack of estrogen or some really messed up hormone levels. Im no doctor to know this for certain.

[PotreroHill]

Virginia,

You can find acupuncturists that specialize in fertility and pregnant women. The cost when I went was $65. You can also try going to an acupuncture school if they have one in your area. I've done that too and it's usually around $30. Both places will probably give you some really nasty tasting yet effective herbs to take

It might just be taking your body awhile for it to reset itself and have a natural cycle again. I hope you get a bfp in December

[Lauren31]

It took my cycles a year and a half to get semi regular. One year to actually Ovulate and then they were between 60-35 days in length. SOO frustrating for TTC. My docs did the slew of blood tests, etc and I found that just time and TLC to my body were what got mine back up and ready. I drank a TON of RRL teaf, took organic Maca too. Not sure if that might have helped but it could not have hurt!

[BarefootGirl]

Virginia, are you sure that you are Oing? If you know for sure that you are Oing and Oing at about the same time each cycle, you may not want to do anything now and just DTD every other day starting a week before you think you're going to O and keep going til after 3 days of high temps.

You could go to the doc, but they'll probably put you on Clomid, which if you are Oing, you don't need Clomid. I'm currently trying it, but I've determined through charting that my long cycles (38-60 days) are anovulatory. When I do O (with clomid or sometimes without) my cycles are 28-32 days. If you know you're Oing, you don't need Clomid, especially if you don't have any CM because it can dry up CM. It's possible that you could take Clomid early in your cycle to cause an earlier O, but if you know you ARE Oing on your own, it may not be a good idea to mess with it. You may want to get your hormone levels checked, but if I were you I'd hold off on any medical interventions for now without a specific diagnosis.

I totally understand the frustration of having less opportunities to TTC, but hang in there. Talk to a specialist about herbs or accupuncture and try to take good care of yourself in the mean time.

[HulaJenn]

She put a link to her chart and I definately see an obvious thermal shift in the previous charts shown.

[saimeiyu]

In all honesty, while it could be the way your body is normalizing from the Nuvaring, I'd go see a midwife who could order labs for you (so likely a CNM) or a doctor.
Yeah, the doctor will probably want to give you clomid, but you don't have to accept it as a first resort.

The best thing to do would be to find out exactly what your body is doing that is making ovulation delayed so long.

Have you been evaluated in the past for polycystic ovary syndrome or a thyroid dysfunction? Because both of those problems can result in long, delayed ovulation.

If it's PCOS, you can greatly alleviate your cycle irregularity with diet and exercise. If you want to, starting now you could "clean up" your diet and start exercising regularly, to see if that makes any difference in your cycles. There's a lot of research saying that if you're overweight and lose 5-10% of your body weight, then your cycles should even out if the reason your cycles are overly long is because of the excess weight. If they don't even out, you're more likely looking at a hormonal problem not directly attributable to excess weight.

The trick with PCOS, though, is that while sometimes you can make it better through diet and exercise alone, if you are highly insulin resistant, then it makes more sense to tackle that head-on, with something like cinnamon and chromium supplements or Metformin or something similar. There's a lot of research into that aspect, because insulin resistance is responsible for an increase in androgen hormones, which makes ovulation either not start in the first place, or not be totally successful when it does try to happen.

Either way, yes, I think you should see a HCP. Don't just wait. If there's an underlying health problem (which there often is) then you should address that now rather than wait until you've been trying for 6 months to a year with no results.

[Virginia884]

Thanks everyone for your input and ideas. It really is reassuring to have a place like this to share!

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

Old Eggs really do not exist.

That is exactly what I thought, born with the eggs you have, but you read a lot of good information and a lot of bad information online!

Originally Posted by Lauren31

I drank a TON of RRL teaf, took organic Maca too. Not sure if that might have helped but it could not have hurt!

I've started taking Maca, and I want to do some more studying on RRL! Thanks for the input!

Originally Posted by saimeiyu

Have you been evaluated in the past for polycystic ovary syndrome or a thyroid dysfunction? Because both of those problems can result in long, delayed ovulation.

I have thought of PCOS or thyroid issues, as my mom has thyroid problems, although she is overweight and I am not. I'm sitting right in the middle of 'healthy' BMI and if I were to loose 10 pounds I'd be underweight. I know PCOS affects women who are not overweight, so that is still something on my mind, though. Part of me is just really scared at what the doctors might find, even before we've even started trying!!

[mistymama]

I was the very same way pre-ds - after having him my cycles are shorter, but still long. They average about 37 days now. But when I got pregnant with ds, I O'd on like cd 50 or somewhere around that. But the good news? It only took one time of dtd at the "right" time and I was pregnant!!

What I found most frustrating was waiting to O - esp while on TTC boards - everyone else has been through 2-3 cycles before you even O. Gets frustrating having to wait and wait and WAIT for O to happen.

Just wanted to share my experience - I had no problems getting pregnant, just had to time it right!

[saimeiyu]

Originally Posted by Virginia884

Thanks everyone for your input and ideas. It really is reassuring to have a place like this to share!


That is exactly what I thought, born with the eggs you have, but you read a lot of good information and a lot of bad information online!


I've started taking Maca, and I want to do some more studying on RRL! Thanks for the input!


I have thought of PCOS or thyroid issues, as my mom has thyroid problems, although she is overweight and I am not. I'm sitting right in the middle of 'healthy' BMI and if I were to loose 10 pounds I'd be underweight. I know PCOS affects women who are not overweight, so that is still something on my mind, though. Part of me is just really scared at what the doctors might find, even before we've even started trying!!

yeah, you can have PCOS and not be overweight... But also, if thyroid problems run in your family, you might have an overactive thyroid, too, which would cause similar problems.

[karmab]

for coffee

[Virginia884]

So odd to see this bumped... still trying, still nothing. I had labs done and have "normal" testosterone levels, but at the very top end of normal. Need to drink my spearmint tea more often!!! Had a stressful month at work, was passed over for a promotion, baby-making is now #1 priority at our house. Wish us luck!