Period very light for 2 cycles, and late and every other cycle?!

[Shyentist]

Hoping one of you has some perspective on this so I can stop freaking out!

I went off the pill last Dec after a decade on it. I'm 30 now and had fairly regular cycles before going on the pill at 20 (not that I remember that well, but I don't remember any issues).

Every other month since I went off the pill, my cycle is about 4-5 days longer. It's about 32 days every other month, and 37 days every other month. Could this be normal, or a warning sign of a fertility issue?

Also, it's been very light the past two months. Like, light and spotting for 4 days, instead of light-medium for 6 days as normal (before I went on the pill, it was always medium-heavy).

I just had an annual exam with the gyn in April, and at that point, even though AF wasn't always on time, she was at least the same level of heaviness as always, and I had only had one longer cycle so I didn't mention anything. Now that she's been light for 2 months AND more cycles are off, I'm getting worried.

Has anyone else conceived with weird cycles? Should I make an appt to go back in to see the gyn? I don't want to get worked up over nothing, but it's been 6 months off the pill and 4 actively TTC with no progress. I don't want to waste time if these sound like signs of doom to anyone.

Like I said, I'm freaking out, but don't know whether I'm being silly or should make another appt. Should I get a blood test? I don't even know what my options are.

Help!

[littlest birds]

I am not sure, but I just had a super-light cycle also. Like never so light in my life and enough to make me worried. I've heard/read that light AF can follow an anovulatory cycle--do you know if you're ovulating? I'm extra puzzled because my temps show I ovulated, and I know I'm not PG.

I've always been regular but have only been paying close attention while TTC for 9 cycles. I've had one 34 day, one 26 day, and seven 29-31 days cycles since Sept.

The pattern you have seems really odd...are you only Oing every other month maybe since on the pill? Extra time to build up while you body adjusts maybe?

Anyhow, I don't think you should worry too much. I have seen a lot of ladies with very odd cycles get PG--even with 60 day+ cycles for instance. Temping might help you if you aren't already. I just started temping and it really helped me to be sure I'd O'd and see that my body was following a basic pattern that makes sense.

[velochic]

I saw this from the main page, as we're not TTC and I don't come here. Just thought I'd mention my experience.

My cycles were like clockwork when I was younger (I'm now in peri-menopause, as I'm an older mommy here) and I had fertility issues later when we TTC. We started TTC when I was in my early 30's and I had irregular periods. I tried charting and everything and after more than a year, I finally decided that I should use an ovulation kit. It turned out that my ovulation came just a couple of days prior to my period and it messed up my cycles. My gyn said that it was indeed odd, but that a woman's cycle can be just about anything. I certainly wouldn't jump to any negative conclusions, as you're body will take time to adjust to new hormone levels.

Get an ovulation kit or two and find out when you ovulate. We conceived the first month I used one.

[Ola_]

I may be in a similar boat here, except that it's my first cycle post BCP. It took 33 days for me to get the first AF, and it looks like it only lasted 3-4 days? Normally it would always be 6-7 (both on BPC and before BCP, which admittedly was a long time ago!).

Anyway, just wanted to bump this up and see if you've figured anything out or if others have ideas. I'll probably give it another month or two and then go with Velochic's suggestion to get some OPKs if it doesn't straighten itself out.

[littlest birds]

I think 3-4 day isn't extremely short, somewhere I saw info about quantity of flow and how to tell. As long as it reaches a certain amount it's considered normal enough. Maeryn has posted some info about very light periods--normal for her IIRC. Since I only had the one weird cycle I am just assuming it's a lone oddball without significance for now.

[Shyentist]

Update: My AF seems normally heavy this month (despite it being mostly spotting last month). I HAVE heard that unusually light cycles can be anovulatory. Eep! With my luck...

I appreciate the recommendations to temp and use OPKs, but am clueless, and intimidated by the information overload of Googling them! Advice on how best to use those methods?

Littlest birds, my sister is one of those ladies with irregular cycles...who got pregnant on the first try. I sort of hate her! I would say one weird cycle does not a trend make...I'm just concerned because of all the weird cycle lengths combined with the lightness of last AF.

Velochic -- any brand in particular you recommend? I have also heard other people who got preg right away using OPKs... I'm grateful you saw this thread and responded.

Ola, I made another appt with the OB to ask if I should do blood tests and show her my charts. After I meet with her (at the end of the month, argh! waiting stinks!), I will report back if she has useful advice. She DID say that one "should be" fertile and regular right after going off the pill, but based on anecdotal evidence, it looks like it takes a lot of women 6+ months to get regular again. Sigh!

[littlest birds]

I settled on temping because it is free once you have the thermometer and it gives the most info. You can sign up for fertility friend for free. The program will do all the "figuring" so you don't really need to know much. Plus you can link your chart to here and ask for opinions on anything confusing.

SHORT SIMPLE HOW-TO: Basically take your temp on a basal thermometer every morning before getting up. (If you miss days sometimes it's okay.) Later type it into the online chart. Temps can zig and zag a little bit but they go up and stay up when you ovulate, they drop again for AF or go up more if you are PG. Fertility friend will mark your O date so while you could learn how to determine that yourself you hardly even need to. You take temps, FF gives you a visual aid and tell you when you O.

The book Take Charge of Your Fertility is the classic on the subject. I read that first. But it's okay if you dont.

I don't do OPKs because they are expensive and because they don't show ovulation for sure, they only show your body is gearing up to ovulate, but sometimes it doesn't even after a positive OPK. For me cervical fluid signs of fertility are just as clearly informative as OPKs. That said you don't have to think about OPK every morning or all month and they are usually reliable. Since I think about our TTC effort constantly I don't forget to temp, even though I am normally horrible about routines like that.

[scarletjane]

Just wanted to respond and mention that my immediate thought when you said that you're late every other cycle is that this has something to do with one of your fallopian tubes or one of your ovaries. When we ovulate, we alternate ovaries each month, so I wonder if it's possible that there is a problem with either the function of one of the ovaries or one of the tubes. If anovulation is occurring and causing a period to come on sooner and be lighter, it would make sense that the next month, when maybe a healthy ovulation is occurring, the period comes on a little later and a little heavier. It's just a thought.

The best thing you can do at this point is to chart, as previously stated. You will learn so much from a chart.. and then you can share your chart with all of us and we can obsess over it with you! great fun!

good luck!

[Shyentist]

Update! Thought I'd share with you ladies since you have given me such helpful advice!

Just went to the OB to check on this (takes forever to get an appt if you're not preg, sigh). She recommended OPKs and temping to help pinpoint O since I have unusual cycles. She didn't say it's one ovary, although she DID say I "could do an HSG if I wanted to" (to check if the tubes are open). Ha! I certainly don't think I'll ever WANT to do one (but maybe after another 6 months I'll be ready to take that step).

She also recommended getting a blood test to make sure everything's at the level it's supposed to be. I think the bloodwork's a good idea (but I am nervous about the results).

Finally, she said to have my husband tested, too.

So...at least I have a plan of action! But...lots of tests :P

I got "Taking Charge" and read it cover-to-cover. It was very informative! The only thing is, it doesn't really say much about coming off the pill and having irregular periods and weird luteal phases beyond that it happens and that it can sometimes be caused by LUFS. The OB seems to think I might be mistaking my O time or having anovulatory cycles now and then (and that's causing the weird timing, not LUFS). Hope that the OPKs will help me pinpoint it and work out my charts!

I'm also temping (but since I have anxiety disorder, I'm temping only on days I don't wake up panicky -- I figure I'm probably "hotter" those mornings).

Thanks again everyone for all your great advice. I'm off to research good OPKs now!

YOU LADIES ROCK~!