Am I Infertile?

[Viriditas]

Hi, All!
I've been lurking on MDC for a few weeks now. As I'm not a mom yet I feel kinda like a poser, but I'm thoroughly enthralled with what I've been reading, and I feel like ingesting all of this good advice and experiences from wise moms is preparing me for my future motherhood!

Anyhoo, my situation is: I've never had anything resembling regular periods. I started quite late, at age 14 1/2. I had heavy, painful periods once every 4-6 months, and when I was 17 my doctor recommended putting me on the pill so I would have a period every month. I've been on the pill for 7 years now, except for a couple of instances where I went off it (4 months the first time, 3 the second. Only one period each time). I was told at the beginning that I would probably need help when it came time to get pregnant, and when I was living in England a GP outright told me "you're infertile".

As I get closer to the time I'd like to concieve (and as I become crunchier) I dislike being on the pill more and more. It can't be good for my body (or my fertility specifically) to keep pumping in unnatural hormones. My hubby and I are considering switching to NFP until we want to start ttc. My question for all of you is: Is there anyone out there who has very irregular periods like mine and didn't have trouble conceiving (the only person I know in this situation is my mom)? Is it possible to ovulate and still not menstruate that cycle?

I guess I would just like to hear some personal experiences. Thank you all for being such a wonderful resource for all of the fertility/pregnancy/baby/parenting questions that keep popping into my head more and more these days!

Amy

[Quirky]

I have no idea whether you're infertile or not but it sounds like it would be a good idea to stop taking the pill and start charting to see what's going on with your body. I would also start working to find an OB/GYN you trust who will work with you to figure out what might be happening once you've been off the pill for a few months. You might also look into some books on nutrition and herbs for balancing your cycles...I dont have any recommendations but look around on this forum and on the infertility subforum.

Although if your mom had the same patterns you did and you're here, then that's a good sign!

[tsfairy]

Definitely stop taking the pill ASAP so you can get back to your body's "natural" cycle.

NFP is a great idea. Check out Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. It's a very informative guide to figuring out your cycle and potential fertility.

Bleeding every 4-6 months could just be a really long cycle (very unusual but not unheard of) or it could be annovulatory "breakthrough" bleeding. I'm not aware of cases where you can ovulate and then not bleed. Usually it's the other way around.

Good luck! Like the PP said, if your mom has similar cycles, there's hope, cuz you're here :grin

(PS I'm not a mama yet either but I love this place )

[runner29]

Hi, Amy!
I am also a fellow "future momma" and agree with you about the great advice and everything I'm learning on this site!
As Quirky said, I don't think any of us can tell you if you're infertile now. But I agree that you really should try NFP because there is absolutely no better way to figure out what is going on with your body's cycles.

I also started my periods late (16 years!!) and they were very, very irregular til I got married (22) and went on the pill. (I think I have my mom to thank for refusing to let the doctors put me on the pill earlier) Anyway, I was on the pill for two years and then about a year ago I started to get really worried about what was going to happen when I finished grad school and we wanted to start a family, because of my previously weird cycles. So we did research and learned about NFP. DH and I have been NFPing for 9 months now and my cycles are actually pretty normal now! Though I have learned that they are very sensitive to stress (especially lack of sleep.) I haven't tried to conceive yet, but I am not worried now. Infertility still could happen to us, but it would be a surprise, since my cycles right now indicate that I should have good fertility.

Those of us with no kids yet actually are perfect candidates for NFP, since we don't get woken up in the middle of the night a million times and aren't dealing with breastfeeding and all that wonderful stuff!! It makes it much easier to get regular temperatures that so you can learn tons about your cycles and figure out how fertile you might be. I'm so happy we switched.

Hope this info helps! Good luck!!

PS have you seen the 'Using NFP TTA' thread?? It can be very helpful and supportive, too.

PPS one more thing! I take a special multivitamin supplement that is marketed for PMS sufferers (and they say women with irregular cycles may be helped too.) PM me if you want more info, I don't want to sound like a commercial or anything, I really, honestly don't work for the company or anything! but the vitamin has really helped my severe depression during PMS.

[Viriditas]

Thanks for the info, everyone. I'm off the pill now. I've read tcoyf and I'm ready to start charting tomorrow. I have no idea what my body's going to do after 7 years of the pill, but I'm excited to find out! runner29, I think I will see what happens for a few months and if I'm still really irregular I'll look into those vitamins.

Thanks again, all, for the help.

Amy

[Kharen]

Hi!

I'm also a non-mama and am TTA right now. I've been practicing FAM for about a year now (though we also use barriers b/c dh isn't totally comfortable relying on FAM solely).
TCOYF is my constant companion--next to the toilet, next to my bed ... it's never too far out of reach.

It's wonderful that you've decided to start charting--congratulations. I was amazed by what I was able to discover about my cycles through charting, and I truly think it's the best way for women to take ownership of their reproductive system. I agree with Quirky--try to find an OB/GYN who is receptive to FAM. My doc loved seeing my charts at my last appointment, and it gave her a great deal more information about the specifics of my cycle.

Check out the TTA thread, and let us know if you have any questions!

Best,
K

[AugustLia23]

I haven't ever been pregnant myself, but I do know for a fact that both my mother and my grandmother had very(read VERY) irregular cycles and had NO troubles getting pregnant. But for both they weren't "trying" so that might have made the difference. I am currently trying and though I have more regular cycles than you usually, they can sometimes go for 2-3 months at a time...

I find that that tends to be hereditary. Talk to your mother about it if you can, she may be able to give you advice.

Good luck when you are ready to try.

[hubris]

*

[LoveChild421]

My best friend has cycles very similar to yours- she was diagnosed with PCOS- and while it is harder to conceive quickly with PCOS it is definately possible- her doctor has taken her off the pill and has her on a few drugs for her sugar (PCOS is associated with mild diabetes) and she has been on spirolactone. He recently told her- "you better use condoms because you have a high chance of getting pregnant now that we've worked out your drugs and you are healthier" she also has lost 20 pounds and is exercising everyday- which has helped make her periods more regular (still not every month but getting closer) and she eats a whole foods diet and takes supplements such as dong qui and evening primrose- I take evening primrose myself and have noticed how regular and pain free it has made my periods. I had to get off the pill when I was diagnosed with precancerous cells in my cervix- now I am healthier than ever- feel so much better- and am 17 weeks pregnant! Good luck to you!

[Galatea]

Check out what some TTC women are taking as supplements. Vitex, B6, evening primrose. These really seem to help.

[jempd]

You've received advice that pretty much covers everything so I'm just going to add this: I have endometriosis and what you describe (heavy, painful, late-starting, irregular periods) sounds suspiciously like you might have it too (it's quite common). And having it, though it can make getting pregnant more difficult, doesn't make you infertile necessarily. I have only one working ovary and I now have a son.

For a doctor to tell give you the label 'infertile' without a complete fertility workup strikes me as hugely irresponsible (and mean). My advice is: See a reproductive enocrinologist. They specialize in getting people pregnant. And you will get a thorough fertility workup which should tell you what to do.

[Viriditas]

Wow! I can't believe people are still responding to my thread! Thank you all for your advice.

Just an update...for any of you who enjoy charting and troubleshooting cycles or are interested. I stopped the pill and have been charting for 42 days now...my cycle has been really weird so far, but encouraging in a few ways! Summary: 5.5 day period (just off the pill) followed by 3 days of sticky, 9 days of a creamy/watery/clumpy cm.
on day 21 I woke up with the left side of my labia swollen! I tried not to get excited, but a few hours later my left ovary was noticeably sore! I was jazzed about what seemed like ovulation, but the weird thing is that the pain/tenderness in my left ovary lasted off and on for about 9 days!
On days 25 and 26 I had unprotected sex because I was sure I had ovulated on day 21 (probably not a good idea), and then on day 27 I found one instance of clear eggwhite and I woke up on day 28 with spotting!

The spotting lasted for 6.5 days, very light and sporadic. I'm still not sure if I should've counted that as a period, but I've NEVER (on or off the pill) had such a light flow, and also it came only 7 days after I first started having ovarian pain. I just attached a new chart to the old one counting this as the same cycle. Since the spotting I've had pretty continuous creamy/watery/clumpy cm. I'm now on day 42. Oh, and I've had no substantial thermal shift at all since I started charting.

One more thing I forgot, my nipples were EXTREMELY tender on days 30-33. Also something I've rarely experienced.

It's all very weird, but I'm happy that I felt my ovary working (or trying to work) and that I bled a little, even if it was confusing and at a weird point in my cycle. The few times I went off the pill before I didn't bleed for at least 4 months and then it was a heavy period. My body showed no signs of working, though at the time I guess I really wasn't looking. I'm eating really well and drinking tea made from raspberry leaf and nettle root almost every night.

I guess I should just keep charting and see what my crazy body does next. I'll look into evening primrose, though, and keep all of your info in mind while I do so. If anyone has any ideas what my charting so far might mean (besides the pill making things wacky) my ears are open.

Thanks again!

Amy

[sbgrace]

Amy--well, of course the pill does make things wacky so that could be the only issue--but if you were several months out I would say you are having a classic annovulatory cycle. I was annovulatory and charted--my body would make efforts at ovulating throughout the cycle (I would eventually--like 100 days in--end them with some progesterone). So, I would have days of fertile mucus and even ovarian pain...then no temp shift and infertile mucus, back to fertile. It is pretty frustrating to use natural family planning with annovulatory cycles--you have to do a lot more abstaining/using other protection. I had my twins using clomid...but I am hoping that when my cycles return, they will be more normal and I can use natural family planning from here on out. I am going to check into the herbs to help my hormones regulate and, possibly, medication to help with my PCOS (which is causing the annovulation). Keep charting and give your body several months (up to 6, even) to see what it will do. In my opinion if, at that point, things are still looking like you aren't ovulating--or are only ovulating every 4 months, say, I would consider consulting with a reproductive endocronologist. He/she will be able to test your hormone levels and determine what is going on. You also have a better chance of getting pregnant working with an RE (as opposed to an ob/gyn). Even if you wanted to do natural remedies, it would help to know what is going on!

[Amberlyn]

Not to be a party pooper .... but if you had unprotected sex on the 25th and 26th.. then EWCM on the 27th... that could have been residual semen. Thats what the book says, and this has happened to me a lot also. Thats where the temping, and the "sink or float" test comes in handy Just so you know. I have crazy sporadic cycles myself. Although mine are opposite of yours... I bleed for weeks a time, and then have one or two weeks of no bleeding.. so charting doesnt work so well for me yet.. but Im working on it I am deffinatly no expert... but I did just finish TCOYF