Chart help...what do you think is goin on with my body?

[dharmama]

I need some help.

Got the results of my blood test (drawn on Friday) today. It was negative…..but CD 46 and no AF yet. Ttemps are well…up and then down and then up again…not sure what they are doing…but generally up-ish. :

I guess now I'm just waiting for AF but where the heck is she?

A little background:

This is my 5th cycle off birth control pills and 5th cycle TTC. (I know we "should have" waited but we didn't and now here we are.)
1st cycle charting (thank God…I would be REALLY out of my mind if I wasn’t).
My last four cycles were 27, 32, 31 and 27 days.

I took out my manual O day and FF’s suggested O day…..so I’d love to "hear" what you see…...

My chart - it's a doozy

Thanks!

~Erin
Who usually feels like but right now is a little and :

[Spark]

(((((Erin)))))

Coming off of B.Control is hard on your hormones. There's just no way around it. Seems like it's the minority that come off the pill and can conceive that month.

It's really a wonderful thing that you are temping. It's quite possible that even though your last cycles were shorter, they may have been annovulatory. This cycle looks annovulatory to me. Especially taking your CM into consideration.

Annovulatory cycles are very common when quiting the pill. There are natural herbs/remedies to support your body's natural function -- Red Raspbery Leaf, Dong Quai, Chaste Berry, B6, Vit E, Evening Primrose, etc, etc.

Sounds like it's time to research what route you want to take. And, most of all, be patient with yourself. (easier said, I know) This will happen for you. Most women need some months to get their cycle back in order after stopping the pill. You are in good company!

Best wishe! I hope your stay here is short!

[dharmama]

Thanks Claire.

I am drinking about a quart of red rasp/red clover infusion a day (been doing that since the start of this cycle) - drinking a cup as I type I really love it. I just met with an herbalist this weekend and I am going to do a 4-week detox (hopefully DH is going to do it with me - he's resistent because it's pretty intense...but understands the importance of supporting each other). Then we will start focusing on fertility enhancing herbs (I'm still going to keep on with the red rasp/red clov...just it.)

I am settling in to the realization that this is going to take more time than I thought. Wow...this is really hard.

I just got an e-mail from my college roommate that she is pregnant. We both knew each other was trying and we promised to share in each other's joy no matter what...but oh man...it hit me hard to read that she is pregnant while I'm here trying to figure out what the heck is going on with my body.

So.....

Just curious what makes you say annovulatory. I thought that myself but then I re-read that chapter in TCOYF and wondered...even though my chart is strange...I see that there is a temperature shift....I think around CD 26. But I don't want to read into it too much.

Does anyone know if there anything natural that I can do to encourage AF to come? I'll have to re-read Susun Weed's book. I think there might be something in there about it. Or maybe I just need to shift my focus for a while and give my body the time it needs to recover.

Thanks for your response. It's SO wonderful to have this supportive community.

Peace,
Erin

[AdinaL]

My first thought would be annovulatory. But when looking again, you have a pretty clear thermal shift on cd 30.

Here is the kicker - when I got off the pill, i didn't have full periods...I had a little bit of spotting. And you had that spotting, and then a temp drop. So that may have been your cycle....
Watch your temps for the next few days and if they fall...then I would say that spotting was your "period" and you are onto your next cycle.

So I am not sure what to tell you.

There IS a thermal shift there on cd 30.

But I am not sure if that means you ovulated or not.

Have you changed anything about your sleeping arrangments? Like dh decided that he likes your side of the bed better even when you are there? Of a fan on, more or less covers?

the pill sucks - they don't tell you about all the problems you will have later when you see the doc about getting on it....

I know how much the long cycles with no idea what is going on, suck. My longest was 54 days....ugh.

If you don't see a temp drop or af in a little while, you can go and see your doc and get something to induce it. Sometimes your body just needs a shove to get going again. Especially after the pill.

[coleslaw]

Erin,

I just wanted to say that there is defintely a thermal shift. O or not - I don't know. I just think it's very odd to have 5 relatively normal-length cycles and then bam! insanity. Pill or no pill, it's bizarre.

Now, here I go putting thoughts into your head, but what goes through my mind is...Maybe that last dip was implantation? Didn't you get blood drawn before then? I also saw that you may have bd'd a few times that you didn't post. I know I am not being very nice, but couldn't that mean you are still in the game? The only thing that hangs me up is your CM. How frustrating!

To stop yourself from going crazy, maybe oncsider no temping for a few days then see where you are at? I know I need exact data, so that would be hard for me, but I thought I would throw that out for you.

So sorry you are going crazy!!!

[dharmama]

Thanks you guys - MUCH appreciated!

the pill sucks - they don't tell you about all the problems you will have later when you see the doc about getting on it....

No sh*t, huh!!??? Man....I was on the pill for 12 years . I'd say for at LEAST the last 5-6 years every time I go in for my annual I would ask....Should I go off the pill? Have I been on the pill too long? Is there any reason to take a break...etc. etc.

My doctors (been to a few different ones over the years) have always "assured" me that the pill is so low dose now...there is no need to take a break. When I told my doctor we were thinking about TTC...and asked how long I needed to wait post-Pill he said....get on your prenatal vitamin for two months. Stop taking the pill....start TTC.

Anyway...It was a naturopath who I saw last year about something else who told me to get off the pill asap when she saw how long I had been on.

Have you changed anything about your sleeping arrangments? Like dh decided that he likes your side of the bed better even when you are there? Of a fan on, more or less covers?

Not really...Took off the down comforter a few weeks ago but I think that might have even been before I started charting.

Watch your temps for the next few days and if they fall...then I would say that spotting was your "period" and you are onto your next cycle.

I was kind of thinking that too....but then I can't figure out why my temps are hanging out above 98 degrees still. At the start of my cycle I was around 97.3...if I'm onto a new cycle, wouldn't I go back into that range?

If you don't see a temp drop or af in a little while, you can go and see your doc and get something to induce it. Sometimes your body just needs a shove to get going again. Especially after the pill.

Good to know. Thanks. I have a midwife appointment in 2 weeks. I'll talk to her then. I have never wanted AF to come so badly...ay, ye, ye.

Pill or no pill, it's bizarre.

Now, here I go putting thoughts into your head, but what goes through my mind is...Maybe that last dip was implantation? Didn't you get blood drawn before then?

Oh trust me...you're not putting any thoughts in my head that I haven't been having. Thing is I have no pregnancy symptoms (and I'm pretty good at making them up in my head too : :LOL). I had my blood drawn on Friday, which was CD 43.

So I read last night in TCOYF that significant weight loss while on the pill can cause problems when you are TTC. Interesting....I lost 25 pounds last year, while still on the pill. I wonder if there is any connection.

The mystery continues....

Thanks again for all your thoughts and encouragement.

~Erin

(Puttin' my happy face back on...or tryin' at least.)

[dharmama]

OMG - She's finally here! I have NEVER been SO happy to see AF. I started bawling (in my office bathroom) but it wasn't because I was sad - more of a huge emotional release.

CD 1 - here we go. Starting my detox diet....getting out walking every day....and hopefully getting my cycles a little more regular.

Wow.

Thank you so much for being here!

~Erin

[AdinaL]

YAY!!!! cool - that is great she showed up!

I remember when I got off the pill - I didn't have a period for NINE MONTHS! Bugged the crap out of me. And then they never got normal again....Until finally I had to have them induced about two years ago....annoying. I will be very happy if my daughters don't take the pill...in fact I would prefer that they don't.

[dharmama]

No kidding...I've been telling everyone I know....get off the Pill...or don't ever go on it.

Although...I have to say....it served me well for many years when I didn't want to be pregnant.

It's just that now that I do...grrrrr...I wish I had come off it a lot sooner!

[its_our_family]

YAY--I'm so glad af finally showed up for you! It is nice to start a new cycle when you know the old one just needs to end!!!

Good luck on the detox!

BTW--this is another reason I was NEVER on the pill and very glad about it...

[dharmama]

I hear ya...

But then again….I have several friends who got preg. first or second month off the Pill. Who knows???

I’m just happily menstruating and dreaming about the next round of tryin’. I called DH this morning to tell him that AF arrived and he was like – Wooo-hooo time to start trying again!

[naturegirl]

Yahhhh Erin! Glad you can finally put that one behind you. I had a long cycle a couple of months ago and know how relieved I was to get starte on the next "try" when I realized I definately was not pg.

We are close on our cycles so we will be able to keep each other company! Hope you are soon my pg. buddy!

Cheryl
cd4