# Period Late!



## kylecat (Oct 18, 2007)

hey girls - hope you don't mind me posting a new topic about this but just wanted your advice. My AF is 3 days late. It's generally bang on every 34 days and now we are on day 37! before you ask, I am not pregnant as i havent had a boyfriend since since last july!! 

I have been pretty ill recently with bronchitis and various other winter ailments and was wondering whether or not this could have interfered? I have also been a little worried recently as I suppose my immiment consultation about TX is on the horizon   Just wondered if any of you had experienced this before? I am getting bloated and having the odd slight cramp so signs are that maybe it's on it's way? 

Just want to be nice and regular for when I start all the IUI's this year!  

Thanks, any advice would be great! katiexx


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

Kylecat if you are unwell like you have been, or stressed etc it can effect cycles.  Accupuncture can also help regulate cycles if you are wanting to prepare for treatment- if you go to a fertility accupuncturist.  They can also help bring on the period and ensure that everything is 'cleared' out.

L x


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## some1 (May 13, 2006)

Hello Katie

I remember that you were using OPKs earlier this cycle - did you get a positive in the end?  AF usually arrives a couple of weeks (ish) after this (regardless of how long your cycle is - the variation in cycle length is down to when ovulation takes place - and ovulation can be delayed by illness/stress so this may have lengthened your cycle).

Some1

xx


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## kylecat (Oct 18, 2007)

Hi girls, thanks for your advice - I am certainly going to look at having fertility accupuncture done JJ1 so thanks for that. I had accupuncture for sciatica a couple of years ago and found it really useful. Some1 - I didnt get a positive on the OPK tests - despite trying with two different types. I drink quite a lot of fluids and having a really weak bladder, I find it hard to hold onto my wee for a long time  - I think that could be one of the reasons why I never seem to get a positive - it may also be because I am not ovulating, so I'll ask the clinic on wed. Thanks ever so much girls for taking the time to reply and any other suggestions would be gratefully received!  

Katiexx


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## ♥Jovial♥ (Feb 25, 2007)

Katie being poorly can definately knock our bodies out of synch.  Hope your AF is on the way hun.  When is your first consultaion?  How are you feeling?


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## ♥Jovial♥ (Feb 25, 2007)

Doh, sorry, just seen the date in your sig xx


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## some1 (May 13, 2006)

I wonder if you ovulated after you stopped testing - that would fit in with your AF being delayed.  I hope that is the case, as it makes things much more difficult (in terms of timing IUI) if OPKs don't work for you - although having scans at a clinic would solve that for you (my clinic doesn't do scans for unmedicated cycles so I have never had any).

I did loads of OPKs before I was confident that I knew what the results meant for my body (and even now it is still not exactly clear sometimes).  I use Clearview OPKs - they are exactly the same as Clearblue (made by the same people but for clinic use so they are a lot less 'spangley') and they are a fraction of the cost (which enabled me to indulge my OPK obsession and test with abandon    25tests for £27 - still not exactly cheap though by any means) - they are only available on the internet - PM me if you want the address.

Some1

xx


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## ♥Jovial♥ (Feb 25, 2007)

Some1 how long would you recommend using those tests for, excuse my ignorance but do you use them daily?  I really need to get to grips with my cylce, has been a bit all over the place since stopping the pill.

Does anyone know how long it takes for the pill to get out of your system and your cycle to get back to normal?


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## kylecat (Oct 18, 2007)

hi girls - just lost a massive long post so heres a quick one. Thanks some1 and jovigirl for advice. Please can you PM me some1 with address for the cheaper OPK's. Maybe I did ovulate later this month - my clinic the wessex only do medicated cycles so I think I'll be scanned to see how the follicles are growing.

Jovigirl - I am strangely excited about my first consultation - it's costing £200 but will be good to sit down with a professional and discuss things and see what my chances are. I am still worried that I've left it too late..

Jovigirl - are you getting any info back from reprofit?
some1 - when is your next go at IUI?

Katiexx


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## ♥Jovial♥ (Feb 25, 2007)

Kaite I just had an email back, don't know if your interested in abroard but the price looks really good, they haven't sent much information yet but have answered the few questions I have asked .... just downloading some software so I can open the attachment they sent!  

I'm hoping to have and initial consult at my local clinic will then decide on tx here or abroad... i'm heading towards abroad because the cost will give me more chances.

Can't wait to hear how your consulation goes, good luck!!


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## kylecat (Oct 18, 2007)

Thanks for that jovigirl - to be honest I wouldn't consider going abroad - mainly because I have an awful fear of flying!! I do go on planes but have to either have two large glasses of wine or valium and I don;t think that would be good for the treatment!!   I'm a right scaredy cat  

I have been twice to australia - not sure how I managed it actually!!!!  

Great news about the cheaper treatment though - go for it - ive heard lots of good thing about reprofit!

Katiexx


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## some1 (May 13, 2006)

Hello Jovigirl

I think it is 3 months for the pill to get out of your system completely.

You are meant to work out when to start OPK testing by taking 16 off the length of your shortest cycle in the last 12 months (eg if your shortest cycle was 25 days you would start testing on day 9), then test once a day at the same time of day until you get a postive then stop! (do as I say not as I do!)

I have mentioned before that I do little sketches of my results (shading in the test and control lines) - I am so sad !!!  - but I have found it really helpful because I don't always get a clear positive (i.e. test and control lines equal - quite often my test line never gets as strong as the control - I put that down to my urine being diluted (like Katie I am a big water drinker) and/or missing the peak of my surge.

I also monitor temps and cervical mucus - which has been really informative (even if it has turned me into a fertility geek) - I got a fertility thermometer from Boots for £12 and have been using it for nearly 2 years now - it has become part of my morning routine - alarm goes off, thermometer goes in, I lie there in a daze trying to remember what I dreamed about, the thermometer beeps with the result, I plot it on my little temperature chart, sit up, look in the mirror and have a good laugh at my hair   - literally !

For those of you who are waiting to get started I really recommend starting to keep some records about what your body does at different points in your cycle because once you get started with tx you will be totally obsessed!!  - well you will be if you are anything like me! 

Some1

xx

Katie - my next IUI will probably be around the time of our meet (hope it doesn't clash with it though) - I couldn't have tx this cycle as I ovulated between Christmas and New Year when the clinic was closed - it has been quite nice to have little break though.
     - will PM you the address in a sec - can't post it on here as they have been banned on this site (something to do with spamming a couple of years ago).


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Hi all,

Katie - funnily enough my AF was also a bit 'late' this month - arrived late yesterday/today which is 30 days when the last 4 have been 27, 27, 27, 25....although it was 31 back in the Summer (I think due to me doing so much long haul travel and being permanently jet lagged....)

Hope yours shows up soon. And good luck with your appt this week - let us know how it goes...

I'm quite concerned about the whole OPK/surge thing actually. I had decided to start with unmedicated IUI but am seriously considering telling the clinic when I ring them tomorrow that I want to go medicated/scans instead. I've only been monitoring for 3 months: in Oct I picked up the surge on day 14 of the 27 day cycle. In Nov I didn't pick it up at all - that was the short 25 day cycle. And this last one (30 days) I got a positive on day 8 which seems very early and I wonder if it wasn't the surge at all, but something to do with having had the hycosy the day before. So I don't think I can rely on picking up the surge and I'm worried that if I don't, I'll waste an entire month as I can't be inseminated if I can't predict ovulation....

On the other hand am a bit stressed about the prospect of needing to get to Central London every few days (if not every day mid cycle) for scans....not quite sure how I would explain that one away to work. If I had first appt at 8.30am, I still wouldn't make it back to work until lunchtime....

God it's so complicated isn't it? No wonder some women just go out and have one night stands  
Laura
x


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## kylecat (Oct 18, 2007)

hey Laura - thanks for your reply - things are really complicated aren't they?!! My AF still hasnt showed up - how wierd! The stressing about it is prob making it worse!   Anyway, if I were you i'd ring LWC tommorrow and see what they say. If you had medicated cycles, I wonder if you could do the scans at about 5 or 6pm ish? Then maybe you wouldnt have the prob of explaining youself a lot at work! See what the nurses say as they have dealt with lots of people in our situation. It would be a lot easier if we didnt have to work - but then I suppose I'd spend the whole day obsessing about all of this!  

I am v excited about the whole thing on wed, can;t wait to get the ball rolling and have the chnace to talk to the professionals! I have also decided to maybe start having accupuncture - JJ1 suggested it. It might help me to relax and worry less and it is also good when you are having fertility treatment and can help to regulate the cycle apparently! I went to a lady 2 years ago because I suffer from sciatica and found it really useful. I am going to ring her and go back again! 

Anyway, off to mum and dads for a spot of dinner now. Hope work is OK tommorrow - let us know what advice the LWC give you too,

good luck katiexx


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Well, I rang this morning and discussed my concerns with one of the nurses at LWC. They still resolutely refuse to recommend one course of action over another and say it's up to me to make the decision (I guess they are worried about any potential come back if they make a 'wrong' recommendation). But she talked to the doctor about my worry of not picking up surge and we have agreed to go with what they call a monitored cycle. So no drugs, but they will scan me to see what's going on (as well as me using the OPKs) and we'll see how that goes for one cycle before we decide best course of action for the future. So scan booked for next Monday morning to see how things look and we'll go from there. 

Costs £110 for each scan so hoping not to need them every day (not to mention not really wanting to go to London every day...) - it may turn out that medicated cycle is more cost effective next time as 4 scans included. And day 14 of my cycle is a Saturday so also a bit worried about timing if it looks like I will ovulate over the weekend...but at least with the scans I'll have a better idea what's going on in there....

Or maybe I won't even need a next time   (not very optimistic about that though to be honest!)

Anyway, that's me started on this rocky road - wish me luck  

Laura
x


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## marmite_lover (Sep 14, 2006)

Laura - just wanted to wish you all the luck in the world.  How exciting!  Does it seem real yet that you are actually getting started?

Kylekat - any sign of AF hun?


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

No, feels very unreal indeed - although I'm sure once I actually get in there with my legs up on the table (!) it will feel quite real....

First scan next Monday so perhaps it will feel more real after that. At the moment I just can't imagine it working - the % success rates are so low for natural IUI...but maybe I will just get very lucky

Fingers crossed....

And thanks for the good wishes
Laura
x


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## Roo67 (Feb 12, 2007)

Great news that you got some monitoring Laura, fingers crossed that all goes smoothly - really exciting when you get started.
I only ever had one scan a month on CD 13 ish.

It still seems unreal to me and I'm onto no. 8


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## kylecat (Oct 18, 2007)

Hi girls - just back from work - having a nice glass of wine to relax! Will have to knock that on the head soon though!!  Laura - good news about the clinic - the monitored cycle sounds like a happy medium and a good compromise. Think you've made a good decision there   Its hard but try and be positive - someone has to be lucky. I read somewhere that 70% of women in our age group will get pregnant naturally within a year - another 20% will with assistance. Thats great statistics - so don't lose hope  

Roo - how are you feeling? Any signs or are you trying to ignore them this time round - it must be so hard. I hope that you are feeling better and the winter lurgy is clearing up! Lots of    for you.

Well AF still not arrived - reckon it's not coming this month - I cannot remember the last time I missed a period - I am normally so regular. The problem I have is that I'm such a worrier, I search the internet for info on symptoms etc and then convince myself there's somthing wrong with me. Now i keep thinking, am I going through an early menopause!   I mean how ridiculous - I have got to learn to relax and chill out - but its easier said than done! Any recommendations?

Karen - your weekend in the New Forest sounds lovely - it will be a shame not to see you on the 26th but it will be a great chance for you and DP to spend some time together. The school I work in is at the edge of the new forest - it is such a lovely area  

Take care girls katiexx


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## Felix42 (Oct 14, 2007)

Hello there, just wanted to pop in to wish you lots of luck Laura for Wednesday.  I had medicated cycles at LWC and had 4 scans each time but that was just to make sure I didn't have too many follicles and whether the medication needed to be adjusted.  For a non-medicated cycle, I'm sure it will require fewer than that.  

Katie, sorry to hear about the late AF.  I had one month last year - July - when I missed one entirely and it was completely down to stress!  Take it easy and relax away with that wine...

It feels ever so weird not having scans this month and having no idea at all what might be going on inside!  Oh well, at the end of this month, the mystery will definitely be gone!!

Wishing everyone a chilled out evening. Great to read about everyone's plans for tx.  This place really is jumping.  

Felix xx


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

Laura good luck for the monitored cycle. L x


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Katie - sorry no AF yet - it probably is just stress...
I've noticed since I started thinking about this whole baby thing that I am much more conscious of my cycle generally - before it just kind of came at about the right time and I never really thought about it. Now I'm thinking about it way too much   eg this month I seem to have a much heavier bleed than usual with lots of clots (sorry, definitely TMI  ) - but then again maybe it's always been like this and I just haven't noticed. 
Anyway, hope it turns up soon and at least on Weds you'll have a chance to discuss things properly with the consultant and get a better idea of what your test results mean etc. 

Roo - I think they want to scan me on day 9 because I've had at least one short cycle (25 days) in the past 6 months and last month I bizarrely picked up surge on day 8-9 as well (although I'm sure the hycosy had something to do with that actually)
So the plan is to scan day 9 and then they will decide if/when I need another scan. And I feel better knowing I'm not just relying on the pee sticks....

Thanks for the good wishes JJ1 - does feel good to be finally on my way (and actually I guess it's come around quite quickly really since I only started thinking seriously about this in Aug last year....)

Laura
x


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## kylecat (Oct 18, 2007)

hi girls - bet you are all thrilled to know that AF arrived on friday evening!! So I will be ringing the wessex clinic on monday to book in for my hycosy. 

It was a week late as I think I'd been worrying so much about my initial appoinment - it was nothing to worry about - the clinic is lovely

Lots of love to all of you

katiexx


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

Yeah glad  turned up at long last!!!  and the start of the TTC journey
L xx


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## Roo67 (Feb 12, 2007)

Glad the   has finally arrived Katie


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