# AF/INTERNAL - Long cycles and no ovulation



## snagglepat

Hi,

I'm hopeful someone might be able to give me an idea of what is going on with my body.

I have endometriosis (but after my last surgery was told it shouldn't affect my fertility at all - ovaries and tubes are free) and for years had very long cycles - 8 weeks +. When we began TTC my specialist told me I wasn't ovulating due to the long cycles (He also tested for PCOS and said I didn't have the classic signs - my testosterone was only at the high end of the normal range and my ultrasound was clear but he thought I was a borderline case). I decided against Clomid in the first instance and went to my herbalist who suggested Agnus Castus and Wild Yam. I started taking these and immediately started having 4-5 week cycles and blood tests and home ovulation tests at that time indicated I was ovulating again. The last two cycles have been text book perfect and we've been inseminating, but just haven't got lucky.

I should add that my partner is female and we're inseminating at home using SI with a known donor. He lives 2 hours away from us, so we're not in a position to be able to inseminate very regularly, but we've so far managed 2-4 times a cycle when I got my LH surge. This cycle we kept testing for a surge and it didn't happen. We'd already pencilled in some insemination dates so we inseminated this month at the same time I was fertile last month, then again a few days later to be sure. (Days 16,17,18 and 21.) We were still hopeful, but ultimately we have no idea if I ovulated or not. I ran out of LH surge tests on the last day we inseminated so we didn't test for a surge after day 21.

Because of the endo I've always had very painful periods and the pain starts a good week before I bleed, accompanied by tender breasts and a day of irritability about 10 days before I'm due on. This cycle we were hopeful quite early because I had no pain, no mood drop, no sign that my period was on its way at all. In previous unsuccessful cycles we've known well in advance that it hasn't worked because of these symptoms being so typical. On day 30 I got some light spotting that lasted for 3 days but has now stopped - which is something I've never had before. 

We tested on day 31 and have done every morning since. Every test has been negative, and we're using the 'early' 10mIU tests. This morning we figured it would be our last one. I still have no premenstrual symptoms and it's been five weeks. I'm sure I won't bleed for at least a week because there's no sign of my body even beginning to prepare for it. This cycle has been just like my old, long cycles used to be, with my body being at a seeming standstill for weeks at a time. The only difference is the spotting, which at the time I hoped might be implantation bleeding but given the tests are still negative I now doubt.

I'm pretty much resigned to this cycle not having worked, which is OK, I'm pretty used to that and can get over it quite quickly, but I'm devastated that my body might have reverted back to it's old cycles, despite the fact that I'm still taking the herbs. My medical notes now show me to be ovulating so I've no confidence that my GP will take us seriously, at least for some time. Given our situation we sit outside the standard medical model anyway and know many others who have struggled and often failed to get fertility treatment as lesbian couples with a known rather than unkown donor. 

I've rambled a lot now, but I'm at that pretty emotional point of just resigning myself to another negative cycle. If anyone can give me any ideas as to what might be going on with my body, or any recommendations as to how I might move forward then I'd be very grateful to hear them. 

Many thanks in advance,

Gina


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## Helen1

Hello Gina
Unfortuantely I can't help you but I can sympathise with how frustrating it is not to know where on a cycle you may be. I have PCOS but it seems to be very mild as I have none of the symptoms apart from very irregular periods (about 3 a year!) I have been on Clomid and Metformin and have fallen pregnant 3 times in the last year however unfortunately none of these pregnancies were succesful. I am now trying the natural approach in trying to get my periods regular. I am also taking Agnus Castus and I did have a peiod on Sept 9th but have not had one since. I feel soooo frustrated because I though I had managed to sort my periods out, but now still no sign of one and no symptoms of one coming. I think the best thing to do is try and get some professional advice from a herbalist, I am just going to keep taking the agnus catsus and pray something occurs soon!
Good Luck!
Helen


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## Ruth

Don´t give up yet, it may just be that this is an odd cycle and things will revert back to the ovulating cycles. It isn´t unusual to have an odd duff cycle so hang on in there.

Ruth


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## eddie

Sending you a big hug, its horrible when your body plays tricks like this. I was panic struck a few months ago when my progesterone levels were really low, confided in a close friend whos also a GP who basically rolled his eyes at me and told me that nobody ovulates every month. My own Gp told me not to give it a second thought as my period would more than probibly be late and he was right. I had tested to soon. If your periods late you would have ovulated later than normal so you might have missed it. My Dr told me stress, a cold or even dieting could have made my cycle longer. 

Try not to worry. Its just a blip

Eddie
XXXX


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## lollypop67

Morning Gina

Sorry for your frustrations, oh the joys of the waiting game, what a rollercoaster.

I've read that predictor kits are notoriously unreliable in women with PCOS due to erratic LH surges.  Serial progesterone measurements along with cycle pattern appear to be the best way to confirm ovulation.  If you need to monitor ovulation at home you might want to consider mucous and cervix position watch!  

Don't mean to sound patronising but even textbook perfect peeps can take up to two years to conceive even though most manage within a year.  If you feel you want to specifically discuss with a fertility expert I wouldn't let your GP put you off.  I believe we have quite a few bi couples having treatment in Sheffield.  

Wishing you lots of luck

Lolly X


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## snagglepat

Hi Lolly,

Thanks for the feedback. I do also check mucus and cervix position, although the latter never seems to change, it always seems 'open'. I did get fertile mucus this cycle on days 19 and 20, just no surge. I don't know what my body is playing at but it's certainly managing to wind me up at the moment.

I'm glad to hear you know of other queer couples TTC. There seem to be a lot of us about once you start looking. We're in touch with several other couples in the UK doing this - and three of us are using the same donor which is a little weird, but good too. At least we'll be able to keep our children informed of who their biological half siblings are. 

You're not patronising at all, I'm really grateful for the feedback. In my more objective moments, I know everything you say is true and I can be perfectly calm about the prospect of this taking a long time. It's just hard to be objective when the rollercoaster is dipping and diving so much.

Thanks again, and many good luck wishes to you too.


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