# Long/irregular cycles. Opinions please!



## Felicity123 (Nov 1, 2013)

Hi there.  I'm considering making an appointment to see my GP to talk about my irregular cycles, but would love your opinions first  

This may be a bit of a ramble, sorry about that!  I just wanted to cover everything I can think of.

First, I'm 29 and have no known health problems.  I haven't used hormonal birth control since I was in my early 20s.  I've been taking Angus Castus for five months.  I hoped that it would shorten my cycle, but if anything it seems to have lengthened it.  I can't say for sure that it's done anything else.

Spots - I've always had not great skin (pretty sure that's just my lot in life).  I had moderate acne as a teenager up to my early 20's (did one course of roaccutane which worked perfectly) and from then on two or three spots at a time, always around my jaw/chin.  I think Agnus castus has helped reduce this because for the last couple of months I've had practically zero.

Hairs - I have a few stray hairs; nothing excessive though.  There are three or four that grow on my neck under my chin, and four/five around each nipple (lovely!).  Nothing anywhere else.  This is something that began only in the last couple of years.

Weight - not something I struggle with at all.  I'm a size 10 and have weighed the same for the last 9/10 years - between 9 and 91/2st.

Periods - my actual bleeds seem quite normal.  5ish days of bleeding - brown discharge/medium/heavy/medium/light/light/spotting.

Cycles - my luteal phase is a pretty consistent at 14-ish days, but my follicular phase is all over the place.  

These are my cycles from Jan 2015 to now:
80days (ov day 67)
50 (35)
30 (16)
42 (29)
52 (39)
39 (25)
44 (30)
42 (2
50 (33)
44 (31) Jan 15



And I'm currently on day 28 with no sign of ov, so looks like it's going to be another long one... Argh!!

The 'normal' 30 day cycle occurs probably once a year (usually in Nov or Dec which is very strange!).  Long cycles I can deal with, but crazy all-over the place ones are really frustrating.

From opk's and bbt it looks like I do ovulate every cycle, but obviously I can't be sure.

Cervical mucus - seems to follow the 'ideal' pattern perfectly every 12-14 days until I finally ovulate.  So sometimes it goes through three or four cycles before one ovulation.  I haven't checked my cervix as consistently but it seems to follow this same pattern.

Breast tenderness - I've always has cyclic tenderness.  It usually starts 2 days prior to ovulation and continues until the 2nd day of my period.  I think this might be a key point, hormone wise, as it only ever happened just before actual ov. rather than following the same pattern as cervical mucus.

.

So... what's wrong with me?!?!?!?  Any suggestions, questions, thoughts, or anything really would be very much appreciated.  I'm worried the if I go to see GP he will try to fob me off again (the last time I mentioned possible pco/pcos, admittedly before I was thinking seriously about ttc, they basically said not possible because I'm not overweight and suggested going back on the pill!  ).  I'm wondering if stopping Agnus Castus would be a good idea or if I should give it another couple of months since it has had a positive effect on my skin.

Help please!


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## Cloudy (Jan 26, 2012)

Don't worry honey, you haven't seen some of my posts when I get going  

I definitely think you need to take this information to your GP. If they say that they won't even consider PCOS because you aren't overweight then hit them over the head with a medical dictionary! I have PCOS (all the classic sexy symptoms: irregular cycles, no ovulation, spots, hair blah blah blah) and have a BMI of about 20 - used to be less, but it's never been more. There are loads of ladies with PCOS that are in the below/average weight/BMI category. 

I'm not saying that you have PCOS: you don't have loads of signs of it, and as you are 29 you will sadly probably see an increase in those hairs - that's just getting older   However, Verity (PCOS charity, definitely worth a look) say 3 symptoms equals diagnosis so have a look at their site; a few blood tests and a scan can help to confirm or deny its presence. Sadly, lots of GPs are very misinformed about things like this - it isn't their fault, its a result of a male-dominated society and the fact they spend about 3hrs during their GP education studying PCOS! For me my blood tests were all 'ok' but as my gynie consultant explained, just because the hormones are 'within range' it doesn't mean that they are 'in balance' and that's something an endocrinologist can confirm.

Some ladies do just have irregular cycles due to irregular hormones, but it would be worth your GP actually checking a few things (thyroid maybe too?)

Are you TTC now? How long have you been trying? The sad thing is that most GPs won't do anything about 'womens problems' unless you are TTC and have been for 12 months.

Good luck xxx


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## Hopefulshell (Mar 14, 2013)

Hi Felicity

Sorry to read about your anguish and frustration. I've spent all my adult life fighting with irregular periods and ovulation so I know it's no picnic.

I second Cloudy. Before I got pregnant I was a size 8 and had been for years so weight is by no means an indicator of having PCOS or not.  

I always suspected I had PCOS though as I have such irregular cycles which used to be anything from 30-90 days. Ironically they became a lot shorter after IVF ... I went to the GP as a teenager when I first started having regular relationships but was fobbed off with 'It's not an issue until you want to get pregnant and then we can give you something to help!' Oh, how naïve - I hadn't realised how hard that 'something' was going to be!! It wasn't until DH and I started trying for a baby when I was 34/5 and nothing was happening after a year that I went back to my GP who then ran some tests as part of a fertility diagnosis. It was only when I had an abdominal scan that I was finally told that I had PCOS. Even after I went to see my GP again after one of my failed txs and asked to be put on Metformin she refused on account of me not having weight problems. But like Cloudy, I do have all the other wonderful side effects like excessive hair and long cycles ... 

There are many reasons why your cycle is irregular so don't automatically think you have PCOS. However, I would definitely go back to your GP and if you are wanting a full 'fertility MOT' they should rule out or confirm whether or not you have this. A high ovarian reserve often goes hand in hand with PCOS sufferers too (a combined set of hormone tests - FSH, LH and AMH will give this result). 

Natural therapies like acupuncture help some women who have hormone imbalances although 18 months of sessions did nothing to help my cycle!! I'd personally be cautious about taking 'natural pill remedies' until you have a clear diagnosis as you don't want to do anything to aggravate your natural cycles (especially if you're wanting your GP to run some blood tests, etc.) 

Present your ovulation/menstruation history to your Dr as you have done in your post. That is exactly what I did when I saw my GP as they can then get a precise picture of your cycles rather than just a vague idea that you're not as regular as you should be. The Pill is great for regulating your cycle but not ideal if you want to try for a baby  I've been put on it countless times as part of IVF as my cycles are so erratic and actually having a 28-day cycle was like a dream for the one month I was on it  

In terms of TTC, as you're only 29 your GP may tell you to continue trying naturally for two years. It's usually not until you're over 35 that they start to take things more seriously (by which time it can so much longer to sort things out and of course generally fertility declines after this time). You're certainly doing the right thing tackling the issue now while time is on your side. You've only given your cycle details for the last year but assuming you've never had a regular 28 day cycle? If this is a sudden change there may be other factors involved like stress etc. If you want to continue trying naturally while things are investigated don't stress yourself out over doing ovulation tests. One, they cost a fortune if you can't pinpoint your dates, and two they just add to the anxiety of trying to get pregnant. My GP rubbished them in my case and just told me to try every 2-3 days each month so that I didn't miss a 'window'. 

Best of luck going forwards.

x


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## loopy loo1017 (Aug 11, 2015)

Hi felicity didn't want to read and run 
I found out that I gave polycystic ovaries through a scan even though I don't have any other symptoms I'm not over weight or and don't have irregular periods I am slightly hairy in normal places but I have alot in them areas and also it's grows so quickly so this may be why 

With pco and pcos you don't have to have all the symtoms and a scan would show if your ovaries are polycystic  all my bloodworm came back ok too 

Hope you get an answer soon good luck xx


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## Cloudy (Jan 26, 2012)

Just wanted to add that not all areas have the 2 year rule, and some places have different rules regarding age so maybe if you have been TTC for 12+ months then have a look at your CCG rules regarding NHS funding. Hopefully you won't need it but it's so different across the country: for example some areas won't fund ladies under 30, others won't fund ladies over 35 - and they are prone to changing the rules on a whim  

If you have been TTC 12+ months they should generally follow NICE guidelines and start initial fertility investigations (e.g. bloods, scan, sperm test, etc) and then refer you to the hospital for further tests (e.g. HSG etc). However, they may offer you the option of going down the fertility route or the gynie route (generally once basic tests have been done via your GP). It's up to you which path you take, and you can go back at any time and request to be referred elsewhere, but it's just something to bear in mind. When I first went to my GP aged 28 with period problems I was given the option and chose gynie because my periods were so irregular and heavy and painful I couldn't cope.

Good luck xxx


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