man hope this isn't a stupid ??

[She67]

When you start later, like I am on CD 55, and once I start, that means that I O'd later than what Fertile friends said I did/should have correct?

BBs are not as sore, and no cramping, but with all my pgs bbs hurt! So maybe things are calming down so I will start !!

thanks
Sheila

[BC-Maura]

Hi Sheila: Assuming a non-pg cycle. the later you O, the later AF will come ... one's luteal phase is fixed, somewhere in between 12-16 days (and usually being the same for a particular woman, give or take a day, meaning if your LP is 14 days, it should be 13, 14 or 15 days every month) ...

FF is giving you a predicted O date just based on past cycles and past cycles only take you so far!

Good luck and keep us posted++++++++++
Maura

[She67]

hence why I should get the OPK sticks? Because I really dont have a set cycle, though I rarly go 50+ days, I still do from time to time

thanks
Sheila

[BC-Maura]

Hi Sheila: Right. For a person who always O's on cd 14, OPKs really aren't necessary. But for a person with a roving cycle, the more you can find out about your cycle, the better chance you have at hitting O with your BMS. The problem with a long cycle, though, is that you may go through tons of OPKs each month, which can get really expensive. What you could do is focus on your cm. When you notice it turning fertile, you could start up the OPKs. Or you could just BMS every 2-3 days during your fertile period (determined by your past cycles), stepping up the BMS to every day if you do see a surge on an OPK or notice some really fertile ewcm!

Good luck and keep us posted++++++++++
Maura

[She67]

I about fell over when I saw the $$ of those items, I might do it for a month or so, but after that its cm, and bms based on cycle hx..thanks!

Sheila

[wantsababy2]

I too have long, irregular natural cycles. They are usually anywhere from 37-45 days, but 50 days is not unusual for me, and then about twice every 3 years, I have a 66 or 70 day cycle (which basically means I skip a cycle altogether).

Unfortunately, for women like us, it is impossible to try to determine when we're going to O. I have been charting BBT for 1 year. The first three were unmedicated and my cycles were 42 days, 67 days, and 48 days long. The only common thread I could find was that with every single cycle over the last year, my LP was 16-17 days. I was able to conclude that I do ovulate each cycle, but O varies tremendously. When I started ttc, my OB/GYN told me that because of my age and my irregular cycles, I should go on meds to regulate them so I can predict O better, and to make my cycles shorter. He put me on Clomid which did exactly that. I had 34 day cycles on each of my 3 Clomid cycles, and I O'd on cd16 or 17.

Is there any way you might consider taking meds to help regulate your cycles and make them shorter? I think it would be as beneficial for you as it was for me. It sure made timing BMS easier - that 67 day cycle of mine was a killer as far as every-other-day BMSing went, even DH said enough is enough already!

I wouldn't recommend Clomid, but Femara is a good alternative as a starting point. It sure is nice to know that if a cycle fails, at least I'm cycling faster and can get more tries in than I would have with my longers cycles. Us old folks don't have a lot of time to waste, after all!

[She67]

what is the difference between clomid and femara? I was on clomid a long time ago, before my 2nd child and I never developed any follies , so how does that help the cycle flow??

thanks
Sheila

[wantsababy2]

Femara and Clomid accomplish the same goal - to recruit a follicle (or follicles) for development in the early stages of your cycle - but they do it by a different mechanism. Femara has none of the negative side effects of Clomid (thinning endometrium and hostile cervical mucous).

If Clomid didn't work for you, I don't know if that necessarily means Femara wouldn't either as they are different medications. If you ovulate on your own, I can't see why either med wouldn't work, but I'm no doctor and I'm sure they've seen it all. There are certainly myriad other protocols that would produce follicles and regulate and shorten your cycles. I understand the desire to ttc naturally for a while, just bear in mind that if you get frustrated with your long cycles (like I did) there are some very good options out there. But hopefully you won't need to seek them out!

Good luck and baby dust to you!

[She67]

I am not sure wht to think about Fert meds. As I have two lc and 1 daughter who passed away last year the day after she was born d/t right hypo plastic heart syndrome. All 3 children were conceived with out meds. However, while trying to get pg with dd, after no kids for 10 years.. I went on clomid, and they produced no good follies, then I went to gonal f with IUI never got pg, then the re said IVF and we could not afford, so we stopped a year later I was pg with dd and a year after that pg with my 2nd daughter, now we are trying again. I just worry about my age, I am 38, what is your opinion, should I go back to an RE we can not affod IVF.

thanks
Sheila

[wantsababy2]

Sheila you've just asked the million dollar question!

I am 37 and unexplained. My FSH is good, and all our tests came back normal. So, why, after 6 years of no birth control have I not become pregnant? At first they thought I wasn't ovulating because of my long, irregular cycles, and i think they still believe that, but I have been temping for over 1 year, had 3 7dpo tests in that year - everything indicates ovulation, even with my crazy cycles. So, in my heart I like to believe we can conceive. In my mind, I think there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to conceive. Yet we have been unsuccessful. I sought ought an RE, and a second opinion, and while my cycles on meds have become "normal," we have been unsuccessful after 5 tries.

So, I too have the same quandary as you. What to think about IF tx? I was on Clomid for 3 cycles, which I now know were terrible cycles, so no wonder they didn't work. But then I switched to injectables and had two "textbook" cycles according to my RE, and even with 6 and 8 follicles respectively, I got a BFN and the second was BFP but ended up being chemical, which absolutely devastated me. After all these years, after all the effort, after all the heartache, finally a BFP and it had to turn to sh*t.

I am now very disillusioned about ART. I know that IVF has the highest success rate, but I also know it has the highest cancellation rate, the highest risk for multiples, you can't do back-to-back cycles (I hate waiting - it feels like I'm wasting time), and after all the $$$ you spend, you still only have a 30 or 40% chance (probably less at my age).

So, what to do? If we only had a crystal ball!