https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:45:21 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2659189 Wed, 30 Nov 2016 11:44:46 +0000 LCTBQE 2659189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaryM: yes, perfect logic.</p> <p>@YYCBee: oy, not to get into a big healthcare discussion, but there are things I seriously envy about living in Canada (1 year maternity leave WAT) but the get-in-line aspect of socialized medicine is definitely not one of them--hugs to you. You will figure out what's going on and resolve it, and your proactive approach will only help you in this :heart: and wanted to say welcome! I have gotten such incredible support and information on this forum, both during my miscarriages and pregnancy--hope you find the same. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2659176 Wed, 30 Nov 2016 11:29:02 +0000 MaryM 2659176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@YYCBee: I support you in fighting your doctor. </p> <p>I think their guidelines make sense when a person seems to be otherwise healthy and their body is working as it should. </p> <p>But your body is showing you that clearly, something is off. And your doctor is essentially ignoring that. </p> <p>If you were having perfect cycles and fighting for infertility treatments...fine. I think they have the right in that case to say "slow down, these things take time." </p> <p>But really, you're not fighting for infertility treatment. You're fighting for your body to act in a normal and healthy manner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2659153 Wed, 30 Nov 2016 10:59:55 +0000 YYCBee 2659153@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Emsmems: Were you charting or using OPKs or anything when you stopped taking birth control? I'd be more than fine with waiting 6 months if everything seemed fine and we just weren't getting pregnant. But I am fairly certain that I'm not ovulating (because I've been temping/charting and using OPKs) and so I feel like we should at least be trying to fix that instead of just waiting to see what happens.<br /> If I had more time I wouldn't be so on top of it either, but I really do have a limited window to get pregnant otherwise i'll have to top trying and wait a year before starting again. If you were charting, were you not ovulating as well? or did you have weirdly long cycles at all?</p> <p>@LCTBQE: Thank you. I really have a hard time with hospital/dr rules when logically it doesn't make sense (related to my other health issues and surgeries) especially in Canada. I know that they are there for a reason, but I feel like Doctors should have the ability to override those rules based on their judgement. To me, if it's clear that I'm not ovulating, and there is a simple solution to try and jump-start my cycle, we should at least try it. I've read Taking Charge of Your Fertility, and I've read all of the little tutorial emails that came with the Fertility Friend app when I signed up, and yes, I totally agree that it's very useful! So many things in there that the average person wouldn't know! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2659005 Wed, 30 Nov 2016 03:50:35 +0000 LCTBQE 2659005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@YYCBee: I haven't had this experience, but just wanted to encourage you to fight this with your doctor or promptly find a new one, if possible. Do not listen to people who tell you to relax and let it come naturally, etc--they have NO idea what they're talking about and the suggestion that it's your stress that's giving you these anovulatory cycles is dumb/infuriating. The 1-year suggestion, IMO, is crap if you're charting and clearly see a problem. Sounds like you are on top of it :) but have you read Taking Charge of Your Fertility? That book was my bible when I was TTC. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658980 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 23:30:07 +0000 Emsmems 2658980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I personally think the 6 month plan is ok. When I went off the pill (after being on it since I was 18, and I went off at 29), my OB told me to give my body three months to "figure it out" and regulate itself. I got pregnant the 4th month. This time, he said give it a month, since I was only on BC for a year and my body can adjust more quickly. And sure enough, the 2nd month I got pregnant! Not that it will happen this way for you, but I think 3 months of your body figuring things out and three months to see if it HAS figured it out and regulated seems fair to me. I know that it's a lot harder when you are in the moment and have an ideal timeline, but I don't think it's unreasonable! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658891 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 17:59:43 +0000 YYCBee 2658891@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@raspberries: Thanks! I feel like I have found a wealth of knowledge here!</p> <p>@MaryM: You're right... I probably do need to be more assertive here. I don't think my Dr realizes how much I know (after reading TCOYF and doing a ton of internet research), and last time I was too polite to say so. And thanks for the update on the progesterone cream. When I started googling it came up on Amazon and I thought maybe I could be sneaky and bypass my Dr all together. </p> <p>@Banana330: Thanks! I'm willing to try basically anything at this point and since my Dr isn't being receptive, I figure why not try non-western / alternative medicine too!</p> <p>@2PeasinaPod: Not forward at all! I'm 29 (30 in May). I've never been diagnosed with PCOS but I've also been on hormonal birth control for a long time so I don't think I would have known. I don't have any symptoms like weight issues or excess hair or anything, but I have had a suspected cyst burst before (I was curled up in a ball in pain almost throwing up and sweating and shaking because it hurt so bad one time after sex... Dr said it was probably a cyst that burst). What's weird is that since going off the pill I've had one cycle that was 42 days with like a barely there period (more like spotting) and now Cycle #2 is going on 52 days. So it's weird that they are getting longer not shorter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658814 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 15:37:05 +0000 MaryM 2658814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I forgot to reply to the question about using progesterone cream. </p> <p>From what I've heard (and I'm in a community that hugely supports the use of bio-identical progesterone and correct dosage and monitoring), it can be hard to dose the creams and figure out how much is actually being absorbed. And I'm not sure that they're as closely monitored as other forms. For people with really low levels, it's not usually suggested. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658812 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 15:32:49 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2658812@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hope this doesn't seem forward, but are you younger than 30, and do you have PCOS? </p> <p>I'm asking because I came off the pill when I was 30, and my first cycle off the pill was 84 days. I had been on the pill for over 10 years, and it took my body forever to get back to normal. My doc had let me know that if I got to 90, to give them a call and they'd start me on progesterone. I was never so happy to see Aunt Flo.</p> <p>After that, my cycles were 60 days, then 50, then 40, and hovered around 35-40 for a while. I got pregnant after 8 months, and miscarried, and then my cycles were a clockwork 28 days. So it took my body a while to get back to it's usual rhythm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658807 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 15:24:53 +0000 Banana330 2658807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@YYCBee: I've been seeing a fertility acupuncturist this cycle. Hopefully they can kick start the cycle for you. There's also lots of herbs you can take that might help regulate your hormones. I've been on mine since I got my IUD out in july and finally my cycles seem to have calmed down. That said (I'm canadian too) I do think your doc should help you kick start your cycle and perhaps refer you to an OB. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658803 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 15:15:50 +0000 MaryM 2658803@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with @raspberries: ....except "ask when they can get you in to figure out what's going on or if there's something you should do"</p> <p>I think you've already done that, and she's dismissed you. </p> <p>I'd follow up by saying that you know she asked you to wait 6 months, but you'd at least like the chance to TRY in that six months. And that given that your cycle has been two months long with no end in sight, you'd like help restarting your cycle. Possibly with progesterone. </p> <p>It might be time to stop saying "what can you do" and start saying "I need you to do X" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658800 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 15:09:54 +0000 raspberries 2658800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@YYCBee: When I mentioned long cycles to my doctor after we'd started TTC the first time, she said to call the office if my cycle was ever longer than 60 days and she'd get me in for a progesterone prescription.</p> <p>So if I were in your place, I'd probably give it until next week then talk to the nurse on call there - explain that you're TTC and it's been 55+ days since your last period with no sign of ovulation (and no positive pregnancy test, which will probably be the first thing they ask about), and ask when they can get you in to figure out what's going on or if there's something you should do. I think if you act like it's obvious they should be testing you or helping you in some concrete way, you might be more likely to get real assistance. You have my sympathy - TTC can be stressful! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658787 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 14:51:03 +0000 YYCBee 2658787@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaryM: Yes! This exactly! It's not fair.</p> <p>@mrsjd: Thank you... I totally think this too and it makes me mad when I work so hard at things, and then other people just "get lucky".</p> <p>@raspberries: Thank you for the support. I agree that it's weird that this cycle is longer.... I kept waiting for my period to show up around the same time and now I feel like it's never going to come (no cramps, no spotting, no dip in temp). If it were you, would you wait a bit longer to make an appt (to show that you're not just overreacting and gather more data). Or would you book one right away and tell her that you don't think that you were as clear as you could have been in the last appt? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658780 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 14:44:46 +0000 raspberries 2658780@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@YYCBee: I think it can't hurt to schedule another appointment specifically for this purpose (amenorrhea/anovulation.) I'd also point out to your doctor that your last cycle was 42 days, and this time it's been 50+ days since you've had a period - she might be brushing you off because she thinks you're just adjusting after BC, but it seems to be lengthening instead of shortening. Take all of your data in and show her your charts and whatnot so she can see that you've been tracking carefully and aren't just going on a hunch. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658777 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 14:42:16 +0000 mrsjd 2658777@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@YYCBee: The "just happen" or "if it's meant to be" approach makes me rage! I firmly believe my beautiful 3 month old daughter would not be if I hadn't gone on clomid. I'm more of a "good things come to those who hustle" believer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658768 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 14:31:58 +0000 MaryM 2658768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@YYCBee: I feel like most doctors will tell you to try timed intercourse for 6 months and then they'll evaluate you, but the reason for that is that in 6 months, you should have had at least 6 tries. If you don't even get to try...it doesn't seem fair to make you wait some arbitrary length of time before even trying to give you the chance to try. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658763 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 14:27:01 +0000 YYCBee 2658763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsjd: Thank you! I am a very logical/analytical person, so I appreciate you saying "It seemed insane to me to wait a year when I had a virtually zero percent chance of conceiving naturally". I can see waiting to investigate fertility issues if I can ovulating and it's just not happening, but to me, if I'm not even ovulating then there is no chance of getting pregnant. So even once we fix that part, there's still all the other normal variables to consider. </p> <p>@MaryM: @raspberries: I do think that low progesterone is my issue, because my temps seem generally low (I think I read somewhere that usually the higher temps after ovulation are above 97.7 because of the progesterone and that people with low progesterone typically have lower temps). What really made me mad is that my Doctor said that she will prescribe progesterone to women of certain religions who can't be on birth control but also can't have their period during times of prayer. It bugs me because she's willing to prescribe progesterone to people for religious reasons, but is going to make me wait 6 months before even trying. </p> <p>I'm in Canada, so finding a new doctor isn't so easy, and I do generally like my doctor. This is probably also why she won't do tests or anything (Doctors in Canada are under a lot of pressure not to waste public resources on unnecessary testing etc). But maybe I'll go back to her and push harder. This was a pap appointment where I just brought it up, so maybe if she wasn't so rushed she'd take me more seriously. </p> <p>My other thought is just ordering progesterone cream off of amazon. Has anyone else done this? Is it even legit?</p> <p>Thank you for listening to me though and making me not feel crazy. Everyone else that I've talked to (friends without kids and my DH) says "maybe you're just stressed, give it some time" or "I'm sure it'll happen, just wait and see". But I feel like it won't "just happen" because you can't get pregnant if there is no egg to fertilize, even if you're doing everything else right!</p> <p>I'm going to see a fertility acupuncturist on the weekend... I don't totally believe in it, but I figure it can't hurt. But I think I'm going to make another appointment with my doctor if nothing changes in the next month and say to her "look I know you said 6 months, but it's been 4 and I'm definitely not ovulating (I feel like I am temping and everything right, and I've never even had close to a + OPK) so let's be more proactive" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658617 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 13:02:07 +0000 raspberries 2658617@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with previous posters - go get a second opinion, especially since you're sure you're not ovulating (and if you're not sure if you're temping correctly, get some OPKs to give you more information.) I have weird long cycles and my doctor had no problem prescribing progesterone to restart a long/anovulatory cycle, way before we got to a year of trying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658607 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 12:48:54 +0000 MaryM 2658607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@YYCBee: Can you find another doctor or are you tied in by an HMO?</p> <p>I would try to find a doctor willing to at least jump start a period with progesterone (low progesterone is usually the cause for long cycles. Your period begins after a significant drop. If your level is too low, there's nothing to drop, and thus, you have a long cycle). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658604 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 12:46:13 +0000 mrsjd 2658604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@YYCBee: I wanted to write to tell you my story and suggest that you may want to change doctors if yours isn't taking you serious. I went off the pill in January 2014 and had all over the place cycles. I temped/charted for about six months (which I hated and made me crazy). During that time, I never saw a temp shift nor got a single positive ovulation kit. I brought this up to my then doctor, who basically said to me what yours said, but agreed to order bloodwork at my insistence. The bloodwork revealed I wasn't ovulating but everything was normal except my AMH, which was on the low end. She refused to do anything further. (my husband's SA had already come back normal). I was 26 when we started trying and due to my age the first doctor didn't want to do anything when I knew for a fact I wasn't ovulating. I switched doctors after that and ended up doing more testing, including an HSG, which didn't show any blockages. It seemed insane to me to wait a year when I had a virtually zero percent chance of conceiving naturally. I did end up conceiving once after the HSG, but had a chemical pregnancy. Sometimes people who go off birth control take a little while to ovulate, but some like me, never do. The second doctor prescribed Clomid but I changed jobs and moved cities before going on it. I went to a third doctor who did an ultrasound and diagnosed with me with non-hormonal PCOS. I got pregnant on my second cycle of Clomid in December 2015. The second and third doctors seemed to be much more proactive. </p> <p>I tried pretty much everything under the sun to get my body to ovulate. I was (and am) a healthy weight, I tried eating fertility-rich foods, exercising more, exercising less, etc. I needed meds. </p> <p>Good luck and know you aren't alone! It's so tough! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658591 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 12:20:07 +0000 MrsSRS 2658591@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is going to sound bonkers, but both times I got pregnant I had just done two weeks of eating South Beach diet style, and the drop in sugar forced ovulation. It's more complicated than that of course, but the gist is that losing a little weight made my body ovulate. Maybe worth a shot? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2658584 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 12:09:37 +0000 YYCBee 2658584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As a little update...<br /> I'm still on Cycle #2 (although it's been 3 months) after going of the pill with no signs of an upcoming period :bummed: </p> <p>I had a Drs appt for a pap just to get that out of the way before conceiving and so I mentioned to her that I have been charting and that I don't seem to have ovulated at all. She gave me the standard "well we don't do anything unless you've been trying for a year". So I reminded her that because of my other surgeries, that if I'm not pregnant within a year we will have to stop trying and then wait until after my next surgery (unless of course I want to have surgery while pregnant, which is doable, but not advised... also it would mean not being able to breathe well throughout most of my pregnancy). She said that she would compromise and look into things if I'm not pregnant in 6 months, which I guess is something, but not really what I wanted. I guess I'm just concerned that if I'm not even ovulating, then if we only start investigating at 6 months, and then it takes some time to get answers and treat whatever the underlying issue is then it could still take longer than a year to actually conceive. </p> <p>I know that it's crazy early in the normal TTC world, but I just feel like I'm up against the clock and that my Dr isn't even willing to investigate. She said that if after 6 months I still haven't ovulated that we could try taking progesterone for 5 days to see if that jump starts my cycle. But other than that she had nothing to offer. </p> <p>Anyone else have advise for how I could try to get my cycle to regulate or ovulate? Or even just words of encouragement? </p> [attach=7811/16/oheyc2.600x283.b_d6m0Fm.png] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2651503 Fri, 11 Nov 2016 20:36:20 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 2651503@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It took probably 4 cycles to get fairly regular, but I have PCOS so things got wonky from there. But I'd give it a couple of cycles and see - especially if you've been on the pill a long time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2651448 Fri, 11 Nov 2016 16:59:46 +0000 kitty 2651448@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It took about 10 months for my body to recover from the hormones and start regular cycles. I also had short luteal phase during that time. My cycles ended up being about 35-45 days long. We got pregnant about 12-13 months after stopping the pill.</p> <p>I know how you feel about being a control freak, I was charting the whole time and stressing about short luteal phase, insufficient mucus, etc. But it all worked out eventually :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2651355 Fri, 11 Nov 2016 14:05:12 +0000 nana87 2651355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think my first cycle after getting off bcp was something like 38 days?? I really thought I was pregnant and it was devastating to get my period that month! But then I conceived lo1 on my 4th cycle off bcp. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2651250 Fri, 11 Nov 2016 09:44:14 +0000 DaniNae 2651250@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's totally normal for your body to take time to level out! Try not to stress too much! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2649951 Tue, 08 Nov 2016 17:29:53 +0000 Portboston 2649951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never had a regular cycle after getting off the pill. My first one was something like 113 days, then 53ish, 45, 35....I came off about 6 months before we TTC so by the time we were ready it was in the 30-40 day range. Now that I had my LO I'm finally having "normal" cycles. I'm not sure if there's a charters group here but there is on weddingbee and I found it to be super helpful when trying to decipher my charts! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2649949 Tue, 08 Nov 2016 17:26:10 +0000 YYCBee 2649949@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ok good... everyone in my family has had regular periods immediately after stopping the pill or has gotten pregnant without even getting a period after stopping the pill so it's nice to hear other people took a while to regulate. </p> <p>I also have an unrelated medical issue that requires me to have surgery every 17-21 months, so although I'm young and healthy I don't have time on my side. </p> <p>We ideally would like to conceive in January, so when I started seeing wonky charts I started to freak out. But even if they stay long, January would probably be our 4th cycle, so that's probably a good thing. </p> <p>Can you tell I'm a bit of a control freak?! haha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2649930 Tue, 08 Nov 2016 16:48:41 +0000 Tionn3 2649930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would say it took about 3 months for them to get back to normal. My first cycle off the pill was 33 or 34 days long. They kept getting shorter each month until they hovered around the 27-30 day range. I've been off the pill for 3 years (I mostly didn't want to be on hormones anymore) and, TTC for 7 months now, still not pregnant. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2649923 Tue, 08 Nov 2016 16:30:44 +0000 youboots 2649923@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I got off the pill in October knowing it would likely take awhile to get my cycle worked out. My first cycle was over 70 days and my second was over 45. So while we were preventing I would have been disappointed if we had been trying right away. Started having unprotected sex in May- positive pregnancy test in July. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/charting-after-going-off-the-pill#post-2649919 Tue, 08 Nov 2016 16:21:23 +0000 MaryM 2649919@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had really long cycles with no peaks when I went off the pill. Turns out, I had PCOS and never knew it. </p> <p>Keep on charting consistently. If you go several months without ovulating or having a period, you'll have a better chance of an OB taking you seriously if you can show them data proving you're not ovulating. </p>