I've been on the pill forever so basically know nothing about my cycles, but am planning to start TTC later this year. I'm super-curious how long it takes to get to know the patterns of your cycle/fertile period after starting to chart and/or use opks (once cycles are back to normal if on birth control prior). I know it will vary a lot from person to person, but any insights would be very much appreciated 
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Def more than 3 cycles of temping and started using OPKs after 6 months. And that provided more accuracy.
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Following. I just got off of Nexplanon.
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It really only took about two months for me. My cycle was very consistent so when the second month looked just like the first month, it was pretty easy to see what was going on.
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My cycle was really similar on BP as well as off. Voted 3 months based on the FF app that says it needs 3 months for accuracy.
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I was on BCP for 10 years, I got pregnant the 3rd cycle I was off BCP, so I really didn't get a chance to know my cycle. It was just super crazy (it got longer and longer each month).
After I got my period back pp, it seems like it's more on schedule!
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I used a fertility app called Ovia for two months after getting off the pill. It helped me get an idea of my cycle/ovulation window pretty easily. I used OPKs during my ovulation window and the Ovia app was pretty accurate in this regard. We conceived the first month we tried! I know it's normal for it to take time to figure out your cycle, so my experience may be different than yours! I had a few friends that had to track their cycles for a while before having luck with conception.
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@regberadaisy: @Mrs.KMM: @Mrs. Lemon-Lime: @snowjewelz: @ldh112: Thank you, this is super helpful! It really does seem like there's a big range, which I guess is true of everything when it comes to TTC
At least that makes it an adventure! I'm definitely going to check out Ovia, as well as FF.@littleblessings: Good luck with everything!!!
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@hb3233: I used FF the first time around, it was kinda confusing, but I think it was helpful (ultimately, OPKs helped the most, not temping). Now I'm using Ovia and like it so I'll prob keep using it when TTC!
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@snowjewelz: Thank you - this is super helpful!
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@hb3233: thank you. Good luck to you as well!
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I voted "It's Complicated," because I never figured mine out in two years off the pill. I have PCOS and don't ovulate regularly on my own, so I would randomly have positive opks 3-4x a year maybe. My cycles eventually became quite regular, but susceptible to being longer due to stress. However, on the positive side, Clomid 50mg round 2 worked, and I'll be 10 weeks pregnant as of this Friday.
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@mrsjd: Congrats!!! That sucks that it was so complicated, but that's awesome that Clomid worked!
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@hb3233: Thank you! I will also say that tracking my cycles clued me in to the fact that I wasn't ovulating on my own. After about 8-9 months off the pill my cycles became pretty darn regular 29-32 days (very regular for someone with PCOS) but taking opks and tracking CM I knew I wasn't ovulating. If I hadn't been, I'm not sure I would've fought as hard to get an appropriate diagnosis - especially since my hormone levels are also all normal (I don't have insulin resistance PCOS and I'm thin). I eventually went through 3 doctors. Yes, I'm very fortunate to be a success story and I'm incredibly grateful!
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@mrsjd: That is awesome that you got to know your body really well and were so proactive about fighting for a diagnosis. It sucks you had to go to so many doctors (argh), but so glad someone finally listened. Good luck with the pregnancy!!!
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My cycle was pretty regular, so it didn't take long. I did have an ovulation date that was later in my cycle than I was expecting, so it took a couple months of temping before I figured out when to anticipate it.
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I had been on depo and the pill. I got off birth control for 6+ months before TTC. I'm glad I did, I think it took that long to ovulate. My cycles were over 45 days until 6ish mo. My OPK were confusing the first month and I never got a positive result, so we just DTD every other day month two and got the positive shortly after.
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About 2-3 cycles!
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@autumnlove: Thank you!
@youboots: Thank you! I should probably go off the pill now in anticipation of TTC in the fall, seems like there's a very real possibility that things could take that long (or longer) to get back to normal, but I'm also really hoping to avoid an oops before then because of our current work situation. I may go off anyways and just try to be really careful in case ovulation comes back quickly. Thank you again!
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@hb3233: we just used condoms. It would have been really discouraging to TTC the moment I got off the pill. If you do wait to stop just give yourself some time and have reasonable expectations. But just in case be sure to start taking pre natals.
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@youboots: Thanks! My initial plan was to go off 3 months before, but seems 6 may be more realistic to get cycles back, and maybe learn something about them. I expect TTC may take awhile regardless, but I'm not getting any younger (almost 33 now) and should probably do what I can to improve the odds. Thank you again!!!
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It took over a year for my cycle to normalize, well, it never really did. It took over a year to come back at all, and I got pregnant before it regulated. And I was young, healthy, good weight, etc. Hope yours us smoother!
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@MrsSRS: Wow, sorry to hear that it took so long - that sucks - but glad there was ultimately a positive outcome!
As a teenager I didn't have a period for like 5 or 6 years due to competitive running. I'm hoping now that I'm lazier about exercise and not as thin it won't be so wacky but who knows...
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Crazy periods, two easy conceptions. It's a trade off that I'll take!
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@MrsSRS: Agreed!
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