First missed cycle - or pregnant?
ronjsteele1
Posts: 1,064 Member
I have a crazy question. I will be 46 next month. I still ovulate regularly and fortunately (or unfortunately, however one chooses to look at it), I tend to ovulate twice a month. This is a genetic thing in our family. That said, my cycles have been really wonky for the last year. I have an 18 and 15yr old girl that are also cycling. I'm pretty sure they are throwing my cycles off a bit. That said, my normal 29 day cycle (like clockwork since I started at 11) has been jumping 23, 25, 21, 26, etc. etc. You get the picture. All over the place. My girls tend to run cycles anywhere from 23 to 26 days. So, going off of my regular 29 day cycle, I am a week late. I've only ever missed a cycle when pregnant so I'm not sure what to expect. I've also been having horrid headaches. I am not one to get headaches, but when I do, they tend to be hormone related. Has anyone had these in peri-menopause? I've been toying with wondering if I'm pregnant simply because I've been a tad nauseous off and on (I don't really get sick when I'm preggo - just a bit nauseous off and on), my head is pounding by nighttime every night now, I'm really tired (but I often am the first few days of my cycle), and I'm eating like crazy. Mostly curious if others had these same things in peri-menopause or if I should just force myself to take a pregnancy test? Did anyone else ever wonder if they were pregnant in peri?
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I have had these symptoms as well in peri.
I was 30 days like a clock from the time I started, only missed if pregnant, very rarely if super stressed I would start early, but never late. Then a few years ago it just started being anywhere between 21 and 50 days. It's maddening to be so irregular, and the first time I went past 30 days I was totally symptomatic of pregnancy, swollen boobs and retaining water, crazy hungry, upset tummy when not hungry, it was like 3 weeks of PMS that just wouldn't go away. Horrible.
If it will make you feel better then take a pregnancy test to be sure. If it doesn't matter, then just wait until you have skipped at least 2 because skipping a month is common in peri.1 -
Thank you! I thought I was going a bit nutty. I wouldn't mind being pregnant but at my age this was all weird stuff for me. I will patiently wait (well, maybe not so patiently given the PMSy symptoms).
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I'm not sure how accurate a pregnancy test is at this stage. You could ask your dr for a blood test though.1
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I think everyone wonders if they are pregnant in peri. Even though I'm on HRT, I still get hormone fluctuations and combined with the sporadic periods, the symptoms are pretty similar. Only the passage of time has gotten me to stop wondering. I'm also one of the lucky ladies that had a boost to my bustline courtesy of the meno fairy. Painfully going up a cup size had me pretty convinced, but nope. Just meno's sick sense of humor in giving me decent boobs in middle age.
That said, it's certainly possible. I have a doctor friend that had a woman in her 50s come in because of weird symptoms and she was pg and had no idea.2 -
Yeah, the waiting is torture. I'd rather know. All of my symptoms point to pregnancy but when I read peri symptoms they are almost the same. I read something online yesterday that said a woman that gets pregnant in her 40's or later can have a negative test for several months before it shows up positive. What on earth?! I've never heard that before. For now, I wait. Other then total exhaustion, the signs are too similar. I'll wait another ten days or so and then retest just to be sure. Right now, it definitely feels like a case of PMS that won't go away!0
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Several times near the beginning of all this I would have sworn I was pregnant. Hormones gonna hormone! When was the last time you had sex? If it has been 14 days, take a test. There is no reason for a standard pregnancy test to be any less accurate during peri. The HCG is either there, or it isn't.1
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Several times near the beginning of all this I would have sworn I was pregnant. Hormones gonna hormone! When was the last time you had sex? If it has been 14 days, take a test. There is no reason for a standard pregnancy test to be any less accurate during peri. The HCG is either there, or it isn't.
Agreed. I finally took a second test today and it was negative. I relaxed a lot after that. Having had two negative tests now, I'm convinced I've missed my first peri-menopause cycle. Seems so weird!! I'm tossing the BC. LOL. I'm so sick of BC! I know technically I could still get pregnant but the risk is so low I'm not even worried about it. With my husband almost 57 and me almost 47 it's like a 1% chance. I'm glad I didn't wait any longer to take a second test. The waiting was making me menopausal nuts. 
I'm feeling a certain freedom with pregnancy no longer a concern. Woohoo!
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ronjsteele1 wrote: »Several times near the beginning of all this I would have sworn I was pregnant. Hormones gonna hormone! When was the last time you had sex? If it has been 14 days, take a test. There is no reason for a standard pregnancy test to be any less accurate during peri. The HCG is either there, or it isn't.
Agreed. I finally took a second test today and it was negative. I relaxed a lot after that. Having had two negative tests now, I'm convinced I've missed my first peri-menopause cycle. Seems so weird!! I'm tossing the BC. LOL. I'm so sick of BC! I know technically I could still get pregnant but the risk is so low I'm not even worried about it. With my husband almost 57 and me almost 47 it's like a 1% chance. I'm glad I didn't wait any longer to take a second test. The waiting was making me menopausal nuts.
I'm feeling a certain freedom with pregnancy no longer a concern. Woohoo!
Could you add something like VCF film (spermicidal) inserts, for the intervening months/years? That's what I ultimately did. I knew the risk was low, but didn't want any surprises.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Could you add something like VCF film (spermicidal) inserts, for the intervening months/years? That's what I ultimately did. I knew the risk was low, but didn't want any surprises.
Unfortunately, I can't. I am allergic to all of those types of products. We had to go to a non-latex BC years and years ago because of an allergy as well. I'm okay with the 1%. It is so small. I think if my husband were my age I might be more concerned but with 10yrs between us and the statistics I'm reading, we'll probably just take our chances. If we're really concerned we can always avoid during when I would normally be fertile (I still keep track as if I were running on a 26 day cycle right now). I don't know if that's accurate to do. I guess I should find out! LOL We'd actually be okay with a surprise. Not looking for it, but we'd be fine. Our kids were soooooo disappointed I had another negative test. We always wanted more kids but by the time my husband had decided we shouldn't stop he had turned 50 and felt like he was getting too old. He looks back at that now and wishes he hadn't made that decision back then either. Oh well. :-) We'll just have to enjoy grandkids.
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ronjsteele1 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Could you add something like VCF film (spermicidal) inserts, for the intervening months/years? That's what I ultimately did. I knew the risk was low, but didn't want any surprises.
Unfortunately, I can't. I am allergic to all of those types of products. We had to go to a non-latex BC years and years ago because of an allergy as well. I'm okay with the 1%. It is so small. I think if my husband were my age I might be more concerned but with 10yrs between us and the statistics I'm reading, we'll probably just take our chances. If we're really concerned we can always avoid during when I would normally be fertile (I still keep track as if I were running on a 26 day cycle right now). I don't know if that's accurate to do. I guess I should find out! LOL We'd actually be okay with a surprise. Not looking for it, but we'd be fine. Our kids were soooooo disappointed I had another negative test. We always wanted more kids but by the time my husband had decided we shouldn't stop he had turned 50 and felt like he was getting too old. He looks back at that now and wishes he hadn't made that decision back then either. Oh well. :-) We'll just have to enjoy grandkids.
Yikes! That's limiting!
I was not able to use latex condoms in my 20s, 30s, 40s, but somewhere along the way something changed in my body, and they don't cause a problem at all.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »ronjsteele1 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Could you add something like VCF film (spermicidal) inserts, for the intervening months/years? That's what I ultimately did. I knew the risk was low, but didn't want any surprises.
Unfortunately, I can't. I am allergic to all of those types of products. We had to go to a non-latex BC years and years ago because of an allergy as well. I'm okay with the 1%. It is so small. I think if my husband were my age I might be more concerned but with 10yrs between us and the statistics I'm reading, we'll probably just take our chances. If we're really concerned we can always avoid during when I would normally be fertile (I still keep track as if I were running on a 26 day cycle right now). I don't know if that's accurate to do. I guess I should find out! LOL We'd actually be okay with a surprise. Not looking for it, but we'd be fine. Our kids were soooooo disappointed I had another negative test. We always wanted more kids but by the time my husband had decided we shouldn't stop he had turned 50 and felt like he was getting too old. He looks back at that now and wishes he hadn't made that decision back then either. Oh well. :-) We'll just have to enjoy grandkids.
Yikes! That's limiting!
I was not able to use latex condoms in my 20s, 30s, 40s, but somewhere along the way something changed in my body, and they don't cause a problem at all.
I REALLY don't like the latex replacements we have had to use but it is what it is. I'm just happy to *finally* be out of BC land! I seriously thought we'd never get here.0 -
ronjsteele1 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »ronjsteele1 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Could you add something like VCF film (spermicidal) inserts, for the intervening months/years? That's what I ultimately did. I knew the risk was low, but didn't want any surprises.
Unfortunately, I can't. I am allergic to all of those types of products. We had to go to a non-latex BC years and years ago because of an allergy as well. I'm okay with the 1%. It is so small. I think if my husband were my age I might be more concerned but with 10yrs between us and the statistics I'm reading, we'll probably just take our chances. If we're really concerned we can always avoid during when I would normally be fertile (I still keep track as if I were running on a 26 day cycle right now). I don't know if that's accurate to do. I guess I should find out! LOL We'd actually be okay with a surprise. Not looking for it, but we'd be fine. Our kids were soooooo disappointed I had another negative test. We always wanted more kids but by the time my husband had decided we shouldn't stop he had turned 50 and felt like he was getting too old. He looks back at that now and wishes he hadn't made that decision back then either. Oh well. :-) We'll just have to enjoy grandkids.
Yikes! That's limiting!
I was not able to use latex condoms in my 20s, 30s, 40s, but somewhere along the way something changed in my body, and they don't cause a problem at all.
I REALLY don't like the latex replacements we have had to use but it is what it is. I'm just happy to *finally* be out of BC land! I seriously thought we'd never get here.
Heh. Me too!
The latex free condoms were...crunchy? I think that's the word I want.
Fortunately, I was able to use a diaphragm, and later a cervical cap. And I *could* use spermicide. Unlike you, a baby would *not* be a good fit here (we're child free, by choice), and I'm not yet at 365 days period free, so we're using still using VCF. *just in case*
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »ronjsteele1 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »ronjsteele1 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Could you add something like VCF film (spermicidal) inserts, for the intervening months/years? That's what I ultimately did. I knew the risk was low, but didn't want any surprises.
Unfortunately, I can't. I am allergic to all of those types of products. We had to go to a non-latex BC years and years ago because of an allergy as well. I'm okay with the 1%. It is so small. I think if my husband were my age I might be more concerned but with 10yrs between us and the statistics I'm reading, we'll probably just take our chances. If we're really concerned we can always avoid during when I would normally be fertile (I still keep track as if I were running on a 26 day cycle right now). I don't know if that's accurate to do. I guess I should find out! LOL We'd actually be okay with a surprise. Not looking for it, but we'd be fine. Our kids were soooooo disappointed I had another negative test. We always wanted more kids but by the time my husband had decided we shouldn't stop he had turned 50 and felt like he was getting too old. He looks back at that now and wishes he hadn't made that decision back then either. Oh well. :-) We'll just have to enjoy grandkids.
Yikes! That's limiting!
I was not able to use latex condoms in my 20s, 30s, 40s, but somewhere along the way something changed in my body, and they don't cause a problem at all.
I REALLY don't like the latex replacements we have had to use but it is what it is. I'm just happy to *finally* be out of BC land! I seriously thought we'd never get here.
Heh. Me too!
The latex free condoms were...crunchy? I think that's the word I want.
Fortunately, I was able to use a diaphragm, and later a cervical cap. And I *could* use spermicide. Unlike you, a baby would *not* be a good fit here (we're child free, by choice), and I'm not yet at 365 days period free, so we're using still using VCF. *just in case*
I wanted to use a cap or diaphragm but the manufacturers told my doctor the do have latex in them. And because I can't use the spermicides it would have lowered the effectiveness anyway. Condoms, as much as I hated them, we at least had a 100% effectiveness when we wanted it. I don't want to wait 365 days!! Wahhhhhhhh. I will have to talk to hubby.
Thanks. You've been helpful. 0 -
ronjsteele1 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »ronjsteele1 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »ronjsteele1 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Could you add something like VCF film (spermicidal) inserts, for the intervening months/years? That's what I ultimately did. I knew the risk was low, but didn't want any surprises.
Unfortunately, I can't. I am allergic to all of those types of products. We had to go to a non-latex BC years and years ago because of an allergy as well. I'm okay with the 1%. It is so small. I think if my husband were my age I might be more concerned but with 10yrs between us and the statistics I'm reading, we'll probably just take our chances. If we're really concerned we can always avoid during when I would normally be fertile (I still keep track as if I were running on a 26 day cycle right now). I don't know if that's accurate to do. I guess I should find out! LOL We'd actually be okay with a surprise. Not looking for it, but we'd be fine. Our kids were soooooo disappointed I had another negative test. We always wanted more kids but by the time my husband had decided we shouldn't stop he had turned 50 and felt like he was getting too old. He looks back at that now and wishes he hadn't made that decision back then either. Oh well. :-) We'll just have to enjoy grandkids.
Yikes! That's limiting!
I was not able to use latex condoms in my 20s, 30s, 40s, but somewhere along the way something changed in my body, and they don't cause a problem at all.
I REALLY don't like the latex replacements we have had to use but it is what it is. I'm just happy to *finally* be out of BC land! I seriously thought we'd never get here.
Heh. Me too!
The latex free condoms were...crunchy? I think that's the word I want.
Fortunately, I was able to use a diaphragm, and later a cervical cap. And I *could* use spermicide. Unlike you, a baby would *not* be a good fit here (we're child free, by choice), and I'm not yet at 365 days period free, so we're using still using VCF. *just in case*
I wanted to use a cap or diaphragm but the manufacturers told my doctor the do have latex in them. And because I can't use the spermicides it would have lowered the effectiveness anyway. Condoms, as much as I hated them, we at least had a 100% effectiveness when we wanted it. I don't want to wait 365 days!! Wahhhhhhhh. I will have to talk to hubby.
Thanks. You've been helpful.
I was surprised I could use a diaphragm.
Good luck!1
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