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short cycles?

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miranda_mom
miranda_mom Posts: 873 Member
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My problem has always been long cycles - before I started Metformin I did not have a period for seven months. On Metformin they were about five weeks apart.
I had a baby on 1/15 and then got my first postpartum period on 3/19. I seem to have started another one today, even though that would only be a sixteen (!!!) day cycle. Wondering if a short cycle might be a PCOS thing too.
FYI, I'm back on Metformin to help with hair loss, I'm not breastfeeding, and I don't want to get pregnant again so if I'm not ovulating, I'm okay with that.

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  • JoLMahan
    JoLMahan Posts: 34 Member
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    I stopped BC in November in hopes of starting a family, and since then my periods come every 17 days like clockwork. A few have made it up to 21 days (big whoop...) but it is usually end of day 16/start of day 17. It's definitely a PCOS thing, even though many more people experience just the opposite. However, with just about anything I do, my body reacts the total opposite way it is supposed to - meds that say non drowsy knock me out, meds that help with sleep make me an insomniac (for example).

    My cycles too are a good 7 days a piece, which leaves me only 10 days in between period free. It's super frustrating!

    I just started Metformin this week for the third time.... the first two times I had HORRENDOUS headaches about 10 days in. Hoping the new formula I am on and the weening into it helps because I have heard that it's just about a miracle drug for those that can take it !

    Congrats on the new baby! :flowerforyou:
  • miranda_mom
    miranda_mom Posts: 873 Member
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    Have you been able to test whether you are ovulating or not? I'd be curious - 21 days is the low end of normal for a cycle, just like 35 days is the high end. One of the things I read in my research is that short cycles are more likely to be non-ovulatory so just something to look into.
    This is just odd for me because my cycles were always long/non-existent.
    I had wicked headaches with both periods too, which sucks.
    Good luck with the Metformin - it really helped me get pregnant (I doubt it would've been possible for me without it) AND it also helps prevent miscarriage early in the pregnancy so hopefully you can keep up with it.
  • JoLMahan
    JoLMahan Posts: 34 Member
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    My husband and I are TTC, so I have been using ovulation tests but haven't gotten a DEFINITIVE positive just yet. I just got put on Metformin, and my OBGYN has said that in 3 months if I am not pregnant then we are going to start Clomid. Ovulation tests aren't always accurate in people that have PCOS anyway.

    I would definitely keep track of the starts of your periods on an app and if it's still going strong on a short cycle after 2 months, it would be worth talking to them about. I use Ovia to track mine, it's Free on iTunes!
  • miranda_mom
    miranda_mom Posts: 873 Member
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    So here's a weird thing - I started to have some signals of ovulation right around the time the bleeding stopped. I Googled it and apparently light bleeding can be a sign of ovulation so I'm thinking maybe it was that. It never got heavy like a period.
    Yeah I never used OPK because I know their results are not always the most accurate with PCOS. I did find Fertility Friend to be helpful but the only sign I really had consistently for ovulation was cervical mucus.
  • JoLMahan
    JoLMahan Posts: 34 Member
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    Well then maybe you arent having short cycles after all! YAY! (although now I really feel like an anomaly HAHA!)
  • Michelle_MyBelle
    Michelle_MyBelle Posts: 56 Member
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    Well that makes 2 (or 3) of us! I've always had crazy cycles though. Sometimes I'll skip a month or two, sometimes I get it twice a month, sometimes its somewhat "normal." I recently started keeping track on an app, too (I use Glow and I love it!). But since I started tracking about 2-3 months ago I've had it 15-18 day cycles!! & AF is usually here for 7 days too... I did read that vitamin C, as well as magnesium, can help lengthen cycles so I'm going to start taking some vit C soon. Hope that helps. TTC here too.
  • JoLMahan
    JoLMahan Posts: 34 Member
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    Maybe I will look into the vitamin c thing too. It's getting so annoying!!! LOL On for 7 days, off for MAYBE 10... on for 7 more.
  • Michelle_MyBelle
    Michelle_MyBelle Posts: 56 Member
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    Another thing that I am considering is Vitex. Its also supposed to help lengthen the lutheal phase (the days from when ovulation ends and period begins). Apparently, from what I read online) if this phase is less than 10 days it makes it harder to conceive. Vitex is supposed to help with this. Looks like its available at most vitamin stores for like $10-12. :)
  • JoLMahan
    JoLMahan Posts: 34 Member
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    Another thing that I am considering is Vitex. Its also supposed to help lengthen the lutheal phase (the days from when ovulation ends and period begins). Apparently, from what I read online) if this phase is less than 10 days it makes it harder to conceive. Vitex is supposed to help with this. Looks like its available at most vitamin stores for like $10-12. :)

    I have also heard of Inositol for help with ovulation. Have you read anything about that? you can get it in powdered form on Amazon, which is more concentrated, and it's less than $15
  • Michelle_MyBelle
    Michelle_MyBelle Posts: 56 Member
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    I haven't heard of it. I'll have to do some research ;) Thanks!

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