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PCOS and Ovulation

kenzietate
kenzietate Posts: 399 Member
in Social Groups
This may sound like an odd question to most women. But how do you know if you have ovulated? I have looked up several different methods to find out plus when I was going through marriage counseling we learned two different natural family planning methods. But when learning about these I don't recognize any of the signs. As in, I don't think I have ever ovulated in my life. I looked at the lady like she was crazy when she was going through the NFP course. She thought I was crazy when I said that I have never seen any of this. Is this common for PCOS women? I just got off BC to start preparing myself for attempting to conceive so I am using NFP as much to learn about myself as to avoid pregnancy right now. But even before I went on BC I never had any of the symptoms of ovulation. Basically am I crazy and just missing the signs or is it possible that I have never actually ovulated? I have an appt. with my gyno in the fall but until then I am on my own.

I just started my first period since getting off BC and it was right on the 28 day cycle still. So I don't really know what that means since I am almost positive that I didn't ovulate.

Replies

  • miranda_mom
    miranda_mom Posts: 873 Member
    I tried using the temperatures and it did not work for me. And I'm pregnant so I know I was ovulating.
    Some women say the ovulation kits work for them. I never tried them but I've heard that they can be iffy with PCOS because they measure hormones that we have an unusual amount of so they can give you a false positive.
    My OBGYN told me that if you are getting your period, you are ovulating. Not sure if that's true.
    Personally, I have egg white cervical mucus for a few days before I ovulate. Then my boobs start to hurt. They hurt straight through until I get my period.
    Honestly I did not notice the cervical mucus thing until I was looking for it so you may have been missing ovulation because it's not the most obvious thing in the world.
    BTW, when I went off BC, I had the "withdrawal bleed" period (so obviously had not ovulated) and then I had one normal length cycle. Then I stopped ovulating altogether. Had to go on Metformin to get it going again.
  • kenzietate
    kenzietate Posts: 399 Member
    Thanks for the info! I want to try the temperature thing starting next month. I didn't want to start right in the middle of the cycle but I wasn't able to get a thermometer right away. So I have been doing the mucus method for now. The problem is that I didn't get any change what so ever from 2 days after my period until today when I started again. It is always the yellowish really sticky one i.e. the one when you are the "least fertile". I have read the same thing about the ovulation kits so I want to do that as a last result. I'm hoping that this next cycle will provide more answers since I just got off BC. I may have missed it when I was growing up but I was reading about anovulation bleeding and that sounds more like what happened from like ages 9 to 18 when I was put on BC. This is one of the main reasons that I don't think I was ovulating even then. That and that I have never had breast soreness, then only time I get any ovary pain (said to be a sign of ovulation) is the last 2ish days of my period, and my cervix doesn't change placement except around my period (lowers on the last 2 days or so and becomes too low to use tampons etc. comfortably).

    Sorry if this is too much info. I'll be honest I think a lot of my issues have been undiagnosed for so long because I don't honestly know what is "normal" so I can't tell when something is out of whack if that makes sense.
  • faith46904
    faith46904 Posts: 5 Member
    I really wish I had some kind of answers for you, but I'm in a very similar boat, however I don't get a period at all anymore and have been off BC for a long time. Just wanted to tell you your not alone with all the uncertainty and confusion. I'm going to see a specialist in 2 weeks, if I get any helpful info, I'll be sure to post.
  • telliot123
    telliot123 Posts: 1
    I have PCOS as well... I have been seeing a fertility specialist for quite awhile...the ovulation kits, temperature, etc... did not work for me... I have no idea when I ovulated because I don't have regular periords...probably 1 period every 4 months on my own but there is no way to know if I am ovulating which makes getting pregnant very difficult...

    I have one son who is 7....I was put on BC way back when to regulate my periords and the first month I got off the BC pill I got pregnant right away...since then we have been trying with no luck on our own which is why I went to the fertility specialist.... right now I have all the test done...when they did my hormones during my cycle it confirmed that I did not ovulate even though I had a period. The next step is Clomid for me which should do the trick....I have eggs they just don't mature and drop (hence no ovulation)...my periods are bacically just my body shedding the lining...

    I guess everyone is different but blood work should be able to confrim when and if you have ovulated..... apaprently with PCOS its difficult to determine with the traditional methods ( cervial mucus, etc) Hope that helps :)
  • kenzietate
    kenzietate Posts: 399 Member
    I have PCOS as well... I have been seeing a fertility specialist for quite awhile...the ovulation kits, temperature, etc... did not work for me... I have no idea when I ovulated because I don't have regular periords...probably 1 period every 4 months on my own but there is no way to know if I am ovulating which makes getting pregnant very difficult...

    I have one son who is 7....I was put on BC way back when to regulate my periords and the first month I got off the BC pill I got pregnant right away...since then we have been trying with no luck on our own which is why I went to the fertility specialist.... right now I have all the test done...when they did my hormones during my cycle it confirmed that I did not ovulate even though I had a period. The next step is Clomid for me which should do the trick....I have eggs they just don't mature and drop (hence no ovulation)...my periods are bacically just my body shedding the lining...

    I guess everyone is different but blood work should be able to confrim when and if you have ovulated..... apaprently with PCOS its difficult to determine with the traditional methods ( cervial mucus, etc) Hope that helps :)

    Thank you so much for the information!!
  • daterminedfatburnerX
    daterminedfatburnerX Posts: 346 Member
    this clear nasty stuff comes out of your vagina??
  • jaimrlx
    jaimrlx Posts: 426 Member
    this clear nasty stuff comes out of your vagina??

    Sometimes w/ PCOS, that happens all the time, no matter what. I've never had a period on my own, so I can't really help - I have had discharge, but it wasn't because of ovulation.
  • kenzietate
    kenzietate Posts: 399 Member
    this clear nasty stuff comes out of your vagina??

    I constantly have discharge and none of it is every clear.

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