How can I find out when im due to ovulate, issue with last cycle being 85 days long. help please...

[cn72]

hi all, I am new to this subject and have been advised by one of the team to post my query on this forum as I had previously posted in women's health.

I am always running a 28 day cycle since the age of 9 and I had a period on Nov 21st 2014 and then didnt have another until Feb 13th 2015. In this time I had all the female hormone blood tests done by my doctor as well as the regular blood tests, I was checked for PCOS, Menopause etc etc all of which were absolutly fine with no issues at all that would make me miss a period for nearly 3 months. My cycle that time ran for 85 days. My problem now is I am not sure when I would possibly ovulate...I am using OPK strips but have yet to catch the surge apart from a line which was a couple of shades under the control line in colour ( They say it has to match or be very very near the same to be a positive) then it has gone back to a feint line as standard or nothing at all.

With no actual cause of the near 3 month no period timeline ,the doc cannot explain why it happened I am not under stress nor have I had any changes in my life that could explain it. I went through 5 hpt and one blood serum test via the doc all came back negative.

We are desperate to become parents and as I am 42 I we really thought that 3 months we were finally blessed but sadly it wasnt to be. We are now concentrating on attempting to have sex at the best times eating well but how can we time it better if I dont know when Im due to ovulate.

Frustrated and scared incase it happens again and we get our hopes up for nothing.

Sorry if this is rambling.

Hope someone can help

Clare xxx

p.s all the ovulation calenders I have looked at have only gone as far as a 45 day cycle so thats of no use as mine went 85 days.

[Hopeful1982]

Hello, that's really frustrating especially when you've been so regular in the past! It's really good news that your blood tests are all ok. I've put some info below on what I've done in the past to check for ovulation. My only caveat is that I found peeing on sticks every day and charting cervical mucus quite stressful so gave up on it all. I have a fairly regular cycle though so it's easy for me to say!

I used the clearblue ovulation predictor tests in the past. They have one that's a dual hormone indicator so you get 'high' when your luterising hormone rises and a 'peak' on the days your estrogen levels peak. It shows a 'smiley face' or 'flashing face' instead of a line so might be easier to read. Expensive though if you're using for a long time.

You could also try the billings method. This is where you track your cervical mucus (tmi and gross I know!). Basically when it's stretchy and like an egg white that tells you, you're close to ovulating. When I used the OPK, the days my cervical mucus was egg white and I got a 'peak' were usually the same. But, when I asked Diane the nurse on here she did point out that not all women get this egg white mucus so it's not full proof. I still check my toilet tissue around ovulation time for this but I don't get it every month and I try not to obsess about it! (Cringing about the level of detail I'm giving here!!!)

Lastly, ttc is stressful esp if it's not going to plan so you may be feeling the pressure more than you realise and it may be the reason for the delay in your period.

Best of luck! x

[cn72 in reply to Hopeful1982]

Hi Hopeful1982

thank you for your reply. all very helpful info that you gave me and very kind of you tmi and all things we talk about with people we dont know... With regards to the ttc and stress possibly causing a delay I have to admit i dont think thats the case due to the fact that even though we did go down the evry way to conceive route a year or two ago we had pretty much accepted that its not meant to be and took the attitude IF it happened then great if not then so be it so we hadnt actually been planning charting or checking for about a year before this 3 month gap in my period. this is why its so strange to us and when i say no real stress i really do mean it and considering the last few years of my life i am at my calmest for a while now. (Dec 2011 lost my Dad to dementia then Aug 2013 lost my mum to cancer, moved home then had to deal with christmas so know stress quite well sadly)

Bless you and thank you once again for your reply it really is very much appreciated. by the way I did think we had both accepted our no child life until now, now we are both on a get pregnant drive once again hence the trying to find out about the ovulation timing. oh well will keep practicing I guess hopefully one day soon we will be getting the two lines on the hpt.

Take care xx