Full cycle use of NPC and AF

chrianna · 04-10-2005, 03:18 PM

hey, i hope someone who uses NPC or who is an otherwise expert on the stuff can help me figure this out. i am a usual SC lurker--i've learned a ton about alternative remedies and diet here. i am a non-IR cyster who managed to conceive (and carry to term) twice on residual clomid cycles. i am tired of traditional medical approaches to PCOS so i am going the alternative route at least for now.

i started using NPC at the end of my last cycle. i have PCOS, my cycles are irregular to say the least, and i'd used up some of the provera i had and still wasn't getting a period. so i tried the NPC (the lifeflo stuff in a dispenser) and started spotting three days later. this is good--i got my TOM.

in doing some reading online and in dr. lee's book, i noticed that if you use NPC for 21 days after TOM then you can suppress ovulation thereby doing my poor PCOS ovaries some good. so i did it. but i'm almost positive i ovulated in the middle of the cycle and now (the day after my 21st day NPC application) i'm spotting like i'll be getting my TOM in a few days.

so i'm not sure what to think. NPC is supposed to be suppressing my cycle, giving my hormones a chance to balance but instead it may be improving the quality of my ovulatory cycle. i don't get it. plus, this cycle may be the shortest in the history of my cycles. even when i weighed less and was ovulating like clockwork, my cycles were 32 days. this one looks as though it may be 28-29 days. unheard of for me!

so i guess i want a way to interpret this cycle where i used NPC to suppress ovulation but i ovulated anyway. anyone have a clue? also, does this mean that i have to use NPC 21 days in a cycle to ovulate instead of just the last half of the cycle?

i would love some insight about this. i read about NPC in lee's book and at websites but i haven't seen anyone talking about using it the whole cycle and the cream CAUSING ovulation.

i'm also taking calmag, alfalfa, chromium, selenium and a multivitamin but i've been the most consistent with the NPC at night and not as consistent with the supplements.

thanks in advance for any help with this!

best,
anna

bethers · 04-11-2005, 10:59 AM

If the dose you are using is not high enough, then ovulation may not be supressed and you may still ovulate.
I thought Dr. Lee's book talked about using it for 21 days and then taking 7 days off? I would say that if you are still ovulating (can you tell from charting? OPK?) then increase your dose a bit each cycle and see what happends.
HTH.

chrianna · 04-11-2005, 04:15 PM

thanks bethers for your help. that i may not be using enough prog. to suppress my cycle totally didn't occur to me.

i assumed i ovulated because of the pain in my ovaries and how i felt after ovulation. after years and years of charting, i don't do it anymore though i do use OPK still. i didn't this time because i was out of town at the time of ovulation.

now i'm a little interested in the possibility of using NPC 21 days in a cycle to guarantee a normal cycle. . . i'll see what happens this coming month.

thanks again!

bethers · 04-12-2005, 11:43 AM

No problem.
Let us know how it goes with the increased dosage.