is this normal?

[dragonfly07]

Hi ladies,

A couple months ago the doctor told me he thinks I have PCOS, (long, irregular cycles & skewed bloodwork...high LH levels), however for now I am just charting to see if I am ovulating.

This last cycle, I had 6 + OPK's in a row...and 8 days of EWCM in a row (5 before a + OPK and the other three during + OPKs). So, it has now been 14 days since my first + OPK. (day 36 of my cycle) Shouldn't AF start anyday if I really did in fact ovulate? I have also been trying to temp...however every morning my temp is 98.7-99.2 because of being under the covers ( I am not sick). I'm so frustrated. I just wanted to try to figure this out on my own before running a ton more blood tests and doing ultrasounds. Ugh...

Any ideas? Does this sound normal? TIA!

[Jashobeam]

You can O and not get AF and vice versa. At least one lady on this board Oed once and got PG without AF for several months before that O or any after it.

[PBLayzod]

Sounds annovulatory to me. I would get days and days or +opks and ewcm when I wasn't O'ing. It's from the elevated LH levels. My body kept trying to O, but just couldn't do it. You may get AF or you may have another run of +opks and ewcm.

Sleeping under covers shouldn't effect your chart, because your temps would still be taken under the same conditions every morning. If you haven't had a temp shift, you probably haven't O'd yet.

[dragonfly07]

Thanks ladies. I guess I am just really frustrated at this point. Lately I have been exhausted too. I just feel like AF should be here any minute--it's been 17 days since my first + OPK. I'm thinking I didn't O this month...although it feels like I did. I feel like maybe I should just go and get the blood work done. I was trying to exercise more, hoping AF would straighten itself out...but I am always just too tired to even go. It seems like no matter what I do, I want to sleep! Ugh..

[PBLayzod]

Frustrating, I know. Better to know than not, though. I didn't chart until 6 months after we started ttc. I had just assumed everything would work.

There are lots of things that can be done to help us PCOS folks O and conceive. Good luck!

[dragonfly07]

Thank you! Actually, we are not TTC yet. I went in to ask my primary doctor if she thought everything would be okay when it comes time for us to try (in about 2 years, once I finish school) and she sent me to a specialist who said it sounds like I have PCOS (which I was NOT expecting to hear, I was completely shocked). So needless to say, I am just trying to figure out what my body is doing so that by the time we DO TTC, we will have all the knowledge we need in order to have our babies!

[dragonfly07]

PBLayzod--By the way, congrats on your new addition!!

[AprilA7]

If you're not in a hurry to ttc, then I'd just stick with the charting for a few months. I don't know where you're charting, but www.fertilityfriend.com is an online place for it for FREE and they have a course on how to do it since it can be tricky. You can pay for upgraded services, but the free service should suffice just fine.

Getting the tests, a progesterone test around cd24 to see if you O'd and various other tests will give you a more definate answer.

Opks are natorious for having false +s with women who have pcos because we have elevated LH levels, so for some of us they're useless. If you got a + 6 days in a row, I'd say at least some were false +s generally the LH surge lasts 12-24 hours.

So it really just depends on how relax you want to be about it.

the covers shouldn't effect your BBT. As long as you've received at least 3 hours of sleep and you take your temp immediately upon waking, you should be fine. FF says if you sleep with your mouth open or there's a distinct difference in the temp of your house one morning vs the others then your temps may be effected a little so you should make a note of it. Otherwise, your body compensates by heating oyu up or cooling you off appropriately...

[dragonfly07]

Hi April. Thanks for the reply. I think I have decided to call my doctor and ask for the blood work to confirm. I really do not want to put more meds into my body unless I really have to (I want to reserve that for when I am TTC). I think I just want to do the tests for reference, so I know for sure what is going on. I really appreciate all the info!!

[PBLayzod]

You might want to check out a book called Taking Charge of Your Feritility (your local library might have it if you don't want to buy). It's a great reference with lots of info about charting, etc. I know folks who use the info in it to help prevent pregnancy, too. I personally think it should be issued to every girl at puberty.

[AprilA7]

You may also consider getting tested for insulin resistance which is the root cause of pcos for many women. If you have it, they can put you on metformin or another IR medicine which will help your insulin work the way it should, which will help prevent diabetes and for some, it eventually makes them O regularly... Pcos usually is a chain of events... And some believe it starts with IR. Once that is treated, everything follows suit for some. It can take up to 6 or so months for it to have your body normalized enough to be Oing on time. So it would be good to do it while you have the time to wait on getting Oing regularly. And if you do have IR, it's something you need to be taking care of regardless of ttc. You can follow an IR diet, but your dr would be the best judge of what you need...

Good luck & keep us posted!

[Mom2P&A]

Here's what I think, If your temp is running 98.7-99.2 then I would take a pg test. It would be highly helpful if you could post your full month of temps for me to investigate, but those high temps are very very likely post ovulation temps, I've never heard of anyone being that high pre O. So according to your temps I say you did O and you could be pg and that is why AF is not coming. This just depends "how long" your temps have been in this range. Consider posting your temps or take a pg test to see. Let us know!

[dragonfly07]

Thanks for the book suggestion PB! I actually already have it and I totally agree...it should be given to every woman!

Mom2- I did take a pg test and it came back negative. Actually, AF showed up today! On day 38 at that!! That to me is exciting, considering my last cycle was 60 days long. I would show you my chart, however I wasn't temping before that... I just know my "normal" temp is usually around 97.6. Honestly, I bet I just wasn't temping correctly (like not getting a full three hours or something) and/or my thermometer needed to be replaced. We will see this next cycle.

Thank you ladies for all of your help!! I still don't know for sure if I O'd, but for now I think I am just going to eat right, exercise and lower my stress. I hope the rest can fix itself!