For the Ladies~Ovulation Question - I need help!!!

[7beasley]

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[bananiem]

Depending on your insurance you may have to have a referral to the specialist from your regular doctor in order for the insurance to pay for it.
At 32 and a history of irregular periods, I would ask for a referral to a specialist, just to see what can be done.
Good luck!

 

[Serena]

In my opinion, I think you are over stressing too much. The doctors don't like to worry about it until you've been trying a year.
I suggest you stop worrying. Have fun, enjoy your time together and after another six months then check with the doctors.
I'm pretty sure worrying can affect ovulation.

 

[crz4mm2]

I'd do temperature charting. VERY cheap and pretty reliable. AND I'd go to a specialist.
I don't think you are ovulating.

 

[Tinijocaro]

There is a great book called Your Fertility Signals, not sure of author, that describes cervical mucous, shape of the cervix, temperature, and other signals your body gives when ovulating. Maybe you could get a used one on ebay or amazon- if you are ovulating, the signals will be there.

Jackie

 

[tarmand]

My doctor wouldn't do anything until we were unsucessful for at least a year. Well, I read about the Clear Blue Easy monitor that you use daily. It's the REALLY expensive test. The monitor cost about $180 and the stickes are about $40 for 30 of them (enough for 2-3 months). I bought it and got pregnant the second month that I used it with my first baby and the third time I used it with this baby. I loaned it to my husbands cousin and she was pregnant within three months. To us, it was well worth the money.

There is a great site for women who are trying to conceive. It is:

I Dream of Baby

They have a great forum where you can ask any question in the world without worrying about it being too much information.

 

[lecach]

I tried some ovulation tests and they never worked for me. Even when I KNEW I was ovulating they showed nothing.

I used a great book called Taking Charge of your Fertility. It has charts in it and helps you figure out when you're fertile. I used it because DH travels a lot and I figured we needed help. The first pregnancy happened the first month we tried. The second pregnancy took 2 tries. I also found that I didnt always have the egg white mucus. So that doesnt necessarily mean anything. With charting I charted my temperature, my mucus and my cervix position (high, low, etc.). I knew exactly when to "try to get pg" and it worked.

 

[mickeyboat]

I'd do temperature charting. VERY cheap and pretty reliable. AND I'd go to a specialist.
I don't think you are ovulating.

Yes, do the temperature charting. Your doctor should be able to get you a thermometer and a chart. You will know within a couple of months if you are ovulating. It doesn't sound to me like you are.

We tried for several years to get PG and I swore uphill and down that I was seeing the cervical mucus they were talking about. But when I actually did ovulate, I could see the difference, it was clear and very stretchy.

I would call your regular doctor first for a referral. It may take several months to get an appointment with a specialist. In the mean time, chart your temperature so the specialist will have some information to go on at your first appointment. Also, many family doctors and gynecologists will do some blood tests and possibly prescribe Clomid themselves. That is something you can try while waiting for a specialist appointment. But I would not rely exclusively on someone who was not an expert.

Good luck.

Denae

 

[lulugirl]

My doctor wouldn't do anything until we were unsucessful for at least a year. Well, I read about the Clear Blue Easy monitor that you use daily. It's the REALLY expensive test. The monitor cost about $180 and the stickes are about $40 for 30 of them (enough for 2-3 months). I bought it and got pregnant the second month that I used it with my first baby and the third time I used it with this baby. I loaned it to my husbands cousin and she was pregnant within three months. To us, it was well worth the money.

There is a great site for women who are trying to conceive. It is:

I Dream of Baby

They have a great forum where you can ask any question in the world without worrying about it being too much information.

I also used this, it was worth every penny!

 

[scubamouse]

ask your Dr for a referral to an RE. 6 mos of ttc w/cycles that irregular should be checked out. or you could ask your dr to do a 'clomid challenge test' which is usually the first test you'd need anyway.

 

[NHDisneyKid]

I just went through your exact same dilemma this past summer! I'm 26 and I've always had irregular cycles (25, 36, 41, 67, you name it, I had it). I was sure that I didn't ovulate all the time and I was afraid to start buying the ovulation predictor kits because I thought in a 67-day cycle, that could be quite costly if I started testing too early. SO, I went the other route and started temping. We started trying last July, I started temping in September and in October, I got pregnant. If you buy a basal thermometer, it comes with instructions on when to temp, how to draw your graphs, how to figure a coverline, etc. You can also use fertilityfriend . com, it's very easy, you just enter your daily temperatures (taken right when you wake up in the morning, before ANY activity and after three consecutive hours of sleep) and the software will draw your graph and figure the coverline. Long story short, your temperature will spike the day AFTER ovulation and by having a graph, you can start to predict when that spike will be and if ovulation occurs in a cycle. The nicest thing about temping for me was, I knew exactly when I got pregnant because I knew my date of ovulation.
Also, don't freak out about a lack of cervical mucus. I had very little, if any noticeable change at all, and still conceived easily. If you have any other questions, please ask! I'm 16 weeks along now, so I feel like an old pro at the conceiving part!
Good luck and congrats on wanting to start a family!

 

[raammartin]

Maybe discuss it with you Dr. and give it more time. You'd be surprised at how many people don't ovulate "on time." I have a friend who tried (and finally succeeded) to get pregnant for about 8 months. About 6 months into it she bought an ovulation kit and discovered that she ovulated several days earlier than is "normal." She was pregnant in no time after that. Good luck!

 

[ZachnElli]

I also highly recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility . There are tests that the doctor can do, I'd ask him/her if he'd do a progesterone test. If your level is above a certain number you ovulated, if not, you didn't. It's just a blood test. I suspected I wasn't ovulating and I did the progesterone test and it did indeed prove I wasn't, my level was extremely low. Egg white mucus is best, but you don't have to have it to get pg, I know this from experience (I have a problem miscarrying and have been pg 8 times). Good luck!

 

[Katy Belle]

You've been trying for 6 months. I'm wondering if you were on oral birth control pills before that? I think it sometimes takes a long while to get that out of your system. I was on the pill for 10 years before trying to get pregnant the first time. I had no signs of ovulation for several months after. I did get pregnant at about the 8th month. I am no expert, its just something that came to mind.
Good luck!
Katy

 

[canwegosoon]

I went through this for 6 years So I understand. I also went to a specialist, he put me on the basal temp. test that several people have mentioned. Then I went for a blood test. Finally after several months of the temp test, I went on Clommid. I will warn you...you are it risk of having twins if you are put on a low dose of clommid, due to your age. Good luck, you have plenty of time...I know it doesn't seem like it...but I got pregnant with my twins at 36. I had to go through 4 doctors before I finally got the help I needed, and a doctor to take me seriously. I would get a referal to a specialist asap.

 

[raammartin]

You've been trying for 6 months. I'm wondering if you were on oral birth control pills before that? I think it sometimes takes a long while to get that out of your system. I was on the pill for 10 years before trying to get pregnant the first time. I had no signs of ovulation for several months after. I did get pregnant at about the 8th month. I am no expert, its just something that came to mind.
Good luck!
Katy

I also heard similar things about the Depo shot.

 

[mtblujeans]

I'd do temperature charting. VERY cheap and pretty reliable.....

....with a basal thermometer. Very cheap and very accurate.

You can pick one up at any drug store and the instructions and chart come with it in the box.

You can take that chart in after a couple of months and show it to/discuss it with your doctor.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Probably time for a specialist.

 

[7beasley]

Thanks for the responses.

Someone asked if I was on birth control and the answer is yes - for about 12 years (most of the time on the pill but a few years on the depo provera shot).

I made an appointment with a specialist (that was actually recommended to me by someone on this board thru a PM - thanks!) His name is Edmon Jacobson in Framingham, MA. I am seeing him for a consult on Feb. 9th.

I am hoping nothing is wrong but if there is a problem - maybe he will prescribe Clomid.

I have purchased on Amazon the 2 books you guys recommended - thanks!!

I have also checked out the I dream of baby site - it is a good site (although the server seems to always be busy!!)

And I am going to purchase the clear blue easy monitor - it is worth the $200!!

Keep your fingers crossed for me and send lots of pixie dust my way!

Also keep your great responses and information coming!! It is comforting and very much appreciated!!

Thanks again
Nicole

 

[RadioNate]

I also heard similar things about the Depo shot.

I didn't ovulate for more than 18 months after stopping the Depo shot. I had to go on the pill to help regulate my cycles and clomid to jomp start ovulation. It took nearly 3 years to get everything back to normal. All from 2 Depo shots, so it wasn't like I was on it for years and years.

It still took me 10 months to concieve and then I had a miscarriage at 13 weeks. Depo is evil.

As for the OP. Try not to stress too much as stress will affect you. I've heard great things about the book 'Taking Charge of Your Fertility' that others have mentioned. Talk to your Dr about getting a referral to an RE. Check with your insurance though because sometimes things like this have limited coverage.