# My cycles are getting shorter, is it the end of the road?



## joanne40

Hi lovelies.............well, having been here for 2 years, and been blessed with my daughter last May, I'm now 42 (43 in Oct) my last 3 cycles have been 24, 24, and now 23 days. Of course, as you do, google google google, and the sensus seems to point towards pre menopause :cry:
I have always been spot on 25 days, very rarely a day late, even rarer to be early. I really think my time is up, especially now my cycles are getting shorter. I stopped taking pre-pregnancy vits a month ago, but just started taking them again to see if it makes a difference.
Sorry for the long post, but for the first time I really feel my time is up :nope:
Does anyone have any advice? I felt so confident when we started ttc again in Oct, my dd only took a couple of months of proper trying, but that was 20 months ago, and I was only 40, approaching 41.
Argh, I feel so down :cry:
Jo xx


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## 44andHoping

:hugs: Hi Joanne. Sorry you are feeling low. :hugs:

I wish I had some good advice. But I know exactly how you feel so you are not alone.

Mine used to be at about 28 days, then over the past year (or since really actively TTC) I've noticed a drop to 27 days, then to 26 days then to one month where it was a 23 day(!!) Back to a 26 day then a 27 day. Seems all over the place. I also tried to get some help from my good friend Google, which I MUST really try NOT to do each time I panic.

I found that it does happen to not just women in their 40's. And I realize that it isnt necessarily the end of the road (YET)

Until she stops totally you cant give up! I also think that my stress/concerns about TTC at my age make my body do things it might not ordinarily do. So Ive tried to not look into things as much as I used to.


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## joanne40

Thank you xxx


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## peanutpup

don't give up Joanne--my cycles were like clockwork for yrs--every 35 days then they changed to every 32 and the last 7 mths ranged from 31 to 38. I spoke to my dr bc I thought this was the start of the dreaded pm but my dr was not concerned, she said as long as I was having cycles it did not matter the length. She told me to keep at it!:thumbup:


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## peanutpup

forgot to mention I am 42 (43 in may)


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## bump2be

Hi - I'm 32 and have noticed my cycles getting shorter and shorter since they returned after my first LO was born. I used to be every 29 days and now it's more like 24,25,26 days! I've also done research online and it all points to Menopause :( I'm hoping that's not the case because I'd like another child and I'm only early thirties.


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## Milliesun

Since having my daughter my cycle has been bang on 28 days and today af arrived on day 26! This is why I read your post!!! 

I always note down my cycle and looking back I notice that I am usually 28 days, but there are also 26 and 25 days. In fact I conceived after a 26 day cycle (aged 39).

I would not worry.

Good luck! X


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## SarahSausage

Like the others said, you can still conceive while you have a cycle. Plenty of women have been caught during early menopause. Acupuncture & reflexology can really help bring your body back into synch though.


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## joanne40

Thank you ladies :thumbup:
This cycle I am not doing opk, have only one preg test in the house, so cant test early even if I wanted too! :wacko:
I am not gonna date watch, just let it go and be free. I go away in June and want to be able to have some beer on holiday anyway :thumbup:
much love to you all xxxx


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## anorak

I am still 29 days at 35 years old, but I have noticed that my CM is fertile at only 11 days...


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## Briss

my cycle is actually getting longer, it was normally 26 days but this year it shifted to 27 days, I attribute it to supplements, particularly to EPO which seems to push my O for 1 day. do not think it matters though


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## Just_married

My cycle has went from 28 to 26 days, but used opk and still ovulating. Cycle length is only one factor in menopause. Like someone previous said plenty woman fall pregnant with a shorter cycle. Ive heard b vitamins can lengthen it? I've also tried soy twice so far and it made my cycle 28 and 30 days so maybe think about that? It can help you produce a riper egg which can help as shorter cycles might produce a less 'ready' egg.


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## joanne40

Just_married said:


> My cycle has went from 28 to 26 days, but used opk and still ovulating. Cycle length is only one factor in menopause. Like someone previous said plenty woman fall pregnant with a shorter cycle. Ive heard b vitamins can lengthen it? I've also tried soy twice so far and it made my cycle 28 and 30 days so maybe think about that? It can help you produce a riper egg which can help as shorter cycles might produce a less 'ready' egg.

thanks....what is soy? is it a tablet? :wacko:
jo x


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## Xanth

I feel the same. My cycles are getting shorter and shorter. I'm 41 & started googling about it. That was a mistake lol.

I started taking B6 this cycle to see if it helps :hugs:


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## Just_married

joanne40 said:


> Just_married said:
> 
> 
> My cycle has went from 28 to 26 days, but used opk and still ovulating. Cycle length is only one factor in menopause. Like someone previous said plenty woman fall pregnant with a shorter cycle. Ive heard b vitamins can lengthen it? I've also tried soy twice so far and it made my cycle 28 and 30 days so maybe think about that? It can help you produce a riper egg which can help as shorter cycles might produce a less 'ready' egg.
> 
> thanks....what is soy? is it a tablet? :wacko:
> jo xClick to expand...

It's a supplement which is usually taken to ease menopause symptoms but if taken for 5 days at beginning of cycle it acts in same way as clomid. There's a thread named "soy isoflavones natures clomid" on here which has more info and testimonies. I bought mines from tesco, cheapest here in uk. I took it to mature my eggs a bit to see if it had any effect. On third try with it, seeing FS next month so squeezed it on before we go back lol. It's quite safe, although if you have thyroid problems it can make them worse. I decided to take that risk as I have hypothyroidism. 

Check out the thread as it has more knowledge on it than I can give you lol xxx


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## Just_married

joanne40 said:


> Just_married said:
> 
> 
> My cycle has went from 28 to 26 days, but used opk and still ovulating. Cycle length is only one factor in menopause. Like someone previous said plenty woman fall pregnant with a shorter cycle. Ive heard b vitamins can lengthen it? I've also tried soy twice so far and it made my cycle 28 and 30 days so maybe think about that? It can help you produce a riper egg which can help as shorter cycles might produce a less 'ready' egg.
> 
> thanks....what is soy? is it a tablet? :wacko:
> jo xClick to expand...

It's a supplement which is usually taken to ease menopause symptoms but if taken for 5 days at beginning of cycle it acts in same way as clomid. There's a thread named "soy isoflavones natures clomid" on here which has more info and testimonies. I bought mines from tesco, cheapest here in uk. I took it to mature my eggs a bit to see if it had any effect. On third try with it, seeing FS next month so squeezed it on before we go back lol. It's quite safe, although if you have thyroid problems it can make them worse. I decided to take that risk as I have hypothyroidism. 

Check out the thread as it has more knowledge on it than I can give you lol xxx


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## mummyb2b

omg i didnt know this was a sign of early menopause i'm 36 and trying for our 1st baby as we only got married end of last year. 

Mine have been all over the place too! historically my cycle was always 25days then i had depo for about a year after i met my now husband, took 14months to get my periods back oct 2011 and been trying since then! 

For 1st 3 months i was regular on my old cycle then had 21day cycle, 31day cycle, 16day cycle (which i only bled 1day so thought it might have been implantation but turned out i was wrong) then last month 22day cycle. i'm currently on cd12 so anyones guess but fingers crossed! hoping that cbfm will help me understand my body bit better too! hope its not early menopause symptoms and everyone gets their bfp soon!


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## viccat

Hi there

A few years ago I managed to reduce my cycles from 28 days to about 22. I wasn't TTC then, so not worried from that angle, but a bit fed up at more frequent periods!

Googling then, it turned out to be because I had switched from eating cereal in the morning to yoghurt and fruit. Something about how cereals aid absorbtion of certain hormones - so it is definitely worth checking your diet! :)


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## Mbababy

My cycle was every 28 days like clockwork for all of my life, and then early last year went to 26, then 25 days. I was worried like you are, since I was planning on TTC. I went to my OB and he said not to worry, and that it wasn't necessarily a sign of anything...and could be stress related. 

I conceived my son within 3 months in the middle of last year (at 38 years of age), so I just wanted to write to say try not to worry. :hugs:


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## joanne40

Mbababy said:


> My cycle was every 28 days like clockwork for all of my life, and then early last year went to 26, then 25 days. I was worried like you are, since I was planning on TTC. I went to my OB and he said not to worry, and that it wasn't necessarily a sign of anything...and could be stress related.
> 
> I conceived my son within 3 months in the middle of last year (at 38 years of age), so I just wanted to write to say try not to worry. :hugs:

Thank you :)
I am now off alcohol all together, and following a healthy diet, since i have put a stone on since stopping breastfeeding in sep last year :wacko:
I am also seriously trying to de stress about ttc, as what I think is NOT helping is my panic that I cant give OH one more as our dd was his first and only, and he is 8 years younger than me so i find myself worrying he will leave me. Stupid I know :wacko:
So with a change of mind set (hopefully) and a healthier diet, you never know.
jo xx


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## Just_married

joanne40 said:


> Mbababy said:
> 
> 
> My cycle was every 28 days like clockwork for all of my life, and then early last year went to 26, then 25 days. I was worried like you are, since I was planning on TTC. I went to my OB and he said not to worry, and that it wasn't necessarily a sign of anything...and could be stress related.
> 
> I conceived my son within 3 months in the middle of last year (at 38 years of age), so I just wanted to write to say try not to worry. :hugs:
> 
> Thank you :)
> I am now off alcohol all together, and following a healthy diet, since i have put a stone on since stopping breastfeeding in sep last year :wacko:
> I am also seriously trying to de stress about ttc, as what I think is NOT helping is my panic that I cant give OH one more as our dd was his first and only, and he is 8 years younger than me so i find myself worrying he will leave me. Stupid I know :wacko:
> So with a change of mind set (hopefully) and a healthier diet, you never know.
> jo xxClick to expand...

Jo try not to think negatively. Firstly, the average length of time to conceive over 40 is a year. Secondly, many of us have stories of grandmothers, mines had 11 children, so nobody could call her infertile could they? Yet she didn't use any contraception and took an average of 1.5-2 yrs to get pregnant after each child. We worry so much these days, but look at these kind of stories and relax. It will happen! She had 3 children between age of 42-47!


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## nvrmnd199

i am 45 and trying for the past 3 years my doc gave me progresteron pills and i was back on track now i am trying clomid but guess my period is NOT coming been over 45 days


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## mpg1502

Hi girls,

I just wanted to join in, I have just googled "shorter periods" as I was in a panic thinking mine were also getting shorter. However, just looking at my older charts on here I see that they weren't always the same ranging between 25-28 days over a two year period 2008-2010.

Of course, like you I panicked, as we're considering trying for another little person. But having looked at my charts and remembering (as I had forgotten) that you don't count the days between your periods you count from Day 1 (hence my sudden panic as I thought I was down to 21 days!!!).

I am just 42. It took us years to conceive our first little girl (born Nov 2010 just before I was 41). In fact I have just posted another link saying that I had noticed from my chart that we conceived on Day 6 of my cycle despite my ovulation coming 4 days later! So I'm thinking that perhaps I ovulate much earlier than my chart seems to show. So we'll give it a go. 

I know the journey will be much harder this time and I am very very grateful for the beautiful little girl I have but I am also tearful at the thought that I might never get pregnant again.

It's so hard isn't it? Two years ago, when I thought I'd never have any and we had almost reached the end of the road of trying, I thought... please just give me one baby... and I know I have to be brave and that might be my lot in this life. But you can't help but want to try a little more...

Can I also say that I am also convinced that the laparoscopy & hysteroscopy that I had 3 months prior to conceiving is also what probably helped me get pregnant. We had tried everything... and I mean everything to get pregnant over the years and even after IVF etc failed I literally begged my consultant to do the proper full Lap&Hyp. And hey presto... I think it was like a "spring clean" if you like for my reproductive tract. My consultant even agreed with me, along the years there is apparently a lot of "debris" that can hang around in there and impede the process. It might just be worth a try if all else has failed....

So even with potentially slightly shorter cycles, we can still get pregnant.

Wishing all you girls on here lots and lots of luck 

mpg xxx


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