AF Issues

[bump.on.brain]

Last month, for the first time ever my cycle was 27 days long, and then AF only lasted 2 days. Combined with nausea and vomiting, I really started to wonder if I could be pregnant. But 3 hideous evap lines (FRER) and 4 BFN's (Asda tests) later I accepted that I wasn't and put it down to stress causing a weird cycle.

Anyway, this month my cycle was back to a more usual 31 days, but once again it has only lasted 2 days... Tracking back I can see that they've been lighter than usual since January, with maybe it lasting 3/4 days but a lot of that being spotting. Prior to that I have always been a 5-7 day person.

I guess I'm just looking for some advice really... Has anyone been through anything similar? Should I be worried?

 

[Phoenix82]

Hey bumponbrain

How long have you been off bc?

I've been ttc since June 13 and since then my cycles have definately changed. I've gone from heavy for 4 days to 3-4 days brown spotting followed by 1-2 days v light bleeding (practically nothing).
Now I have no pre spotting but 3-4 days of brown and red blood. Then this cycle a bit of brown spotting after. Sorry if tmi I'm assuming it's all down to the hormones trying to regulate but it really worries me.

Now I'm waiting for gynaecologist referral and I've identified a short luteal phase (as I ovulate late)

If you haven't stopped bc or changed anything I'd check with your doc. People's cycle to change but when ttc don't leave anything to chance xx

 

[bump.on.brain]

Thanks for your reply Phoenix.

I came off bc around June/July last year, after being back on it for about a year. My first cycle was totally erratic and 38 days long, but then settled down into 28-34 days reasonably quickly (I've always been slightly irregular but within this window). Your situation sounds very similar to mine, as this cycle I have had brown spotting to.

Before I conceived with DD the Dr suspected I may have endometriosis, but I really didn't want to go for a laparoscopy (and thankfully conceived so didn't have to)... I think I am trying to hope that things will be ok on their own again but suspect I may need to stop burying my head in the sand!

Good luck with your referral, I hope they get things sorted for you. Lots of luck and baby dust!

 

[Phoenix82]

Thanks for your reply Phoenix.

I came off bc around June/July last year, after being back on it for about a year. My first cycle was totally erratic and 38 days long, but then settled down into 28-34 days reasonably quickly (I've always been slightly irregular but within this window). Your situation sounds very similar to mine, as this cycle I have had brown spotting to.

Before I conceived with DD the Dr suspected I may have endometriosis, but I really didn't want to go for a laparoscopy (and thankfully conceived so didn't have to)... I think I am trying to hope that things will be ok on their own again but suspect I may need to stop burying my head in the sand!

Good luck with your referral, I hope they get things sorted for you. Lots of luck and baby dust!

I've had an ultrasound which didn't show anything untoward up so am hoping this won't be endo!

I'm assuming mine is down to low hormones or something, as I understand it low progesterone can cause problems with your lining and conceiving. My cycle was always ok before coming off bc but who bloomin knows!!

Why don't you get checked out just for peace of mind?

Wishing you all the best, keep me posted xx

 

[Destiny08]

I think it depends on what kind of BC you were on. Depo is known to affect things for up to 2 years, BCP for up to a year and the implant for up to 18 months.

Before DD my cycles were either 28/33 or 35 days long with 6-8 days of AF. After DD I went straight onto the depo shot which had me bleeding every 2 weeks for a week. So I went onto implanon which stopped AF altogether. I had that removed on april 17 last year. And I had a 134 day cycle with a 4 day AF, a 52 day cycle with a 4 day AF and a 45 day cycle with a 4 day AF. Then I had a 23 day cycle with 3 days of lighter brown bleeding beforehand and then a 4 day AF and then 3 more cycles just like that 1. This cycle however has started off differently. Im on CD8, which would have been 1dpo in my 23 day cycles and this AF had no brown bleeding beforehand, and lasted 6 full days of red blood. So just like before DD. And I havent O'd yet...

just waiting for things to still get back to normal at this point....but my hormones are apparently normal and I am O-ing so just waiting for them to form some sort of pattern again really...

good luck

 

[Curligurl]

My last 2 AF were like this...barely filled one tampon..went to the doctor last week and he said it was a sign that I wasn't ovulating. He said it was more of a breakthrough bleed than a real period (like the "periods" you get on birth control pills).