Anovualtion- advice please

[Susiez]

I have been trying to concieve for well over a year now and turned 33 last month. Last month I decided to make an appointment with my doctor who sent me to the hospital to get various blood tests. For the first blood test I was tested on the 1st day of my period. My results came back fine but this was for a general health check e.g. kidney functions, thyroid tests.

The next test I had was on the 21st day of my cycle. Today I called my doctors to be told that this came back as an 'anovulation'. The secretary was unable to give me any more information but I looked this up on the internet and as a consequence I am now very panicked!! Does this mean I am infertile???

My doctor has said previously that I need to have 3 of these ovulation tests in total before I can make an appointment to see her again. Any advice anyone ......... Can anything be done!?!?

 

[MissJ77]

Have you googled it? I've not heard of this term Sorry I can't be any more help. I know how you're feeling though I had a scare when I had my HSG done the dye only showed up in the right half of my uterus I was paranoid for 3 weeks till my Lap n Dye which came back as everything is normal.

x fingers everything is ok for you

 

[baby_hopes23]

Hey hun...

Just wanted to share my story to maybe help put your mind at ease I was also in your position, went to my doc to get blood work done, only to find out that my hormones were far too low for me to ovulate, therefore my cycles were also considered anovulatory. My husband had to have his sperm analyzed before they would put me on fertility drugs, which came back perfectly normal, and then I had to have what's called an HSG, which is basically just an x-ray they do to make sure there are no blockages in the fallopian tubes, all of these tests are perfectly routine as they are merely making sure you and your DH are otherwise perfectly healthy.

After all of that was done (only took a month), my doc put me on Provera, which helps induce a period since mine was absent, and once I got my period, I had to take Clomid for 5 days, which triggers your body to ovulate. The 1st two months, I didn't ovulate, probably because my body isn't used to doing that, and the 3rd month I finally ovulated, I conceived and gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby boy in July, 2010! It sounds like you may have a similar journey ahead of you, so I just wanted to give you an idea of what I went through and let you know that it's very common to have anovulatory cycles and there are PLENTY of medical resources that will help you have children

 

[Damita]

Try not to worry, I had just an anovualtion cycle but I have ovulated in the past, at least your doctor knows, mine was down to low iron levels and I was very ill last month but now have iron pills, there are different treatment your doctor can give you like clomid please don't panic.

Found this info, might be helpful.

Anovulatory Cycle

By definition, an anovulatory cycle is a menstrual cycle in which ovulation fails to occur. This means that you do bleed but do not release an egg or ovulate. Hence the term anovulation. This is normally supposed to happen during menopause. If it does happen before then anovulation translates into difficulty in conception or infertility. Anovulatory cycles tend to occur occasionally throughout the childbearing years, but are most common during adolescence and in the years before menopause (“perimenopause”).
Causes and Prevention of Anovulatory Cycles

Anovulation can arise from a number of causes, ranging from diet and exercise to complex disruptions in the relationships between tiny glands in the brain that control our most basic functions. Some causes are relatively easy to identify, whereas others are much more difficult.

Hormonal imbalances are the most probable cause of anovulatory cycle. A prolonged, strenuous program of exercise, such as running, can interfere with the ovulatory cycle by suppressing the output of hormones called gonadotropins from the hypothalamus in the brain. Anxiety and other forms of emotional stress can also take their toll on normal ovulation.

The disorder may also result from eating disorders, hypothalamic dysfunction, hyperprolactinemia, polycystic ovary syndrome, luteal phase defects, or tumors of the pituitary gland adrenal gland or ovaries. Other causes of anovulatory cycles are primary ovarian failure, resistant ovary syndrome and autoimmune oophoritis.

Another possible contributor to anovulation is the long-term use of certain medications. Steroidal oral contraceptives (the Pill) are sometimes responsible. These drugs work by intentionally disrupting the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, suppressing ovulation and thereby preventing pregnancy. For women using long-acting injectable steroid contraceptives (Depo-Provera), it appears likely that the longer the contraceptive is continued the more likely it is that amenorrhea will result.

 

[wanting2010]

Don't panic, honey. It just means that your body did not ovulate during this particular cycle. It could be something that happens every now and then. If it turns out that you're not ovulating on a regular basis, there are treatment options to stimulate your ovaries and get you to ovulate- Clomid, Femara, injectible meds, etc. It's not the end of the road for you if you're not ovulating.

 

[Susiez]

Thanks everyone for your advice it has made me feel much better!! It was I guess an unexpected conversation with the doctors secretary because I've always had regular periods and using the ovulation prediction kits, I've also had positive ovualtion results showing a LH surge. I'm just glad that I have started the process if there is going to be a problem. Thanks again for your comments!

 

[wanting2010]

Do you usually have a 28 day cycle? If not it could just be that your bloodwork was done too early to indicate ovulation. Most doctors will just do the bloodwork on CD 21, basing it on a textbook CD 14 ovulation, when it should really be done 7 days after ovulation

 

[Susiez]

My cycle varies from 28 days to 31 days but nothing usually over 31 days. According to my ovulation predictor sticks I had ovualted by the time I had the test. I'm now quite unsure about the reliability of the sticks now!! Can you get a positive LH surge and not ovulate do you know?

 

[Gracebaby]

Hi Susie, I'm a bit new to all this, but as far as I'm aware you can have a surge and not ovulate. Nature has a weird sense of humour!

 

[flopsy]

At least you have a regular cycle! The timing was probably just off a bit for the test, or you don't ovulate exactly 10 days before your period (or whatever it is we're "supposed" to do).

I'm in a similar position and waiting for my blood test results and also the results of an ultrasound to check my ovaries, cervix etc. I don't expect the blood results will be particularly positive as I haven't had a proper period since October as my cycles have got less and less frequent since coming off BCP last March. I'm convinced I'm not ovulating. I just hope my doctor is as understanding as baby_hopes23's was, it's good to hear how quickly things can turn around.

 

[Susiez]

Yes the 3 month wait is quite frustrating .. I get the impression with my doctor that she deals with similar issues quite a lot so hopefully it is standard to get something sorted if the blood tests do not show evidence of ovulation. Good luck with your tests too!!

 

[wanting2010]

It is possible to have a surge but not ovulate. Sometimes your body will gear up to ovulate but not manage it.

 

[flopsy]

Thanks Susie, and I appreciate it's frustrating. I just want to know what my bodies up to and I hate not being in control. If it makes you feel any better I'm a little older than you (will be 34 in May), but the doctor says I'm still young as far as fertility is concerned! I couldn't get a doctors appointment until the week after next to get my results, so will have to sit tight until then.

 

[ARRIELLE]

i have anovulatory cycles too. i did get pregnant once but it took me three years and a lose of sixty pounds... were you on bcp?