How do irregular cycles work?

[punkymom]

Can someone explain how do irregular cycles work?

If I am spotting or my period doesn't start can I ovulate again or do I need to wait for my period before I can TTC again?

On FF do you just start a new cycle?
How does this work?

 

[pandi77]

Good morning punkymom!

It depends on whether you ovulate late (one type of cycle irregularity) or if you have an anovulatory cycle (no ovulation at all that ends in breakthrough bleeding that can seem like af). If you just have a really long cycle and O is delayed you must keep temping (possibly using opks) and bd'ing when appropriate so you don't miss your window. It is possible to not ovulate at all and then yes your body might have breakthrough bleeding and "reset" itself. Sometimes there's never breakthrough bleeding tho....just very long cycles For the record I am still confident you O'd and worst case scenario it was a couple of days either before or after your crosshairs so you might just need to wait and see (I know boooo!)

You should keep temping and if you get another patch of ewcm (even if mixed w/spotting) log it in to FF along with any opk results you may get and it will adjust itself if it sees that ovulattion may have happened on a later date-this goes for bbt as well. Sometime women get ovulation spotting which is a great sign of fertility and it just so happens I got that on my first vitex cycle

Good luck as always!

 

[punkymom]

Thank you so much!
LOL! I am still a little confused though.

1) Let's say I already ovulated this month but only got spotting for a few days. Will I ovulate again this next month (even though I didn't get a "period")?

2) lets say I didn't ovulate at all this month. would it just come later in the cycle?

3) If I am just spotting and period doesn't come full on FF is going to show a REALLY long cycle. How can it show IF I ovulate in march if it already shows feb?

I am on day 17 vitex so because I started mid cycle I think it may have confused when my period is.?

Sorry! I am trying to learn all this.

Thank you for all of your help!
You are SO amazing!

 

[punkymom]

OH MAN! Also I just took off all the cm and cp signs because I really am not sure of these and it says I o'd on cd31?!


These were the days I was spotting too!

I think I am going to let FF do what is does. I think I confuse it with cm and cp and I am not really even sure if these yet. What do you think?

If I add my normal temp's (like anything around 97.7) it goes back to cd 24 as my o day though.

 

[pandi77]

Thank you so much!
LOL! I am still a little confused though.

1) Let's say I already ovulated this month but only got spotting for a few days. Will I ovulate again this next month (even though I didn't get a "period")? I don't believe your spotting is AF as your temp didn't drop so you are still in your current cycle. Until your temp drops back down to the coverline and you have a "real bleed" you are still in your current cycle.

2) lets say I didn't ovulate at all this month. would it just come later in the cycle?Yes your body will continue to try to produce the hormones needed to ovulate or in some more rare cases won't be able to ovulate and then eventually your thickened uterine lining will shed in what's referred to as breakthrough bleeding...but you will still see your bbt drop with this if that happens

3) If I am just spotting and period doesn't come full on FF is going to show a REALLY long cycle. How can it show IF I ovulate in march if it already shows feb? It will adust as the data comes in. if you get a solid thermal shift and and especially a positive opk or definite fertile cm it will change the crosshairs to the new date. This is why it is very important not to add fertile cm or cp unless you are sure.

I am on day 17 vitex so because I started mid cycle I think it may have confused when my period is.?

Sorry! I am trying to learn all this.

Thank you for all of your help!
You are SO amazing!

Hey hun if your aren't sure about cm and cp don't enter them yet because FF will change it's O date based on those entries you provide. It's best just to stick with bbt and opk's until you get a hang of the other two as you can see what a major impact they have when there or not there

As I mentioned before in my previous post imo O did happen but it may have been before of after your original crosshairs. I am even a little inclined to think your "spotting was actually O spotting and not a "light period". Especially since you started vitex later in your cycle which would have made me think it took a bit longer to work for you.

Good luck hun and try to be patient this first cycle as it will be your roughest for sure. First cycle temping and starting vitex mid cycle is likely to lead to some major changes from what you may be used to your body doing.

 

[punkymom]

awe! Thank you pandi77!


You really are the best! EVER! :thumb up:

Thank you for clarifying that and I will try and relax this cycle.
You have made me feel a ton better!


Thank you again Love!

 

[punkymom]

OK! For anyone who might read this one day. I found exactly what I was trying to understand:
https://www.soulcysters.net/showthread.php/223891-Ovulating-but-no-period

" These FAQ are taken from the same website

Can I ovulate without having a period?
Since a woman releases an egg 12-16 days before her expected period, it is possible for women to get pregnant without having periods. Women who are not menstruating due to a certain condition (i.e.…low body weight, breastfeeding, perimenopause) risk the chance of ovulating at any point. For those who want to conceive, the lack of periods could make it more difficult to know the timing of ovulation if you are not charting temperature and cervical fluid changes. But if you are not having periods and wanting to prevent pregnancy, a form of contraception should be used since there is no way to know when ovulation will occur.

This means that even if you haven't had a period due to one of those conditions, you can still ovulate at any time. As I said before, Ovulation has to occur BEFORE you have can have a period. The above does not say that you can ovulate and then not have periods, it says you can not have periods but still ovulate. Most pcos(ers) with infrequent cycles do not know they have ovulated until they have a period since pelvic pain and other common ovulation symptoms are common is PCOS sufferers.

Can I have a period and still not have ovulated?
Having a period does not necessarily mean that ovulation has taken place. Some women may have what is called an anovulatory cycle, (meaning no ovulation) and can experience some bleeding which is mistaken for a period, but it is actually not a true period. This bleeding is caused by either a buildup in the uterine lining that can no longer sustain itself or by an estrogen level drop. The main way to decipher if ovulation is in fact taking place is by tracking the body temperature.

Self-explanatory."

I hope this helps someone one day.