TTC Question - TMI (Sorry)

minskat30 · January 2015

Quick question for you ladies TTCing...I feel stupid asking this first of all (I've been on the pill since I was 15 so I sadly have little idea how cycles work) and would ask it on another board like the TTC boards but I already feel stupid about it so would rather be stupid in front of you all When you stopped BC did you count your first day of withdrawal bleed as Day 1 in your cycle? How were your cycles after that?

I have my withdrawal bleed late (like it starts 5-7 days into the placebo pills, sometimes even into the first active pill) and then it lasts for nearly a week so I'm not sure how to calculate things when we TTC. We are going on vacation for our anniversary at the end of March to early April when I *think* we will start trying then. If I have regular 28 day cycles (I know that is a big "IF"), I'd like to know roughly when to go off BC so that I don't have my period from the end of March-early April. I know the best way is just to wait to go off the pill until right before vacation but idealy I'd like to "clear out" the pill before then so we could start stress free on vacation.

Again, sorry. I know this isn't the "right" board to ask this but I only really post here. Also, any book recommendations for this stuff? I feel like the internet generally is full of different ideas.

labro · January 2015

I don't really know what you mean by withdrawal bleed unless you're talking how your body adjusts after getting off the pill?

When I switched from a hormonal BCP to the copper IUD (no hormones) I had it inserted at the end of my period. I had my next period almost two weeks later on the dot. Since then I've had a regular 29 day cycle (that's the average anyway, they've tended to be between 28 and 30 days). I had a really regular period before going on BC when I was 20 so I knew what to expect. I feel like I've heard other women on this board say that their doctors told them to expect their cycle to take a few months to regulate after going off the pill.

minskat30 · January 2015

@LaPeanut1018 - By withdrawal bleeds I mean the bleeding "period" you are supposed to get when you take the placebo pills for 7 days on a regular 28 day pack.

Thank you for your perspective. I guess I should just wait to get off the pill until two weeks before our vacation so I'm sure not to get my period during it but I doubt any TTC could immediately start because, like you said, I think its going to take a while for my cycle to regulate.

[Deleted User] · January 2015

When I went off the pill, the first day I started bleeding/spotting that turned into bleeding was Cycle Day 1.

Going off BC is a weird thing because it can affect everyone's body differently. Sometimes it takes around 3 months for your body to regulate and your period might be wonkers for those three months. My doctor told me that it would take me about 3 months to have a regular cycle. Some people they end up being back to normal their first month.

I'm not entirely sure how your cycle works but it sounds like from what you're saying that you start your period in the middle of your placebo pills? Right?

If it were me and now is the time to start TTC, I would just finish out my last pack of BC and see what happens, your period might come normally or it might be lighter or heavier. It's totally up to you though.

lennonkdc · January 2015

If you want to start TTC in April, go off the pill now so you can get your cycle back and to know your body. Use a back up method you are ready to ttc. I also recommend the book Taking Control of your fertility.

To answer your question no matter where you are on your pill pack, the first day you bleed is day one for your cycle. In theory you ovulate around day 14, but every body is different. If you've been on hbc for a long time it will probably take more then one cycle for your cycle to even out.

minskat30 · January 2015

@SouthernPeach89 - Thank you and you are right...my perod starts in the middle-end to very end of the placebo pills for some reason. 3 months to have a regular cycle? Holy crap. I should have thought of this earlier. I seriously doubt I'll be one of the lucky ones to regulate right away.

minskat30 · January 2015

@lennonkdc - Thank you. That makes a lot of sense. I will be picking up the Taking Control of Your Fertility book as well...another member recommended it as well and it sounds like the "go to" book. Since I've been on the pill for nearly 18 years I really doubt my body will know what to do for some time anyways but it can't hurt to start learning about it now.

[Deleted User] · January 2015

I second @lennonkdc on taking a look at Taking Charge of your Fertility. It's a good read and explains a lot of questions that women have when they want to start TTC. Also when you and your H decide to start, make an account on Fertility Friend (the free one) and you can track your temperature and everything else that goes on while ttc so you can figure out best when you ovulate. A lot of ladies that used to be on TB (prior to the crazy apocalypse) use it and it gives them an accurate picture usually of what their body is doing each month.

Peaseblossom55 · January 2015

I'm still trying to figure out what my body is doing 3+months later, it's a lot of fun (note the scarcasm). I was on BCP for 16 years.

minskat30 · January 2015

@SouthernPeach89 - Ordering it on Amazon now.

Hummingbird125 · January 2015

@Peaseblossom55 - Ugh. That's exactly what I'm worried about - I am pretty certain I'm just not going to get my period for a long time now that I stopped taking BCP, and it will lead to lot of unnecessary pregnancy tests.

Peaseblossom55 · January 2015

@hummingbird125 my first cycle was 40 days with a super light period. I'm on my second one, it's looking more normal but we'll see what happens over the next few days though. My body likes to trick me quite a bit. It's been a bit stressful just figuring that out.

minskat30 · January 2015

@Peasseblossom55 - That is so frustrating, I'm sorry. Fingers crossed for you this month is more normal.

Peaseblossom55 · January 2015

Yea we will see what happens! I hope so!!

cu97tiger · January 2015

Minskat, I'm happy to answer questions about TTC at any time. The irony of it is that the people that know the most about TTC are usually the ones that are having problems (like moi).

You literally have no idea how your body will react when you come off BCP. How long you took BCP has NO bearing on what your cycles look like after you're off them. I was on them for over a decade and had a 31 day cycle as soon as I went off them.

If you REALLY don't want to get pregnant before your vacation and also don't want your period, you have one option: wait to go off them. Otherwise, you'll run the risk that whenever your period does show up, your vacation week may be part of it. In the grand scheme of things, waiting a couple more months probably wouldn't hurt, though I can totally understand wanting to try to get a handle on your cycle sooner rather than later.

PM me anytime!

lennonkdc · January 2015

I've been off HBC for 10 months and my cycle is 28 days (give or take a day) but I didn't have any signs of ovulation till a few months ago, so my first few felt like my body was still on autopilot.
the only real side effect that I've noticed from no longer being on hormonal birth control is that my libido has gone through the roof. Sorry if that's TMI but it might be useful information for you on your vacation

minskat30 · January 2015

Thank you @cu97tiger - you are seriously ever awesome. I think I agree that waiting another month won't kill me. I wouldn't care if I was pregnant on vacation but this is going to be our last splurge trip so having my period on it would really suck (mine are incredibly painful for several days).

@lennonkdc - Not TMI and good to know what to expect on that end. I also think I have to change my mindset to realizing this is a long, long process.

As always, all of you ladies are amazing and I appreciate all your words of wisdom.

cu97tiger · January 2015

Also, I second getting 'Taking Charge of Your Fertility' and paying the $25 for 'FertilityFriend.'

loves2shop4shoes · January 2015

Not TTC yet, but I'd also suggest TCOYF. Also, agree with PPs who have said that it doesn't always matter how long you've been on HBC. Sometimes, the minute you stop it, you're back to "regular" cycles, and sometimes it takes significantly longer than that. It just depends on your body.

Anyway, good luck! I'm excited for you.

[Deleted User] · January 2015

I agree with PPs that everyone's body adjusts to going off BC differently. For me, I completed my pack before I stopped taking the pill. I had a short period about 2 weeks after my last regular, on BC period. From that point forward I was having about a 30 day cycle. I got pregnant roughly 2 months after going off BC.

One way to help understand your cycle is by using ovulation test strips. I ordered these from Amazon about a month after going off of BC because I was confused about my cycle (it had changed from what it was pre-BC). If you use them daily, starting a couple days before you expect to begin ovulating, these will tell you when you are actually ovulating. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008JIMZ1C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also, I had a more difficult time going off BC than I was expecting. No one had really told me to expect that. I didn't feel like myself: more emotional, upset and uncomfortable. It took about 2 weeks-1 month to feel like myself again. Maybe it's atypical, but I thought you might want to be aware that you might feel "off" for a bit after you stop taking the pill. Wouldn't want that to have an effect on your vacation either!

minskat30 · January 2015

Awww, thanks @loves2shop4shoes - maybe I'll be a pro at this when you guys start.

Thank you @allusive007 - Poor H...I'm already emotional when I'm on my placebo week on the pill so I can only imagine what its going to be like off BC altogether. I appreciate the warning. I think the ovulation test strips would be very helpful as well. H is going to be like "What all did you get from Amazon?!?" when we get the package.

Peaseblossom55 · January 2015

Yes I also reccomend ovulation tests. I used the wondfos brand that I get from amazon.

cu97tiger · January 2015

Ditto wondfos, but the best way for me to tell when I have ovulated (this tells you post-O, not pre-O, unfortunately), is to take my temperature every morning with a BBT thermometer (I got it at CVS)

BaytoSA2013 · January 2015

Definitely agree with @cu97tiger. You just really won't know for sure how your body will react, what your true cycle length will be, etc... I was worried about "regulating" since I'd been on the pill from age 18 to 35. My Dr. advised that if I knew I wanted to start trying within 6 mos to a year to get off and begin tracking my cycles using a backup method. I had a 28 day cycle month one but after lurking on TTC on the bump quickly realized that could mean a whole lotta nothing.

I'd say get the TCOYF book and read up. We decided to track and try based on the 28 day cycle assumption for a set time period. If that didn't work then I'd move on to temping, OPK's, etc.

One thing I will say is that I started to get a little too mouthy with all the info and it kind of turned DH off because he didn't and still doesn't really "get" our cycles. Poor guy thought I could just you know DECIDE I want to try and get pregnant any old week. We had to have a chat about exactly how much he wanted to know while we were in the having fun trying part.

TTC Question - TMI (Sorry)

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