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Irregular periods and infertility

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Health & Wellbeing
I started my periods when i was 15 and went on the pill when I was 18. I probably only had about 12 periods in those 3 years, although they would often be heavy and last up to 10 days. I went on the pill for about 2 years and for the last 2 years I've swapped between the injection, various pills and no contraception for about 4 months, during which I had no periods. On the pill I had a period every month, apart from this time where I'm on Cerazette and haven't had any (which apparently is normal). So I've come to the conclusion that I have a pretty irregular cycle. I've been reading up on this and seen that this may become a problem when I want to conceive, obviously no periods means no egg being released. I'm worried :(

Has anyone else had irregular periods and got pregnant, or had trouble? Or anyone else worried about the same thing? Should I get checked out even though I won't want to try for a baby for another year or two?

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't think it necessarily means you will have problems. It's possibly that your periods took a while to become regular which they do when you first start (don't they? I'm going back ten years here!), then the Pill and various other contraceptives have had different effects on you.

    I had regular-ish periods (from what I can remember) between 14-16 then went on the combined Pill, having regular 'periods' whilst on it (although they are often said not to be *real* periods and just withdrawal bleeds from the hormones in the Pills during your week of not taking them). Then had approx. 18 months of taking no contraception and also no periods either, then went on the mini-Pill, didn't have many periods whilst on it, then came off it and was pregnant within two and a half months of then.

    Could/Would you not take hormonal contraception for 6-12 months and see if your periods return to normal? Obviously not for everyone.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Mine has been very irregular since James was born (don't know much before that as was always on the pill) and i am now pregnant with our second child.
    So it doesn't mean you can't get pregnant, just not as easy to pinpoint the "right" time of the month.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Having irrelgular periods before you started taking the pill/hormonal contraceptives could be an indication of other problems, but periods can take a while to settle down for most people. I wanst diagonised for Polycistic Ovaries until I'd been having periods for over six years.

    Cearzette stopped me bleeding as well, and even now on the implant I bleed little and rarely. Coming off hormonal contraceptives can take a while for your cycle to settle back down again.

    If your that worried, go and discuss it with your GP.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was thinking about going to the GP but as I'm not trying for a baby yet it seems a bit weird! Although if I know I'm going to have problems it would probably change the time I would start trying
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    purplebutterfly wrote: »
    Having irrelgular periods before you started taking the pill/hormonal contraceptives could be an indication of other problems, but periods can take a while to settle down for most people. I wanst diagonised for Polycistic Ovaries until I'd been having periods for over six years.

    Does that mean you'll have difficulty conceiving?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    the contraceptive injection can cause future fertility problems, so best to stop that long long before you want to start ttc
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    SuzyCreamcheese wrote: »
    the contraceptive injection can cause future fertility problems, so best to stop that long long before you want to start ttc

    I'm off that and now I'm on cerazette
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    kangoo wrote: »
    Does that mean you'll have difficulty conceiving?

    Potenitally. Depends on how badly my ovaries have been affected and how the various hormonal contracpeties I've been on will affect things as well.

    My mum did manage to get pregnant twice (me and my brother) within a couple of months of coming off the pill each time so there's always hope.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It could just be that you have a naturally longer cycle, or that your periods have never fully settled down properly.

    If its simply a case of non-ovulation then there are a few medicines which work quite well for most people.

    Either way, if you're worried about fertility, a good way to monitor it is to let your periods run their own natural course without any contraceptives and monitor them.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    purplebutterfly wrote: »
    Potenitally. Depends on how badly my ovaries have been affected and how the various hormonal contracpeties I've been on will affect things as well.

    My mum did manage to get pregnant twice (me and my brother) within a couple of months of coming off the pill each time so there's always hope.

    How did you get diagnosed? Did you have symptoms (like irregular periods) and went to the dr to get checked out?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I got diagnosed when i had no periods for four months, she did an ultrasound confirmed i had ovarian cysts and followed it up with bloodwork to confirm.

    I have a lot of the symptoms, including excessive weight gain, irregular periods, excessive hair growth, acne. Which is what made the dr check for cysts in the first place. But even if it is PCOS, don't worry too much...if you can lose weight, the symptoms (and chances of infertility) lessen.

    I just had one baby and im pregnant with the second, so if you do end up having it....it wont mean you will never have children.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Amira wrote: »
    I just had one baby and im pregnant with the second, so if you do end up having it....it wont mean you will never have children.

    Congratulations Amira! :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kangroo: My periods never settled with very long cycles and very long painful periods, I would had horredous PMT (mood swings, severe pain, loating etc). I also had a lot of typical side effects (excess hair growth, weight gain etc) Had a blood test as I was just generally run down and theres a family history of other things that where ruled out. Didnt have a scan though.

    I need to lose some of excess weight (I've always been curvy) but its not easy.
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