periods

[Rachel_W]

Hello,

I am 39 and would like very much to still have a baby.  I did not realise that things could seem so dismal until I started doing more detailed research.

One thing that is worrying me is my periods.  I have always had irregular periods, except when on the pill for 2 short intervals in my 20s.  However I have often fallen into some kind of cycle, e.g. every 6 weeks (about), every 5 weeks etc.  7 weeks would be max but very rarely that long unless very severe stress (I have an anxiety disorder).
I also have some slight body hair also, but my Mum had irregular periods until she went on the pill (she was on it for 7 years before conceiving me at 35 with no problem (I think first or second month) and then again until 40).  It was after she stopped taking it that she found her periods were more regular, but she does not know how long on the pill it would have taken her for this.

She went through menopause in het mid-50s and my sister who has smoked on and off went through menopause at about 52.  My other sister who is 47 is still having periods.

Last year I was planning an 18 month trip to the UK to spend time with family before settling down with my boyfriend of 11 years (he is extremely wonderful and understood how important it would be for me to spend time with family as I normally live in the US).  I have also been working on my Master's during this time.
Before the flight, I was nervous that I would have a period during it (I am very heavy), but I was due a week or two before (I think 5 weeks or so was what I was expecting, but as usual when I want it to start it didn't, so I tried ginger tea and vitamin C but nothing worked.  I came on when I landed, so obviously my body was responding to the stress.  
Because I have always been irregular, I usually just have a sense of how they are at this time, to give me a guideline, so I don't know when they started becoming more regular but I think it was about 7 months ago when I had a cycle that was almost to a month (which took me by surprise).  I calculated that this would mean that I would come on at the end of a biology field trip which was fine.  However the next month it was about 25 days which had never happened to me before, which of course made it that I would hit in the middle of the trip.  I am not sure if it was I was worried about it, but this usually makes my cycles longer, not shorter.  Since then each month has been at about 31 or so days.  This would normally be fine, but for me it is a little shorter and now I am worried that I may be peri-menopausal, however if the irregular periods have been from PCOS I also have heard that they start correcting as you get older.

Should I be concerned?  I am very worried as it is about my chances now of having a baby (it had not been because I was putting a career first but more of a relationship issue due to my OCD.  I plan on taking my BBT this month for the first time to get an idea of ovulation, but I am very scared.

Any advice would be wonderful.  I am sorry if I am posting in too many boards but I had related but not the same questions that I asked in two other boards.

Thank you.

[Rachel_W]

I have been very regular over the past 7 months, apart from that one off weird month.  I usually get stressed a lot but this year was getting overwhelming.  Although I have varied in length I have been through stages of regularity, albeit it be 5 weeks or 6 weeks etc.  Currently I am at 32 days.  I am really worried that it could be a sign of impending perimenopause.

I really want a baby, and thought that 40 would be fine.  Now I am so disheartened.  I have decided to check my BBT this month and see if I ovulate.  Apparently this is the only true way of knowing as other events like cervical fluid, saliva and cervix changes can occur.

I am very nervous (and of course stress could have a negative effect on it as well).  If I find that I ovulate I assume that this is a good sign and that the shortened cycles may not be due to PM (I know people with PM can still ovulate but I think the irregular shortened cycles are due to non-ovulation).  Pleas wish me luck.

Also, does anyone know if I was in early perimenopause that I could still have some good eggs left, and that perhaps with careful planning and perhaps meds like Clomid I could still have a baby?

Thank you.

[chinesebones]

Hi, I would recommend two books: Taking Charge of your Fertility and What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Premenopause.  The first is great at teaching how to track your cycles and see if you're ovulating regularly.  The second is a good resource about estrogen dominance and how to augment progesterone, which often decreases as we get older.  You can get a blood test at 7 days post-ovulation to see if you are producing adequate progesterone, but to do so you have to know when you ovulate!
I would also recommend reading up on vitex, which is an herb good at regulating female hormones.  
Best wishes!

[Higgins1107]

I also have psco and my periods were all over the place...I would go months without my period... Its not going to b easy to get preg by yourself..I ended up going to the dr and he put me on metformin... Metformin will help with your periods...now that im on the metformin I have my period every month.. It helps women with psco.. I would talk with your dr about metformin and clomid... It helped me I have 5 kids... Good luck !!