Hello, I'm new here. I found this site through the ezboard search, and it seems like just the place to ask my questions. My period has always been irregular... but I think that I should have started by now. My last menstrual period started July 10th, and it is now August 10th. I have used 4 pregnancy tests (one Friday, one Sunday, one Monday, and one today) and they all say not pregnant. I had intercourse on Friday August 6th... so I'm wondering if it is possible that I am pregnant, but it is too early for the tests to show anything. Also, I was wondering if there is any way for me to start menstruating in the next few days, since it has been 32 days since my last period, and I read that most cycles go from 28-32 days. Please give me any advice and help you can- the curiosity and worry is driving me crazy. Thanks!
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This blog contains posts from women who are at different phases of an ill-timed pregnancy. Some are wondering if they are pregnant. Others are considering abortion or adoption. Some are trying to put together a plan to parent. We want to support them all.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, we welcome and encourage you to fill out the form located here to post a message on this blog and receive woman-centered support.
This blog contains posts from women who are at different phases of an ill-timed pregnancy. Some are wondering if they are pregnant. Others are considering abortion or adoption. Some are trying to put together a plan to parent. We want to support them all.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, we welcome and encourage you to fill out the form located here to post a message on this blog and receive woman-centered support.
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6 comments:
Hi Gina,
I'm glad you were able to find a place to ask this...the stress can get quite high when you aren't sure if you're pregnant or not! :crazy
If you have irregular periods usually, then you can't really count on the 28-32 day rule. I have irregular periods too, and sometimes my cycles are 30 days while other times I won't have a period for 60 days! :unsure This of course makes it very hard to know when I'm pregnant...but it also makes the odds of getting pregnant not likely to happen.
Normal cycles go this way: You start your period (considered as "day 1"). On day 14ish you ovulate. On day 28ish you start to spot. Day 1 follows that again. However with an irregular cycle, you might not ovulate until day 28ish. It's hard to tell unless you're taking urine tests, BBT charting, or can just "tell" when you ovulate.
The intercourse you had on the 6th would not test positive for pregnancy until at least the 16th...more likely the 20th. So don't waste more money just yet. Wait awhile longer before buying more tests. You might even get your period by then and not have to worry. The only way you'd be pregnant from that intercourse is if you ovulated on or around that day.
Since there's no way of knowing if you ovulated, there's no way to know if your period is about to arrive. Are your breasts sore? Are you bloated? Does it feel like your period is going to start?
Confused? LOL Hopefully I've been of some help. Let me know if I just confused you more though, OK? I can also give you some tips on things to look for during your cycle to try to pin ovulation so that you can avoid sex during that time - if you're interested.
Love,
Rose
Thanks Rose! I think your information actually helped me to feel better for a little while. My breasts aren't sore, and I'm not bloated (as of right now), but I've been in a bad mood the past few days, which usually happens right before my period. However, I was thinking that the stress of wondering may be the actual cause of my mood change. Wow, 60 days!! I've never gone that long without a menstrual period. Mine usually shifts from being 21 days to 30-something days. I don't always keep track accurrately since they vary so much. I would love to learn more about ovulation and things to look for. I love learning and being informed!!
Gina
Gina,
Glad I didn't confuse you even more. :wink
I think that if you're having PMSy symptoms now, then you had sex after you ovulated and therefore wouldn't be pregnant. To be safe, wait until the 16th. If you haven't gotten your period by then buy a double pack of pregnancy tests and take one on the 16th. If it's negative, take another on the 22nd. You can be 99% sure that you aren't pregnant if both of these are negative.
You're also right that simply worrying about being pregnant can make you late. Doesn't that just figure? :pinch
As far as tracking your cycle, I used fertility software at Taking Charge of Your Fertility and they might have some informational stuff there you can read. Basically, you look for 3 things - temperature changes, cervical fluid changes, and cervix position changes. The temperature can be a pain, since you have to do it daily at around the same time as your first wake up. The cervical position can be icky...unless you're really curious (I was when I was trying to get pregnant). The cervical fluid is probably the easiest.
After your period ends, you should notice a cycle that your cervical fluid goes through. It should be dry/sticky for a few days, then get creamy and white looking, and then on the day that you ovulate it should switch to looking like eggwhites and there should be a LOT of it. You can't miss it if you know what to watch for. That should last for a day or two, and then you should switch to creamy/white, and then sticky/dry. If you're pregnant you might just stay creamy/white the whole time. I HTH, and check out that site above for more "descriptive" instructions. ;) It's always good to learn about your cycle.
The days that you have eggwhite fluid are the days you need to avoid sex. If you get good at tracking your cycles, you should avoid sex 5 days before and 1 day after to be 99% safe. The rest of the cycle is OK to have sex on. ;)
Love,
Rose
The last three days, I have had the dry/sticky kind. I am not sure what it was like on Friday the 6th. My boyfriend has a deep feeling that I am pregnant... and his feelings are almost always right. I don't know. I guess that I just have to wait and see. This waiting is killing me! And I don't know what I'll do if I am. I have been working on a pro/con list regarding abortion, adoption, and parenting. I will have to post what I have come up with so far. I figured that it is a good idea to figure out what I would/will do just to be ready for whatever happens. I am glad that I came across this site. It is nice to be able to get this all out in the open.
Gina
I think boyfriends have a tendency to think worst-case scenario when it comes to being pregnant. Why don't you go ahead and get a pregnancy test now if you're so very worried about it? It won't hurt. It might be accurate if your period was supposed to come and hasn't. It's so hard to figure out when you have irregular cycles. I like Answer brand tests - they're cheap and very accurate. If it's negative, take another in a week. If that's negative take another in another week, and it that's negative, go to a doctor to find out what's going on.
Please do post what you have on your pro-con list...you can move it to the "Still Deciding" board. But if I can give you some advice - if you are pregnant everything on that list will change. Being pregnant changes everything, so don't get too far in this until you know for sure. :wink Plus you don't want to waste time worrying if you're not pregnant.
Looking forward to seeing that list!
Love,
Rose
I just took another pregnancy test today and it said not pregnant. I'll probably do another one on the 16th, like you said, and another one on the 22nd. I didn't seem to have the dry/sticky kind of cervical fluid today. It was really thick... almost eggwhite-like, I think. It had the consistency of a male's ejactulation. I was also wondering about pregnancy symptoms. I was looking at some online, and I have had a bit of dizziness and headaches. Would it be too soon for these symptoms? It could be the worry and stress from waiting for a definite answer that has caused these problems. I hate being patient... especially about something like this.
Gina
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