Post # 1
Member
4250 posts
Honey bee
- Wedding: April 2016 - Manhattan, NY
My husband and I plan to start TTC in August. I wanted to stay on my birth control pill through the month of May because we just got back from a wonderful anniversary trip to Europe, and I didn’t want to have to worry about my period potentially showing up. Today I will take the last pill in my last pack of birth control (it’s a combo pill, Minastrin 24fe), and now I am unsure of what to do!
I have the Ava bracelet to start tracking my temps (and other parameters) but I’m scared to start using it tomorrow because I know I won’t be bleeding yet (periods have been very light to non-existent on my pill). The Ava gets to know your cycle with time, so depending on when my period comes back, there’s a possibility that this first cycle may appear to be super long when that isn’t what’s normal for me. Before the pill, I was very regular with 28 day cycles. I would like to order some OPKs to see if I can determine when I ovulate. I guess I’m just unsure of where to start! How soon did your period come back after getting off of the pill? When did you start charting your cycle?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated 🙂
Post # 2
Member
2466 posts
Buzzing bee
You really need to give your body time to regulate after stopping BC. It depends on the person but can take months. For me, BC affects me a lot so it always takes me a long time to regulate after stopping any form of BC.
I wouldn’t track yet, based on the fact that it won’t give you an accurate depiction of your cycle anyways. I would wait a month minimum. Maybe start tracking in August when you start TTC?
Post # 3
Member
2175 posts
Buzzing bee
ladyvictoria : I’d just start tracking with Ava. If you do have a weird first cycle, I bet there is a way to discard that data. Even so, you may find you have weird cycles for several months — so tracking them right away may make sense for you.
I got my period a day early by my definition of normal (cd28), but every cycle since then has been long and wonky — I think 11 months in (and 1 mc) my cycle is finally figuring out its normal. Pre-bc, I had super regular 28 day cycles, but now I’m irregular and averaging 34 days — so be prepared for things to have changed in your body!
Post # 4
Member
7439 posts
Busy Beekeeper
I would probably activate Ava the day you start bleeding, which would be cycle day 1. The fact that you were very regular before the pill makes it likely (though of course not certain) that your cycle will be regular again, though it may take a few cycles to level out.
When I stopped the pill, I had my normal withdrawal bleed right on time, and then a 32-day cycle after that. The second cycle off the pill was 24 days, and after that they averaged 26-27 days, which was also my “normal” before I was on the pill. So I’d say I had two abnormal cycles, but after that things were back to normal. Everyone’s different though.
Post # 5
Member
4250 posts
Honey bee
- Wedding: April 2016 - Manhattan, NY
beevincent18 : Thanks, I know that it can take some time. I did go off once before and my period came back right away like clockwork, but I’ve been on it much longer than I had been that time. The planner in me wants all the data now so that when we start trying, I can be more strategic about it… It’s my character flaw lol
larissakay : Thanks for sharing! I haven’t heard many people say that their period become irregular after the pill, usually the opposite! We shall see what my new normal is. I think I may start wearing it sooner rather than later.
Post # 6
Member
4250 posts
Honey bee
- Wedding: April 2016 - Manhattan, NY
tiffanybruiser : Thanks for sharing your experience, it sounds like you were very lucky with your cycles! I’m hoping to still be regular. Fingers crossed. I have gotten a heavier withdrawal bleed in my last few cycles with more period symptoms than before, so that’s been an interesting change. If my withdrawal bleed starts on Friday, then I would count that as CD1?
Post # 7
Member
7439 posts
Busy Beekeeper
ladyvictoria : Yep! Whatever day you start bleeding (not spotting but actual bleeding) would count as CD1. And yeah I was lucky…although I think my experience is sort of typical just based on what I hear from other women anecdotally. I def know some women though whose periods just never returned for several months when they came off the pill and they had to take meds to jumpstart their cycle. It’s a crapshoot – you just can’t know what’s gonna happen until you do it unfortunately. Good luck!
Post # 8
Member
562 posts
Busy bee
Following! While we won’t be TTC just yet, I will be charting and temping. Today is my third day with no pill, and I am temping with a thermometer. So, I only started charting now to get into the habit. I know the app I use lets me discard that chart.
Let us know how Ava works for you. I’m interested. 🙂
Post # 9
Member
4250 posts
Honey bee
- Wedding: April 2016 - Manhattan, NY
tiffanybruiser : Thanks again for your help 🙂 It’s hard to deal with all of this being beyond my control since I have to plan everything to death lol
piper628 : Which app are you using? I’ll of course reference the Ava app but was looking into Ovia to be able to input other information like OPKs, CM, etc.. I’d be glad to share my opinion on Ava once I start using it!
Post # 10
Member
10486 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
I started as soon as my period finished after going off BC (didn’t know about CD 1 being the day the period starts, back then!)with the understanding that it might take a while for things to regulate. Luckily for me, everything was “business as usual” and my cycles stayed on the same track as when I was on BC. Plus, having the information helped me notice patterns to be able to tell if my cycle was out of wack.
Post # 11
Member
562 posts
Busy bee
ladyvictoria : I just started with Kindara. You can put all of that data in there as well. It had a thermometer to sync with it, but I just my own. I go back and forth on my opinion of Fertility Friend. Maybe it’s just not “cute” enough or I just don’t have enough data. Not sure.
Post # 12
Member
9795 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
ladyvictoria : start on the first day of your period, CD1. It is withdrawal bleeding the first time but that’s okay. Just use the first day as CD1. I had withdrawal bleeding as normal (couple days or whatever after my last one) when I quit BCP. I was on BCP for 16 years but my cycle was fairly normal straightaway (it was actually abnormal when I went on BCP to begin with so my body regulated itself finally over all that time). Cycle Day 1 is always the first day of your period (not spotting, but red flow).
Post # 13
Member
2175 posts
Buzzing bee
ladyvictoria : Yeah… it’s not the fault of the pills — just something weird my body is doing. I know most folks return to what their cycles were like before bcp.
Post # 14
Member
4250 posts
Honey bee
- Wedding: April 2016 - Manhattan, NY
slomotion : Thanks for sharing! You’re pregnant now, right? I think I remember some of your other posts. Congratulations if so! 🙂
piper628 : I’ve heard of Kindara. Maybe I’ll download it too and decide which one I like more.
kes18 : Thanks so much for sharing! I’m glad to hear everything regulated fairly quickly for you.
larissakay : Sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason for what our bodies decide to do!
Post # 15
Member
10486 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
ladyvictoria : Yes ma’am, due anytime now!
Goodluck to you on your TTC journey. These boards were a life saver for me when we were TTC!