So, my husband and I are finally ready to start TTC. I have been on hormonal birth control (pill or NuvaRing) since I was 16 as a means of ovarian cyst prevention. I took out my last NuvaRing in early-mid June, so I am off of birth control for the first time ever as an adult. I had a period after taking out the ring that last longer than usual, but it finally stopped. Then I thought I had started another period when I started spotting earlier in July, but I ended up just spotting for about a week, no real period. Then, less than two weeks later, I started spotting AGAIN (this was about this past Monday) and am still spotting a little today, but, again, no real priod, and the spotting is actually slowing down.

I'm assuming this is not normal, but I'm not really sure. When I saw my PCP last month, said she usually sees women go off of birth control, have a full normal cycle, and then end up pregnant in their second cycle after that. I did have my annual gyn exam back in early March and had expressed our desire to go off birth control and start tryingi nthe summer, and I got the thumbs up to proceed. Should I let this funky cycle work itelf out for a while longer, or should I make an appointment with my gyn to try to find out what might be going on? I would love to think that I just naturally have light periods, but this is TOO light for a period - I can't even use a tampon and can wear the same "medium" pad for 2 days without having to change it. I wouldn't worry about it so much except that it's so random that I have no idea when or IF I'm ovulating! I could try an OPK, but I'm not even sure how accurate that would be with these random fits of spotting.

*sigh* everything's a project, right?

I really doubt that most women who come off the Pill are pregnant two months later. It takes up to a year for your hormones to normalise again, and that's quoting the doctor of a pregnant friend of mine. It is perfectly normal for your periods to be a bit strange for several months after coming off the pill. I wouldn't bother going to the doctor since nothing is actually wrong or even unusual, but I do recommend getting hold of a copy of Taking Charge of Your Fertility (it's very popular, you should be able to get it cheaply secondhand on eBay or similar) and learning the Fertility Awareness Method. FAM is best known for aiding conception, although it can also be used for contraception or for people like me who just want to track their cycles for medical reasons (migraine and PMDD in my case). Then you will know when you are ovulating and when you are fertile.

My doctor said that it can take quite awhile for the hormones to leave your system and then a while more for your periods to regulate themselves. Don't worry too much. There's not a lot your doc can do unless you want to start fertility drugs.

I had ovarian cysts and got preggers first try but we didn't try until I had been off the pill for six months (yes, we had sex, we just used condoms )

It can take a while for your body to regulate, that doesn't necessarily mean you're not ovulating (charting was a great help to me www.fertilityfriend.com). That being said with my first and third I got pregnant the month I went off BC, I was on LoOvral, a low dose pill. With #2 I was on NuvaRing then Yaz and when I went off it took me 5 months to get pregnant and my cycles were all over the place even the month I got pregnant. I really suggest charting, it's super easy and you'll know for sure whether you're ovulating, the approximate length of your cycles etc.., it's free and you can use it in conjunction with OPKs but should save yourself some $ since you'll use less of them with charting. Best of luck TTC!

Hi,
We have a very similiar situation. I'm currently on BCP to prevent cysts (and we want to TTC soon). Anyway, I was off of BCP 4 months before getting pregnant with my daughter. we started trying after 3 months so it was on my second cycle. We couldn't try sooner because I had had one of my ovaries removed due to a cyst turned into a tumor and the doctors told me to wait 3 months before TTC.

Anyways, good luck! My doctors always told me 3 months is normal for your hormones to stabilize but some women take longer (up to a year).

I have ordered from www.early-pregnancy-tests.com and they are awesome. They have ovulation tests and pregnancy tests for under $1 apiece. They aren't midstream, so you have to collect and dip the stick in it, but for $1 vs $8-$12 apiece at the store, I'll take it! They have volume discounts, too... so if you order more than 50 ovulation tests they're 60 cents apiece.

So, what you're saying is I should start buying in bulk and reselling at higher prices to be able to afford this baby we're trying to have? After all, before we bring a baby into our home, I just gave my husband the list of things I want to have done around the house in preparation: remodel of the only full bathroom in our house (especially a new bathtub), new flooring in the bedrooms, new washer and dryer (with larger capacity for all those loads of baby clothes, burp rags, towels...), new living room couch (need seating for the aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and friends!), new hot water heater (which we were supposed t oreplace before we moved in 4 years ago - oops!)...

j/k thanks for the link

You are unlikely to need ovulation tests if you chart (Fertility Awareness Method), and you also learn more about what's going on with your hormones with the latter. I'd try that first, and if for some reason you can't get on with it you can always get the ovulation tests later. However, if you're trying to get pregnant then you need to be having sex before you ovulate, so ovulation tests are of limited use anyway.

I haven't bought their ovulation tests, FWIW, but I have bought their pregnancy tests. About a buck apiece and free shipping on orders over $14.95.

I'm so excited for you!!