# Females only: Ovulation time, ovulation time (TMI?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 21, 2005, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855 "2005-05-21T05:37:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/1 "2005-05-21T05:37:10Z")
Ladies, does your ovulation time make you feel worse than the actual period? Mine does, and more so lately. Sore, tender boobs; a craving for more carbs, sweets and salt; pains that come and go; some insomnia due to agitation; a very short temper. I find myself wishing for the time of the month to hurry up and get here so I can have some relief from its harbinger. ``` How about you? ``` ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/2 "2005-05-21T06:26:09Z")
It is usually more painful, at least for a few hours because of mittelschmerz, and the tender breasts are no fun. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/3 "2005-05-21T07:00:17Z")
Yep, most people seem to forget that the “P” in PMS is “pre”. Ovulation is way worse for me than menstruation. Turns me into a right cranky bitch and hurts like the Dickens. Although the BCP is helping quite a bit and I’m thinking of getting some “lady vitamins” at GNC to see if that helps any. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/4 "2005-05-21T07:58:17Z")
My mother swears by primrose oil pills just for this purpose, but since I never listen to my mother and I never go to the type of places that sell it, I have yet to try it out. But I do get what I call “ghost cramps” and very sore boobs for about a week prior to the Actual Event. Not every month, but often enough to piss me off. (Literally, my boobs feel like balloons. Like I double in size.) Particularly (I’m pretty sure this is TMI) after an orgasm. I get “cramps” which last about five minutes. To the point that even though I’m in the mood, I’m really not, because I don’t wanna deal with that. However, that’s PMS. That’s not ovulation, is it? Doesn’t that occur in the very middle of your cycle, approx. two weeks beforehand? God I feel ignorant. And I’ve read all the mag articles about it, too. I just forget. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/5 "2005-05-21T09:51:05Z")
Huh. When off the pill (presumably I haven’t ovulated in over a year now) I have never noticed anything at all around ovulation. We women are weird, I tell ya. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/6 "2005-05-21T11:15:36Z")
> [@Audrey Levins](#): > > However, that’s PMS. That’s not ovulation, is it? Doesn’t that occur in the very middle of your cycle, approx. two weeks beforehand? God I feel ignorant. And I’ve read all the mag articles about it, too. I just forget. Yes, about. 12 to 16 days before menstruation starts, actually. It can vary within that range between women, but rarely varies more than two days within the same woman. If your period is late because of stress or illness, it’s because of stress or illness **pre** -ovulation, not post. Once you ovulate, there’s a finite and very regular amount of progesterone to be had from the corpus luteum (the “scar” where the egg was released). Once that runs out either A. your progesterone level drops and you get your period or B. you’ve fertilized an egg, and that fertilized egg starts releasing progesterone around day 12 after ovulation, and you don’t get your period 'cause you’re pregnant. (Side note: if you’re trying to get pregnant and not doing well at it, check your ovulation to menstruation time. If it’s less than 12 days, talk to your doctor about low progesterone levels, you may be running out of corpus luteum progesterone before the fertilized egg is producing its progesterone.) For further information, as always, check out _Taking Charge of Your Fertility_ by Toni Weschler. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/7 "2005-05-21T11:20:02Z")
Oh! I forgot to post my own ovulaton weirdness! I’ve been pumping all my breastmilk for nearly four months now and every single time I ovulate, my milk production jumps up by 30% or more the day of and the day after ovulation. How weird is that? I have no explanation for that one, hormonal or otherwise. (And yes, I ovulate every month and have since delivery, despite lactation.) I used to get mittleschmerz, but not for years now. It had me in the hospital with a suspected case of appendicitis when I was in high school. 14 enemas and a lower GI series later, they decided it was ovulation pain and sent me home. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/8 "2005-05-21T17:37:32Z")
Last week, I was ovulating fiercely. I felt that little egg burst out of the follicle and everything. Ouch! But menustration is tons worse than ovuluation, for me. ---
**Author:** ![klintypooh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3da27b/32.png) [@klintypooh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/klintypooh)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/9 "2005-05-21T17:47:09Z")
I feel for you ladies, if there was blood coming out of memonthly, I’d be pretty scared. Does blood in poo count? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/10 "2005-05-21T19:54:15Z")
_Pssst…_ **klinty** … I think the “females only” in the thread title is a hint that us folks wit’ dangly bits are just supposed to lurk, and mebbe gain a little insight into that whole ‘woman’ thing. _puts tumbler back up against the wall_ ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/11 "2005-05-21T21:52:02Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > …Once that runs out either A. your progesterone level drops and you get your period or B. you’ve fertilized an egg, … I think you’re forgetting another quite normal female condition. I usually only get the middleschmartz (I love that name). The sore boobs usually come later. The actual period not only gives me worse cramps but makes me physically ill with headaches, GI problems, fatigue. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/12 "2005-05-21T23:54:24Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > Huh. When off the pill (presumably I haven’t ovulated in over a year now) I have never noticed anything at all around ovulation. We women are weird, I tell ya. I’ve noticed a little pain about twice, ever. I wonder if it’s worse if you do take the pill, which I never have. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/13 "2005-05-22T00:01:26Z")
Ok, gotta ask. What’s middleschmertz? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/14 "2005-05-22T00:09:16Z")
> [@Wile E](#): > > I think you’re forgetting another quite normal female condition. 😕 Menopause? But with that, there’s no ovulation. After the final ovulaion, there will be a period. I’m not sure what else you could mean. “Middleschmerz” is a feeling of cramping, achiness or sharp pain in the low abdomen which some women feel during ovulation. Feels much like gas pains. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/15 "2005-05-22T00:22:14Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot} “Middleschmerz” is a feeling of cramping, achiness or sharp pain in the low abdomen which some women feel during ovulation. Feels much like gas pains.[/QUOTE] Ah, that’s what that’s called. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![klintypooh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3da27b/32.png) [@klintypooh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/klintypooh)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/16 "2005-05-22T00:37:38Z")
Larry, I think they know we are here. Perhaps if one of us starts a cumshot thread, nobody will notice! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/17 "2005-05-22T01:56:00Z")
> [@The Sausage Creature](#): > > Ah, that’s what that’s called. Thanks! Now I can put a name to the nastiness. ---
**Author:** ![La\_Llorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@La\_Llorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/La_Llorona)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/18 "2005-05-22T02:09:49Z")
> [@klintypooh](#): > > Does blood in poo count? [hijack] Dunno if you’re in earnest, and IANAD, but in general, that’s not a Good Thing and it would probably be really good to hie thee to a medico (or at least telephone one) if you notice that happening. [/hijack] And I feel freakish now…I have never, never noticed anything out of the norm whilst ovulating. ---
**Author:** ![conurepete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@conurepete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conurepete)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/19 "2005-05-22T02:14:44Z")
I get a symptom I never see referenced in books: my rear end freezes. When I am on the pill, the freeze effect is premenstrual, but when I am not, it appears to hit at ovulation. Other female relatives have reported this. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855/20 "2005-05-22T02:22:03Z")
Oh dear, my tags are showing. I’m so embarassed! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/females-only-ovulation-time-ovulation-time-tmi/304855.md?page=2)