I’m 36 years old and preparing to undergo artificial insemination to try for a second child. (My daughter is 12.) After several months of charting every moment of my female cycle - averaging 27 to 31 days long - I began pee testing with an “ovulation predictor kit” about five days ago, on day nine of my cycle.
So far, nothing. No positives, and I’m on day fourteen! In my previous charts, I marked episodes of “mettelschmertz”, which I have always assumed signified ovulation, ranging from day ten to day fourteen. However, now that I am actually testing for the ovulation hormone, nothing is happening at all! I thought I would have the straight up hormone surge about two days ago!
::frets::
Don’t know why I’m posting this, just seeking possible medical knowledge, others’ anecdotes, or just reassurance. Or other thoughts, whatever folks may have to offer. Thanks.
Did you feel your mittleschmerz? Now that I am 35 I don’t always, I have wondered if I am ovulating that month or did I sleep through the mittleschmerz. At least once I know that my ovulation coincided with mittleschmerz. My daughter was conceived then. I saw proof that was the ovary on my first sonogram.
lee, thanks for your reply. I’m just petrified that I’m not manufacturing eggs anymore!!! Hopefully I didn’t wait too long. I guess I’m getting a little hyper about it, now that the hour is near!
Haven’t felt the mettelschmertz yet this month. Usually it grabs me for a couple of hours on the 1oth-14th day of my cycle.
Well, just because you don’t ovulate every month, doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant. I have noticed missing mittelschmerz every so often for about 4 years now (I’m 35) and yet the very first time that I had that kind of sex with KellyM, I got pregnant. I suspect that I got pregnant the only other time in the last decade I had sex with someone who wasn’t sterile, but miscarried. I had a 54 day cycle instead of my usual 34.
Thanks lee !! I do feel reassured… I still haven’t tested positive on the ovulation predictor (day 15),but I’m not going to worry too much. It’s kind of ironic I’ve spent so many years and so much effort trying to avoid pregnancy, and now that I want to get pregnant again, I’m getting all worried about it. It’s just like me. Go figure.
It’s rare that you would be having cycles that regular and not be ovulating at all. I know women who do not ovulate regularly but they often skip entire periods. If you are having a period every month it is a pretty good sign that you are still ovulating somewhere in there.
Maybe you are just having a longer cycle this month. Stress can play a factor. Have you been charting your temperature? That is another way to predict if / when you are ovulating.
Even if you skip a month you can ovulate next month nice as can be. Try not to worry over one messed up month (I know it’s hard).
I know about that ‘how can it be so hard to get pregnant’ feeling. You hear for so long how you have to be careful since it can happen at any time, then when you try all of a sudden people tell you how hard it is, how timing has to be just right, etc. It is nature’s cruel joke
I don’t know how rare it is. One of my girlfriends wanted to concieve via spermcicle (she was single, mid 30s, and hadn’t even met Mr. He’s-Kind-Of-Close). She ended up adopting when it was found she didn’t ovulate (not good for the spermcicle method of conceiving).
If you are concerned - and particularly if you are concerned and over 30, see a Reproductive Endocronologist. She will be able to give all sorts of tests to make sure you are ovulating, or not. And if not, pump you full of drugs (that we have little idea of their long term effects on you - so consider this part carefully - a baby may not be worth the pills and shots) to try and stimulate ovulation.
My hormones were out of whack - ovulated like crazy, but the only thing they could find wrong was an imbalance in hormones. Never tried an ovulation predictor, so I don’t know if it would have come up positive.
BTW, we went through a year of infertility treatment seven years ago. Gave up. Two years later had a spontaneous conception (Baby Surprise). We also have an adopted son.
Don’t even waste your money on ovulation predictor kits. They suck. When hubby and I first started trying, I used them every month for about 6 months straight. Never, ever got a positive. I know I ovulate b/c I have ovarian cysts and they only pop when a woman ovulates - and believe me, they pop.
Certainly not out of line, this is a fertility thread
I, unfortanately, have not gotten pregnant yet. I am on my way to start the whole fertility testing / drugs thing at the moment.
I just don’t believe the predictor kits - I know I ovulate - I feel it and my cysts pop but the things never told me that I ovulate. I guess I’ll know for sure in a few more months
