Before I called my GYN, I wanted to see if anyone out there knows how to lengthen a menstrual cycle without the use of birth control or Clomid.
My husband was snipped 18 months ago, so I don't want to go on birth control.
I know from personal experience that Clomid will lengthen my cycle, since that's what I had to use in order to get pregnant. Obviously, the side effects don't make that an effective choice.
I just had a TWENTY DAY CYCLE!! My normal cycles (since going off of BC again) are 23 days. It's CRAZY! In addition to that being INSANE, it's inconvenient and there are a few other things that make it miserable.
So, if anyone knows of any other way to lengthen a cycle, please let me know. I would love to get to something that isn't Every Three Weeks!!!
I don't know of any way to lengthen your cycles other than using hormones, ie birth control. Without going to the Dr. to see if you have an underlying issue, you might want to look into the NuvaRing. It is b/c, yet you can have the ability to only 4 cycles a year. I reacted BADLY to the pill, but the Ring was much more mild for me. Good luck!
Get your thyroid checked - frequent periods/short cycles are a sign of hypothyroidism. The doc needs to measure Free T3, Free T4, TPO and anti-thyroid antibodies, along with the usual TSH. Don't let them tell you the labs are normal - get a copy. The range for TSH was changed in 2003, but most labs and doctors are still using the old range. More info at:
http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/menstruation.htm
ditto on the thyroid check, though keep in mind levels can fluctuate, so your test might show normal, but it can still be a prob & vice versa.
other than that, you can ensure you eat a very nutritious diet and supplement a B complex vitamin (the B6 is key though the complex is important). other supplements to try - in reverse order of reco - are evening primrose oil, fish oil (a really good-quality one like salmon oil and NOT cod liver oil), maca, and last-but-certainly-not-least, vitex (chasteberry, chaste tree).
if you do fall preggo, it's a good idea to consult your healthcare provider about gradually weaning off any supplements you take once you get well into the pregnancy (after 10-12 wks or so).
HTH!!
p.s. a great resource = "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler
edited to add: You got it -- Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a really really great resource for anyone seeking to know more about how to optimize her health with regard to her distinctive physiology as a woman. Sorry I wasn't clear, and the warning about weaning off maca or vitex supplements if you fall preggo is a valid one *just in case!* (My nephew is one of those "1% babies" so, though we are very grateful "there is he," we know it can happen sometimes at the most *interesting* times, let's just say...)
Good Luck! ;D
