Charting Post-Mirena... help?!

When I first learned about charting from TCOYF, I decided that I wanted to do it for at least a few months before TTC so I would know when I was ovulating. I talked to my OBGYN and she told me that if I got my Mirena out, I should start having normal cycles within a few weeks. So anyway, I got it out on July 26th, and we aren't planning on TTC until November, but now I'm reading all over that peoples' cycles often take a really long time to normalize after removal! Should I be worried? If my cycles are abnormal and charting can't help me determine ovulation, what can I do?

Wellll, the thing is that charting actually doesn't help you pin down O anyway. Even if you have a very regular pattern normally, for reasons we don't totally understand, people start TTC and swaying and their cycles go wackadoo anyway. (probably a combo of diet, supps, and stress) I do not see the benefits of tracking cycles for months prior to TTC because the majority of people find that their cycle changes regardless.

Luckily, timing doesn't sway anyway. http://genderdreaming.com/forum/gend...le-timing.html So if you were trying to pin down O Day to do Shettles, the good news is we have better ways to do that that do not require pinpointing O Day.

Moving on to the Mirena removal, the good thing about your schedule here is that because the residue from Mirena might sway, I like you guys to have it out at least 2-3 months before you plan to TTC anyway, so that will be plenty of time for it to leave your system and most people's cycles will have regulated within that time. I do want to caution you about trying a bunch of herbs to "fix" your cycle. Your body will do that on its own over time anyway and most of the herbs that are supposed to "fix" things actually end up making it worse so i would just take a dose of Vitamin P (patience) if indeed your cycle is abnormal coming off the Mirena - which it may not be anyway.

Still no AF over a month after Mirena removal... is it possible the EPO is delaying it? I know I'm supposed to take it AF-O but I've just been taking it every day since I don't know where I am in my cycle.

Yes, it can be and I generally have people hold off on starting that till after their first AF off the Mirena for that very reason. I want you to stop taking it and do not restart it till AF comes.

Will do. Thanks Atomic!

Wow, stopped EPO and AF showed up 2 days later! Thanks!

Question, though... it's abnormally heavy for me and kind of freaking me out. Could that be because it was held back by the EPO? Or because I didn't have it for 2 years with Mirena?

It wasn't held back by the EPO. EPO doesn't delay AF, it delays ovulation and that in turn makes AF come later (because you get AF about 10-14 days after you ovulate) no ovulation, no AF. So most likely it would have come that day anyway.

The reason why it's so heavy is twofold - firstly the Mirena can make for some horrific periods coming off of it and since the EPO is a blood thinner, it may be even heavier than it would have been normally. Just take it really easy and avoid or limit things like aspirin, alcohol, even something seemingly harmless like garlic because they are blood thinners as well and can really make it heavy. Do not restart the EPO and if you're on fish oil or DHA supps then please reduce to every other day or even every 2 days till it clears up.

Should I start with the EPO again next cycle?

I probably wouldn't, that is the TTC blue supp I am the least sure about and I want to be sure things are normalizing for you before we mess with anything that could muck it up!

Ok, I'm just getting nervous because I'm on CD15 and have had practically no CM whatsoever :/

Grapefruit juice!

Can't have it with my anti-depressants :(

Just drink more fluid. That's really what it boils down to. I doubt grapefruit does anything, it's the drinking more that matters.