Long Cycle

i used to have a 7 - 9 day period, is that what you mean? Now I have a 3 - 4 day period and it's much better!! A normal *cycle* is 28 days.

Mother Earth aka K. Hanrahan
www.bestwellnessconsultant.com

My cycle (after I went off the pill to try to conceive) was about 45 days between periods (!!). I never asked my doctor about it, I figured it was pretty much normal. After I went off the pill, I simply charted my temperature in the morning as soon as I woke up (you can print a chart off the internet). It really didn't take much energy and I noticed that I didn't ovulate at the exact "middle" of my cycle. I then saw when my temp was elevated and the month we were ready to conceive, I got an ovulation predictor kit. Well, it worked! We got pregnant on the first try and I'm due any day now... Good luck!

Do you mean menstrual cycle? I'm not really sure what "too long" would be. Isn't average about 28 days? Maybe beyond 35? I'd ask your doctor.

EDIT: You can just buy an ovulation predictor kit from walgreens. Having sex 14 days in a row sounds like fun... but may not be feasible for some!!! :)

Sara - too long for what? If you are trying to conceive, you can try having sex every other day around the week you think you might be ovulating.

If you are post-partum, and especially if you're breastfeeding, you should give yourself a looong time to even out. This isn't sound medical advice, but don't worry about regular cycles until after you stop breastfeeding.

Again, I'm no doctor, but I get really frustrated with the idea that our bodies should follow these really strict standards of what is and isn't normal. I used to get really panicky when my body wasn't doing what it was "supposed" to, both before and during pregnancy. Turns out women's experiences vary so widely, but I never would have known it from reading medical literature. I only found out what a crazy wide range "normal" is by talking to different women.

Like you're doing now.

Sorry for venting; your question brought back a lot of unnecessary fearful worries on my part and I would hate it if you were going through the same. It makes me mad but I don't quite know who to be mad at. Myself? Doctors? Books?

Anyway, good luck!

21-35 days is considered 'normal' for adult women, so if you are outside of that you should consult with your doctor. Obviously everyone is different and you may just be an exception to the rule. In any case, voice your concerns with your doctor because there might be something else going on that needs attention.

Depends on what you're trying to accomplish? I've always had long cycles - maybe 40-60 days - instead of the stereotypical 28 day cycle. I thought it was nice - that many fewer periods I had to deal with. But it was very annoying when I was trying to conceive. If you go more than 3 months or so with no cycle I'd get checked because this can influence your bone density and other health. Frequently if you're underweight and/or exercise often you'll have longer cycles, but you shouldn't lose them altogether. Again, osteoporosis later in life is the main reason I'd not want to lose my cycles - it's a general indicator that things are out of balance for you.

I have a cycle that can be anywhere from 28 days to 36 days, so when we were trying, this is what we did. Since it was so hard to predict when I was ovulating, we just did the 14 day marathon to ensure we hit that so important day. Both my boys were conceived in the first couple of months trying and I am now expecting number 3. Hope this helps!!

Are you breastfeeding? If so, you might not have periods at all, or they may be once a year, or some other style of cycle.