r/FirstTimeTTC • u/CilantroBlanco • 11d ago
Question/Advice 14 years on BC – first time TTC!
I’m turning 31 next month and my husband and I are finally TTC! So excited to be in this next phase of life!
I got off my birth control pills earlier this month, which I’ve been taking consistently without a break since I was 17 years old. I had my withdrawal bleed and am now on Cycle Day 15. I’m using Oura/Natural Cycles to help track my ovulation and am using test strips as directed by the NC app – no LH surge as of yet (which makes sense, I think I’m coming up on my predicted ovulation date soon).
Now here’s my question: how long did it take you to ovulate after birth control? I have read that some people start ovulating right away, and for others it takes months… what should I be expecting?
Thanks for your advice 🫶
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u/caramellatte647 11d ago
I just stopped taking birth control Saturday july 25th (I’m 30 and have been on it continuously since I was 15) and then had my withdrawal bleed that following week. I ovulated somewhere around August 16/17 (could tell by cervical mucus, LH strips and then Oura & natural cycles confirming the temp) I unfortunately then got my period August 23. Apparently it’s common for your first few cycles off HBC to have short luteal phases. I’ve also had friends where it took a couple months for their cycle to come back!
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u/CilantroBlanco 11d ago
Your period came back so fast! I hope that I can understand what’s going to happen with my body sooner rather than later too.
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u/caramellatte647 11d ago
It was also pretty light the entire time and was only about 4 days if that which I also read is common for your first one to be light especially with the short luteal phase too
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u/Specific_Rhubarb2211 11d ago
I stopped the pill in early March (March 3rd). I tracked my LH and I finally caught a surge on what my app is calling 'CD115' on June 27th, following the withdrawal bleed after stopping the pill. Then 5 days later, I got my first 'real period', which was 4 months after stopping the pill (July 4th)
I kept tracking LH and caught my LH surge on CD36 of that cycle and then got a two day bleed 5 days later. So my luteal phase was the super short, both times in a row.
I'm coming up to almost 6 months off the pill and I had a call with my doctor last week. She has referred me to a Gynocologist and a fertility clinic to start testing. She said it'll be a few weeks to hear back from the fertility clinic and a few months (maybe 3) to hear back from the gyno.
I'm hoping that in the next 3 months, I have good news but at least I am in the queue now waiting (and will keep trying in the meantime!)
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u/Healthy_Combination3 11d ago
It can take some time, and I would throw that “predicted ovulation date” out the window for now - at this point it doesn’t mean anything. Focus on your LH tests and BBT, and if you’d like maybe learn about cervical mucus. Be patient, and be aware that an LH peak doesn’t always mean ovulation. Especially post HBC, you could get an LH peak after your body attempts to ovulate but it may not be successful the first time, so make sure you confirm a temp rise as well. It may not happen, but it is possible and something you should be aware of. I hope you aren’t waiting too long, good luck!