Irregular cycle question

[DailyBread]

So my girlfriend and I are set on NFP for marriage and were wondering about other couples experiences with NFP and long irregular cycles (she has always been irregular except for when using the pill to regulate them). I know that NFP especially the Creighton method works for long irregular cycles, but i am interested in what unique situations it brought for women and their husbands and what challenges they faced either avoiding (ie long abstinence, or trouble figuring things out) or attempting to concieve.
Thanks,

 

[DailyBread]

Also I am interested in which method you found most helpful (Sympto-Temp, Creighton) ect.

 

[agapewolf]

I am a single person and have been charting creighton for 5 years due to my health.

Creighton is designed for all kinds of cycles and all kinds of issues. (so are others, but Creighton has NAPRO technology with it) I originally had irregular cycles and because of the charting, my NFP-only doc found the actual health issues. It took me a good 1 1/2 years to figure things out because I was experiences continual mucous (due to cervical aversion, which was also fixed)

Side note: the pill just covers up the symptoms…those are not regular cycles that your girlfriend is having, those are “fake” (for lack of a better term).

My condition was polycystic ovarian syndrome (pcos) and a medication that regulates blood sugar actually fixes the problem…rather than cover it up.

Now, because of charting, my doc saw that I was low in progesterone, and will be beginning treatment soon.

All of my friends in ministry that are couples testify to the huge gift that NFP is to their marriage.

It seems that creighton works better for women who have irregular sleep patterns, because of the inability to take consistent temp readings.

 

[DailyBread]

Actually I am very aware that the pill does not really regulate a cycle (sorry for poor word choice). As of now I think she is a little worn out from seeing doctors about the issue and is hoping as some other health issues she has that may relate to this problem start to get better, her body can work themselves out. I am aware of PCOS condition as well (and Naprotechnology… I should mention I am a med student I guess and am aware of the Pope Paul VI Institute and Dr. Hilgers) and although its a possibility, other health issues she has faced could partly explain it as well. She currently is not interested in using natural progesterone as an option to help treat things (nor does she plan to be on something like the pill again either in case people were wondering). I am just trying to support her with what things she can mentally handle at this moment and see how other couples have faced this issue and what challenges it posed.

 

[stadre]

I definitely recommend Creighton in your situation. And I even suggest she start charting now rather than wait until closer to your marriage.

With her long cycles it may be that she has a longer or continuous mucus cycle. With her practitioner, she will be able to figure out what times are truly fertile, which will be the normal length. She will definitely want to do this prior to marriage. It will be worked out and she will have confidence in her observations which will then not require long periods of abstinance due to her cycles.

Also, the help which is available is incredible. If she has been charting already, she will be ready to begin treatment when and if she needs it as soon as she determines.

As a Practitioner and a patient, I cannot recommend this enough. If she does end up experiencing infertility, the medical treatments are second to none and are very healing in body and mind. (I love the ovarian wedge resection!)

Lastly, as a medical student you may want to look into the training yourself. Check out the education programs at www.popepaulvi.com.

 

[chrysostom15]

Short answer is the sympto-thermal method is best. The couple-to-Couple leage is a great resource to also consider on this.

First, whenever one get off the pill, one need to wait 3 months before having relations. The pill is very damaging to ones body and also makes it hard to normalize ones cycles.

Your friend may have unusual cycles for a number of reasons. Usually, they are based on diet or drugs she is taking. After taking the pill, it takes 3+ months for your body to start to re-discover how to walk on its own. Other drugs, like even alcohol, cafine, etc. can also impact cycles. LIkewise emotional mood swings can impact cycles.

Some people also just have unusual cycles, and nothing can fix that. To figgure out what her situation is, she should see a doctor if improved diet, sleep, and being off the pill for a few months do not help. The doctor can then determine if there is anything causeing the cycles or if she just has unusual ones.

So my girlfriend and I are set on NFP for marriage and were wondering about other couples experiences with NFP and long irregular cycles (she has always been irregular except for when using the pill to regulate them). I know that NFP especially the Creighton method works for long irregular cycles, but i am interested in what unique situations it brought for women and their husbands and what challenges they faced either avoiding (ie long abstinence, or trouble figuring things out) or attempting to concieve.
Thanks,

 

[Em_in_FL]

CAVEAT…
Most people here have only tried ONE of the methods… so if that worked for them then they’ll say it’s the “best” without knowing both sides…

I’ve only tried the sympto-thermal method. I have very irregular cycles (regularly range anywhere from 28 to 54 days), and I’m able to use the Sympto Thermal method with EASE! I LOVE it.

I have no experience with Creighton…

HTH!

 

[1ke]

Creighton, STM, and Billings are all options for any woman.

“Irregular” cycles have nothing to do with the effectiveness of the method for avoiding or achieving a pregnancy.

With respect to underlying medical conditions, each method has something to offer. Which method is “best” depends on many factors including by whom you want to be treated.

If you want to consult with Dr. Hilgers or any doctor trained in his method, then you have to do Creighton because that is what he uses in his clinic for NaPro Technology.

 

[DailyBread]

Thanks for some of the responses. In regards to some things, I actually hope to do some training with Dr. Hilgers my fourth year and I have worked with him in the past (I go to Creighton School of Medicine), so I am well aware of Naprotechnology. I am just allowing her to decide what she would like to do medical wise… she is aware of PopePaulVI option, but again at this point would hope to see if some other medical issues she is having might resolve and her body might get to a more normal cycle on its own. So she is not interested in rushing off to the Institute and going through hormone treatments as of now. Since we both are in grad school we plan to wait till our 4th year to get married when we would be more ready to start our family, so the thought would be about a year and a half before, she start charting (we are first year med and pharm students). If any couples out there would like to share their experience with what challenges they had with irregular cycles and charting stuff that would be good to hear. Thanks for the info again and yes I am aware that a which method is best is subjective though Naprotechnology based on the objective standards for mucous observation means that one needs to be using Creighton Model if they were to be treated using Napro.

 

[Chovy]

Glad to hear that there’s another potential NAPRO doctor out there. I just had 2 surgeries at CUMC in the past few weeks.

As someone who had irregular cycles, I feel strongly about the Creighton model. My diagnosis was PCOS and after a wedge resection I went from having periods every 6 months, every 2 months, or 1 time per year but for 4 months to being a 28-30 day cycler for the past 2 years. I think the Creighton model gives irregular cyclers the best chance of identifying the medical cause of the irregularity.

That being said, if it’s not an issue of trying to fix the underlying cause for your girlfriend, I think any NFP could be used accurately with proper training and preparation. My sister has irregular periods and has been a successful sympto-thermal user for 15 years.

Good luck in your studies.