Question about Ovulation

[sheath]

Howdy, all!

Over the last several years, I have been on and off birth control pills, for various reasons. At this point, I haven't been on them for about a year. I'm usually very in-tune with my body, and I can tell when I begin to ovulate...there are quite a few physical changes that tell me what is happening.

During all the months prior, the signs of ovulation always included a 'twinge' or a little bit of cramping around the time I actually ovulated. It was always on one side or the other. Normal, right?

Over the last three months, however, those twinges are not just 'twinges'. They are take-your-breath-away, doubled-over cramps. Sudden, severe, and significant on my personal pain scale. Then, just as suddenly as it came, it's gone. It happens in the middle of all the other signs, at just the right time, so I know it has to be ovulation.

I have been to the doctor for this. We ruled out just about everything, including any significant problems that would show up in bloodwork. And no, I am not pregnant. The doctor finally concluded that he can find nothing wrong, and reminded me that some women feel ovulation more than others do, which I can see makes sense...but we can't figure out why it didn't hurt me that much and now, suddenly, it DOES.

Does anyone else deal with this? Does ovulation hurt so badly? Did it just suddenly start to hurt one month and then kept on hurting, every time? Did you ever figure out what caused it?

It isn't a big problem...but of course, I'm not doubled over in pain right now, so it's easy to say that.

Any ideas, ladies? Thanks in advance.

S.

 

[dollface007]

This happened to my friend. The pain was so bad, she went to the emergency room. The doctors told her it was middleschmertz (the typical name for the "twinge" felt during ovulation). It hadn't happened to her before or since. They didn't give her an explanantion for why it hurt so bad. I do know that she was on bc pills at the time, and therefore, shouldn't have ovulated.

Personally, I've never felt middleschmertz at all. Sorry i can't be of much help, but at least you're not the only one!

 

[sheath]

This happened to my friend. The pain was so bad, she went to the emergency room. The doctors told her it was middleschmertz (the typical name for the "twinge" felt during ovulation). It hadn't happened to her before or since. They didn't give her an explanantion for why it hurt so bad. I do know that she was on bc pills at the time, and therefore, shouldn't have ovulated.

Personally, I've never felt middleschmertz at all. Sorry i can't be of much help, but at least you're not the only one!

THANK YOU!

I breathed a sigh of relief when I read this. The only things I could find on the net concerning the pain were things like ectopic pregnancies, which I know I do not have...and things like cysts, but the doctor ruled those out. The lack of a valid explanation frightened me a bit.

Your post was a bit of reassurance at a good time. Thanks again!

S.

 

[Mrs Peel]

I've never, ever been able to feel ovulation at all; and have always been somewhat jealous of women who could (rhythm method and all that).

While I can't discuss variations in ovulation specifically, I can say that I've had occasional intense variations with menstrual cramps. Usually, it's not a big deal - a few hours of cramps on the first day and it's over - but a very few times in my life the cramps have been just AWFUL. I guess I'm saying that this stuff doesn't always go the way you've come to expect.

 

[sheath]

I guess I'm saying that this stuff doesn't always go the way you've come to expect.

Very good point.

At various points during my life, I was not on birth control...and I felt so much better. I love being in tune with my body, with the natural rhythms of it. And never, during all that time, did I have pain like this while ovulating. Hell, I hardly ever have menstrual cramps, at all.

To say I didn't expect this is an understatement!

Thanks for the reassurance. I will definitely keep it in mind the next time it happens.

S.

 

[someplace]

I, too feel pain at ovulation. There are sometimes months when I don't actually feel it, but usually I do. There have been some months that are especially painful. Like you, I'm much happier to be in synch with my natural rhythms and not use artificial birth control. That stuff just messes me up.

You might try taking a tylenol or two when you think it's time and see if that makes any difference.

 

[warrior queen]

every month, my ovulation announces itself with a few massive cramps (yep, i know about the double-me-over kind ) as well as a 3-4 day migraine.

before i had kids, i never really had any trouble.... but after having my caesar with the last little kidney bean, BOY! oh! BOY!!!

my cycle intensified right through - painful ovulation, severe cramping during menses, heavy flow (and i mean H-E-A-V-Y) and migraine headaches to accompany each and every teensy little hormone change.

end result - me on the pill to regulate my cycle so that i only experience 1 mense every 4 months.

thank god for whoever worked out that this was safe - i love you, whoever you are!!!

 

[RamapoNJ]

my g/f originally had no feelings before ovulation. However, after she started dating me it became real bad and continues to this day. I wonder if I am connected at all, hee hee

 

[logophile]

Hi Sheath,

I just want to second what everyone is saying. I work in women's health and deal with this kind of question all the time. Some months are going to more severe than others. And you may experience several months in a row of it being one way or the other.

Also, just to add to the anecdotal collection, there are some months where I feel nothing and some months where the pain wakes me up out of a dead sleep. It is disturbing, but still normal. And I like feeling the ovulation. This month I thought I had ovulated on Wednesday night/Thursday morning (based on other fertility signs) which would make today (Saturaday) a "safe" as far as fertility goes. But when I woke up this morning I had a pretty bad case of mittleschmirtz and consequently knew that I need to buy some condoms for my round of afternoon delight.

Don't know if that helps or not, but feel free to pm if you have any other q's about any of this!

 

[Noor]

I feel it the Mittelschmerz

Ocassionally I spot then as well as being super horny and very wet.

I am also told I smell different then more musky or something.

 

[logophile]

I feel it the Mittelschmerz

Ocassionally I spot then as well as being super horny and very wet.

I am also told I smell different then more musky or something.

Right! Most women smell different while ovulating. And most women also taste sweeter then too.

I love ovulating (except for the bad mittleschmerz months - and then it's only bad for an hour or so usually) because I feel so horny and desirable. And you can be sure that's when I'm wettest also!

Thanks for the link...

 

[Noor]

my g/f originally had no feelings before ovulation. However, after she started dating me it became real bad and continues to this day. I wonder if I am connected at all, hee hee

Yes, I do think a man's or other woman's hormones can effect a woman.

 

[Alyx]

I've had these myself. Nasty little buggers there are. I've had them so bad that my husband could feel the pain! Of course, that might have had something to do with the fact that I was busy trying to rip his hand off while he held me during the worst of them.

I started charting them, then made an appointment with my OB/GYN. I went into the doctor armed with a nice little chart of dates and duration of the pain, and the dates my periods started. The pain generally lasted about 22 minutes, although it SEEMED like 22 days! My doctor's comment was "Welcome to yet another little joy of womanhood!" She did change my prescription of BC pills to a purer form (I was taking a generic), which seems to have helped some. I don't get them nearly as often now.

I do get a bit of warning when one is going to hit. A twinge followed by a sharp, quick pain. If I can pop two Tylenol (or the like) quick enough, I can cut down the duration of the cramps. I've also found the fetal position, and whimpering work well too. I haven't had them in several months now. Something I'm very thankful for!

 

[Bobmi357]

Alyx is gonna kill me for this, and I shouldn't be making fun of it. But it just seems to me that when she has these crippling cramps, she's just ovulating an extra large grade AAA egg.

OK.. kill me... I hate seeing her with these cramps, it makes feel totally helpless because nothing I can do will take her pain away.

 

[sheath]

Thank you for the helpful advice! I feel so much better about it now, and won't be nervous the next time it happens. Peace of mind is a good thing.

logophile, you said you like feeling the ovulation...that's a big part of the reason I no longer use the BC pill. And despite how much it hurts lately, it really does make things clear...I know when I'm capable of getting pregnant, and plan accordingly. And I find sex is so much better when I'm not on birth control...I have no idea why, but it is definitely true for me.

Bobmi...be careful, your sweet side is showing.

Thanks, all.

S.

 

[Dstorage]

I don't kow if this is much help coming from a guy, but early this last spring I started being more succeptible to cramping, especially in my legs. I have never had cramp problems, but now I can see how they can be a problem when swimming! At any rate, I started being conscious of drinking more water every day and taking a multivitamin and they seem to have gone away. You may just be going through a change that makes you more sensitive to cramping. Not to trivialize your other issues, but often our bodies are big jigsaw puzzles and one seemingly unrelated issue will affect something in a totally different place and in a different manner too.

 

[Honeydew56]

Since I have added Black Cohash to my daily vitimins I no longer have the ov. cramps or heavy periods.Ask your dr if this might help you out.
My ov cramps were like a knife to the gut, so glad to not have them any more.
Honey

 

[Scandichck]

You`re not alone.
After I had my baby 3 years ago both ovulation and menstrual cramps feels more like birth contractions than normal pain assosiated with the menstrual cycle.

Some months are worse than others.

 

[sheath]

Thank you for the advice! Like I said before, it helps.

DStorage, that's a good point, that things might be allowing me to feel the cramps more lately. I have been under a LOT of stress, which might make me more susceptible? I guess that is something that can only be determined with time, unfortunately.

You guys are great.

S.

 

[BlueSugar]

I've always said ... ya sneeze funny and The Eccosystem gets all messed up.

Diet, stress, new activities, small cysts... using a new fabric softner?

It could also be one of those things with age.
I've also noticed that every 7 years or so my system kind of resets itself. It'll come a week earlier, more painful in the beginning... but even out in the rest of the years... and then by the time I can predict the moon it goes and changes on me again due to hanging out with another group of females with stronger hormones (who end up pulling me off my cycle and bringing me to their dark side lol) or its just one of those nature things that we women are more prone to getting thrown into ...

I suppose a little whiskey in some hot tea that afternoon would make everything fine

 

[Imi]

I agree with Someplace. What I find interesting is that there are different feelings. But I also supposed that Bobmi might be right. Some eggs might be larger than others. Or there may be build up in the tube.

Scared the crap outta me the first time I ovulated after I got off the pill. My best friend laughed her ass off at me when she had to tell me what was happening. What else are friends for?

 

[sheath]

Scared the crap outta me the first time I ovulated after I got off the pill. My best friend laughed her ass off at me when she had to tell me what was happening. What else are friends for?

LOL

Unfortunately, I hardly have any female friends. Mostly men. So I am thankful for Lit and the female perspective found here. This thread really has eased my mind.

S.

 

[Valcorie]

Ovarian Cyst???

I have had similar experiances.

You may chack with you doctor and see if you are just having inlarges ovarian cystes when yu ovualte. normaly they are very small and do cause some cramping ect... However due to hormone changes ect you can have larger than normal cysts that make you want to double over and cause major cramping when they rupture. When I am not on the pill I have that problem. It is very hard to diagnose because you body absorbs the cyst fluid fairly quickly so by time you feel pain any ultra sound wont show a cyst.