I am 29 years old. I hit puberty at 11 years old. Ever since then I've had heavy periods with bad cramps. Throughout my teens I's probably skip a month here and there, and I was not sexually active then. The situation has become worse in my twenties. I get my period around 9 times a year. I can't even determine how long my cycle is because it's so off most of the time.
From 23-25 I was on birth control. I was first on Yaz which did not work out. Then I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo. With this bith control, my periods became regular. However, I gained weight and I decided I did not want to be on birth control anymore. I didn't want my body to rely on foreign chemicals to function properly. I wanted my body to work naturally. Ever since I came off the birth control, my menstrual cycle has been wacky. I've had sonograms done over the years and they all come back normal. My hormones have been tested (including prolactin) and everything is normal. When I was 27, I was prescribed Metformin, which is a prescription used for diabetics, to help me shed a few pounds since I was found to be insulin resistant. My PCP said that pill also tends to help women ovulate. Metformin worked for the weight loss, but not for ovulation in my case. My periods were still irregular. I took that pill for exactly 1 year, till I shed the 15 lbs I wanted to lose. I've always wondered if I ovulate. I know that just because I get my period doesn't necessarily mean I ovulate. FYI, I've tried all sorts of homeopathic remedies for ovulation.
For the past six months I've been trying to conceive. I have sexual intercourse every other day or every three days. I've had missed periods, thinking that I may be pregnant, but nothing. I am afraid I may be infertile. I would like to understand why I am having trouble ovulating, because that's why it all comes down to... I am not getting my periods on certain months because I don't ovulate those months. But why? And the months that I do get my period, am I actually ovulating or am I just shedding excessive build up of my uterine lining? What should I be checking for? What should I be asking my doctor? What should I be concerned about? Please help.