female-filter: how to track hormonal cycles without your period
October 21, 2013 2:57 PM Subscribe
I'll be having a hysterectomy soon. I'll be retaining my ovaries. I'm looking for apps or sites that help to track hormonal cycles that *don't* depend on the date of menses to predict PMS.
Thus far in life, I've been able to predict pre-menstrual moodiness thanks to my pretty regular period. After my surgery, I'll still be having hormonal cycles monthly, and probably *will* still have my usual day or two of feeling intense irritation/depression during the week before my period would have started. But I won't be menstruating.
How can I predict my PMS moodiness once I cease having a period? This is important to me so that I can avoid acting rashly and regretting it the next day. I'm having trouble locating an app or website that will help me track hormonal cycles via cues other than bleeding - for example, pimples, breast tenderness, etc. Thanks for your suggestions!
Thus far in life, I've been able to predict pre-menstrual moodiness thanks to my pretty regular period. After my surgery, I'll still be having hormonal cycles monthly, and probably *will* still have my usual day or two of feeling intense irritation/depression during the week before my period would have started. But I won't be menstruating.
How can I predict my PMS moodiness once I cease having a period? This is important to me so that I can avoid acting rashly and regretting it the next day. I'm having trouble locating an app or website that will help me track hormonal cycles via cues other than bleeding - for example, pimples, breast tenderness, etc. Thanks for your suggestions!
Yes, totally. Everyone recommends Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler; pair Fertility Awareness (basal body temp, cervical fluid, your cervical position and texture) with an Excel spreadsheet or the amazing Android app OvuView (free/$5 if you want pro features) and you should be able to get a good sense of what your body's up to within a couple months.
posted by tapir-whorf at 3:49 PM on October 21, 2013
posted by tapir-whorf at 3:49 PM on October 21, 2013
I also recommend that book. It will teach you things about your body you didn't know before. I believe every little girl should read that book.
iOS app period tracker has an entry for basal temperatures, among other things.
posted by squirbel at 3:55 PM on October 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
iOS app period tracker has an entry for basal temperatures, among other things.
posted by squirbel at 3:55 PM on October 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Use the kindara app, it is the best out there. You will have to take your temperature in the morning and watch for cervical fluid as mentioned but it will make cycle reading easy.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 4:05 PM on October 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by St. Peepsburg at 4:05 PM on October 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
You can use Chart Myself to track just about anything.
posted by TG_Plackenfatz at 5:02 PM on October 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by TG_Plackenfatz at 5:02 PM on October 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Hey there! I had a hysterectomy 2.5 weeks ago and also kept my ovaries. For years i've been using the Track It period tracking app for iOS, so I have years of data on when I ovulated and had periods. The app is pretty configurable-- you can tell it how often you have a period and it will show you, on a calendar, roughly when you're ovulating.
Like you, my cycle was very regular before my surgery, so I plan to continue using the app to manage ovulation-related symptoms. You can even enter the various symptoms you experience during each cycle. If you have a few months of information on your own cycle, you could enter it in and let the app do its magic in predicting future cycles.
Good luck with your surgery and remember to go easy on yourself for the first couple weeks.
posted by hollisimo at 7:42 PM on October 21, 2013
Like you, my cycle was very regular before my surgery, so I plan to continue using the app to manage ovulation-related symptoms. You can even enter the various symptoms you experience during each cycle. If you have a few months of information on your own cycle, you could enter it in and let the app do its magic in predicting future cycles.
Good luck with your surgery and remember to go easy on yourself for the first couple weeks.
posted by hollisimo at 7:42 PM on October 21, 2013
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posted by Specklet at 3:02 PM on October 21, 2013 [4 favorites]