Cramps and ovulation.

[saisei]

Hi,

I wanted to ask how I can tell if the cramps I have are due to ovulation or something else.
I don't *usually* have cramps during my cycle, however, I started to have a really bad one (couldn't even stand up straight) in january when my cycle lasted for 50 days. Eventually my cycles got shorter --more like they started getting back to "normal", 48, 39, 35. This last cycle was strange, the flow was technically made of old blood. I didn't think much of it (it has happened before). However, I'm currently on day 13, and since this past saturday (day 11) I started to have what you would describe as cramps. It feels like someone is pressing their fingers on the same spot (lower left side, more like where the ovary is). I thought it was due to ovulation, but now i'm not too sure anymore.
I was reading some of the posts you have here and realized the app I use uses the rhythm method (now i know it's not reliable). According to this app my cycle should be 39±8 and I'm supposedly currently starting, or a week away from, my luteal phase).

I had intercourse (as birth control we used withdrawal) two days ago and the cramps started after 8 hours approximately. I checked my cervix yesterday/today and concluded that the CF is tacky and was unsure about the os being open or closed.
I have no idea how to do FAM, and since my app is very unhelpful at the moment I don’t know if I was ovulating or about to ovulate when we had intercourse. Reasoning tells me if I had a scare it should be minimal since he didn’t ejaculate inside (we didn’t use condoms but he withdrew on time, so it was well performed?), therefore I should not freak out.. in any case, would you recommend taking an EC?

Besides that, is it normal to have the cramps as the ones i’m having? Is it normal to have old blood as menstrual flow?

[Sam W]

Hi saisei,

So, for the pregnancy worries part of this, start with this article and see where it leads you:
The Pregnancy Panic Companion

As far as charting your cycle and knowing where you are in it goes, we have some advice on how to do FAM if you're interested in it:
Get With the Flow: All About FAM

Beyond that, it can help to remember that cramps are a symptom of all sorts of things not pregnancy or cycle related, so that could be a possibility here as well. If they start to worsen or you start having other symptoms along with them, it's time to check in with a healthcare provider to see what might be up.