I swear I have pain on my left side pre-ovulation every month. Clearly, the pain should alternate...or if I was only ovulating from my left ovary, then there would pain on the left side every other month. Well, now that I'm actively TTCAL, I will have to pay more attention and use my OPKs every month. Maybe I don't notice pain-free months.
Just a strange observation.
Re: Maybe I'm going crazy, but...
I have those pains! Mine do seem to alternate to some degree. From what I've read, though, you wouldn't expect them to alternate every other month, but randomly. Since the best follie "wins" and both ovaries produce follies, then it would be random as to which side actual produces the egg. Of course, probability says that both sides should be in the game and the odds should even out over time.
It does make sense though, that the pain could always be on one side, since, theoretically that side is always producing follies. One theory to explain the pre-ovulation pain is that it comes from follie production, not the actual egg release. One side could just be more sensitive as it produces follies.
I have read way too much about this . . .
If you are crazy, then I am too! I only feel O pain on the left side and I feel it EVERY cycle. Here is my theory and it is very similar to Fran's thoughts:
I think I feel pain on the left ovary when the follies start to develop, but I don't always end up Oing on that side. I am not sure why I only feel it on the left side. My dr. suspects it may be some endo b/c my cramps are always worse on that side too. So, I think I feel the follies when they start to develop, but then if the right side ends up having the dominant follie, I don't feel it there. Sometimes I have noticed that the O pain on the left side is worse than others. When the O pain on the left side is weaker than usual, I think I actually O on the right and I am just feeling the non dominant follies on the left.
This cycle I had an ultrasound since I was doing IUI. I had a mature follie on each side, but I only felt the O pain on the left side (and boy did I feel it).
Apparently, Fran and I have both thought about this a lot.
I don't think you're crazy at all. Since I've started tracking all of this business, I *think* I can tell when my estrogen levels are increasing...I get really moody/weepy (prob a wee bit annoying to others...) and my skin feels icky.
Cycles are crazy-fascinating.
I've been getting pain that alternates from the right side for a day or two, to the left side before O. I'm still waiting for my OPKs. Hopefully when they get here I'll be better able to pin-point ovulation pain from cramps.
Nova, I can feel my hormonal shifts also!