Dear Jill,
Cysts have usually been treated surgically or with the oral contraceptive. Studies have shown though, that the oral contraceptive as a form of treatment for ovarian cysts has little to no effect in resolving them. Most cysts probably result from underlying hormone dysfunction. It has been shown that by assessing and understanding the etiology, treatment of the underlying condition improves ovarian function and leads to disappearance of cysts. At times this process is also useful in the recognition of suspicious ovarian cysts that may potentially be malignant.
To be sure you are identifying the Post-Peak days correctly it would be best to make a Follow-up appointment at this time with your NFP Practitioner. The correct identification of those days allows for proper administration of progesterone when your body is producing it.
This progesterone therapy is described in the book The Medical and Surgical Practice of Naprotechnology by Thomas W. Hilgers, MD. http://www.naprotechnology.com/
Your practitioner can refer you to a Naprotechnology Medical Consultant that will, with the aid of your chart, diagnose and treat you with bio-identical progesterone. This should normalize your cycles without the harmful side effects of the birth control pills. Interestingly, one of the causes of three or more days of brown spotting continuing after the menstrual flow or miscarriage may be inadequate progesterone levels.
Angie Frausto