Luteal Phase advice

[Frizz1986]

Hi everyone,
I have a question and knew that this would be the best place to ask it.

Me and dp are hoping to start ttc in April after our wedding so I have been getting myself ready taking conception vits, stopping my contraceptive and just generally getting prepared and start tracking my cycles so I know what is going on.
I stopped my contraceptive pill in December and since then have had 2 cycles. my first cycle was 25 days with a 9 day luteal phase and this month it is a 24 day cycle with (i think) another 9 day luteal phase.
I know that this is a short lp and I was wondering at what point is it worth asking my gp about it. I dont want to waste their time if its too early to be concerned, but I also dont want to leave it too late as would still love be at a good ttc point in April.
Am I right in thinking they do blood tests to confirm if your luteal phase is short?
Do I need to wait until I have been ttc before I speak to them or can you almost self diagnose and they can check it for you.
Any help would be great as I am a worrier and I know that everyone on here will help put my mind at ease and stop me worrying over nothing.

Thanks

[ControlGeek]

Hiya, how are you tracking your cycles/ovulation? It may be that your body is still a bit thrown by coming off the pill and hasn't yet reached its balance. It may even be that you're not ovulating when you think you are (even with the best will in the world and every tracking every 'sign' available, ovulation is still not an exact science).

[CoffeeandCremeEggs]

Your body could well take a few cycles to sort itself out after coming off the pill. What pill were you on? I found that after coming of Cerazette I had very short cycles and LP (8-9 days) which gradually lengthened until I conceived (about 6 months).

[oldebaglady]

I have a sorter LP than you and conceived both of mine straight away

biggest problem is getting HCPs to accept MY dates once I've conceived!

I'd probably wait and see if it causes you a problem before going down the medical route, it's not necessarily going to be a problem

[Frizz1986]

I was on mycrogynon for 7 years and have been using the cheap ovulation strips that you can buy on amazon.
I assumed that it might be that my body is still settling but so many people seem to have cycles all over the place after stopping contraceptives but my 1st two have been exactly the same and I think I recall having short cycles when i was younger too.

[Jakeyblueblue]

I've got an LP of 10 due to ttc number 2 whilst still breastfeeding number two. Apparently very common but also very frustrating. Been ttc since may so am thinking its probably the LP that's the prob. Strictly speaking it needs to be 10 days or more to sustain a Preg. It may just be the coming off the pill and it will take a few cycles for your hormones to stabilise. If it persists though, I'd see the dr. I think it's very unlikely you'd concieve with an LP of 9. In the meantime I can recommend taking a daily supplement of 50mg vit b6. Google it and you will find loads if recommendations. I've been using it a few cycles and it initially lengthened my LP to 12, since then though, ds has been feeding more due to teething and so LP has dropped back to 10 days so I've increased to 100mg to see if this helps.
Good luck!

[oldebaglady]

"Strictly speaking it needs to be 10 days or more to sustain a Preg"
from what I've read that's only if it's secondary to something else, like hypothroidism (which I think is associated with short LP), if it's by itself and everything else is hunky dory then a short LP in itself is not a problem

its an old fashioned theory that the LP needs to be at least 10 days to maintain a pregnancy, because once you concieve the following 2 weeks develop the same way they would with anyone else IYKWIM - you don't have to squeeze 2 weeks development into

[Christelle2207]

I found both gp and fertility cons. completely dismissed the short LP issue - mine was about 9 days. V annoying. You could try b6 to lengthen but it did nothing for me. No blood test to confirm short LP as such though my 21 day test results weren't good as was only ovulating 2 days previously Rather than 7!

Hopefully you will conceive quickly however if you don't, don't despair. I was eventually given clomid - that month I ovulated on day 12 instead of usual day 19. I never figured out what it did to my LP because I or pg that month. Am now 14 wks. It definitely can be an issue, but not necessarily for you, best of luck.

Ps I was also diagnosed as hypothyroid and though gp again dismissed it, am fairly sure there was a link between that and LP. Easily fixed. May be worth asking for thyroid blood test (google the symptoms and tell gp you want thyroid test I you think you have any. For me it was just generally feeling under the weather and tired)

[Christelle2207]

I GOT pg that month! ( TTC over 1 yr)

[Jakeyblueblue]

Would love that to be true about it being and fashioned theory but I'm not sure that's right.
Yes, you are correct that the pregnancy will develop the same way but its not that, that's the problem when you've got a short luteal phase. It's actually the drop in progesterone that causes the issues. In my case, because I'm breastfeeding, I will have high levels of prolactin which actually inhibits progesterone. Thus the rubbish LP. It's the progesterone that's needed to sustain a pregnancy. Once levels of progesterone drop, any developing pregnancy would be lost or AF will appear. That's my understanding anyway.

[RainbowsFriend]

Jumping in here as I started a similar thread myself (LP of 7 days, due to breastfeeding - was 11 days pre-DD)

jakeyblueblue I conceived 3 times (1 live birth, but all made 12 weeks) with a LP of 11 days if that's any help to you and 10 days?

I am wondering if 7 days is really toooooooo short though :(

[Jakeyblueblue]

I would say 7 is too short rainbows :(
I've done loads of research on this and the general consensus is that 10 to 16 is within the realms of normality and many people do concieve with an LP of 10, however the advice seems to be that if you have had timely intercourse across a number of cycles and not fallen pregnant,you should consider that this may be the issue. I guess there may be other reasons I'm not Preg but going on that, It has to be a consideration.

[Jakeyblueblue]

community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a3674585/all_about_luteal_phase_defect_vitamin_b6
This is particually useful as contains lots of links.
I'm sure your LP is due to the pill op so don't let us miserable lot worry you!

[smellysocksandchickenpox]

7/8 days wasn't too sort for either of mine, but no HCPs accepted my dates (or even the fact I was pregnant!) until early scans confirmed my dates. I'm used to being told that my babies couldn't possibly exist

[RainbowsFriend]

Oooh conflicting experiences! Thank you both... (well I am due AF today (8DPO) and no sign yet, so here's fingers crossed... and good luck OP :) )

[Frizz1986]

Thanks for all the different thoughts guys. I knew this was the place to come!!
I won't let myself get overly worried without reason, but its nice to have an idea of what the problems could be if we struggle to conceive.
Fingers crossed it is just my cycle settling down but if not I think I will look at trying vit b6 to see if that helps and if not I can go to my gp from there.
The link was really helpful jakey and I have definitely experienced a few of the possible low progesterone symptoms (not sure if they were actually contraceptive pill related instead though)
Hopefully all will be ok and I can relax