Short luteal phase? Question... any advice appreciated

[LawksaMussy]

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone can help with a slightly boring luteal phase questions - I'm trying to work out whether mine is a bit short or not.

I was using an ovulation kit to work out when I was ovulating, I had the dark line on the Thursday so assumed that Friday was the likely day of ovulation.

AF arrived a week the next Sunday, so am I right in thinking that my luteal phase is just 9 days - Friday through to a week on Sunday - is that how it is worked out?

And if that's right, is that a short luteal phase and ought I speak to a doctor about it?

Sorry this is tedious but any advice appreciated - thank you!

[whomovedmychocolate]

I think you may have misunderstood the basic premise of OPKs. OPKs look for a luteinising hormone surge - that happens AFTER or AT THE SAME TIME as your egg is released. So ideally you want to have had sex before then so the sperm is there (eggs are normally only good for a few hours and sperm are quite slow (an inch an hour). So if you are trying to conceive, having sex BEFORE the time you think you will ovulate is a darn good idea.

However, most people menstruate between 10 and 13 days post ovulation so I'd say you were pretty much normal.

Personally I go for cervical mucous over OPKs as for many people - me included OPKs aren't much use. They only pick up a very restricted range of 'normal' peaks. If you have PCOS or any other hormonal issues you may not fit into that norm and yet still be very much fertile. My daughter is testament to this fact and I'm pregnant again, while breastfeeding, so you see, you can't always rely on fitting the test to your body.

[LawksaMussy]

Thank you! I thought I had read somewhere on Mumsnet that the surge happened some time in the 24 hours before the egg being released, but do get confused easily.

I don't get any EWCM but this is dc#2 that we're trying for, so I know there is hope

Thank you

[mibbes]

Actually as far as I have read the LH surge which happens before ovulation. If you are charting temps then the termal shift (temp rise) happens after ovulation. The lines on the opk mean that you should ovulate in the next day or 2. As for your luteal phase, "normal" is considered to be 12-16 days - less than 12 may be too short but not neccessarily. Obviously I am not a Doctor so best to speak to your GP if you are worried. I have read all of this in "Taking Charge of your fertility" which is an excellent book full of ways to spot your fertile days. Like whomovedmychocolate says opks are not great for everyone and can cause concern if they don't detect your surge but you may still be ovulating - I have read countless posts from ladies who have had no +ve opk but fell pregnant that very month .

[Twiglett]

that wasn't what I was told by my consultant I'm afraid

I was told that when I get a positive on my OPKs I would ovulate within 24 hours

based on your initial post I would say yes there is a luteal phase defect .. but you need to chart for 3 months minimum to actually diagnose one

some gps are crap .. be warned

I was prescribed clomid for my luteal phase of 8 days (by consultant at hospital) and conceived first cycle

there are natural ways to improve your luteal phase such as high dosage B6 (spefically request) 100mg to 200mg per day for about 6 months

[Twiglett]

Lawks .. I also had secondary infertility (supposedly when pg your hormones are thrown up in the air and can land any way .. which is why it's surprisingly common)

[mibbes]

Don't worry about no EWCM as lots of ladies don't get it. I do some months but haven't for the past two. Apparently it can be in there somewhere but just doesn't make it to your knickers ! It also doesn't have to be stretchy - it can be watery too - that book I recommended goes into a lot of detail on this subject

[whomovedmychocolate]

Funny, the Zita west book says the exact opposite to the taking charge of fertility book - oh well, in any case, OPKs may not be what you need. Just have sex every three days then you'll always have fresh sperm in place when you do ovulate.

[LawksaMussy]

Thanks all. Twiglett when you say I have to specifically request B6, do I get that from a pharmacy?

My gps have been great so far (I've had a couple of blood tests) and they've said that normally for a "young" couple they'd wait 2 years before offering any alternative solutions (clomid etc), but I have a very irregular / long cycle so they said they could fast-track us (we've been trying for 10 months).

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

If your cycles are very irregular/long then its no point using OPKs anyway. With a very long cycle as well ovulation is less likely to be occuring (it is quite possible to have periods without ovulating). OPK's are also beset with problems; these work on the principles that a rise in LH is immediately followed by ovulation (not true) and that women only have one rise in LH levels every month (again not true).

Have the blood tests thrown up any hormonal problems - did they compare your level of LH against that of FSH?. They should have done this. You should be checked to see if PCO (polycystic ovaries) or its related syndrome PCOS are culprits. Another possible culprit is thyroid imbalances.

I hope they fast track you.

Good luck!

[MrsKittylette]

Ive just read on my OPKs that if you get a + then you will ovulate within 24 hours.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

They have good marketing!!

[LawksaMussy]

Hello Attila - I've just had the 21 day test and according to the results I did ovulate. As far as I am aware this tests for a level of progesterone... do you know if this is reliable? could my level of progesterone been high without ovulation?

I also had the 2-3 day test which they said was to test for hormonal imbalances, which were fine therefore they ruled out PCOS. However no idea if they compared the things you mention - would they have done that automatically? I assume not if you mention it?

(Thank you for the advice by the way)

[Twiglett]

Just as at a pharmacy or health food store for the B6