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Conception

What can be done if you have a short lp?

32 replies

sammysam · 09/12/2008 10:31

Title says it all really
What can be done to increase it?

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PuzzYuleLogs · 09/12/2008 12:05

bump

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katster37 · 09/12/2008 12:31

I am taking B6 (daily) and Agnus Castor (up until OV day). Second month so far, and last month it increased from 7 day LP to 10.5 so am hoping to make it to 11 or 12 this month! (or even better, BFP!)

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lastboxoftampons · 09/12/2008 12:32

Hi Sammysam:

My lp was 10 days and the past few months I've managed to get it to around 11 days. I'm not sure what did it in the end, but I did take Agnus Castus since about August, and I've also consistently taken a B complex that contains 50mg of B6. According to Take Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Wechsler, 200mg of B6 a day can help lengthen an LP, so I take about 4 a day. Got a BFP my October cycle - am currently 7 weeks and all seems well (knock wood).

Hope that helps

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sammysam · 09/12/2008 20:32

Congratulations lastbox!
So do you take the b6 and agnus castus only til ov, or do you take either of them the whole month?

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sammysam · 11/12/2008 08:19

Bump?

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Thandeka · 11/12/2008 11:18

As far as I know B6 can be taken all cycle, Agnus castus should only be taken until ov.

I took agnus castus last month and had a short cycle 29 days (normally 32-34) but also had an LP of 10 days when my average is 12 so I have stopped taking AC and am just using B6.

Good luck.

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lastboxoftampons · 11/12/2008 11:32

sorry, Sammy just saw this now. I took both all month long. You'll find conflicting information about the AC, but I was convinced that it was safe to take after ov. I even took it for a week or so after my BFP.

Good luck!

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katster37 · 11/12/2008 13:24

That's interesting lastbox about taking AC all month. If I don't get my BFP this month I might try next month. I must admit, I am worried that even if I get pg, I will miscarry early on because of short LP. Are you taking anything else, now you are pg?

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beanieb · 11/12/2008 13:27

the recommended way to take agnus castus is to take it for 3 months continually without TTC and then carry on taking it but only up to ovulation each month.

I took it for a few months and it lengthened my cycle and moved my ovulation date from about CD16 to CD11. I have stopped taking it because I am about to see a fertility consultant so wanted to see tehm with my natural cycle which is 23/24 days. As soon as I stopped taking it my cycle returned to 24 days but my ovulation day has stayed the same.

most people say it is not something you should take in the second half of your cycle and some people say you shouldn't take it without consulting your doctor as you may have other fertility issues which can be made worse by taking it.

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lastboxoftampons · 11/12/2008 13:33

Katster37 How long is your LP? Mine was mostly 10 days with a few days of spotting and I've been pregnant twice. Both times I had no issues with early mc/progesterone issues. I did mc my first pregnancy, but it was a mmc which wasn't detected until 11 weeks (fetus measured 7). I'm currently 7 weeks and haven't had any issues that I know of - no spotting, etc. I've had CD3 and CD21 testing before my BFP and it all came back normal. So, no idea really why my LP is so short, but it doesn't seem to be affecting pregnancy for me.

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katster37 · 11/12/2008 21:19

Hi Lastbox, wonderful to know you have had/are having successful pregnancies. Well, my LP was roughly 7/8 days. I took AC and B6 last month (B6 throughout; AC until OV) and I still OV-ed on day 19, but my LP had extended to 10.5 days. I am hoping this month will be the same. We weren't actively trying last month, I was trying to lengthen my LP before we 'actively' tried this month. This month we BD-ed CD10,14,15,17,18. I am pretty sure I OV-ed CD19 again (EWCM patterns identical to last and previous months) so we will see. Have you tried prog cream?
My GP doesn't seem to think LP defect exists and she is an Ob/Gyn expert apparently!!!! Aaaagh!!!!

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sammysam · 12/12/2008 09:11

Thank you for getting back to me.
I have only recently (3months) started really tracking my cycle as we have been trying for almost a year and I realised that we needed to do more.
DD was unplanned so I have no idea how long my lp was pre dd, but now it is normally 10 days which I understand to be the shortest that is considered 'normal'.
I was just hoping to be able to increase it slightly to give us a better chance.
It looks like i ovd on day 23 this cycle so I'm hoping for a longer cycle this month or lp will only be 8 days.
I had CD21 bloods taken this month that I should get back early next week and i'm having an ultrasound next week, so hopefully i'll start to get some answers to a few questions.

Maybe I should start by just taking b6 (how much is suggested?) and think about AC next month.
Does anyone know why there is so much difference of opinion about how and when to take AC? Really not sure what to try-all month or just pre ov.
Sorry for the ramble

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sammysam · 12/12/2008 21:28

Oh god. Had a message from the doc today to ask me to ring her back. I only had the blood test doen on weds and they said it would take 3-5 days. Why is she ringing after 2 days?!!! Now I have to wait the whole weekend til I can find out what it is about She said it is nothing to worry about but to be honest they would say that just so you don't worry wouldn't they? What could the tests show up?
Bloody hell-this is going to be a long weekend
Anyone have any ideas?

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sumomum · 12/12/2008 21:49

The call may have been due to bloods not identifing OV. Doc may want to take 28 day bloods. This has happened to me on the last two cycles, both 21 day bloods did not show OV, however the latter tests did. Try to to worry - sometime easier said than done when TTC!

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sumomum · 12/12/2008 22:17

not worry!

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sammysam · 15/12/2008 07:20

Thank you sumomum! I'll try and ring today-though i'll be lucky to find the 2mins i need alone to call-i'm with my mum today and haven't told her anything

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katster37 · 15/12/2008 15:50

Hi sammysam I hope you're OK. DId you manage to get hold of the Dr? It could be something simple like they didn't take enough blood etc. This happened to me once - Dr rang and said to ring back asap - they had lost the sample!! xxx

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sumomum · 15/12/2008 18:55

Any luck with the GP?

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sammysam · 15/12/2008 19:42

Thank you for your support I rang too late today so will ring first thing in the morning and let you know! I'm sure (or at least trying to think) that there is nothing to worry about

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sammysam · 16/12/2008 21:26

Managed to get hold of GP today, all is 'normal' except for my FSH levels were low. So GP wants to repeat the tests next month.
I think I ovulated late this month-fertilityfriend has marked day 23, but on reading the anaylsis says it could have been cd23-cd25. I had the blood test on day 24-could this be the reason? Do levels increase after ov or should they be high by ov?

I have my ultrasound tomorrow and i'm getting scared

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katster37 · 17/12/2008 19:03

Hi sammysam, I hope your ultrasound went OK today. I'm afraid I don't know about the different levels, but thinking of you x x x

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sammysam · 17/12/2008 21:54

Thank you katster. It wasn't the most pleasant thing ever but is over now. She was very surprised that my blood hadn't been checked for PCOS already as she said that I could have it even if she couldn't see any signs. Really not sure the gp has a clue what she is doing.
Anyway she said there is no obvious signs-both overies look healthy size etc, right one was slightly larger but she said that could mean I ov'd from that one this month.
So now I feel like I'm back to square one as it was inconclusive. Don't get me wrong I'm pleased that there was nothing very bad going on but I still have no answers
Not sure what to do now.

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lastboxoftampons · 18/12/2008 10:12

Sammysam - Day 21 bloods (to check for progesterone) are not necessarily meant to be done on CD21. They're supposed to be done approximately 7 days after you've ovulated in order to determine your mid-luteal phase level of progesterone (if it starts dropping, then it could be an indicator of why your LP is short). You need to call your doctor after you're sure you've ovulated and then have the test 7 days after that.

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sammysam · 18/12/2008 21:47

lastbox Now I really know that the gp hasn't got a clue
she said that the cd21 test needs to be done 7 days before af starts.
It'll be fairly easy to organise 7 days after ov as the tests are done at the local hospital and I'm just given a form and told to sort the appt out.
It was my FSH levels that were low-do you know when in your cycle you are supposed to check those levels? Was that done at the wrong time as well?

At this rate it'll take months of testing just to actually get the tests done correctly

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lastboxoftampons · 19/12/2008 11:02

Hi Sammy
I think lots of doctors say it's okay to do them 7 days before your period starts (mine included), but that doesn't really make sense as for someone with a short LP, it would be only a few days after you've ovulated (if you've ovulated at all!) Again, the traditional timing is based on a 28 day cycle with a 14 day lp, which of course we all know we don't have!

FSH levels should be measured with a blood test on CD3 - before you ovulate. Usually, this test will check for LH, FSH and estrogen levels, which are all of the hormones that build up in the first half of your cycle and eventually lead to ovulation.

You might want to get a copy of Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Wechsler. It's a really good read, and an excellent reference guide about all things related to your menstrual cycle.

Good luck!

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