B Vitamins for pre-AF spotting and short luteal phase.

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

Been reading a bit about B6 potentially lengthening short luteal phases and reducing spotting, thought id give it a go this cycle and stick the results on a thread in case anyone else is doing this/contemplating doing this/done this and wants share their experience....

I have 1 DC who was conceived first cycle, however my menstrual cycle is now totally different and we don't seem to be having much luck with TTC no.2. My main concern is that I seem to be spotting every month from 7/8 DPO and my luteal phase is only 12 days. From what Ive read this seems to suggest low progesterone, so thought id give the B-100 complex a go for 3 cycles and if no luck then see the GP to discuss progesterone supplements.

My cycles range between 23-28 days, OVing between CD12 and CD17 with 4-5 days of spotting from about 8DPO. I've started taking B-100 complex from CD1 this cycle and am now on CD4, hoping for at least a more regulated cycle but preferably a BFP!

[StarlightIntheNight]

Hello. Good luck. I have the same problem. I also read that drinking raspberry leaf tea the first 14 days of your cycle can help. Keep me updated. I will do the same.

[emeraldmoon]

Following! Although not ttc I get 4/5 days of spotting before my period too 😒 may I ask what exactly are you taking and from where?

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

And to you starlight might add the raspberry leaf in next cycle if I don't see any changes with this one.

Hi emerald I'm taking something called b-100 from Holland and barrat, it has 100mg B6 and 100mg B12 (and a load of other stuff too that I am less interested in). I read that although B6 is the vit that supposedly helps regulate cycles, you need to take B12 in order to absorb it better, and most women seemed to recommend the B-100 or B-50. I found a really helpful thread on an Australian website that I read a bit of, there were some really useful discussions about dose etc. I'll post the link......

[ChesterGreySideboard]

Hello.
I did the same. I took a b vitamin complex.
Sorry to say it achieved nothing but make my wee smell bad.

[crunchie12]

I spot before my period too - it's so annoying. My cycles are short - 25 days. Been trying for over a year for no2. I did catch first cycle after stopping BF but sadly miscarried. Will have a read into this. Thanks.

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

babyandbump.momtastic.com/threads/vitamin-b6-lengthen-luteal-phase-or-increase-progesterone.12563/

[crunchie12]

It's actually 24 days my cycle. I need to start temping. TTC sends you crackers, doesn't it!

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

Haha chester I know what you mean, a bit grim, and not to mention fluorescent yellow! Did you every find anything that helped with the spotting?

Good luck crunchie I'm generally quite a sceptical person but thought it's probably worth a go before going down the more medicalised route.

[deadliftgirl]

Hi I think I am having the same problem this month!

I ovulated day 15th of January ( I think) and on Friday night 10DPO I had brown spotting and pink the following morning and thought this was implantation bleeding. By the end of Saturday I am full blown bleeding and today I have clotting.

I am having an laparoscopy on the 7th of February to check if I have endo. I have been taking a combined folic acid, vitamin D and B tablet every day but I will look out for your B-100 tablet you were recommending. I also read that vitamin C can help with this as well.

Is anyone else having the same symtoms as I have had? This has happened a few times for me and I think its a chemical pregnancy.

[Twiglet2353]

Same issues but unfortunately B-Complex, raspberry leaf tea and clomid didn't work for me so we're now onto ivf.
The only thing really I haven't tried is acupuncture and I am tempted, but my consultant isn't convinced x

[Aspergallus]

I had the same issue, short luteal phase and spotting from about day 23. I had many chemical pregnancies too as a result -I’d get to about a week past my period due date then lose the presumably unimplanted pregnancy. Took me a long time to work all this out; mistook it for just being irregular.

I have however managed to conceive successfully 3x, albeit with big gaps and a lot of effort! My DC are 7.5, 4.5 and 6 month. I am very lucky but it did take 10 years of monitoring my cycle etc.

I tried lots of things but on each occasion that went on to be successful I was taking B6 at high dose, following a low carb ketogenic diet, and using progesterone topical cream from day 14 to 28.

[Aspergallus]

I should add that I also seem to need high dose b vits to breastfeed successfully...it’s all very curious.

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

Hi dead it's so frustrating to think it's implantation bleeding, then for it to turn into a heavy flow isn't it? Prior to having DD I never spotted, however I did have implantation bleeding which lasted for 6 days and was really heavy, so now even when my spotting gets heavy I struggle to accept its not implantation. Hope you get some answers from your lap.

Thanks for sharing your experience twiglett and good luck with the IVF.

Hey aspergallus thats really interesting, I thought high bvits usually restricted beast feeding because they reduce prolactin production? Although I guess if you were deficient it might have just levelled you out? Glad to hear a positive B vitamin story (or 3!), thanks for sharing it.

[Aspergallus]

The problem I had with breast feeding was massive oversupply of watery “milk”. It caused colic and little weight gain. By baby2 I tried the b vits and it worked -normal supply, creamier milk, happier baby. I think some people, especially those who err toward a PCOS type picture just seem to need B vits for a smooth hormonal journey...sorry, I know how unscientific that sounds!

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

It's that feeling that's lead to me trying them too, just a sense that pregnancy and breastfeeding has knocked my hormones out of whack, and it's been so long since i stopped breast feeding that I don't think they are going to regulate of their own volition!

[hcopp]

Hi guys - really pleased to have seen this. I get lots of spotting for a week or so before AF, and it's been worrying me this past five months now that we're ttc. I'll do some reading up on the B vitamins and the raspberry leaf tea too. I've mentioned my concerns about spotting here before, but no-one was able to give any advice.

Thanks,
HC

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

Hi HC keep us posted on what you try and the results, and good luck!

[hcopp]

Thank you!

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

just to update - currently 8DPO and no spotting yet. BFN on IC today so not pregnant (although I guess its early to get a reliable result, but I dont have any pregnancy symptoms so presuming im out) but have usually started spotting at 7/8 DPO so this is at least something.

Will update if/when spotting happens, but feeling cautiously optimistic that the vitamins are helping. As an aside, my hair and nails have grown loads and my appetite has gone down, so will probably keep taking them regardless!

[Eminen]

Hi everyone.
I've been TTC#2 for 2 years now and with a LP of 10 days, I did some research on how to lengthen it myself (NHS won't fund any tests or treatments for us as we already have a child) and I came across b vitamins and also Vitex Angus castus. So I gave Vitex a try for the first few weeks of my cycle, stopped taking it after ovulation and I'm now on 12dpo!! So it seems to be working!

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

just keeping the updates going.....

spotting started on 10DPO, which is 2-3 days later than usual, so that's a positive. The spotting still lasted for 5 days, which is a bit crap although I guess that means my luteal phase was lengthened and would be considered 'normal'. However im not sure im charting properly, because the spotting gradually increases it is difficult to know where the spotting ends and CD1 begins.

This is stressing me out a bit at the min as I had a fertility workup, Dr asked for bloods between CD1-5, but I cant decide if they were actually taken on CD2 or CD 5. Either option is within the time frame requested, but my FSH came back "borderline" at 9.3 and Dr is now asking for a repeat on CD1 of next cycle and Im not entirely sure how to identify CD1.

Also, i noticed a developed a slight twitch in one eye (!) so have reduced down to B-50 and that seems to have sorted it. And after mentioning how great my skin was I suddenly broke out in a load of spots - which i obviously interpreted as a rise in progesterone and therefore got mistakenly overexcited i was preggers, sadly i wasnt but perhaps it is reflective of an increase in P levels so still a potential positive, if shit skin can ever be a positive that is....

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

another update.... so this cycle spotting didn't start until 13DPO and only lasted 2 days, very pleased with that. As well as reducing to B50, i also added in 1000mg Vit C, so the improvement could be to do with either.

I also had my FSH repeated and it was 8.5 which is the better side of borderline, although I have read in terms of FSH you are only every as good as your worst result.

@eminen somehow i missed your post, i had been wondering about Vitex but was worried that it might make me ovulate too early as id only read about it being used in long cycle. Have your good results continued?

[Eminen]

@TalkingIntoTheEther Glad things seem to be improving for you.
I'm getting on very well with vitex. My LP was 13 days last cycle, so its increased by 3 days over 3 cycles of using it. Also, I was getting really bad PMS cramps and it seems to have relieved them aswell, so all positive so far. Just waiting for that BFP now!!

[RLI1105]

Thanks for this thread! I'll definitely be watching. I came off the pill in January and have had two full cycles and despite being 29-30 days long, I seem to ovulate late and only have a 10 day luteal phase. There's no spotting but I've read that it's still not ideal.
Plan is to TTC#1 this month. I've started taking vitamin C and b complex already as well as pregnacare. Vitex was going to be my next plan!

[MotherOfShihTzus]

Hi all - good to see this thread as I'm in a similar boat; 14 unsuccessful cycles, 11 day luteal phase and spotting before my period. Also bad hormone related headaches and my skin is terrible ( was great on the pill). Also gained a lot of weight coming off the pill. Currently in a very long waiting list to even speak to s fertility specialist and I feel it's just eating time :(