Short Luteal Phase Gang!

@Slk3558 @CharityRoyall I’ve been off the pill for 18 months so it’s hopefully not that!! Maybe my winter duvet is just too warm 😂

@thelessiknow i do vaguely remember having some odd night sweats in the first few weeks after coming off the pill around my first ovulation. Think it’s just the withdrawal as @CharityRoyall said.

@CharityRoyall have you heard about the bright yellow urine form the vitamin B, I’m 3 days in and it’s neon yellow 😂 it’s caused by the riboflavin apparently. I think the added vitamins can only be of benefit. I got these ones www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-timed-release-busy-b-complex-with-vitamin-c-caplets-500mg-60000330.
Highly recommend as they’ve got 100mg of vitamin B6 and all the other b’s plus 500 mg of vitamin C. Xx

@Slk3558 that’s what I mean, there seems to be a split down the middle in that some people think there is such a thing and it’s an issue, and other sources are like nahh don’t worry. I guess it can work as a few people on this thread have got pregnant with short LPs which gives me hope, but if it’s so prevalent maybe there should be more research and information on it!
I think I’m going to try the B complex and see how I go.
@thelessiknow I haven’t had night sweats or anything but that might be a hormonal thing because of coming off birth control (if recent)?

Bookmarking this thread as I usually have a short-ish 26 day cycle (although my last was 23 days followed by a really short and light period - argh). Haven’t started ttc yet but Natural Cycles says my luteal phase is 9-10 days on average. I am going to start testing with OPKs this month to see whether that is right.

Slightly off topic, but I have been having some really odd night sweats lately and when I googled it apparently it is a symptom of hormonal imbalance! Anyone else with low progesterone had this? It’s also a menopause symptom 😬 but I am only 31 so hopefully unlikely it is that!

Just had a telephone consultation with GP who basically just told me leutal phase is always 14 days in every cycle for every woman and I am probably getting my ovulation date wrong. Even though I’ve been doing opks and charting. Basically dismissed the LPD theory and told me only folic acid is needed. What a load of B.S !!!

Hi @CharityRoyall yeh I’m the same just taken folic acid. I thought sore boobs were down to the progesterone too at first but the more I’ve researched it the more I’m convinced it’s caused through hormone imbalance/ estrogen dominance/ progesterone deficiency. Because if you think about it if it’s caused by the increase in progesterone then all women would suffer it, but those with healthy levels of progesterone don’t seem have it. Plus I’m only getting this coming off the pill don’t remember having it in my late teens before I was on it. From what I understand being on the mini can cause vitamin deficiencies particularly vitamin B and the body then struggles to produce sufficient levels of progesterone. I’m still trying to understand it...but there’s definitely a link with the mini pill because we’ve been having synthetic progesterone in our systems for so long our bodies have ‘forgotten’ to produce it so it’s going to take a bit of time.

With regards to your cycle mine is 26 days so not technically classed as short either. It’s the same issue which is slightly late on the ovulation and then too short leutal phase. I have read lots of good things about vitamin C, omega 3 and vitamin B6 (ive also read it should be vitamin B complex not just B6 as the B6 needs to balanced by the b12. I think it can’t hurt to give it a try?!

As you can see I’ve spent days sifting through every article on google re leutal phase deficiency 😂

Hi @Slk3558 I’ve had exactly the same experience...came off the mini pill in August and have been charting since. I have a 32 day cycle and ovulate on day 23, giving me a 9 day LP. There doesn’t seem to be any conclusive answers about this but it’s heartening to see that people have conceived with short LPs.
I haven’t taken anything yet except folic acid and vitamin d but am considering B6. I’m worried as most people seem to have a generally short cycle and short LP whereas my cycle is within normal range but a bit on the long side, wondering if that has a bad effect.
I also get really sore boobs all the way through from ovulation til period but I thought that was normal because of progesterone?

@Raffie13 Hi, see my message just below about what I took I help my LP.

@Slk3558 I came off the pill beginning of May- so it has taken about 6months. Sore boobs- erm I had them sometimes. But when I got my bfp I literally had no symptoms whatso ever, so though I was out.
Increase in progesterone does give you sore boobs and bloat though so may be why you feel like that.
Other people in the thread said they also spoke to their GP- mine told me to wait untill after 12 months though.

Hi everyone! Hope you don't mind me joining. Can anyone advise on how I can lengthen my LP?
I came off the pill in April, first month ttc this month was unsuccessful. I have a LP of anything between 8 and 11 days, and I don't ovulate until roughly CD20-26. I had a 9 day LP this month and I'm worried that this may hold us back from ttc.

Is there anyone more clued up than me about the LP that can suggest something to try?

@Blossom428 that’s amazing congratulations!! How many cycles did it take you before you got your bfp? And just out curiosity did you suffer with really sore boobs between ovulation and AF ? I’m just wondering if it’s linked to the short leutal phase or if it’s just my body.

Hi @Slk3558

I know, I wasn't aware of this untill I came off my pill and was researching EVERYTHING.
Like you I also took vitamin B complex and vitamin C. I also took vitamin B6 after ovulation which is meant to help. Gradually over a few months my LP got longer each month by 1 day. Your body is still sorting itself out and sometimes can take 6months to settle.

I got my BFP on 13th nov- so I am now 5+4 (early days) but this was after a LP of 8days, that then increased to 12 days.
So just letting you know that is is possible and it will happen for you 😊

Hi everyone hope you don’t mind me joining the club. I have been off the mini pill for 3 months now and started charting last month. I’m ovulating say 16 and having a leutal phase of 10 days. I know this is not the worse leutal phase but I definitely think I have a hormone imbalance as I get extremely painful boobs from ovulation right through to day of AF. Was wondering if any one else suffers from this with a short leutal phase ? I have started taking B vitamin complex with added vitamin C from this month. I can’t believe how common a short leutal phase is for people who’ve been on the mini pill for a long time (something health professionals don’t mention at all!)

@MintGreenLife okay I have been doing accupuncture for about 2 months now my luteal phase increased to 10 days last month which was the highest it’s ever been! I am going to start trying B vitamins to see if that helps. My acupuncturist also said about vitamin c?

I did a private blood test for progesterone on day 23 and it showed I ovulated so I haven’t had the scan privately I’m just going to wait for the nhs one as they said I’m still on waiting list x

@HumbleBee223 sorry I just realised that I never replied to your last message! This cycle I took a b complex throughout, but stopped on CD25 to try and encourage ovulation which happened on CD30, which is standard for me since I came off the pill. Now I'm 1DPO and have started taking the B complex again and 100mg B6. Am a little worried about taking too much b vitamins though?!

What happened with your scan? I'm contemplating going private too x

@Frazzled2207 hope you don't mind me sending you a message all these months later! As I've said in the above message, I've recently found my TSH is 3.5. Do you mind me asking what yours was before you were treated for it? I feel like if I go back to the GP about it I will be dismissed given that it's technically in the normal range.I'm doing a private blood test to retest and also check T3 and T4 x

Sorry typo, meant underactive thyroid of course x

@Proseccoprincess33 hope you don't mind me sending you a message all these months later! I spoke to you when I first came off the pill as I was worried in cycle 2-3 off the pill that I had a crazy short luteal phase of 4 days. I charted a few more cycles using OPKs and doing BBT, and both charts made it really hard to pinpoint exactly when ovulation was. Finally after six cycles I had a really clear chart I found I do in fact have a short LP of 8 days, with my temp starting to drop from 6DPO.

I've been reading back over this thread and spotted you have an underachieve thyroid? I had a blood test with the GP about 2 months ago and my TSH came back at 3.5, which I've read is no good for TTC as needs to be under 2.5. I'm also ovulating really late - the cycle I had the blood test on was the cycle when I had the clear chart, and I had the blood test done on CD21 and ovulated on CD25, however my FSH was only 4.5 4 days before I ovulated, but I'm sure that FSH should be at it's peak just before ovulation.

I was just wondering if you found out if your underachieve thyroid was impacting TTC and linked to your short LP?

This cycle I've started taking AC, B6 and a B complex, as well as Omega 3. Was hoping to see some positive changes, but at the moment I'm CD23 with no ovulation in sight.

Hope you're keeping well! x

@AnonymousXXIX what vitamins do you take the B6 just after you have ovulated?

I have been waiting for a scan since august and had a letter saying that I can’t have it due to coronavirus. So I’m thinking of having one done privately

@AnonymousXXIX oh that's brilliant! It's reassuring to know it's a somewhat common side effect of coming off the pill. I have the opposite issue in that I'm ovulating late (CD25 earliest so far). I know I feel the same, I'm almost 7 months off now and seems everyone else I speak to go back to normal right away, so I've found it hard to understand why that didn't happen to me.

I had a blood test about 3 weeks ago, and it came back that my thyroid is a little sluggish, although not enough to be officially classed as 'under active'. Waiting for a referral for a scan at the moment too xx

@MintGreenLife I am heading for a 14+ day luteal phase over here : o (although did not track ovulation this month so not 100% sure). I wonder if it can be attributed to 2 things: having been off the pill for 8 months now, plus taking b6 & b12 during luteal phase for 3 months now. It is really hard to come to term with but possibly I am just one of those people whose bodies needed way longer to adjust post-pill? Although I have had regular periods and ovulation this whole time (if a bit short/fast!).

Scan at the end of the month to check for cysts though, which is contender nr 3 for things taking longer.

I’ve started acupuncture this month to try and help lengthen my LP. I’ve found it relaxing but on 4dpo I started nausea (still got it at 6dpo) and last night at 5dpo I had cramping and this morning. Trying not to symptom spot but it’s very hard. Hope it’s not AF coming but probably is :(

Hi @Boc86 ,
Good to here your experience too! I guess everyone is different!!
Sounds very positive that you've got an extra day already for your LP, hopefully another today too 🤞🏽
I've just tested on a FRER, I think mainly because I've never really got to 10dpo, but it was as white as white come. I've got no symptoms what so ever either, so I don't really think I'm in with much luck this cycle.

Hi guys not posted here in a while
I was diagnosed with a luteul phase defect from the recurrent miscarriage team after the GP did cd21 bloods and found my progesterone to be 18 when it should be 30+
My LP is 9 days
Hospital prescribed progesterone suppositories and so far so good I’m 10dpo! Never got past 9 so it’s done it’s job
I’m on a very high dose so I think it will delay my period (it doesn’t always) meaning my LP will increase when taking it
I’m to take it till 14dpo, test (tests bfn so far and positive they’ll stay that way) then come off it for period to come

B6 and b complex did nothing
Vitamin c and d did nothing
Pre Natal vit I’ll obviously carry on
Agnus castus was AWFUL! Made me bleed/wipe brown for 10 whole days then delayed my ov to cd23! Never touching that again

Thanks @Blossom428 I'll give that a go then ☺️ Am thinking b complex, folic acid, vit d, vit c and Agnus Castus until ovulation, then extra b6 after x