Regular cycle, short luteal phase, next steps?

@unCliche thanks for the info on costs also. I think I’ll be booking in for private consultations soon also. Good luck for the private consultation!

Have any of you been trying for long? I started in August, so not too long, but I’m over 35. I have started acupuncture though, so I might give the rest of the programme and shot, and if not head to a private clinic. I was looking at Create, but not sure, haven’t done too much research yet.

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 Thanks lovely. It would have been nice to get a BFP, but I think I'm likely out this cycle. Just booked myself in for a private IVF consultation, so hopefully that should help get me a baby. Good luck with everything! I hope it all works out for you!

Also to add LondonladyTTC's input about cost. I'm in Berkshire and paid £550 for an AMH test, ultrasound scan, semen analysis and consultation. I separately ordered my progesterone tests online, did it at home and posted it back, it cost me about £45. Cyclogest was £20 for me at my local pharmacy but you can find it cheaper online, as long as you have a prescription.

Thanks so much all, seems like such a lovely thread.

@LondonladyTTC sorry about your husbands op, hope he recovers quickly 🤞Awesome they’ve seen you so quickly and and thanks for the info on prices nice appreciated. I’m London also so that’s useful. A day behind you on DPO.

@unCliche 10 dpo is still so early for a frer even to show a result so hopefully it’ll be positive! I’m hoping for you, esp with the progesterone increase.

@NorthernLass213 I think soy iso is a bit of a mixed bag, it works for some but not for others. Was worried it might mess up my cycle but luckily it had the opposite effect

Aww @LondonladyTTC I wish him all the best with his operation! I'm currently 10DPO so nearing the end. I hope this is your month too! It's honestly so demoralising getting AF every cycle. Do you track BBT?

Wow @unCliche we really do have similar TTC experiences!  DH is overweight too but is sadly having an operation next week and it means he hasn't been able to do much exercise and definitely won't be able to work on fitness for the next few months, other than healing. He is trying to eat a lot more leafy greens and things though. I also have to give Wellman reminders! Where are you in your cycle at the moment? I am 6/7 dpo and really hoping this is our month as I expect he will be out of action for the next couple!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 so sorry to hear about your miscarriage 

@@NorthernLass213 good luck with your GP appointment. If you have no luck with that or any of the supplements, and can afford it, I would definitely recommend seeing a private doctor. Mine was on Harley street so probably totally overpriced but just to give you an idea of costs it was 300 for the initial consultation, AMH test and progesterone test to investigate and then I think the cyclogest is about 25 a month (I also get an ovitrelle injection and the total is 83). I probably wouldn't mess with over the counter progesterone.

@LondonladyTTC thanks for sharing that! DH is overweight so he's working on losing weight. Hopefully that's the cause of it so at least they'll be a chance once he loses the weight. I did get him some wellmans conception vitamins but he's been doing a terrible job at taking them! We're going to book him in for another SA once AF arrives for me.

I took a FRER this morning and BFN so I'm not sure if I should continue taking the pessaries instead of wasting them on an unfertilised egg. I have a bit of cramping this morning which I suppose is usual as AF would be due within the next 1 - 2 days. Also keep getting random bouts of heart palpitations since yesterday, do you?

Haha can't believe your progesterone was 27! Mine was 27.3 😂 but I did another test while on the cyclogest and it got boosted up to 60.3, which I'm really pleased about as it means my body is responding to it! I'm currently on cycle 8 but going into cycle 9 and month 8 soon!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 sorry to hear about your miscarriage 💔 glad to hear the vitamins and supplements are working well for you!

@NorthernLass213 I wouldn't recommend OTC progesterone without speaking to a doctor first. Were you able to find a clinic?

I’m waiting for some tests as my cycles have been a bit weird since a miscarriage a few months ago, and my luteal phase was short with spotting a few days before my period. Have tried natural things in the meantime. B6 did nothing for me, the expensive supplements (Proceive max) didn’t change it. Soy isoflavones and high vit C dose seems to have worked pretty well for me - I started both together so I can’t tell you which it would have been. Soy is meant to strengthen ovulation and give an enhanced progesterone response in luteal phase. High vit C (1000mg) is meant to support progesterone production. My second cycle and I’ve ovulated exactly on CD 14, 12 day luteal phase, no pre-period spotting, and a good quick bbt rise and clear ovulation tests. Still not pregnant but happy things are getting better

@CH2205 I'm no doctor but it sounds like your short luteal phase isn't caused by a progesterone deficiency if your result on 7dpo was 69. Mine was 27, so classed as low.
I had mine prescribed by a private fertility consultant but if you have been TTC for over a year your GP may be able to help, mine was not able to as had only been trying for a frustrating 9 months (or 12 cycles with a short luteal phase!) at the time. I do suspect that it is more likely the GP will refer you to a specialist before prescribing anything though but obviously can't be sure!
Before I got tested at all, the fertility consultant said that another cause of a short luteal phase is something to do with womb lining- I don't know anything about it though as the tests ended up concluding it was likely to do with progesterone. Might be worth having a research.

Hi @NorthernLass213, I’ve just read your post and literally I could of wrote it myself. I came off the pill in June too and have been ttc for the last 6 cycles too. I also have a short luteal phase.
I’m 9dpo today and have been spotting all day. I expect my AF to arrive tomorrow. I’ve had my post ovulation progesterone level checked and it was 69 which I believe is a good result?? My BBTs rise perfectly after ovulation and stay high. My bbt today was 37.15’c which is one of my highest ever readings but I’m spotting so I don’t understand it when supposedly my progesterone levels are really good?!
I’m wondering about asking for some progesterone pessaries too so it’s really good to hear they helped you get to 14 day luteal phase @LondonladyTTC- did you have a low progesterone before taking them? Do you have to go through a fertility consultant to get the pessaries or can a GP prescribe them? I was going to try vitamin b6 too but I’m thinking I might go with the pessaries first if I can get them x

@unCliche sorry to hear that you are having the same stresses! Is your OH doing anything to try to improve his count? Mine is taking wellman vitamins but that is it at the moment! When explaining his results to him, the consultant said to dtd every two days from CD7-CD21 so we may have actually been doing it too much during fertile week.

Both of the months I have been on progesterone I have spotted on 14dpo despite having one more pessary to take, so for me AF arrives regardless but I have seen a lot of comments saying that for others, it has delayed AF by a couple of days after the final pessary. I don't tend to get many unusual noticeable symptoms on them to be honest, although my boobs have been a little more tender, and and mild but unusual heartburn. I have also been given a trigger shot for ovulation so I am never sure if that symptom comes from the HCG in the trigger shot or the progesterone!

@LondonladyTTC the exact story of my life! Low progesterone and DH has low sperm count! 😂 Good to hear the pessaries are working for you. What are your symptoms like on it? I thought I'd be getting crazy symptoms that would convince me I'm pregnant but I've had nothing out of the ordinary! Does your AF start while you're on it or do you have to come off it for AF to start?

Hi OP, I also had a short luteal phase (7-9 days) after hormonal contraceptives (I could have had it before too but didn't put any thought into my cycles!). I had a progesterone test 7 days past ovulation and was prescribed progesterone pessaries which make my luteal phase 14 days now. Still no BFP as found out my DH has a low sperm count but at least the luteal phase issue is fixed! I found my clinic after searching online and this doctor I went to had done lots of write ups about luteal phases so I knew he acknowledged the issue and had experience treating it.

I'm in Berkshire and a google search helped me find mine but this website should hopefully help you find some near you: www.hfea.gov.uk/choose-a-clinic/clinic-search/

Thank you! I'm not expecting a BFP but I'll definitely let you know if my LP gets longer!

Hi, I tried vitamins and supplements with no luck. You may want to do a progesterone test again if your AF starts that soon after ovulation. You can buy tests online but it might be worth seeing a private fertility consultant so they can do other tests for you or you can wait until you've been TTC for a year and see your GP.

I did a progesterone test, which showed mine was a bit low (I suspected this because my temps would rise slowly and my LP was 10/11 days with spotting a day before) so now I'm on my first cycle of progesterone (private prescription). Currently 8DPO so hoping it can get me past 12DPO or even better - a BFP! I'll let you know in a few days if my LP increases.

Sorry about the chemical