The Short Luteal Phase Gang

[onedaybaby]

Hi,

I've noticed that the question about a short LP comes up quite a lot, and I would love it if we had our own thread to discuss where methods we are doing to try to increase it, lengths and what the dr thinks!

My LP is 8 days with a 31 day cycle.

I am currently taking Agnus Castus and have had accupuncture for 2 months. I also use the CBFM.

This will be my 9th month TTC. I have had the 21 day blood test (which has to be done on 28), the day 3 blood test and an ultrascan. All tests are normal.

halloweeney thanks so much for the positive story. That's great news that it clearly is very possible to conceive with a 1 week LP. And I often wondered how, if I got pg, that would affect my dates, assumed that I would be a week behind what is considered normal.

So update from me is that I do have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroid). Am now seriously naffed off. My tsh levels have been 5/6 for a couple of years, I got retested the other day and I am now 8, which is not disastrous in itself but I had to push to be put on levothyroxin (gp insists on starting me off on a meagre 25mcg) which I've now started taking. I specifically asked if this would affect ttc, and indeed pregnancy, and was told "probably not". However extensive googling has told me that the answer is "almost certainly yes" and that it can affect ovulation and also the LP. Plenty of advice on the web that ttcers should aim for a tsh of between 1 and 2, and that my kind of levels could affect baby if I got pg. Gp has known that I have been borderline underactive for a while and struggling ttc yet didn't put 2 and 2 together. And she is pg herself!!
Also annoyed with myself that I didn't see the link earlier either. So now I suppose I need to focus on getting my tsh down, so perhaps ttc will be on hold .
Bloods to be retested in 6 weeks. Other than pushing for higher dose of thyroxin if it has not gone down enough, not sure what else I can do for now. I think if I can bring down the tsh my outlook may be much better :-)

Read one story about a woman who took 5 years to find out that her issue wa her thyroid, once she started treatment she conceived relatively quickly. So I would urge anyone struggling ttc to get thyroid level checked, particularly if a low LP as there appears to be a link between the two, albeit not very well understood. What is much better understood however is the link between hypothyroid and miscarriage/developmental problems in pregnancy which is why i am astonished that the gp, knowing I was ttc, did not do anything sooner.

Anyway, rant over.

I am also borderline hyperthyroid

there is no way I could have TTCed when I was in a low phase though, couldn't work never mind have the giggly-wiggly! So I didn't TTC when I was suffering badly with that, it was only after I felt a bit better that I would consider sex and pregnancy etc

I went on a strict whole food diet which helped a lot, and cut out environmental endocrine disrupters as much as possible (changed to organic non scented non everything else cosmetics, used home made cleaning products etc) Jillian Michaels book Mastering your metabolism was very useful. She's hypothyroid herself and on meds but also used diet to manage it

I didn't go on levo. My GP (an ex endocrinologist) says that my normal limits are different to the average 90% of the population that the norm is based on, so at the bottom of normal I am actually very low and very symptomatic. He did offer me levo but I was beginning to come out of that low so wanted to see how much better I could get first.

I also have trouble with retaining iron and was put on tranexamic acid the month we started TTCing but I got pregnant that month so wasn't taking it long enough to make any sort of difference.

Not sure if thyroid is something I have had checked, but will on Monday as going to the GP then and asking for a copy of all that has happened so far. Christelle I am so sorry to hear it will hold up TTC and hope the dosage does make a difference x halloweeny thanks for your story and brilliant news for short lts! Mine varies and so I have ordered a new basal thermometer...to check once more. Progesterone cream has arrived and have read to use from day of ovulation until AF. Will check with GP too.

If there is thyroid involvement temp tracking may not work so well as hypothyroidism affects your temperatures (gives you lower ones) and AFAIK can also affect your CM giving you EWCM for much more of the month than normal???

Yes i have also read this but my temps are ok- mind you i have much more luck with temps since i switched to a f rathee than c therm. Pattern much easier to see
.

yes do get your thyroid checked and don't accept "it's normal" unless your tsh is between 1 and 2.

I will ask about this tomorrow as do have random patches of EWCM, and I'd wondered why....interesting. Thank you ladies, my eyes are being opened x

Doctor was an absolute dead end for me. however.....through my own work I am now on luteal phase day 11! Not been this long since before my first child, so 6.5 years!

Halloweenyqueeeny it's really interesting you say that about the so called normal levels not actually being normal for you because I think it was always the same for me. My GP would say I was in the normal range, just, but all of my symptoms pointed to that not being good enough for me. Sooo frustrating.

Toto if you are like me then it is important to go to the doc for a blood test when you are NOT feeling symptomatic to get a baseline of what you are like when functioning well, so that when you are low for you but not across the low threshold, your doc can see that you are low for you!

Do you get blood tests done privately, as my doctor would not do any?

I would go back and see different doc and insist. gps dont get the link between ttc and thyroid function. are you getting referred to fertility clinic?
i had my hsg this morning. not nice. pictures at least confirmed no blocked tubes. congrats on a longer lp!! what did you take- progesterone?

no NHS but luckily my GP is an ex endocrinologist and was keen to assess my personal baseline rather than taking single tests in isolation, you are always entitled to a second opinion under the NHS

Thank you for your replies. I will get a second opinion. I took 100mg B6 daily, soy isoflavones 1 daily holland and barratt for the first part of my cycle, I am using a progesterone cream once a day Now Solutions 20mg, am on Chinese herbs and having acupuncture. I know I sound desperate, but I am. I will be 40 in the next year.

The only good thing in my life for the past few years have been my DH and DS. I have had some very stressful events, and now they have passed, but not until they took their toll on my health for the past four years. Perhaps a combination of the above has contributed to my infertility.

Now things have settled down, perhaps I will have a chance.

Hello! Can I pick your brains, please?
Me 44, DS 2, gradually ceased bf-ing and finally stopped last month. 6 cycles so far, initially LP 9 days, ovulation around cd20, 5th cycle took agnus castus and B6 and that cycle got ovulation cd23; bit bothered so didn't bother 6th cycle and got ovulation cd17, 13 day LP acording to fffriend ( though I think 11 days) and a chemical pregnancy.
So, do I bother with the herbs now?? [''temporal association does not prove causality'']
ta!

Hi cat
I think you know that we dont know the answer. I would however be tempted to carry on with AC until you finish the tub.
Sorry about your cp.

I'm new to this thread and I was wondering if I could pick some brains too. I'm 35. TTC nearly 2 years. 0 DC. A few months ago my cycles increased from 29 to about 32 days. And based on what I thought was ov pain that was happening around CD23. I have other LPD symptoms. I've started on the complex B vits and think I got my LP to 11. Anyway this month I tried opk for the first time to check if pain is ov. I only got 7. I've used 6. 5 were negative and 1 error. I'm not seeing ewcm and am wondering if there is another problem. I live abroad and can't buy opks here. Been ordering from Amazon. Is it worth trying AC or progesterone cream too when I place my next order? Wondering if I should save the last test for when I think I'm ov'ing? I'm on CD19 at the moment.

update!
Had hsg 2 weeks ago, wasn't too bad and finally saw the consultant today, this is after being referred to the clinic in February! Bit of an anticlimax really, didn't feel he really listened to my issues (short LP - currently about 8 days) and also underactive thyroid (TSH of about 8). Anyway the good (?) news is that he's basically given me 6 months of clomid (50mg dose) to get rid of me I think. I have to be monitored with scans the first time (which should be interesting) then just to get on with it. Interestingly he didn't think my thyroid would be a problem. I've read enough on the internet though to be convinced that there's a good chance it could be, but that's a separate battle to have with the gp who so far seems fine to medicate me with levothyroxin. Didn't dismiss my short LP - admitted that it may be an issue and said that clomid should regulate things. Hmm. I shall report back but interested in any stories of clomid making you ovulate earlier, I currently ovulate around day 18.

Sorry mrs can't really help only to say that I never got on well with OPKs. Many months I did not get a positive at all even though I think I ovulated, the surge could only last a few hours so you could miss it, you need to do at least 2 a day. Get the really cheap ones on amazon or ebay from home health then you can POAS as much as you like but even if you don't get positives don't assume you are not ovulating. I recommend though taking temperature which will then at least tell you that you have ovulated. Do DTD every other day though between days 10 and 20. Consultant told me that 2-3 times a week during that time is good.

Hi christelle2207! That's good news about the clomid, I'm sure it won't be long now until you get your BFP! Fingers crossed for you. update from me, I'm due to go for my 3rd reflexology session tomorrow, not sure if it will have an impact an my cycles, but I really enjoy it so am going to continue . I'm cd 47! No sign of ov yet, still taking vit b agnus catus. My gynae app in dec has been postponed until jan by the hospital :( but I suppose it gives me a bit longer to see if everything else works on my lp. Had day 21 progesterone levels which were 0, not really surprised really, but will get some more done 7 days after my next +ve opk. Good luck with the clomid, keep us posted

Hi
Just wanted to update, have been deliberately quite silent for a while.

not long after my last post, in early November I actually conceived and am now 11 weeks pg.
I conceived on my first cycle of clomid - my antenatal scan shows that I conceived around day 12 - this is compared with day 17ish of a normal 27 or so day cycle. So although I never got to learn what my LP would have been that month, clearly ovulating earlier than usual that month worked for me. I can't believe how lucky I was on clomid. Also at play I think were my underactive thyroid, which by the time I conceived was a lot better than previously, not long before I conceived my TSH was 5.5 and since then I've had my medication increased and a couple of weeks ago it was down to 2.1. The third factor (possibly!) was that I had a reflexology session a few days before I ended up conceiving, apparently the best time of the month to have it.

So there you go, clomid definitely can help some women with lp problems! Best of luck to all. xxx

That's fantastic news , congrats! I was just wondering about this thread just the other day! I'm on cd 125! Which is a record for me. I've now seen gynae and got appointments for a hsg and ultrasound scan, then follow up appointment in April. Still having reflexology which I really enjoy and find relaxing. When are you due? I'm so pleased for you! Take it easy and enjoy your pregnancy

6th aug! thanks. youll have to go through the motions and have scan and hsg(fine) but when you get there push for clomid!

Hi I have a question as I'm pretty sure my lp is about 10/11 days and wondered if the soy isaflavones sp? Will help? Anyone know? How much should I take? Also if I was to try the cough medicine that increases cm when do I take that and how much?

I'm so glad I've stumbled across this. I've been ttc #1 for 1 year 2 months. I've been charting temperatures for the last 8 months and realised that although my cycles are all over the place - anything from 24 to 37 days, my luteal phase appears to consistently be 8 days. I was actually quite glad of this at first as it meant that although my cycles were irregular, I wasn't spending 2 weeks convinced I might be pregnant each time I had a long cycle once I'd identified my ovulation day. I've only just realised that a short LP could be a bad thing :o(.

I went to the GP in December as soon as I'd waited a year of trying (I'm 33, 34 soon), had the examination and blood tests on day 1 and day 21. They called to say the progesterone was too low on day 21 but I knew from my charts I hadn't actually ovulated by then so went back for day 28. My partner has been for the sperm analysis as well but it took 3 weeks to get that appointment then we had to wait 3 weeks for the results so we've got an appointment to go in together next week.
I started using the CBFM this cycle, which confirmed the day I thought I was ovulating (I had the usual symptoms plus a temperature surge the next day) but I sometimes have a random temperature drop for a day during the LP, so my fertility friend app marked that I'd ovulated two days after I think I did.
I've also only just realised that not having consistently high temps post ovulation can also be a bad sign!! The irregular cycles, short LP and temp dips are not painting a great picture!!

Fingers crossed I find out something useful from my GP appointment next week. At least now I can voice my concerns about my short LP and see if she can act on it.

Hi everyone,

Also really glad to find this thread! I seem to have a 6-7 day LP.
Does anyone know about using progesterone for short LP? I get the impression online that it's prescribed in the States - depending on results of a post ovulatory scan that can help determine why you have a short LP. However, my GP (in the UK) says that that you can't see anything useful from a post ovulatory scan. Anyone have any experience?
After waiting months for appoinment with specialist consultant thinking we'd finally get to talk everything through, he didn't want to look at my charts and wasn't interested that my 21 day blood came before ovulation according to OPKs and charts. He seems uninterested in whether or not I'm ovulating. He prescribed Clomid (to start after hsg). I'm really pleased to hear Christelle's story as gives me a sign that despite my consultant not listening /asking anything, the course of treatment he gave could be effective. So OK, maybe they don't need to know details in order to know Clomid is the best chance - but talk about lack of personal skills!!!
Also, confused about charting and OPKs now. I've charted for over a year and the picture is consistent. But 3 doctors have told me charting is unreliable and two of them said OPKs are - in fact one of them said OPKs can do more damage than good as it means you time intercourse according to them. Meaning some couples who for whatever reason are getting misleading readings miss their fertile days every month!! Any thoughts?

Hi QuietNinja - I haven't tried soy isaflavones but I did use B6 for a number of months with only effect being an annovulatory cycle (I had until then only really concentrated on the positive posts about that approach and after that I went back online and saw the negatives too - a bit confusing as some swear by it). So after that I decided given my age (38) I needed to fast track into the health system instead of trying the natural way any longer.