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.

How is the 2ww going joy? And how did your second scan go MrsH?

joy 2 ripe eggs - double the chance!! Also just wanted to say, I didn't have ewcm last month either, even though I normally have lots of it for 4 or 5 days. I also forgot to use the preseed even though I had it at home, and was worried about how the fellas would get up there.

All going ok here.

Good luck everyone.

Hello
greengrassy - great to hear that all is well!
Had the second scan yesterday - still 'no where near ready for ovulation' but she said that several women's follicles grow much more quickly than the 'advertised' 1mm a day - so she's asked me to do OPKs every day and go back on Friday for a THIRD scan. Sigh. Me and their Dildo-cam are becoming best buddies.
Trying not to become despondent and to remember that the most important thing is to O. Just had these fantasies of O-ing earlier than day 25 which doesn't seem to be on the cards at the moment!
I asked if they would increase the dose next cycle - she said possibly - but they don't like to rush things.
Will let you know how I get on after Friday!
How's everyone else - joycep?
Fab news on the +OPK Lovein!
xx

Great grassy that all is going well. Will you be going for a 7 wk scan to see if both eggs fertilised?? Did you have any signs you were pregnant before your bfp? I remember last time I had quite strong AF pains which I now know are implantation cramps so I wonder whether you get the same symptoms again.
Also so pleased to hear that you had no ewcm either....that has really given me hope that it is possible!
MrsHY - sorry yours aren't quite ready yet. I hope you have better news on Friday. |The most important thing is to O and hopefully because it's taking time you are forming perfect eggs!
All ok my end. I think i must be around 7dpo but i don't really know any more as i don't keep track. Thanks for the Robitussin tip. I bought some, took one teaspoon and it made me feel so sick, I couldn't face doing it again. I will force myself next cycle...if I have to of course!

Hello, hope I can intrude and ask a question about LP please? Sorry if this is covered somewhere in this thread and I've missed it.

My LP tends to be 12-13 days which as I understand should be ok. But that is based on calculating from ov to when my period starts properly. I always get quite a few days of spotting before my period properly starts though, sometimes up to five days. So actually in some instances I'm starting to spot on about day 8. It tends to be fairly light spots (sorry this is all TMI) which I only notice when I wipe, but does sometimes include (sorry even more TMI) a bit of clotting.

Does this mean I have a short LP, or is it only about when you start properly? Thanks so much for any advice you can offer x

Hello highlove
Welcome!
Don't worry - you're fine - everything I've read and every fertility specialist I've spoken to says that you only count the first day of 'full flow' period (sorry!) as day one of the following cycle - so no need to count the spotting.
I spot too - and find it incredibly frustrating - except I spot from 5/6dpo and only 'come on' on day 8/9 - far too short.
The spotting in itself shouldn't be a problem - I think there can be many causes but everyone I've spoken to have told me not to worry.
x

MrsH How was the third scan and the opks?

highlove I had exactly the same LP issue as you, sometimes spotting for a week! I know how depressing it is to spot at 8 dpo, and it just doesn't seem right that one could be spotting at the same time as the emb should be implanting. My consultant decided I had a slight hormone imbalance due to fsh/lh levels despite all the GPs blood tests coming back fine. She thought this might be causing the spotting too. The first month I was given an hcg injection and my LP was 14 days with no spotting. The second month I was on clomid and an hcg injection.

joy I've got a scan on monday and am quite nervous. I think it's only one though, as hcg levels were very normal. I didn't really have a symptoms as I've imagined so many in the last year that I totally gave up on them. How's the 2ww going?

grassy - good luck today, I hope it goes well and you see at least 1 heartbeat. I can imagine it will be nerveracking.

i will test tomorrow at 13dpo....or this pm. 99% sure it's a no no this month as I just don't have any twinges or any symptoms to report. I was so hoping i was following in your lucky footsteps with the clomid, hcg, 2 eggs and SM but I think it has ended here sadly! Really good luck today.

Hi, sorry have been away for the weekend and not able to respond. But thanks so much for your reassuring advice.

Greenygrassy, how did you get on with Clomid? I have one more cycle to try naturally and then everything crossed my consultant will give in and accept I'm not going to get up the duff without a bit of help!

Thanks all x

joy Did you test? Have fx, was also so hoping it would work for you this month.
Thanks for the good wishes yesterday. The scan went well and we saw one heartbeat, which was fab and v exciting. There was also a second dark area right next to it that is either a bruise or a second gestational sac with nothing in it. Because of this I have to take it v easy and not run or lift anything heavy, or have sex, as we don't want it to come away and take healthy sac with it or start bleeding. Ahhhhh!

highlove I took the Clomid at night and felt fine with it. I honestly didn't notice it. Then, bfp!

joy Have been stalking the TTC 6+ thread, and I'm really sorry for the bfn, it's so tough. Was thinking maybe you could to talk to Jill (SM's PA) about saving money. I was thinking of doing this last month. Maybe getting the prescriptions from somewhere cheaper.

Hi grassy - that's great news about the HB!! How exciting. Not doing very much for the time being sounds not too bad! Anyway, so pleased for you and hopefully it will all go swimmingly from here on in.

Yes got another bfn this morning. I knew I shouldn't have tested but couldn'tt help myself. AF will be with me tomorrow. I may talk to her about how to save on money. It's really the appt and the scan that is so pricey - i've nearly spent £2k in the last 2 months ...eeek!

Hi guys
Joycep - sorry to hear about the BFN. Like greengrassy I was hoping this might be your month too. It's definitely worth talking to your consultant about the expense as it can get ridiculous.
Grassy - Fab news about the heartbeat! Take it really easy won't you - I'm sure the dark bit is nothing to worry about, but use it as an excuse to put your feet up and let OH pamper you!
As for me - third scan on Friday still showed no dominant follicle - boo. Am heading back tomorrow morning for a 4th scan (day 21). I keep pressing them each time to give me a cut-off point for when they would definitely agree to upping my dose next cycle - but I've seen 4 different people so far and no-one will seem to give me a definite answer. I'm hoping I at least ovulate this cycle so it won't be wasted though - sorry if TMI but for the last few days I've been very 'wet' down there with a mixture of watery, creamy and the teensiest bit of EWCM - no smiley face on the OPK yet though!
Will let you know tomorrow whether anything has improved (I REALLY hope so)...
x

MrsHY - I'm so sorry you are still waiting for the dominant follicle to show. It really does sound like you will need to up the dose. That's annoying you are seeing different people as well. It sounds like sth is happening though and I'm crossing fingers that you'll get a smiley opk very soon.

Thanks joycep. Looks like we might finally be getting somewhere! Scan this morning showed one dominant follicle at a size 'ready to rupture'. It's really interesting seeing it on the scan for myself - it was big!
So, we need to start BD in earnest and up the OPKs to twice a day to catch the LH surge. This time, I had a really lovely nurse (another new person!) and she has made a note on my file that an increased dose may be beneficial and has asked me to call on my first day of AF to see whether I've got the go-ahead to start on 100 mg a day. Can't help hoping that another cycle won't be needed and this month (it's our 3 yr wedding anniversary on Tuesday) will be our month - but I'm not the world's best optimist! xx

MrsH Yay! So happy you've finally got a nice big juicy follicle. What a long trek it's been. Time to start some serious swi. I always get lots of wet watery cm before ovulation too (no such thing as tmi on here!).

joy Hope you're feeling a little better today. You're right, it is the scan, etc that's expensive. I just looked at my bill and I was charged £50 for a review of the consultation brief, which, I think, was a 30 sec read of my notes shortly before the scan. I thought maybe if they know you're paying yourself they might try to help a bit.

Thanks grassy!
I got a smiley face on my clearblue digi OPK this morning! Sooo happy. OK, so I'm still ovulating ridiculously late (cd22 today), but at least I'm ovulating! BD last night and will do so again tonight, and tomorrow night too for good measure. We're flying to Iceland tomorrow night for our anniversary so won't get to BD until late - but at least we'll be chilled as it's the start of our 5 day anniversary mini-break! xx

Hi I would like to join please. LP around 9 days. TTC DC 2 and LP has shortened since DS born so not sure of impact of this. I am just in the process of reading through the thread. Have posted a question in Conception thread but only had one reply, so wondering if I might be able to post a question here?

hi Smk84 - ask away. We'll try and help.

mrshy- great news on the smiley face and the folly! And good that you have got ewcm as well. good luck with the swi and trip to iceland.

Af has come for me so on to another month. Debating whether to do the clomid this month, it really dried me out (sorry tmi) and made everything a little uncomfortable i really don't think that can have helped matters. But perhaps that's giving up a bit too quick. urrgggh.

joycep - Have you got any conceive plus? I use that when I'm feeling a bit dry and it works wonders. Have had to get the quantity right by trial and error though - too much and OH doesn't get much sensation! OMG it's amazing how comfortable I've become sharing.....!!!

hiya Mrshy, yes i 've got some of that. I'm going to do a couple of more months i think on clomid and see what happens. Will crack on with the Robitusson as well to see if that helps this month. Just been getting wound up by all this - into month 14 now and really panicking.
oh i know what you mean - you wouldn't catch me in RL discussing this kind of stuff. I don't think anyone cares on here as none of us can see each other. It's fab!

Hi ladies
How are we all?
I'm on cd 31 today. Got my smiley face on cd22 so I think I ovulated on cd 23 - meaning I'm 8dpo today. I've been spotting beige (sorry) since 4dpo which I was really gutted about - I kind of thought (perhaps naively!) that with Clomid I'd have a spot-free text book 2ww! However - the spotting this time is a little irregular - it started very light as per usual, then got a little heavier, then went away for a day, then came back. It's still not 'red' and not a 'flow' so I've been told to not count it as AF. I don't feel like AF is round the corner - normally the day before full AF strikes the spotting turns heavier and redder in colour and I feel a bit bloated, crampy and 'heavy' I guess you could say. I'm not feeling that yet.
I'm not kidding myself - I don't think this is implantation bleeding or anything - it started too early and has gone on too long. But even if Clomid gets me to 10dpo rather than 8-9 dpo I'll be very happy!
Hope everyone else is well xx

Ps, joycep - I know 14 months seems like forever, but don't lose hope yet. I get INCREDIBLY wound up and it's only been since November for me - and I don't really count November because due to one thing and another, we didn't BD at the right time at all.
Our times will definitely come xx

Hi, I am beginning to think I have a LP 'problem' too.

I'm so sorry if I'm going over things that have already been covered but am on the verge of going back to my docs AGAIN.

If I'm spotting for 12 days up until my period start properly, is this meaning that my body is already preparing for my next proper bleed and that there is a slim chance of a fertilized egg embedding properly?

so confused! :(

Hi Heatherbee36

I think the jury's out on that one. The GP and fertility consultant I have seen were not unduly worried about my spotting and said it was very common. I then read something that says that the womb can shed a layer of 'nutrients' before your proper period starts - this makes sense to me because I'm sure my spotting has got worse since I started taking a daily Pregnacare packed full of nutrients! I'm no doctor though so perhaps that theory is rubbish!

How long is your LP in general, ie from O to 'full flow' (!)? If it's 12 days or more I think you're absolutely fine. I started Clomid because my entire LP is 8-10 days. But even so - I had to practically demand it as the consultant really didn't 'believe' in LP problems and said that it shouldn't be affecting my chances of falling pregnant.

Who knows?! All I know is I'm not pregnant yet!

x

Hi all, Just joined mumsnet and my very first post!

Been TTC for about 10 months now, but have very irregular periods (21 days - 122 days!!). GP has done some blood tests and ultrasound. There are apparently some cysts on my ovaries and so have polycystic ovaries but he wouldn't consider me to have PCOS as my hormones are ok. Not really sure how PCOS differs from polycystic ovaries....?

Have been charting my basal temperature for about 6 months and no shifts in temperature at all which I think is very odd. Started using ovulation sticks last month and had LH surge on day 15, but then started my period (maybe although could just be spotting) 8 days later. Looks as if have short luteal phase as well as all the irregularity and so quite concerned!!

Was thrilled to hear of greengrassy success story. But also comforting to hear other people having issues too and that I'm not alone