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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Luteal phase defect - when to go to the doctors?

78 replies

MistressKatherine · 06/09/2014 17:14

Hi everyone.

I'm on my fourth cycle ttc #1 (i know, very early). I'm 28 and have always had difficult periods which are irregular (usually 27/28 days but spot from day 24 onwards and my period can sometimes stop for a day and start again). I'm using the digital ovulation tests, which are showing me i'm either ovulating on day 17 or not at all. There are other signs (dryness-sorry!) which are pointing me to thinking I may have a luteal phase defect.

I know you have to wait a year ttc before you consider going to the doctors and don't want to pester them. But is it worth me going now to get it checked out? I'm doing everything I can to help it along myself (no alcohol, cut back caffeine, trying to eat better and taking vitamins) but feel a bit helpless. I want to give myself the best chance possible, and not ovulating/lack of progesterone is making me think there's not much point carrying on in the same way for eight months. Or is there?

I'd love to hear from anyone else who's been through it and what you did.

Thanks for reading!

OP posts:
Greencheese · 06/09/2014 17:28

Hi, I've been thinking the same as I ovulate on day 19/20 of a 29/30 day cycle. Apparently the doctors womt do anything till you've been trying for 12 months.

I've been taking vit b6 that's extended my LT phase by a day so far. I'm on cycle 4 and an 34.

I'm not sure of that helps atall but at least your not alone.

Original poster
MistressKatherine · 06/09/2014 17:40

Thank you Greenchase

It's definitely good to know I'm not on my own. I've heard about B6 and also Vitamin C and maybe E too. I'm already taking D, B12 and B complex for other things! Going to need a half hour just to swallow them all every night at this rate.

Have you heard about Vitex? I've seen it on a few web pages and have heard it could help.

Did you go to the doctors with yours at all? I'm getting conflicting reports that some doctors may help and others won't. It's good to know B6 could help. I'll hunt some down.

OP posts:
Original poster
MistressKatherine · 06/09/2014 17:40

Greencheese even!

OP posts:
ash979 · 06/09/2014 18:09

I have had probs in luteal having major pregnancy symptoms but bfn. Saw one dr s couple of weeks ago who was a student didnt really know anything but said they wouldnt do anything until ttc for a year. Cos im also suffering really heavy periods I went to a different dr this week. She checked my cervix then sent me straight for bloods and scan just awaiting results. She said she didnt think there's a prob but sent me for reassurance especially as ttc. What a difference! So id say its worth a try!

Borttagen · 06/09/2014 18:12

I had my ovulation tracked as part of our fertility investigations and it showed my luteal phase was only 7 days every 2nd month (14 days every other). The consultant told me they don't care about luteal phase for want of a better phrase - they didn't do anything and didn't believe in 'luteal phase defects' being an issue. This was NHS in Scotland but I presume the normal guidance. So I would do what you can yourself and don't expect for it to be taken seriously as an issue...

angelaham · 06/09/2014 20:09

I think i might be in this category, i came off the pill on December and i have noticed shortly after i ovulate i begin spotting, i took Evening primrose oil for two months the first month i did not see a difference then last month i had one day of spotting but then i started bleeding red blood five days early before i should have come on, this month i have taken nothing and i started spotting a few days after ovulation, i have been told to try vitamin b complex as this regulates your cycle, i am going to give this a go and see how i get on.

Original poster
MistressKatherine · 07/09/2014 08:05

Thanks for sharing everyone.

I've heard doctors will give you clomid sometimes to lengthen out your luteal phase, which is what i'm hoping for.

ash979 good on you for going back! Let us know how you get on. Keeping my fingers crossed for you it is good news.

Borttagen I can't believe a doctor said that! What gits! If there's a problem surely they should try and help? Maybe try another doctor? Have you managed to do anything that has helped?

angelaham me and you sound similar. I was put on dianette last august to sort this issue out (had been happening for around six months but wasn't ttc so not tracking cycles, was merely spotting and v painful periods) which they said would work. It hasn't and now i'm stuck with crappy periods. Mind you, i'm thinking if i've been with period problems before and they helped (sent me to a consultant) and i go back with a similar issue and say it's still happening and i think it's luteal defect, they might help.

I may just try it and hope for the best!

OP posts:
angelaham · 07/09/2014 11:40

Mistress have you tried any vitamins like vitamin b complex or vitex? , i am going to try the vitamin b complex and see how that goes, i have been on DR google and tried to so some research and a few people with spotting have said trying vitamin b complex has helped, one of my friends had spotting and bleeding through out there cycle and they said it helped them so fingers crossed

Greencheese · 07/09/2014 11:49

Hi mistress. I haven't been to the docs yet. This is month 4 so I may go if I don't catch this month. I've never heard of vitex, I'll look into it. Thanks.

Andcake · 07/09/2014 11:57

Few drs recognise lutuel phase issues - b6 needs to be 50 mg - after 6 weeks on it I got my bfp Grin

angelaham · 07/09/2014 12:05

Thanks Andcake, that gives us all hope !!!

Greencheese · 07/09/2014 13:16

I'm just on vit b complex, just the tubs you get from morrisons. I could only get the 50mg B6 from the chemist and it was something like £8 a box. Can you get the stronger ones anywhere else?

angelaham · 07/09/2014 13:24

Holland and Barrett do a time release vitamin b complex , they are called busy bees, have a look online and you will see them, that is what i am going to take

Greencheese · 07/09/2014 13:26

Thanks I'll have a look. I've just ordered some vitex from amazon, think I'll try evening primrose too. Can't hurt I suppose!

angelaham · 07/09/2014 13:34

with the evening primrose oil only take it up until ovulation as it can cause miscarriage

Greencheese · 07/09/2014 13:54

Really? Can it? Hmmmmm maybe I'll be that then and just see how I go with the vitex for now then. Thanks for the info. I didn't know that.

angelaham · 07/09/2014 14:18

yeah, its only upto ovulation you can take it, also you don't want to overload you body with different things, maybe see how the vitex goes first

HopefulHamster · 07/09/2014 15:12

I once saw a (male) fertility consultant (referred from GP) who told me luteal phase was ALWAYS 14 days and I was wrong when I said it could be an issue. We had one of those arguments/discussions about it when we ended up laughing at how ridiculous we thought the other was being. Sigh.

I'd definitely look into the b6 stuff etc that is mentioned on here. Sometimes fertility patients are more knowledgeable on these things.

Original poster
MistressKatherine · 07/09/2014 21:35

Angleaham, I've been on B complex, B12 and vit d tablets for around five months and I haven't noticed a thing. I'll add in b6 and try vitex too I think. Hopefully everything together will have an impact!

It's so good to know i'm not the only one. If anyone finds anything that helps let us know!

HopefulHamster your male fertility consultant sounds like a pratt. There's no absolute in any situation. Very surprised to hear someone meant to be so full of knowledge so against listening to a woman who knows what's going on with her body.

OP posts:
Andcake · 07/09/2014 22:09

I got my b6 from h&b - 50 mg under a £5 if I remember and the best money I ever spent. It doesn't solve everyone's but I had discovered I ov on day 13-14 but had 22 day cycles. I'd been trying 3 years and had 2 mc before the b6 which gave me ds Grin
Vitex mucked up my cycles more- but it is described as natures clomid so might be worth a go.

Original poster
MistressKatherine · 10/09/2014 10:36

Right. Vitex is ordered. I'm not due on til Monday (day 27) and already have spotting. It's getting ridiculous. If it gets worse i'll have to go to the doctors. I can't have a 27 day cycle and pretty much be on from day 22.

Good luck everyone and thank you for all the advice!

OP posts:
greenwolf · 10/09/2014 11:56

Wow, thanks for all the info. This is the thread for me. I'm feeling pretty low about my cycles as they are tending to be quite short 25ish days long, with short luteal phase + spotting. I started taking the Boots conception care tablets which contain folic acid, B6 and zinc, and last month my cycle was longer (29 days, hurrah), then this month started spotting 6dpo and got all excited about implantation bleeding, only to find, eventually, it was just AF. Might have to try 50mg B6. Only been ttc since May, and I'm 29, and was wondering the same question re how long before going to the Drs. I had a Drs appointment for something else recently and mentioned my cycles were a bit erratic and tended to be shorter, and he thought it was stress-related. I have been charting to try and get a picture of when I'm ovulating etc. I'm not feeling very encouraged that there are people in the medical establishment who don't see luteal phase length as important for conception. If Toni Weschler (author of Taking Charge of Your Fertility) thinks it's an issue, then it's an issue. At least there's a clear reason why conception may not be happening, and a number of options for sorting it out. I'm also trying to lose weight as I understand that oestrogen is stored in fat, and I have too much oestrogen/ not enough progesterone..... (this last bit makes sense in my head, but may be a load of cobblers)

Lindsay81 · 10/09/2014 12:29

Yep, I agree that a lot of docs don't agree LPD in itself is an issue. They think of it as an effect of another cause. I.e. They would agree that certain things that lead to a shortened LP would affect your chances of pregnancy and they would likely help here.
For example, if you have a weak ovulation/ poor quality eggs then the corpus luteum left behind after ovulation will likely produce an insufficient level of progesterone. Once progesterone is low enough, your period starts; 14 days or not. So the cause here is low progesterone due to poor ovulation and the end effect is an LPD (clomid or prog supplements could help). I am sure other things in the first half of the cycle could also affect the length of your LP (e.g. FSH levels?)

The frustrating thing is when you're like me, blood work all good, tried every pill, vitamin and potion (husbands sperm analysis all good too) and still have shortened LPs. :-( My take on it is that there is such an intricate balance of hormones, lifestyle, health and everything else, that docs probably feel it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack trying to find out what causes a short LP, outside of a progesterone deficiency!

Andcake · 10/09/2014 12:32

Just wanted to say b complex at a low level got rid of my pre cycle spotting almost immediately - the dr's had written this off as normal but I wasn't convinced. It only started when I had stopped the pill etc.

angelaham · 10/09/2014 12:38

My spotting only started when I came off the pill , before taking the pill I never had this problem , my cycles are all over the place, never know where I am with them