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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:
greenwolf · 13/09/2014 20:25

I'm just having a bit of a read about vitex - sounds like it might be worth a go, especially for its general balancing properties. I really miss taking evening primrose oil, which I found used to help balance me out a bit, especially with my irritation levels and random sobbing at certain times of the month - I stopped taking it because it says on the packet not to take it if ttc or pregnant.

angelaham · 13/09/2014 20:53

I thought you only had to stop taking evening primrose oil when you were ovulating, i had been taking it up until ovulation and then stopped as that was when it could cause miscarriage, i think it can actually help you produce more ewcm

greenwolf · 13/09/2014 21:04

googles taking evening primrose oil when ttc I stand corrected, thank you angelaham hurrah - love the stuff :)

angelaham · 13/09/2014 21:28

i took it for two months and the last month i noticed i only had one day of spotting instead of 7 days, this month i did not take it and it was really bad, i am taking seven seas trying for a baby , going to try that for three months and then if no better may see if i can introduce the vitamin b complex from holland and barret, though they are a very high dose and would rather take the seven seas first as they contain b6 and another few b vits but lower

Original poster
MistressKatherine · 14/09/2014 21:48

Greencheese - my vitex arrived Saturday and i've just got popping with the stuff. It can take three months to have any effect so I reckon the earlier we start taking the better.

OP posts:
ellstor · 15/09/2014 08:28

I believes always ovulated late.

Came off bc in May and had reg 28 day cycles, but me and dh would stop dtd so much after when I thought I had ovulated. I kept thinking I was pg but turned out the feelings were ovulation pains which was confirmed when I started using opk's and as soon as I had figured it out I gotpg as we dtd on the right days!

I thought something was wrong with me from googling too much especially "is it possible to get pg with an lp of 7 days" and all the results said it would be difficult which depressed me somewhat but turns out to be not so true !

blamber · 15/09/2014 13:31

Just a word of caution with using supplements. High doses of b6 can cause neurological problems, even on short term and on 50-75 gr a day. Also vitex can mess up your cycle even more!

I'm not sure if you just came off the pill? If so you need to give your body time to adjust.

Also, a short luteal phase does not have to be problematic! I started spotting 8/9 days after ovulation and got my period a few days after but fell pregnant. In fact I knew I was pregnant because I didn't spot that month!

Greencheese · 15/09/2014 19:02

I always thoughts it b6 was soluable therefore your body just eliminates what it doesn't need?

Original poster
MistressKatherine · 15/09/2014 20:07

Thanks ellstor! Yet more good news :)

Hi Blamber. I was put on dianette for nine months last August and stopped in March to sort out my period problems. It didn't work and they're now just crazier than ever. It's not the pill unfortunately. My body has been like this for about two years, when it never was before.

Guys, I'm seeing the GP tomorrow for advice etc. I've seen her before about my strange period problems and she took me seriously so am hoping for some good positive stuff at the end of it. Of course, she'll probably tell me to lump it. But at least I know i've tried and it may put some fears to rest.

OP posts:
angelaham · 15/09/2014 20:54

Great news Blamber you managed to get pregnant, gives us all hope, good luck Mistress with the doctor tomorrow, hope all goes well

Original poster
MistressKatherine · 16/09/2014 18:34

Ladies!

News in the journey for the big BFP. I went to the doctors today and it was so nice to speak to someone who actually listened and tried to help. I've been given Provera 5mg, which is basically progesterone in the hope of inducing a monthly cycle. It's still possible to get preggers on it but not likely. I've been told to stay on it for three months to try and encourage my body to get into a rhythm on its own. I'm already into this cycle so am going to start next time and see what happens.

Interestingly, we had a discussion about clomid and she said doctors in my area have been instructed not to prescribe it because it can give multiple births, which are just as troublesome as not having a baby at all.

OP posts:
Greencheese · 16/09/2014 22:10

Hi mistress that's good that they have listened to you.

So you know you say 'it's still possible to get preggers on it bit not likely' what do you mean? You take it for 3 months then stop taking it and that's when you are hopefully 'reset'. Is that right?

Fingers crossed for you x

Original poster
MistressKatherine · 17/09/2014 19:34

That's about it greencheese. They said that the purpose of taking it was to encourage my body into a monthly cycle. But the medication is similar to that of the contraceptive mini pill, only less progesterone. While it won't definitely stop me from ovulating while I'm taking it, there's less chance apparently. I don't fully understand it myself to be honest!

Have you started vitex yet? x

OP posts:
Greencheese · 17/09/2014 22:42

Ahhhh right, I get it. Thanks.

Yes I've been taking it for a few days, it's probably too late for this cycle, I'm literally anyday now waiting for AF, I've got tummy ache so I'm hoping it's just my dinner! X

Original poster
MistressKatherine · 18/09/2014 17:30

Keeping my fingers crossed for you! It may not be dinner! x

OP posts:
Greencheese · 19/09/2014 20:22

Well stupid AF arrived with a bang! I've made a doctors appointment for Monday. They will probably send me on my way and say I need to wait a year but I thought I'd try anyway. X

zippygeorgebungle · 24/09/2014 20:58

Hello, I'm a long term lurker on this thread and previously used to be on a thread called if TTC No 2 is making you crazy...No 1 came instantly but then 20 months until no 2 came (the day 3 tests showed bf'ing once a day delayed things even when cycles had been back a year!).

Anyway, I knew for a year I had a short luteal phase. The GP said the phase didn't change in length so I paid to see a fertility consultant. I had a tracked cycle that proved it was a short luteal phase and progesterone levels were low despite good follicles, clear tubes, very good FSH levels etc (I'm 36). Last month the consultant prescribed me some progesterone to take from date of OV and - BFP!

Persevere ladies! And good luck to all. x

DonnaLyman · 24/09/2014 21:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MistressKatherine · 25/09/2014 20:17

Greencheese! How did you get on at the doctors??? I hope they gave you a bit of reassurance?

Zippy and Donna welcome! So many congrats on your bfp Zip, fab news. Very disappointing you had to pay to go private though. It's annoying that some doctors just won't listen. Donna best of luck at the docs and let us know how you go!

OP posts:
Greencheese · 25/09/2014 22:02

Hi. Well the doctor was rubbish. Didn't seem to know much about it all. Said ovulating on day 21 'was odd' but I think he was just agreeing with me. He's agreed to do a 21 day blood test for me, well it will be on the 7 day after I ovulate. So I may know more then.

zippy do you think a GP would prescribe progesterone or did you have to go through a consultant like you did? Xx

Sparkle9 · 25/09/2014 22:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

zippygeorgebungle · 25/09/2014 23:04

Hello greencheese. I think the GP can prescribe progesterone. My GP was actually very helpful initially, after trying for 6 months at 35 with an instantly conceived one year old who I was still feeding, she sent me off for a scan at the hospital and also did blood tests. The worry for me was when the day 21 tests indicated not ovulating. I was fairly sure I was ovulating as I had symptoms and also was using the CBFM which always gave me a peak but very late in the cycle. But the "day 21" test has to be done 7 days after Ov, so was being done at the wrong time for me.

The concern was that the helpful GP seemed unsure what to do next or quite what the results meant. So in order to do something positive I paid to see a consultant. He looked at the day 3 and day 21 tests and could interpret them far more helpfully. He said OV'ing was happening but bfing may be lowering FSH and causing weak ovulation. So I stopped Bfing. Still no bfp so went back in a few months for a tracked scan as he had suggested.

It was then that the short luteal phase I had been telling GP and consultant about was "proven". Also then that the progesterone was shown to be low. The consultant was very noble in noting that I had indeed identified this luteal problem when I first went to him. He suggested we try progesterone for 3 months and it seems to have worked straight away. Definitely worth asking the GP about that possibility, greencheese? I do wonder if I'd been given it a year ago when I first went to the GP and said I was fairly sure i had a short luteal phase I'd have succeeded a lot sooner! I learned about it on mumsnet.

Original poster
MistressKatherine · 26/09/2014 14:54

Greencheese, what rubbish. I can't believe some doctors can be like this. Good on you for getting him to test. If it's good news then that's fab and if it shows something is slightly off then you can start figuring out what to do. Wishing you lots of luck. Do you have long to wait?

Zip, this is really interesting. I've heard a lot of doctors won't give progesterone to help conceive because they think it's not good for the baby. But it totally makes sense from what you've been saying. I've been given provera for three months to get my cycles to straighten out. But I've been here before and it did nothing. Can't help thinking I'm wasting my time.

We're on holiday at the moment and I was really looking forward to relaxing and getting down to some fun. Only I then go and get a cold. The worlds against me.

OP posts:
Greencheese · 26/09/2014 18:28

Hi. As you need to do the test 7 days after ovulation I'll have to wait till next month now.

Is progesterone risky? I, just wondering why doctors are so reluctant to prescribe it?

zippygeorgebungle · 26/09/2014 22:43

Nobody has warned of any risks..in fact the consultant said it was helpful and given to women to stop miscarriages. He was much more wary of clomid and said that even though low progesterone could indicate weak ovulation he would rather hold off with clomid and try progesterone. I have to keep taking it until 12 weeks.

The GP made a comment about it being costly when I rang up for the repeat prescription. He wouldn't give me the full 12 weeks at once because he said it cost a lot and there was no point wasting that much in case I went on to miscarry. He isn't known for his bedside manner. (Different one from the one I spoke to re conception).

best of luck!

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