Short Luteal Phase

[mascaraisamust]

So after 6 months of ttc I've worked out I've got a short luteal phase of 9 days, however it could be even less. I get a positive opk on day 19 and 9 days later AF appears. I'm fearing it could be less that 9 days if I ovulate 24-36 hours after a postive opk. No suprises that there hasn't been a bfp yet. I'm thinking this is my obstacle. Seems I've tried everything else. Do I go to my GP? Is there any point? On preconception vitamins with b6 in and have been in them for three months and no changes. Also AF is really painful every month, wondering if there is more to this. Any ideas? Or anyone experienced/ing similar?

I'm trying the SMEP luceeann but with a long cycle that's a lot of sex!

I am temping but in all honestly I just don't get it! I've recorded 13 so far with a range of 36.18 to 36.57. What are we supposed to be looking out for?!

Yeah Sunshine, it should elevate if you've got a BFP or start to stop if AF is coming. Although mine were like a yo-yo!

Shary, sounds like a good strategy. Loving the positivity on here at the moment!

Luceean, DH is also laid on the sofa with a beer and me with a bag of malteasers. I already feel big and bloated! I go away this weekend with DH for the week so at least we can chill out together and think about other things and not just babies!

*drop not stop! Sorry sunshine

The SMEP seems bizarre to me? Have sex within 48 hours of ovulation - job done.

Does it rise after ovulation? And what is classed as a rise? My temperature fluctuates so I'm just wondering of it's something noticeable!

Mrs, I'm not sure when I ovulate (or even if I do) so I'm using the SMEP this cycle to cover all bases!

luceeann congrats! You and mascara give me hope with a 9/10day luteal phase!

shary good luck! Hope the sperm meet the egg!

kerala never heard of that. AF is visiting now but I don't think I'll suggest it to DH haha.

sunshine sounds right but I only started temping a few days after ovulation so can't tell you much. Read something about some people getting an implantation dip but not sure if that's a myth.

Shary - why not use temping or opks to find out your ovulation day and time DTD to that?

Of course nothing wrong with lots of sex! But it only takes one sperm to meet the egg and at least you'd narrow down the element of guesswork.

I'm doing that too Mrs I'm throwing every strategy I have into this cycle in the hope that I can ring my GP in September & say 'thank you for sending me for bloods but I've actually got my BFP' (living in hope)

Hi ladies, came across this thread tonight, I've just been to the docs this evening. I'm 38 (39 in two weeks) and partner is 39. We've been trying to conceive for last 8 months but no luck. She didn't seem very bothered or that helpful, just read out the criteria for being referred for fertility issues, one of which was that you needed to be trying for two years and 39 or under... If we have to try for 2 yrs I'll be 40?! I told her I tracked and was getting an ovulation positive using OPK on day 19/20 but cycle is 28days generally. She said 'that's odd, but if you ovulate it shouldn't be a problem'. This contradicts what I've read though. She has asked for 21 day and 7 day bloods... She didn't explain what for or if I needed to go back!
I've been taking folic acid... Any help or advise gratefully received...

kerala sorry didn't see your post! I've read a small minority of people can ovulate straight after AF. Some people think they don't ovulate at all and then dtd early on in the cycle and get their bfp.

shary dtd eod seems like a good plan to catch the egg, it's worth a go! I found a really useful resource about days to dtd on SPEM when you have longer cycles, I'll try dig it out.

Welcome Judy. Don't be too put off by the 'guidelines'. My GP was very much reluctant until I got my day 21 bloods back. You've already started the ball rolling getting them at that is the first step before they can even think of referring. Do you have any children or are you ttc #1? If you are TTC #1 then guidelines say a year and I'm sure it's fasttracked if over 36 due to risk factors.

Your day 21 bloods are looking for progesterone levels. 21 is the optimum date for most regulate people at this is a week before AF and progesterone levels should be at a peak, they then start to drop in AF is coming of continue elevated if you have got your bfp. The issue with us short luteal phase lot is our progeaterone levels drop too soon and AF appears early or as was in my case progesterone levels were so low that I was supposedly not ovualating at all. When are your tests? The higher the level the better.

However, as I said this test is for people with regular 28 day cycles so if you ovulate later (your cycle is similar to how mine was) it may not sure your progesterone levels peaking. My level was 1, I was told that this meant there was no chance I've ovulated this cycle and was referred to a specialist as the level couldn't get much lower! Then I got my BFP that month!

The other tests are for LH as this should be compared with the progesterone levels.

To increase luteal length and the month I got my bfp I tried:

Mega B complex (from Holland and Barrett) which contains folic acid - B complex is supposed to help lengthen

Vitamin c - 500mg (lots of studies done on this)

Pre-seed

DH on conception vitamins

Get the bloods back and go from there. Has your partner been see their gp too? It was recommended by my gp that DH did to rule that side of things out.

And just ring up for your blood results, If they are abnormal the GP will have left a note with the receptionist telling you to make an appointment to discuss anyway

Oh and sorry for the typos throughout! On my phone and no idea why I'm awake this early!

According to this plan I found Shary it says for 43 day cycles, optimum eod days are: 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36. You should get your peak on those days? Fingers crossed!

I'm having a bit of a negative day today, theres no reason for it as I don't know yet how this month has gone, but I don't think its been helped by the girls at my work (all in their early 20's) questioning me on when I'm gona have a baby!! And then proceeding to carry on that they want all their kids before they get to 30 as thats so old!! Really!!

Atleast it's nearly the weekend

Ahhh how annoying. Why do people think that it's an acceptable question to ask? I think its quite rude. In an ideal world I'm sure we'd all like kids at the drop of the hat, unfortunately we know it's not actually that simple in real life. Chin up Sunshine, there's a lot of difference between people talking about what they'd like to do and what they'll actually do!

Thanks so much for looking that up for me Mascara Day 22 today so might have an extra night off!
Sorry to hear you're feeling low Sunshine. It's so annoying when people start talking like that. One of my colleagues who I hadn't seen for a few weeks told me a couple of days ago that she told another colleague that I "have the look of a pregnant person"?! WTF does that even mean!! Why to start a rumour! I felt like saying "no, this is the look of an anxious person who is getting increasingly stressed about ttc"!

Oh Shary, what a strange thing for your colleague to say, people just don't seem to think before they open their mouth. Thank goodness its the weekend xx

I know Sunshine! It didn't help that she was the fourth person that week to ask me when I'm having kids! I'M TRYING!!

Eugh. Endless! I wish I could have thought of quick whitted responses but I just clam up and go 'Erm not sure...'

Hi everyone,

I'm one of those people who turns to MN when I need help, but not post very often, so please excuse my just appearing on this thread.

DH and I have been ttc for nearly 2 years. When I first came off the pill, my cycles were all over the place. Reading MN threads gave me the info to try temping and after a while, I started taking agnus castus. The second month of taking it, I got a bfp, but unfortunately miscarried in December after 7 weeks.

This year, I've been trying to take it easy and relax (like that is possible when ttc) to allow my body to recover from the mc. I've stuck with temping, so I could see that my luteal phase was no where near 14 days (and sometimes as low as 7 days). So I turned to the experience of MNers and found this thread. I started taking vitamin B complex 6 weeks ago, so got my bfp on my first full cycle.

I wanted to thank all of you for contributing, because I reckon you lot are the reason I'm pregnant. Sending hugs to all, and hoping have a reason to celebrate soon xx

Somerset this post has made my day! Congratulations on your BFP Am i right to assume the vitamin b complex extended your luteal phase?

Congrats Somerset, and thankyou for your positive post to give us all hope. This is my first month on B complex too so keeping fingers tightly crossed. Really hope it all works out for you and you're feeling ok xx

Ah Someset that is great news! Another B complex taker really pleased for you. All the best with your pregnancy! I'm so glad that our chit chat is helping others. We will all get there!

Thanks shary, sunshine and mascara .

Looking back at my stats, I had a few days longer between ovulation and spotting. It increased from under a week to 9 days. I always get spotting before AF so left it until 14 dpo to test.

I'm going to keep taking Agnus castus and B complex, to try to make this one stick. Last time, I bled for almost the entire pregnancy, but had an early scan (at 6 weeks - saw a hb) and the docs couldn't find the reason. I'm trying to do things differently this time. Ah, the illusion of control!

Well fingers crossed this one sticks! I'm equally as nervous here. Keep us updated and all the best!