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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

Short Luteal Phase

939 replies

mascaraisamust · 05/07/2015 22:57

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?

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mrsmugoo · 23/08/2015 16:23

Cd19 - still no ovulation Hmm

Original poster
mascaraisamust · 23/08/2015 23:37

Mine used to be day 20. Fx!! Any sign of a line on the opk?

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Judylamb · 24/08/2015 02:47

mascara thanks for your reply. We're TTC #1. I had a miscarriage 2 yrs ago with a different partner. A friend recommended Agnus castus... Anyone heard or read anything about it? It's a natural plant extract that helps with various things including your cycle etc

Sunshinegirl2015 · 24/08/2015 06:31

mrs I always tend to ovulate on CD20 or 21 according to FF. there's still hope!

Judy sorry I don't know much about Angus Castus I'm afraid x

mrsmugoo · 24/08/2015 07:29

For 10 cycles I've ov'd on cd18 or 19. Finally just got a peak reading on the opk on day 20. I'm not temping so I can't confirm it and not really any ewcm so who knows?

Fertility Dr appt is tomorrow anyway.

SharyBobbins · 24/08/2015 15:35

I don't know anything about A.C Judy, I'm sorry.
I'm on day 25 now, still getting 'high' on the CB monitor. No positive on the cheap opks yet but I'm guess that's because they test for LH only whereas CB (allegedly) picks up estrogen too.
Had another look at the "taking charge of your fertility" book on the weekend after deciding not to read too much of the chapters on fertility issues. I'll cross that bridge if/when I need too Sad It made temping make more sense! I'm also monitoring CM now too & had what the book calls transitional CM on Saturday & Sunday. It says it means fertility is high and I'm moving from low to high fertility....had no CM at all today though. Should it be every day leafing up to (fx) ovulation?

SharyBobbins · 24/08/2015 15:35

Mrs, fingers crossed for your appointment tomorrow x

mrsmugoo · 25/08/2015 14:25

So had my fertility Dr appointment today. He was so nice and it was a million miles away from the NHS and how they brushed me off and swore blind there was absolutely nothing wrong with me and that I was perfectly normal and to stop away from Google.

Anyway…

I am CD22 and only got my peak OPK on CD20 so I am literally just post ovulation which he agreed with as I still have mucous in my cervix but he could see from the scan that this was not normal (he described my cycle as "dysfunctional") and I had what he would call "Luteal Phase Defect" which I knew all along!! He has given me progesterone pessaries to extend my luteal phase - a previous poster on this thread was raving about them and I'm excited for the prospect of having a fighting chance at being pregnant in the near future!!

It was very reassuring to have someone agree with me and not just brush me off.

Although I 100% understand why the NHS brushed me off but I wish they would just admit it's a funding thing rather than try to pull the wool over your eyes. Today cost less than £100 but if I didn't have access to that money I would still be plugging away at trying to get pregnant for months, maybe years! The Doctor confirmed that whilst not impossible in my current situation, my cycles are dysfunctional and it's definitely impeding my chances.

So I am happy with the outcome and would urge anyone with a short Luteal Phase to go private if their GP us unsympathetic because you CAN extend it and increase your chances of conceiving, you don't have to hope for a miracle!

With regards to the blood tests I had on the NHS that appeared to show I hadn't ovulated - the doc also confirmed that they are totally meaningless as they were done on completely wrong days - demonstrating the complete lack of understanding that the GP had of the situation. I am ovulating because he could see if with his own eyes on the scab. I am tempted to write a letter to my GP surgery as I really do feel quite bitter about the way I was treated - I was made to feel like an idiot for simply being knowledgable!!

somersetsinger · 25/08/2015 15:42

For Judylamb,

I've been using agnus castus, to try and regulate my cycles and get pregnant. My body took one long and weird cycle to get used to it, then got a bfp on 2nd cycle (ended in mc). Since then, I've kept taking it and have had more predictable cycles with signs of ovulation.

Have a bit of a search, because it is a strong herb and best to make up your own mind. I found an old MN conversation, a wiki-link and an NHS page like to period problems. Hope this helps.

SharyBobbins · 25/08/2015 16:05

Mrs- so glad your appointment went well! Good luck Smile please keep us updated!

Kirjava · 26/08/2015 09:40

Hi all, I'm cd1 of cycle 6, ttc #1. I have 35-38 days cycles but only a 10 day luteal phase, with spotting starting from 8dpo.

Last cycle I took 100mg b6 daily as well as soy isoflavones cd 2-6 to being forward ovulation. ovulation was earlier and more obvious, and my cycle was shorter but lutueal phase the same.

I'm going to try a bigger dose of SIs, and the same b6 this cycle. Is there anything else I should try? Dr won't see me until I've been ttc for a year. I'm getting so depressed about this and feel there's something wrong with me.

mrsmugoo · 26/08/2015 11:14

10 days luteal phase is pretty good actually - keep up with the vit b complex, ditch the soy and keep trying - good luck!

Kirjava · 26/08/2015 11:38

Thanks mrs why ditch the soy? I'm concerned as I never get a positive opk without it.

mrsmugoo · 26/08/2015 17:32

I don't know, I'm just sceptical of it as the one time I took it my cycle was really weird and it actually shortened my LP to 6 days! If it works for you then carry on.

sunshinegirl12 · 26/08/2015 18:55

I've got a feeling i'm out again this month Sad ovulated on CD 17 which is late for me, today I'm 7dpo and getting really crampy pains and when I wipe lots of discharge with a browny tinge (really sorry for tmi), I can just feel AF is on it's way. Usually I have a 10/11 day luteal phase, but think I may have messed things up a bit this month as it was my first month on B vits.Hmm

SharyBobbins · 26/08/2015 20:33

Hi ladies,
Sunshine, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling that way. Do you think the vitamins have interfered with your cycle?
Day 27 here and a bit of positivity for once. I got a positive on my OPKs today! CBAFM said high (not peak) but 3 OPKs using two different urine samples came back positive. So if I do ovulate chances are it will be tomorrow which means next Thursday will be 7 dpo which is when I'm booked in for my bloods! My GP plucked that date practically out of thin air because he didn't have much to go off so I'm really lucky that I don't have to change it Smile

sunshinegirl12 · 26/08/2015 20:39

Hi Shary, that's really good news, fingers crossed for ovulation tomorrow, lots of DTDSmile

I think they may have done as I ovulated 5 days later than I have on every other cycle and that was only after I had stopped taking the vits, I suppose everyone reacts in different ways. The cramps seem to have stopped now so i'll just have to wait and see x

SharyBobbins · 26/08/2015 20:45

Is the discharge you mentioned a usual system of impending AF for you? x

sunshinegirl12 · 26/08/2015 21:07

I've only noticed it a couple of times before, but now I'm ttc I seem to notice every little thing that I never used to. X

SharyBobbins · 26/08/2015 21:11

I know how you feel, scrutinising & symptom spotting are becoming daily pass times. I've had what feels like period pain today (cramping, lower back a bit achey). I'm assuming it's ovulation pain but I don't remember ever feeling it before. It's probably all in my head!!

sunshinegirl12 · 27/08/2015 18:01

Any news on ovulation Shary? fx for you.

I'm still getting intermittant period type pains, and had another tiny bit of blood when I wiped, and been getting waves of sickness which is probably just another sign of AF on way. I'm only 8dpo so very much doubt i'd have any symptoms yet even if it was my month. I don't think it will be but can't help having a tiny bit of hope left x

SharyBobbins · 27/08/2015 20:22

Everything crossed for you Sunshine xx
I got a positive on my OPKs again today and a 'peak' on the CBAFM. I got a tad over excited about it this morning! Had to have a word with OH though, he was really happy and made a few comments about this being our month...Felt awful bursting his bubble but had to remind him that a positive OPK doesn't necessarily equate to a BFP... :(

Original poster
mascaraisamust · 27/08/2015 21:28

Hi ladies, just catching up. Mrs I'm so glad you've got answers at last! Fingers crossed this will lead to your BFP very soon, I've heard lots of postive things about progesterone too!

Sunshine best of luck to you! Not out until AF appears!

Shary, a peak!

I'm back from holiday tomorrow. It's been hard work on the eating front. Can't wait to cook tomorrow night, I need vegetables. Had a lovely time though. Tried not to be too paranoid this week but brown spotting has just started Sad trying to keep chilled...

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SharyBobbins · 28/08/2015 08:57

Are you okay Mascara? Am I right in thinking you have an appointment coming up soon?

Feeling a little dispondant this morning because I was hoping for a rise in BBT which is supposed to happen after you ovulate...maybe it happens in the 'days after' ovulation, not neccessarily the 'day after'... shouldn't have got so overexcited about a +be opk Confused

Original poster
mascaraisamust · 28/08/2015 11:37

Shary, there should be a rise, remember the positive opk is only a warning that ovulation is occurring in the next 24-36 hours so I might not have happened yet. It could be today or even early tomorrow.

I'm still spotting this morning. Got the midwife on Monday and all the EPUs are closed at the weekend so I'll just have to hang on over the next few days and reassess. Im trying to keep postive but there is a distinct lack of symptoms too.

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