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?

*symptoms rather

mascara I've been looking at things to lengthen it, keeping an eye on here... I'm using the Glow app to try to track but I guess even with opks you never actually know when you've ov'd, af came much earlier last month than I expected, cd28 which for me (with usually 33d cycles) is massively early, and my opk last month said I had a surge on day 20... anyway the Glow app then readjusted to say that we'd dtd on the wrong days!
So I guess we'll just dtd every other day!

I was rattling! I can't remember exactly what it does but I researched it loads 2/3 years ago. I was taking around 10 different tablets at a time! By the way, do you ever do pregnancy tests? I realised I was conceiving but losing them early due to my LP.

Flymo Your cycle is very similar to mine then. This was the only month I didn't do OPKs as I stupidly thought that I my cycles were in a clear pattern but now I'm thinking that I haven't even ovulated. I will definitely do them next cycle!

I use Ovia which so far has been accurate every cycle, especially when it comes to AF arriving.

We have been pretty accurate with dtd, but I think I'm going to go for the same strategy as you!

Yeah I do pregnancy tests, never had a line doobeedoo in fact I did one today (even though I know it's not even possible with the progesterone level at 1ng but hey) no suprises for a bfn (I have done it 4 days early also)! So far I'm taking B complex with folic acid, vitamin C and I'll give the D one a go. Anything else?

I got the day 21 test done again today with my bloods just to see out of interest if it's any different!

I've just seen I keep calling you Doobeedoo and not doobeedee, damn autocorrect!

I had similar issue when ttc. Two recommendations:

1. Taking charge of your fertility by Toni Weschler. Amazing book - will help you loads and explain a lot of things (including why the day 21 test may not be that helpful for you)
2. B6 - which I see you're already taking. I used this so that I could then take folic acid as well and not have the issue you mentioned!

I also recorded my temperature (the Toni Weschler book explains all of this and why it is useful info) and these 3 things were a massive help. I really do think that I needed b6 to conceive, my LP was 8 days without and 10 days with.

Good luck!

Hi alicia, thanks for your input. Good idea with just taking the B6. Can I ask what strength? I'm concerned my seven seas B complex is a bit weak in terms of mg. I'll give it a go this month and then if it's no good I'll switch to your suggestion. I was stood in Holland and Barrett for 20 mins, then in Superdrug and then in Boots just staring at vitamins and googling quantities!

I've heard of that book, I'll download it and give it a read and I'll invest in a thermometer too.

I've also decided that I'm going to stop being so damn strict on myself and not let TTC rule all I do.

I took loads of different things. I found a list on my phone! I also found records I wrote. It seems my LPs were slightly longer just before I conceived (up to 9 days) but I have no idea what it was that did it and I guess I'll never know if I would have conceived on that cycle without the Clomid. I second temp charting. I took all my charts to my fertility doc and he agreed with me straight away about the LP issue.

Oh and if you do go down the temping route, get the fertility friend app which interprets everything for you.

Thermometer has been ordered ladies , it arrives tomorrow.

I had fertility friend but deleted it as I wasn't getting much from it but I could see it was very geared up towards temping. I like the idea of presenting charts to prove my point.

I wonder how much the average person spends TTC!

Deffo get it back now you're going to start temping. It's so interesting!

Ladies, when should I start temping? First day of AF?

I would if you're just starting out. It's good to see the whole pattern. When you get into it and you know approx when you ovulate, you can start a few days before that. I used to steer on about day 10. I always let going after ovulation though as it's interesting to be able to predict when AF will come (or work out you are pregnant before testing like I did!)

*Start on...
*Keep going...

Stupid autocorrect!

I used 50mg b6 daily. You have to be a bit careful as too much can start tingly nerves (like pins and needles all the time). You can read up on that but I settled for 50mg daily in the end and the. It probably took a month or so to impact my LP. Obviously this is just my experience but it was the same both times I TTCd (I have 2 DC).

For temping, you can start anytime. Good info to have on any day of your cycle. I also found Fertility friend was good to record instead of doing on paper, sort of interprets for you which is good as the changes are so subtle.

My seven seas vitamins say they contain 2mg of B6 which is 147% above daily recommended dosage - checked the other pack of B complex (one with not enough folic in that I ditched) and that has the same. Do I need to take some super strength B6 then?!

I think I'm going to use August as a temping and tracking ovulation month as I'm going away and I want to be able to drink and eat as I please! Going by my old opks that would mean I would be in the tww then and I can't face not enjoying myself on my hol think I've earnt it!

I will start tracking from Monday then when AF appears.

Just researched it and my vitamins are just the 'essentials' range for people TTC and doesn't have near enough what I need! I've just been on Holland and Barrett and seen what I need, the 'mega' B complex. DH can buy this one now. My bedside draw is like a dispensary.

Hi Mascara just chiming in as I've been struggling with a short LP too.

I've been TTC 8 months, my LP was about 9 days.

After much research obsessive googling, I came across loads of people saying they took inositol, or myo-inositol. I took it last month (I took it in powdered form, it comes in tubs and looks like those tubs of protein powder that gym bunnies take).

It's increased my LP so much that whereas my cycle was usually 25 or 26 days, I'm now CD 28 and AF has still not come (just light spotting last night, CD 27).

That was another thing it got rid of, I seemed to spot madly for about 4-5 days pre AF.

Sorry to contribute to rattling, but at least this one isn't another pill! Have a google anyway and see if it might be for you.

Forgot to add - inositol is part of the B vitamin complex!

Hi really, I've sent DH to get the B complex (on his lunch ) which has inositol in (I've just checked after what you've just said)!

That's really pleasing to hear about your LP, is there a chance you might have done it and got your bfp? When do you ovulate? Next cycle will be #8 for me.

Keep us updated and thanks for the info!

doobeedee you'll be glad to know I'm in the garden soaking up the vitamin D

jumps in to shout progesterone pessaries!
If I could go back now six months with all the stuff I was trying (B6, soy, Vit C, BComplex, selenium, this, that and the other) for all that time my LP stayed at 6/7 days, I would jump at it! Seriously. Proper medicine. I'm not saying the other things might not work, but it is more likely that it won't, and more likely that progesterone treatment will. And that it will save you time and heartache if, like for me, the vits and sups don't work and you've wasted x months of your life hoping it will. Not to even think about the fact that I was likely to have had a few fertilisations too but they were lost because my LP collapsed too soon.
There is a reason doctors prescribe progesterone and not B6. If B6 worked at the same rates that progesterone does then we'd all have been prescribed B6. If soy worked at the same rates that clomid or letrozole does, there would be no need for clomid or letrozole treatment!
Again, I don't at all doubt that it works for some people, but overall the rates are much lower. I wish I was just pushy in the beginning and hounded the GP for just one course of progesterone early one once I realised it was my LP that was the issue. So much time wasted.
If your NHS GP doesn't want to prescribe for you, the money for a private appointment and a script just for one month (you only take it from the day of ovulation until your period arrives) will more than balance out all the cost of extra vitamins and stuff. It's not very expensive. I see online my progesterone pill and dosage is between £18-£30 per cycle depending on the website so definitely worth at least one month's investment to see if it makes a difference!
Sorry I don't want to sound dramatic well maybe I do, but honestly, the amount of women I saw at the fertility clinic who were fixed up the very first month of progesterone pessaries were overwhelming. Proper medicine is good. :)
runs away again

Auf I want to try the progesterone more than anything but the GP told me no, that she couldnt prescribe it (however as I've said, she wasn't a regular gp at the surgery and not my gp either so maybe that limited her)?! I'll try maybe my regular GP next week when I've come back off break no.1 and I've got to get my new blood results too.

I looked private but the first consultation is £125 and i'd need to pay that before getting anywhere, then I can't help but think they'd make us pay for a second consultation before being prescribed anything.

As soon as I get my referral on the NHS it's the first thing I will be asking for. I'm worried that the referral hasn't even left the Gps, do you think I could call and check?

In the meantime, I will try vitamins this month as I've said August is going to be a bit of a strange one as I'm on two mini breaks and the second one I don't want the guilt of being in the tww when I'm away (eating and drinking) so I'm not going to try, as such (is that ridiculous that I'm even worried about that)??

A-ah that's quite a lot for a first consult. :( I was looking into it and came up with around £65. I don't know if they would expect a second consult for prescribing, but it would be surprising if there weren't additional diagnoses.
Maybe you could see what a private GP somewhere else costs? Where are you going on your mini-breaks? Somewhere where the cost of living is cheaper?
I would always phone and check about the referral leaving the GP but be prepared to face the wrath of the secretary or administrator!
If you know your regular GP that also sounds like a good plan. I'm sure the temporary doctor could've prescribed if she wanted to so sounds like she just didn't want to "make a decision". Definitely go back to your regular GP! It'll be interesting to see what your new bloods come back with too.