GP adamant that luteal phase always 14 days, every cycle for every woman !!!!!!

[helenlouisey]

I have just got back from GP's appointment to ask advise about a self diagnosed short luteal phase (8 days and I've been charting for 3 months now) and she refused to even acknowledge that such a problem even existed, she was adamant that there were always 14 days between ovulation and start of AF !! Don't know what to do now- any advise ? Thanks.

Ask to see another doctor
she is wrong wrong super wrong

that is ridiculous.

Sorry, yes. Ask to see a different GP.

GP is an idiot

I would write to complain personally and ask that GPs be brought up to date with the menstrual cycle and maybe taught about averages

what a quack

definitely change doctors

.. you can try high dosage Vit B .. you need 100 to 200mg so need to ask specifically and you take it daily .. takes up to 6 months to have an effect though

Your GP is plain wrong to suggest that there were always 14 days between ovulation and the start of AF.

Ovulation is not an exact science and this can occur earlier, later or not at all in any given cycle. Thus it is quite possible to have periods without ovulation; even normally fertile women have the occasional anovulatory cycle.

Blimey. Shouldn't a GP know that with the human body, it's virtually impossible to say 'x is always the case for everybody'?

What an idiot for a gp, I just self diagnosed my short luteal phase, 9-10 days and my gp told me to take temp first thing before getting out of bed every morning for 30 days and chart, then bring chart in and he will pick the days for progesterone testing and go from there, he is "on the ball." You need a new gp. I have been taking vitamin b6 and 50mg hasn't worked for 7 months now

wow. what a stupid woman.

wishing .. 50mg is far too low .. it won't have an effect .. its supposed to be 100 - 200 mg

HTH

am unbelievably furious at your doctor

I can do better than that.....my consultant told me that there was no thing as LPD............. What hope is there really???!!!!!

suggest you email this thread link through to said GP! or give her a copy of Toni Weschler's book - since TTC I have seen real ignorance in this field even in the gyny section! never mind local GPs ... ask for a change of gp or a referral to consultant.

And here I was decrying a society that rewards a thicko like Jade Goody w/good pay.

She's a doctor?!

Yeah, I'm JK Rowling.

Get a new doctor if possible. She is wrong!

She's not only wrong but also an idiot.

What a combo!

My gp was the same. I had a self-diagnosed short luteal-phase ~ 8/9 days ~ and my gp wouldn't acknowlegde it as a possibility. She told me it was an advantage to have such short cycles because the opportunity to ttc came around quicker every month

I did conceive. I was taking 150mg of Vit B6. 100mg didn't appear to make a difference for me. Some people take even higher doses.

change doctor - she is talking rubbish. Very worrying that GP's can be so ignorant.

Does your local Family Planning Clinic have a Natural Family Planning Advisor? If so get him/her to conatct your doctor. I saw one who was brilliant and have been in tune with my cycle ever since.

I am unbelievably cross with your GP. With such a short luteal phase it is impossible to conceive. What was she going to do, wait a few months during which you undoubtedly won't conceive and then refer you for unnecessary tests? I don't know what stinks more- the medical attitude that every woman has a 28 day cycle and ovulates on day 14 or the fact that doctors think women are incapable of knowing their own bodies. I hope you are going to change GPs and write a very strongly worded letter.

And I agree, buy the doctor Toni Weschler's book. Hey, she can have mine after it helped me conceive naturally and I don't need it anymore.

I do have a 14 day LP in a 26 day cycle and my friend has a 10 day LP in a 32 day cycle. To think that all women are the same is just utter tosh.

I have just writen a letter to my consultant about my luteal phase as this month it was 6! and on average it is 8! his registrar 'po pooed' it so I am going to the top. I have been charting for 3 years and I am 150% certain of my ovulation days! I am also asking him about agnus castus....watch this space!

God! it is so infuriating!!!!!!!!!

OK, thick me now talking.

How can you have a period without ovulating? Just would like to understand as biology lessons most definitely did not cover anything about the technicalities of ttc and how our bodies work

Hi,
you could have a period without ovulating because your womb lining would keep building up and would eventually get too heavy and shed. This is what tends to happen to women with polycystic ovaries where the eggs rarely get released.
I can't believe how thick and useless some (most?) GPs are. Once I went to one complaining of ovarian pain from cysts (already diagnosed) and the crass idiot told me that I was 'too young to have my ovaries removed' and tried to prescribe me a 'very good' painkiller. Urrgh.

Thanks for that. Then another question - would your periods generally be regular or irregular?

I had an ectopic Oct05 and since then we have been ttc for 12 months now - we're going to the Doc next week . I don't chart or temp or poas but watch my cm and listen to my body. I feel myself gearing up for ovulation but I guess it's not a given, is it? Just thinking thoughts out loud...

Well how did I concieve ds2 24 days after my last period ended then? I know that was when, it was the first time we had had sex for 3 months!