Short Luteal Phase anyone else had this and give me some advice?

[buttercupbabe]

Since having my ds my cycles are different and I only have 9 days after ovulation before I cramp and spot. I went to the doctor who is going to do some tests 7 days after I next ovulate. She is going to check prolactin levels and thyroid and iron. But from what I've read she should also check my progesterone levels too shouldn't she? She also mentioned Clomid. Has anyone else with a short luteal phase got any advice? I've also heard about using Vitamin B6 and progesterone cream. Please help as I could do with some positive advice.

Hello buttercupbabe - sorry you are going through all this worry . My LP was 9-10 days and I was worried about it so did start taking B6 up until OV and after a few cycles my LP did extend to 12 days. It could have been a coincidence as as the cycles rolled on, the effects of the pill could have been diminishing. I also took evening primrose oil up until OV, not only does it regulate hormones but helps with fertile quality cervial fluids too. I got my BFP on the 8th cycle of trying but sadly MC at 10 weeks. Sure it was nothing to do with anything but nature though. Good luck with it all!

Thanks MrsmcJnr. I am so sorry to hear about your MC. I may try the B6 but am a bit worried incase they say it interferes with clomid and it delays things in the long run. I wish you luck if you are trying to get pg

I too have a short LP but am not on Clomid. I've upped my dose of B6 and it does help, but clearly self-medicating isn't without risk so I would check with the doctor first.

Thanks cityangel. How long did it take to see an improvement in length? What dose did you start with? I'm certainly going to wait until I've had my blood tests done before I start any vits

I had a short luteal phase, so dosed myself with agnus castus and vit b6 and was pregnant within the month.

have a look into agnus castus

Self medicating with agnus castus is not a good idea of there are any underlying hormonal problems.

Your doc ought to be testing your LH and FSH levels as well as if these are out of sync ovulation is affected.

Would see what results come back from the GP and if she seems to have no idea at that stage ask for a referral to a gynae.

Being prescribed clomid by the GP is not always a good idea either as you should be monitored whilst on it. You have no way of knowing whether its working or not otherwise.

I started on 50mg B6 daily and this month am taking 150mg. I think it takes a while to build up. But it seems to add an extra couple of days for some people, me included.

I get mine from here: healthspan

I also started on Agnus Castus last month and upped my dose this month buy only take it pre-OV. I started taking it to try and OV earlier.

Last month I OV'd CD21 this month it was CD18 so it seems to be working. I don't know whether earlier OV will help LP to be longer I will know by next week.

Agnus Castus is one of the more controversial herbal options and often the MN forum is divided on whether to take it. It's a very personal thing.

AgnusCastusMN_discussions

Good Luck

The test 7 days after ovulation will be for progesterone levels - to check whether you are ovulating. Generally they ask you to come in on day 21 on the assumption that is 7 days after ovulation - I'm going next week on day 23 (managed to add a couple of days to avoid the weekend) which is still only 6 days after ovulation in my opinion as I ovulate late and have a regular 9 day luteal phase. Will be very interested to compare results and doctor's comments.

I did try B6 and Agnus Castus, neither made any difference in 6 months, so I have stopped them both and attempting the conventional medicine route now.

Thanks all. I don't think she's checking LH and FSH levels. All she's put is prolactin as well as a full blood count, iron and thyroid. I was going to ring the surgery and ask to have progesterone added to my test - perhaps I should ask about the others too. Do you take agnus castus for the whole cycle or just parts of it?

My NHS fertility consultant would not recognise that I had a short luteal phase (6-10) days and so I went private. Had ovarian scan to check that folicle was developing, then had to urine test for ovulation, then on day 7 (today) after ovulation had progesterone level taken and this evening I am having a uterine lining biopsy.

All this is to check if I really do have problems with my luteal phase.

I did take vit b6 and got pregnant 3 times in 1 year.......but miscarried all three pregnancies, the NHS consultant told me to stop it! which I did do and 8 months later.... no more pregnancies!!!!! its just so confusing, you just don't know what to do for the best.

By the way I am 43 and my nhs consultant says my only chance of pregnancy is now donor IVF.

My NHS fertility consultant would not recognise that I had a short luteal phase (6-10) days and so I went private. Had ovarian scan to check that folicle was developing, then had to urine test for ovulation, then on day 7 (today) after ovulation had progesterone level taken and this evening I am having a uterine lining biopsy.

All this is to check if I really do have problems with my luteal phase.

I did take vit b6 and got pregnant 3 times in 1 year.......but miscarried all three pregnancies, the NHS consultant told me to stop it! which I did do and 8 months later.... no more pregnancies!!!!! its just so confusing, you just don't know what to do for the best.

By the way I am 43 and my nhs consultant says my only chance of pregnancy is now donor IVF.

sorry clicked on the button twice by mistake!

Thank Buttercupbabe ? good luck with the tests

Jeddah ? I hope the biopsy goes well and that you make some headway soon That is really weird about the B6!

well I didn't do much research on agnus castus I'm afraid! just took it from end of period until ovulation and bingo. but I had had 3 children previously so I knew there was no serious underlying fertility problem. I do think it just helped to stretch my phase by a crucial day or so.

agree probably not a good idea to randomly use it if you have never been pg, regularly mc etc.
good luck

I think because I've got my ds then hopefully I can't have too much of a problem. I'm going to try and be relaxed about it and then if it comes to it try these alternatives. Out of interest princesspeahead how long was your luteal phase?

It was coming out at about 10 or 11 days

Thank you

MrsMcjnr thanks for the well wishes......and I know isn't that weird about the vitB6!

I bought agnus castis last month.... never took it.....maybe I should have??????? it would have been a darn site cheaper...than all these private consultations and tests!....I just read a few scary stories about it here on mumsnet....

Today I am 9 dpo and I find myself praying and hoping that this month is the month.....the waiting periods are just unbearable!!!!!!!

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL

I am so glad I have just found this discussion, it's really helping. I have LP of 9 days and have beent aking Vit B6 200mg and Evening Primrose Oil 2000mg per day.

Two questions - do I take both of these just up to ovulation? And what is the max I can take?

I really need your help girls!

Hi Beena - glad this thread is helping. It's also taking the worry out of my 9 day LP. Thanks all
I've also a question. If I start taking B6 50 - 100 mg would they not let me take clomid if/when i get my referal? I know that you shouldn't take agnus castus in conjunction with clomid but what about B6? I may actually post this to the clomid gang too and see if they know.

Hi buttercupbabe!

When I first started TTC I had a LP of just 7 days. Here is a list of the supplements I took.

1. Vitamin B6 - 50mg - 200mg per day (best taken with a pregnancy multivitamin, or vitamin B complex supplement)

1. Evening Primrose Oil - 2000mg per day - up to ovulation ONLY - don't take during the LP (I switch to Flax Seed Oil during my LP to ensure I am still getting my essential fatty acids and omega 3 )

1. Red Raspberry Leaf - supposed to help with your uterus lining, which can also help LP. I take 1000mm daily.

Whilst Agnus Castus can help with luteal phase defect, and a lot of women take it successfully, it is recommended to only take it under the guidance of a herbalist, and not to self-medicate with it. I did take it for a couple of months before I started on clomid, but it didn't make a difference to my LP. You should never take agnus castus with clomid.

I took clomid for 7 cycles, and during that time my OV date moved slightly earlier, and my LP extended to 12 days. However, at the end of that process we discovered that DH's sperm were not up to the job, and moved on to IVF as being the only way for us to have a child naturally. ALWAYS make sure your DH is tested alongside you, you might end up taking a lot of medication you don't need! I am now 12 weeks pg after our first ICSI cycle.

Some web sites advise taking a progesterone cream supplement for LP - I tried that and it didn't make any difference for me. However I managed to get progesterone suppositories from my fertility consultant for one cycle, and they really worked for me - I managed 17 days!!

The thing that worked best for me was the vitamin B6 - my LP grew from 7 to 10 days with that.

A 21-day progesterone test may give misleading results to someone with a short LP. I had one done, but as my AF arrived on CD23 the progesterone levels were already dropping. It did however come back with a low reading that meant we got referred to a fertility specialist. He then dismissed the results, saying what he would want was a blood test from 7 days before AF, not CD21, or 7 days post OV.

As Atilla has mentioned, I'd be very wary of having my GP prescribe clomid. It is possible to overstimulate your ovaries with it, and you should be monitored through each cycle, either with scans or with blood tests, to ensure you are not reacting adversely to it. I would recommend you get the initial tests done by your GP, and also that you get your DH checked out. If any issues are highlighted ask for a referral to a fertility consultant or gynae.

Good luck!

Hugs,
Artoo.

Hello .. happened to me too .. after DS was born

I tried supplements ... with B6 you need high dosage (between 100mg and 200mg) you have to ask for this specifically .. it takes about 6 months to build up .. there were others I took

but in the end I took clomid (as recommended by my consultant) .. low dosage (50mg) for 5 days .. conceived first cycle .. she's presently stirring the mixture for the cake sale at DS's school today (bad mummy .. I forgot)

Just so you know secondary infertility (ie 2nd time round) is a real issue
the way my consultant described it was when you are pregnant it throws your hormones up in the air .. when you are no longer pregnant they land back any which way ... so the clomid just kick-starts your system again

hth

Jeddah ? I?m not taking the B6 again yet, I want to know where I am in my cycle first as I wouldn?t want to take it post OV. I?m taking Flaxseed oil at the mo and I have stocked up for next cycle on B6 along with the EPO. Pretty sure this is not a lucky cycle for me. Fingers crossed for you. I?ll be looking out to see what happens!

Hello Beena ? I?d have to check at home on the quantities of B6 but I know that Zita West says you should take between 1500 and 3000 of EPO. She also says not to take EPO if you have high oestrogen levels already. Don?t know how we?d know that without tests but thought I?d mention it anyway. I have read that you should only take these things up until OV just in case you become pg because they could be dangerous for the foetus. I take Flaxseed oil post OV instead of the EPO.

Buttercupbabe ? sorry don?t know the answer to that

Hello Artoo ? congratulations! I didn?t know you?d got your BFP! That?s fabulous! I?ve sadly just had a MC, I was 10 weeks At the mo I am taking iron, zinc and vit c along side my pregnacare to build myself back up. I was in H&B yesterday looking at everything (very good deals in there on EPO and Flaxseed Oil by the way!) I wondered what Red Raspberry Leaf was for. Might get some of that, is that pre OV too? Does anyone know what Cranberry extract does? That was in the Ladycare section too.

Twiglett ? I?m certainly feeling how your consultant described at the moment! Haven?t got a clue what is going on.

HI all.

On the TTC no. 2 but 7 failed attempts (AF today ). LP seems to be 10 days which i'm not sure is actually that short?? I also have very heavy AF. Are these related??

Have a dr's appt. for two weeks time. but will start on the b6.

What would we do without MN.