Anyone been to GP about short luteal phase or low progesterone?

[LillyLeaf]

I've always worried I have low progesterone due to my short luteal phase. Last year my shortest was 7 days, I've seemed to have increased it to 10/11 days over the year I've been TTCing. I had my 21 day bloods done last year which showed I ovulate and I also temp so I'm ovulating fine, but it seems the progesterone drops too early which will never support implantation. I'm sat here at 9dpo with cramps and expecting AF any second.

My question is has anyone been to their GP about this and managed to get treatment?

I saw a gynecologist following an early a miscarriage at 5 1/2 weeks and was prescribed progesterone based on the fact that my levels on at 21 days were 'a bit low' and that I also had other symptoms like several days of brown spotting prior to period, low basal body temperature, and pre-period migraines. I live in another European country though where they are far happier to hand out prescriptions and you generally get a lot more gynecological care. I would check out the full list of low progesterone symptoms and make a list of everything that applies to support your request, including your temping records.

Also, the 21-day test is only right if you have a standard length 28-day cycle - mine varied from 25-27 days so my levels were tested on days 18, 20 and 21 to get a more accurate understanding of how they were changing.

I got pregnant the first month I started on progesterone and am now almost at the end of my first trimester - I'll keep taking it until 12 weeks. Obviously that could just be a coincidence though.

I think you should find out whether you can be referred to an NHS fertility clinic. there are usually criteria over who can be referred set by your ccg. Your GP can advise you if you can be referred.

I doubt a GP would personally prescribe for short luteal phase as it is a specialist area, unless you were lucky to see a GP with particular experience in this area.

I was prescribed progesterone for a short LP (TTC 3 years) I also took B6 and Agnus castus which did help lengthen it to 10 or 11 days. Even on progesterone I'd start bleeding after 10 dpo! You'd need your GP to refer you ideally to a gynae. I'm back in the same situation again after coming off the pill, 23 day cycles with a 10/11 day LP, which is long enough to support implantation but I'd prefer it a bit longer!

@Lilyleaf may I ask how do you know your progesterone drops too quickly? I’m all new into basal temp charting. I’ve been checking my temp the past 5 days (period due today) but temperatures are always at 36.40 to 36.80 (increasing trend and no drop).

@LeeMiller congrats. Thanks for the info. I'm pretty sure my 21 day bloods were taken at the wrong time.

I have a fertility appointment in June so I'll talk to them about it, although it seems they go straight to IVF rather than 'fix' problems but we'll see.

@Smoothieyummy my temps start to drop from as early as 5-10 dpo, so it's just not long enough for implantation specially when implantation can be as late as 12dpo. If your temps are increasing then that's great.

Thanks @LillyLeaf! Maybe you can persuade them to prescribe you progesterone while on the waiting list for IVF, I don't think it's a costly treatment for the NHS, and certainly not compared to IVF. The problem with progesterone is that the evidence is mixed and doctors have very different opinions on it. Mine took the approach that it couldn't hurt. A friend in London requested and was refused progesterone based on the PROMISE trial showing no benefits - however, that study was about recurrent miscarriage (not specifically linked to progesterone levels), so if you have results and/or symptoms showing that your progesterone levels are low it's a different case and should be taken seriously.

The 21-day bloods should be 7 days after ovulation to get a proper reading, I think. Basically, though, you need a gynecologist (or probably even better a reproductive endocrinologist), most GPs aren't specialists in this area. Good luck!