B Vitamins for pre-AF spotting and short luteal phase.

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

Been reading a bit about B6 potentially lengthening short luteal phases and reducing spotting, thought id give it a go this cycle and stick the results on a thread in case anyone else is doing this/contemplating doing this/done this and wants share their experience....

I have 1 DC who was conceived first cycle, however my menstrual cycle is now totally different and we don't seem to be having much luck with TTC no.2. My main concern is that I seem to be spotting every month from 7/8 DPO and my luteal phase is only 12 days. From what Ive read this seems to suggest low progesterone, so thought id give the B-100 complex a go for 3 cycles and if no luck then see the GP to discuss progesterone supplements.

My cycles range between 23-28 days, OVing between CD12 and CD17 with 4-5 days of spotting from about 8DPO. I've started taking B-100 complex from CD1 this cycle and am now on CD4, hoping for at least a more regulated cycle but preferably a BFP!

[MrsRubyMonday]

I have no idea what my cycle pattern is like because from 3 years ago to 1 year ago I was having periods lasting 60-90 days at a time, off for 5-10 days and then back on again for another 60-90 days. I wasn't TTC at the time, so didn't track ovulation or anything. I got put on norethisterone to stop the bleeding and have been taking that for the last 12 months. Recently DW and I decided to try for a baby using a donor so I came off the norethisterone to see what my cycles were doing so we could decide whether I needed a specialist doctor to regulate before we found a donor. To my surprise my first period lasted six days and it's now been three weeks with no bleeding or spotting, the closest I've been to normal in years. The only change I made is adding in a multivitamin about six months ago as I was told o was b12 deficient. When I came off the norethisterone I changed to the seven seas conception vitamins and added high strength vitamin c, fish oil and an extra b12 tablet as the seven seas contain 100% of your B6 requirement but only 60% of your B12 and being deficient even on the recommended dose in my normal multivitamin, my gp was ok with me increasing slightly over the max. As this is the only change I made I feel pretty confident that this is what is regulating my cycle, although I know that an egg takes three months to mature so any changes you make should be sustained for three months to see if they have a noticeable effect. Hoping now my period comes as predicted in about a weeks time.

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

wow 90 day periods mrsruby that sounds horrendous!!! This is my third cycle since starting the B vitamins (currently on CD 5) so hoping that's enough time to work its magic with egg quality, much as im pleased with the reduced spotting and increased luteal phase the whole point was to get a BFP.

motherof its so frustrating isnt it, I know spotting and short LP in themselves doesn't prevent pregnancies but surely there are a variety of underlying causes and some of them certainly could! Are you going to give b vits a try? i would definitely recommend Vitamin C if you're not taking it already, from what I read, that was one of the few supplements that had an evidence base, I think the relatively decent trial found a statistical significance in doses of 800mg - I take 1000mg as they only seem to be sold in 500mg, 200mg and 1000mg tablets.

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

good luck eminen and RLI keep us posted, always helpful to hear about what has and hasnt worked for others.

[PineappleC]

Hi @Talking thanks for this thread, I'm going to follow too of you don't mind! Pre-pill my cycles were always 25-26 days with a bit of spotting beforehand, but after coming of the pill they were 23-24 days with spotting 3 days beforehand. I'm now taking Seven Seas TTC vits, raspberry leaf tea, Vit D and B12, and my last 2 cycles have been 26 days with no spotting, and a 12 day luteal phase. So hopefully something is working!! I still get cramps for up to a week before AF though, which isnt great!! I'm on cycle 6 atm.

Re what is cd1, I read loads on this and apparently it's the first day you see red blood, so you discount the brown spotting. Soz if this has already been said 😊

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

the more the merrier pineapple sounding very positive at your end, please keep us posted and fingers crossed this is your month (and mine!).

I had been told the CD1 is the first day of 'full flow', so for example I had red blood in my 2 days of spotting this cycle, but didnt count CD1 until it it had properly 'kicked in' if you know what i mean? all a bit confusing, i will check with my GP again as im having progesterone tests which are obviously measured (retrospectively) against when your next period starts.

[Amanda81]

Hi @TalkingIntoTheEther - reading your posts with interest. I too have a short LP (11 days) and am wondering if that's what my beans aren't sticking. Have an appointment with a consultant in a few weeks where the testing starts to see what's going on, and will ask about vit B etc. I have previously been diagnosed with low phosphate levels, but not sure if I still have these. Vit D levels where fine at the time.

[Amanda81]

Should also say that I have recently started spotting before AF, this only started after my first miscarriage.

[funtimespeople]

I have a really short LP 7-10 days. I took b vits which helped although had two miscarriages between my second successful pregnancy 8 first. I stopped taking the vitamins as panicked they were doing harm. So I would continue to take the vitamins for a while post positive. I have hyperemesis in pregnancy and was recommended vit B ironically.

Interestingly my pregnancy with DD had lots of bleeding and my progesterone levels showed a 'non-viable' pregnancy in the early weeks but turned out fine thankfully.

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

sorry to hear about your miscarriage amanda the pre-AF spotting after pregnancy seems to be relatively common (or so it seems from my obsessive googling), I had never had it before DD. Ive also read about women that had it their whole life until they got pregnant, and then pregnancy seemed to 'reset' it. Wish there was a manual reset on my pituitary gland or something!

Please let us know what your consultant says (although i understand they are usually pretty dismissive of supplements), hope you get some answers.

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

hi funtimes

that sounds like a really nerve wracking pregnancy! Yes i had read about B vits being prescribed for extreme MS, and at pretty high doses too, thats one of the things that reassures me about taking it if/when i get a BFP.

Are you TTC again?

[funtimespeople]

It was very stressful, especially after two previous mc's. Luckily I'm done with babies now as too old and tired!

My LP has lengthened again since my periods returned though I'm still breastfeeding so that may have something to do with it but it had been getting shorter and shorter in my 30's.

[Charlotte9876]

@TalkingIntoTheEther thanks for this thread, I've just stumbled across it - lots of useful info

@RLI1105 it sounds like we are in very similar positions. I also came of the pill in Jan, have had two full cycles since in which I'm ovulating late but with only a 10 day LP. My cycles are longer, the first was 37 days, the second 35. I'm hoping they'll continue getting shorter. While the TWW doesn't last two weeks, the wait for my next fertile time seems to take forever! Let me know how things carry on for you - I've started taking pregnacare this month as read that often ppl lack B vits after a long time on the pill

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

update - I got my BFP this cycle, although very early days as am not yet officially late for AF.

Just to recap, this was my third cycle taking B vitamins (B50 complex which has 50mg B6 and 50mg B12 amongst other things at varying doses). It was also my second month taking Vitamin C (1000mg chewable tablets from boots, however i would not recommend chewing them as they are gross).

The first cycle my luteal phase lengthened by a couple of days but i still had 5 days spotting. The second cycle my luteal phase remained the same as the previous one but i only had 2 days spotting. The third cycle i got my BFP!

Obviously could be a coincidence, but thought i would add my story to the cannon of b vitamin success tales (although vitamin C might have played a part).

Anyway, good luck to everyone reading!

[Amanda81]

Amazing news @TalkingIntoTheEther - congratulations!!!!! I am wishing you a healthy and happy pregnancy. Please do keep us updated.

Will you continue to take the supplements now that you are pregnant?

I have started taking the B complex vitamin and vitamin C a week ago. Fingers crossed it will help with the LP and spotting.

[MotherOfShihTzus]

@TalkingIntoTheEther oh my gosh! Amazing news congrats! And thank you for the breakdown; I've just ordered vit b complex, and taken 1 of my partners' 1000mg vit c tabs :) best of luck to everyone else! X

[StarlightIntheNight]

Just curious do you take the vitamin C tablets and B vitamins on top of a all around pregnancy vitamin?

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

thanks everyone!

amanda yes i think i will continue, 50mg is above the recommended daily dose but also Drs can prescribe up to 100mg B6 for morning sickness, so i am well under that. I have read about women miscarrying when they stopped, so think i will continue until 12 weeks - at the point i believe the placenta takes over so a drop in my progesterone levels wont matter so much. Ive got an appointment with my GP at the end of the month as you cant self-refer to midwives in my area, so will probaby speak to her about it then, although i have read research (decent research!) that found no link between B6 and abnormalities/miscarriage so cant really see the harm in continuing.

starlight no i just take the vit C and B complex (it has the recommended dose of folic acid among other stuff). I believe you could combine the pregnancy vitamins an b complex, but i think as i eat a pretty healthy diet im probably ok, only think i was probably lacking in was B12 as Im vegetarian.

Good luck to you mother some people do better on B100 but that was too strong for me i think, gave me a weird twitch and near constant headaches! i do wonder if it was actually the Vitamin C that did it though, its the only one that has a decent evidence base, who cares which works the magic if it ends in BFP though i guess?!?

[RLI1105]

I just wanted to add my own update to this thread!

I came off the mini-pill at the end of the December and started properly tracking my cycles in February which revealed I have a luteal phase of 10 days.
I followed this thread and started taking B complex and Vitamin C as well as my pregnacare vitamins.
Anyway, last month was out first actively TTC and I'm pregnant!

It's obviously very early days - I'm 5 weeks on Saturday - but all my tests have been dark and a getting darker so there seems to be no implantation issues.
I plan on taking the vitamins until, all going well, I'm 12 weeks.

@TalkingIntoTheEther How are you getting on?

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

Congrats RLI that's great news! And thanks for adding your experience to the thread.

Im getting on fine, still taking the B50 and must say ive had absolutely no nausea (compared to when i was pregnant with DD this feels like a miracle as i was sick from before i got my BFP at 4 weeks). I guess it could be coincidence, although B6 is prescribed for morning sickness so who knows.

[TheChineseChicken]

Ha ha for this thread. Struggling to conceive DC2 and had spotting before period last two cycles. Have bought B50 and vit c so let's see if it helps!

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

Good luck chinesechicken let us know how you get on.

[TheChineseChicken]

That was obviously meant to say thanks for this thread...

[kittycat01]

Great thread. I am going to try this no cycle if still no luck. I don't have a problem conceiving, I just have a problem keeping them so will definitely give this a go! Good luck ladies. x

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

good luck kitycat fingers crossed for you.

[TheChineseChicken]

So I got a BFP this morning. Not sure if it was to do with the supplements but if so - thank you! Should I continue taking them?