Short luteal phase - anything to try?

[PeterPipersPepper]

I am going into my third cycle of trying for my second child. I have a short luteal phase - in my first month, I got a positive ovulation test on day 17 (so assume I ovulated day 18) in a 27 day cycle, and last month I got a positive test on day 18 (so assume a day 19 ovulation) in a 28 day cycle.

I am taking 50mg vitamin B6 each day but think I will up this to 100mg. Has anyone tried any other supplements?

Seed cycling might help too?
Google it because I don't want to tell you the wrong seeds but apparently you take seeds every day A & B pre ovulation and seeds C & D post ovulation

My LP was consistently 9 days for years. I tried B6, B vitamin complex, Maca root, Agnus Castus, Coenzyme Q10 (I'm over 40). Nothing worked for me until I started progesterone cream that I brought (the GP was adamant that a short LP wasn't a problem), boom, worked first month I used it

Thank you @Boobahs where did you get the cream?!

Hoping there is good news for you soon @Positivity2019 I’m also a bit scared of Agnus Castus.

I would go to the doctor to ask about being prescribed progesterone

Hi, I had a very short luteal phase of 4-5 days! I knew it was this short as I was tracking ovulation using opks and temping.
A short luteal phase can be a result of too much exercise, I think this was the case for me as I was a keen runner and into high intensity workouts. I was of a healthy weight but just doing too much can your putting stress on your body and cause stress hormones to affect reproductive hormones.
Stress hormones can cause poor ovulation which is where clinic can help. I was going to be prescribed this to help and told to cut way back on the exercise. I never took it as I fell pregnant with my DD who is 8 months after 9 months of trying. I'm now 18 weeks with my DS, the result of 1 month of trying.
Best of luck to you xx

I got mine from Amazon years ago, but I don't think they sell it anymore. I got my second tub from eBay, it was the Swanson 97% menogest progesterone cream, it took me a while to pluck up the courage to use it as it's an hormonal thing and I was scared to muck stuff up! If you do get pregnant, you have to use it until you're about 12-14 weeks to help prevent miscarrying due to a dip so make sure you don't run out!

That’s great @gossipgirl28. Did your luteal phase go completely back to a normal level just dropping the exercise? I don’t do enough for it to be a problem but it’s interesting to know

Thanks @ellenpartridge my understanding is I need to try for six months first but if anyone thinks this is incorrect please let me know

Thanks for the info @Boobahs sounds like something which needs proper thinking about!

Yes, I researched it for a long time beforehand and knew my cycles inside out after tracking for years. My GP wasn't prepared to listen to me even after showing him my cycles and time was against me so I had to try it! For people wanting to track their cycles, I highly recommend paying for the premium membership on the Fertility Friend app. I tried several different sites but none of them were as accurate as that one. They sometimes cut the price, it seemed to correspond with a period of checking in every day and then them offering you a discount. Well, that's how it happened for me twice!

The cream I'd be intrigued to try. But it does seem scary self diagnosing and trying it.

Thank you @Boobahs downloading the app now! I have been using Ovia

I've just looked up the Swanson one. It does only contain natural ingredients?

It says to only use some weeks though. Did you use it every day of the month? @Boobahs

Ovia was useless for me. A lot of apps just guess at your ovulation date, but I used to ovulate late (I used ovulation sticks and recorded my BBT religiously) and then have a short LP so they were never any good. I honestly had that cream in the drawer for months and months before I plucked up the courage to use it
I only used it for one month and it worked but I used it from ovulation onwards to stop the dip that causes your period to come and then carried on every day until I was 16-17 weeks to give the placenta chance to take over.

Obviously if you can get some progesterone treatment from your GP, that would be better but I didn't have that option.

Thank you @Boobahs maybe I will give it one more month and then buy some. Appreciate your advice.

No problem, fingers crossed for you! My friend had a short LP but spotted for days beforehand and she had 4 miscarriages, but B6 worked wonders for her and she's now got a 4 month old. Just be aware that you need to take a B vitamin complex with it too. Baby dust to everyone trying!

I didn’t know that about taking the vitamin complex too - is what’s in my prenatal vitamin not enough? Thanks for all the info!

Are you charting your temperature Peter ?

I’m just doing the sticks - do I need to do temperature as well?

To be honest the temp can be a bit of a spiral into craziness!! The ovulation sticks are prob enough, I was just wondering.

Yes @Pinkerpellosa there’s a fine balance between doing all you can and driving yourself mad isn’t there!

Sorry @Boobahs forgot to tag you for my b vitamin complex question above - thank you!

@PeterPipersPepper To be honest, I'm not sure. I wasn't taking a pre-natal vitamin though, just folic acid, B6 and the complex (along with Maca root, etc..) I think as long as you're getting the RDA you should be ok.

I know that temping can become obsessive, but it's really the only way to know for sure if you've ovulated or not. You can get several peaks on ovulation strips throughout your cycle and not always ovulate. Just something to think about doing in a couple of months if it hasn't happened for you. Good luck!