Short Luteal Phase Gang!

[Beau20]

I started a thread a while ago asking for success stories but now I would love to get all the girls together who are struggling to conceive with their short Luteal Phase!

Here's a little bit about me -

TTC #1
Cycle 7
28 years old
Luteal phase average 9-10 days longest being 11 days.
Ovulation CD17-18 cycles 26-28 days long

I have had 2 pregnancies before (both termination please no flaming) both conceived without even trying, one with my current partner of 6 years. I also had a chemical in January. My last contraception was Nexplanon for 1 year and before that I was on the pill for 10 years or so (which was when I conceived previous). I have been taking 50mg sertraline for 6 months then 100mg sertraline for 6 months after that and have just stopped completely today. This is the only thing I have been doing differently since I conceived last time so part of me thinks this may affect fertility.

I'd love to hear about everyone else's journey! x

Ewcm after ov doesn't always mean estrogen dominance but even if it does it is easily fixable. If you find after a few cycles lp is still short and you're getting ewcm after ov then you could make an appt to get bloods done 7 days after ov to see what your prog is like and get the day 3 bloods done as they measure fsh, lh and estrogen.

But hopefully your cycles settle without need for bloods. I remember always reading about people catching first month off the pill and I was sitting at day 45 ready to kill someone as my af has disappeared and I thought the witch was never coming back.... Ah good times. Keep me posted on how this cycle goes xx

@Proseccoprincess33 thanks for the advice ☺️ Oh gosh I know! I first joimed up here when I came off the pill and so many women seemed to catch literally days after stopping 🙈 If I have a normal luteal phase my app is saying this cycle will be 49 days! It's hard wondering why you're one of the ones that struggle Post Pill, but hopefully things will be looking better from here on. I most certainly will ☺️ Let me know how your scan goes too! Xxx

The vitamin B6 has helped so much with my PMS I had such sore boobs and mood swings previous cycles and this cycle I have been completely fine so thank you to everyone who recommended this as it’s defiantly helped with that side of things. Waiting to see what happens with my luteal phase currently on 6dpo 🤗 x

Awww @Molly3456 I'm delighted to hear that. 🤞 For a longer lp xxx

Got my period exactly CD28 this month, with spotting only the day before; massive improvement over last three or four cycles. I took b complex first half of cycle, and then added b6 and b12 second half of cycle (taking b complex only every other day or so). Also had LH spike CD13 instead of CD12, but I am not sure if one day is a huge difference; my (suspected) ovulation had been fairly regular this whole time, just not the luteal phase!

Still unsure whether it is coincidence or the b vitamins though! I also had my second blood test yesterday so now waiting for GP to call with results and hopefully to get a scan. (My GP has never spoken about day 21 blood tests, which is what everyone on here is talking about. The first test was just any random day during my cycle, which happened to be CD14, and the second test had to be within first 5 days of my period, which I had on CD2).

My own prediction would be that the bloods come back normal again and that the issue is indeed cysts/thin endometrium (which I personally still think happened/got worse because I came off the pill after 15 years). Just can't wait to get to the bottom of it and get whatever it is sorted!

I never had any issues with my contraceptive pill. Was good for my skin, did not affect weight, mood, whatever; I never thought that coming off it would be such a problem! At least not after my periods came back straight away.

Thanks for your update @AnonymousXXIX hope you get your results soon and that they can help you workout what's going on.

That's great that the b vitamin complex helped. I may add that in this cycle - I tried last cycle along with vitamin C, but I found one, or both of them, gave me bladder irritation, made me feel like I was getting a UTI! So I stopped but will try again. I think I'm 7DPO (my chart is a bit all over the place) but I have super sensitive nipples which for me means AF will be here soon.

I'm only three cycles off the pill and feeling super frustrated already. Interesting that you say that you never had any issues on the pill, were on it for 15 years and that your periods came back right away, as I am kind of similar. No issues either, on it for 13/14 years, got my first AF CD30 after stopping. My periods have been really light though and so far I suspect I either haven't been ovulating, or I have but with a reallllly short luteal phase, cycles have been getting longer too, last one was 37 days, this time I'm currently on CD43! X

I also had no issues on 9 years on the pill and got my period 8 weeks after coming off it
I now have a 10 day LP and repeateded chemicals. Issues I never had when conceiving my two children before starting this pill
I’ll never go on it again!

What’s b complex? I’m on 50mg b6 is that ok? X

Hello ladies, I have just started taking Angus Castus for my short luteal phase (8-9 days). For those who take it, would you mind sharing what dosage you are on? I bought mine from Holland and Barrett and have seen write ups that the dose is too low to see an impact so I was contemplating taking two tablets at a time. Fingers crossed they will make a difference!

Well so far the past few cycles I have always had a bit of spotting on 8dpo which is today... and nothing so far. So I'm hoping AF doesn't show untill another couple of days(or not at all would be even better) and my LP has got longer 🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽this is after taking vitamin B complex.

@Boc86 some people take the b Complex and the b6.... I just took the b6 50mgs and it seemed to help.

Hello @Bertyb7 and welcome. I am sorry to hear you too suffer from short lp....😔 In relation to AC I am sorry I have no experience of it. Maybe some of the other ladies would know.

As I have said in my last few posts it was cyclogest (prog) that worked for me. I paid for a private consultation and asked for it. Colsultant did not think it would make a difference but it very clearly did. If you can get day 21 bloods done to test prog levels and if that is issue you know what you are dealing with 😊

@blossom428 let's hope this cycle is your cycle and if not that your luteal phase has lengthened. Keep us posted. Xx

@Proseccoprincess33 how long did you wait till you went to see a private doctor?

I've had a big temp drop this morning to below the cover line- so I'm presuming AF will turn up at some point today now.
I'm not even getting up to the stage where I can take a pregnancy test, because of short LP- no point taking one before 9dpo!

@blossom428 I came off pill in Nov and by Feb things had settled. I had a cp in Feb, I suspect as a result of my short lp. Then my march cycle was a bit haywire. I then asked gp for day 21 bloods but they got cancelled due to covid and I had to wait another 4 weeks. All the private places shut their doors so I was stuck. Once I got bloods back my prog was 13.3 at 6dpo. Way too low, but gp insisted it was fine 🙄 so I kept trying to contact the private clinics and got registered with them whilst waiting for appts to resume. Eventually they did and I got consultation. He offered to give me prog if I wanted it but didn't think it would make any difference..... 🙄 First month on it bfp after trying from Dec! I don't think that is a coincidence but he would prob say it was....!

So in answer to your question I waited until June (6/7 months) but only because I was forced to. After a few cycles of an 8 or 9 max lp I knew I needed support. I would have had an appt in April if I could have. Months of heart ache when my af would roll in usually 8dpo.... I know how awful it is so you have my sympathies.

Get your prog checked but don't expect gp to do anything. Once you get results get appt with consultant lined up would be my advice xx

Thank you for all that information... very helpful!

Will my Gp just do my bloods then if I ask? I'll just have to explain my situation.

I'm getting a tiny bit of brown spotting right now, which on my last 3 months I have had on 8dpo. Still no actual AF fully though. But I've had a lot of cramping.
I feel the vitamin B has pushed it on a day, as before i has spotting at 8dpo. But still no where near 12 days.

How are you feeling with everything?

No problem @blossom428. Yeah gp will do bloods no problem. Just say you are ttc and have been trying a while (lie a bit on length) and would like to get get hormone tests done in particular day 21 bloods. So you'd be going 6 or 7 days past ov. That's what I did and got 13.3 as result. Most forums I was on said you need a result over 30 to sustain a pregnancy. But a result over 10 indicates you did ovulate. So 13.3 was pretty bad.

I did bbt and my temp would rise so I knew I was ovulating but as soon as I reached 7 or 8 dpo my temp would just plummet and bam af would arrive. Its just so rotten.

I mean you can conceive with a short lp but you are relying on early implantation and could be missing opportunities.

Some consultants recognise short lp and will prescribe prog or clomid or both. As clomid can produce a stronger ovulation which can in turn result in more prog being produced in luteal phase.

I am doing okay thank you. Still hugely nervous and don't think I'll settle until after I have an assurance scan and hopefully everything is okay 😊 I got 3 plus on cb tests at wkend so no more testing which is good but also scary as the tests reassurance you also. You'd think once you get a bfp you'd be on cloud 9.....😂😂😂

Good luck and let me know how you get on please 🍀🍀🍀

Still hopeful af won't show for you 🙏🤞🙏 xx

@proseccoprincess33 aw glad things are going well. Im still waiting for my first fertility appointment, looking like sept now. Desperate to get some progesterone to help after hearing your success. Please do keep us updated

@blossom428 I think agnus cactus should be at least 100mg. Its apparenty half the strength of clomid which you normally get 50mg of to begin with. There's lots of threads on here. It should only be taken 5 days and you start on different days depending on what you want to achieve in terms of your eggs. That's as far as my knowledge goes though sorry x

Thanks @Whilstwewait I think it was @Bertyb7 who asked about the AC.... so see the comment below 😊

Thanks @Proseccoprincess33 I'll see what happens today and then I may phone the doctor once AF starts and get something booked in. Very helpful ☺️☺️ so happy there are these threads about! Full of supportive ladies x

@Proseccoprincess33 I thought I would update you as I think I'm currently 12DPO ☺️ I had a BFN this morn, but at least it does look like my luteal phase has sorted itself out on my third cycle off the pill xx

12dpo, no sign of AF and temp still high... that is a good sign @MintGreenLife - at least like you say to show your LP has increased. There is still time for a BFP!!

@Blossom428 awh thanks, well I guess you never know! I kind of counted myself out this morn. Will be interesting to see what my temp is doing tomorrow x

Got my opk peak today so ovulating tomorrow
Then got my 7DPO (cd21) bloods next Tuesday
What numbers should they be?
I know I always ovulate because I feel it very strongly and get positive opks

Should the progesterone number be the same if you fall pregnant or not?

@whilstwewait thank you. I will definitely keep you posted. Shame your appt is not until Sept but I am excited that things are moving forward for you and that you'll get the prog you need 😊🙏

@blossom428 you're so welcome. If it wasn't for the ladies in these forums I wouldn't be where I am now. Knowledge is power 💪

@MintGreenLife that is a great looking chart. I'm so glad your lp has increased 🙏 You're not out until af shows! Even if she does you know your lp is a good length and so hopefully your bfp will be coming really soon 🤞

@Boc86 that's great news on bloods. I read that anything over 10 shows you ovulate. But you know you ovulate anyway as sadly you have experienced cps 😔 so you would be looking for a number around 30. At 7 dpo most people would not have had implantation yet so prog levels should be the same with or without conception. At 7 dpo women are roughly half way through lp so it should be at its highest. Mine was 13. 3 and was obvs dropping as af came the next day, so although I had an initial rise mine prog was dropping too quickly. Also if prog doesn't get high enough then lining of womb won't thicken enough for implantation. It's such an important wee hormone. Let us know how you get on with bloods 🤞🤞

@Proseccoprincess33 thanks so much ☺️ Hope you're getting on OK since your BFP? Xx

Thank you @Proseccoprincess33 that’s really interesting
I’m on aspirin too so really hoped that’s ensured a good blood flow to build the lining x

@MintGreenLife I am thank you. Still v nervous and scared to get too excited but so far I feel okay. Bit tired, boobs a bit achey, no real nausea but upset tum a few days and my skin is so spotty, all in all very glamorous 😂

@Boc86 no problem. Keep us posted on your results. I have heard good things about aspirin for those who suffer repeated cps/mcs so that's great you're on that. I know your gp had suggested it so 🤞 that does the trick 🙏