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

OH MY GOD 😱 I actually can't believe it. This is cycle #9 and I've had an average LP of 8 days.

Omg @wearenotyourkind this is so amazing to see. I have everyrhing crossed that this is a sticky and healthy wee bean. My luteal phase is 8/9 days so this gives me hope ❤️

Was there anything you did differently this month? Congratulations xxx

Congratulations @Wearenotyourkind it’s so good to hear positive stories.
AF arrived for me today, absolutely gutted, LP of 11 days this time, which isn’t horrendous but obviously would like it longer.
I think I might start taking Agnus Castus. I’ve looked on amazon but it’s a minefield. What mg do people take? It varies loads! Also do you take them for the full cycle?

Thank you! @Proseccoprincess33 and @Natt99 I am still shaking and can't actually believe it.

I was 100% convinced that AF was coming. On Friday 8DPO I had cramps and felt emotional and really down, classic PMT stuff. I was fully prepared for AF to arrive on Saturday, which would have been another LP of 8 days. On Saturday 9DPO I had spotting, cramps and still felt blue. I put a pad in thinking that this was AF showing her face. By the end of the day, there was nothing on the pad and only spots when wiping - also watery/stretchy/thin CM. Still no AF yesterday at 10DPO and nothing this morning, so I took a test. My first ever test as with such a short LP I've never needed to before! So I guess my spotting at 9DPO was an implantation bleed, which I really thought was a MN myth!

I've been taking Agnus Castus for about 3 months now. I was also taking EPO and vit B, but ran out of those a few weeks ago. And I got my husband on Zinc and Co-Enzyme Q-10. No idea if any of this made any difference though!

We DTD on days 17, 18, 19 - I had a positive OPK on CD18, so probably ovulated on day 19. This is the first time we've managed to DTD 3 days in a row. We've also been using pre seed since we started TTC 9 months ago.

Just for info - I'm 34 and my husband is 39.

Praying it sticks and gives hope to others in the short LP gang 💗

Thank you @Nat4392 I took AC for the last 3 months or so - 400mg in the morning and again in the evening. I don't know if it helped at all. I also bought Soya Isoflavones to try next cycle!

These ones:

Sorry, forgot to add, only take up until ovulation. Sorry to hear about AF. I absolutely get it. Sending love 💕

Thanks @Wearenotyourkind I’ll order some now. Worth a try at least!

@Wearenotyourkind that's amazing news congratulations!!! 🥰 keeping all my fingers crossed for you, hopefully that means you might be in the Dec 2020 group with me 🤞🏻

Thanks for asking after my surgery, I had it on the 9th and all went well. I had to have conscious/awake surgery because they wouldn't sedate me with being pregnant, so that was a pretty scary experience, but I'm well on the mend now.

So chuffed for you honestly xxx

Thank you so much @CooperLooper 💗 I actually still can't believe. I felt like maybe it just wasn't meant to happen. Glad hear you're recovering from surgery. Take things easy! And hoping all is okay with the pregnancy? 💕

@Wearenotyourkind so pleased for you honestly. So far I think so, I've got an early reassurance scan booked for couple of weeks time when I'm 7+3 just for peace of mind and to check for viability 🤞🏻🥰 x

Amazing @CooperLooper - yours is definitely going to be one tough little bean 🤞🏻🤞🏻 I'll come find the Due in December thread in a few days xx

@Wearenotyourkind my Agnus Castus just arrived, just reading the pack and it specifically says not to take if you are trying to get pregnant?

Hi @Nat4392 yes I think they all do say that as it's really technically for use to treat PMT. Do some research and make a decision that's right for you. But only take up until ovulation.

@Wearenotyourkind I figured since many people take them when TTC they mustn’t be that bad, going to start taking them today. Thanks for your advice x

I started taking just one a day but then upped it to two after a month. I took from CD1 up until a positive ovulation test. Wishing you all the luck xx

I’m going to start taking one a day this cycle then and see how it goes, fingers crossed 🤞🏻 Thanks for your help, hope your pregnancy is a smooth one xx

@Wearenotyourkind im so happy for you that's a really strong positive. It gives me so much hope as i really cant imagine it happening for me. I always right myself off as soon as I spot so maybe i shouldn't.

Im so confused this cycle. Always ovulate day 18 and on day 18 I had really strong positive OPKs which was this sunday the 19th. Today i have spotting like i usually do before my period. I did have quite a dark OPK on the 11th but no where near a positive but that was my first day testing so maybe it was on its way down then. Ive never ovulated on CD 10. I took seven seas conception tablets this cycle so maybe it was them but doesnt explain my positive OPK on the 19th. I also took evening primrose oil is that meant to make u ovulate earlier? Xx

Thank you so much @Trying2019 I'm still in complete shock. I was convinced my LP would be a problem and was so worried about it since I started tracking. It just shows how little we actually know about our bodies. Sending you all the luck 🤞🏻🤞🏻 hang in there xx

Congratulations on the bfps! Wishing you both an easy pregnancy it gives me hope that I might not struggle as much as I'm assuming I will.

How's everyone else getting on? I'm at peak ovulation today of what I guess works out as cycle 5 (since using opks that is and missing the month I was too sick to move, let alone BD!) and I feel oddly hopeful! Which is a little concerning as I try to stay neutral so as not to be let down if it doesn't happen if that makes sense? Fingers crossed for the positive test in 10 days!. The upside to a short LP is also a short 2WW I guess right? Haha
I tried to up my prenatal vitamins this cycle, I've been a bit complacent as the months have gone on but really tried to miss less days this time. I've also started upping my exercise - just trying to get my 10k steps a day as that's fallen off the radar since lockdown and we've also started eating better again- this is another thing lockdown had a negative affect on when it first all happened.

Sorry for the ramble just needed to talk about where I was at! Fingers crossed this is the cycle for everyone still trying!

Hello @sausageface I hope you are well. Great you are feeling positive. Here hoping this month is for you 😊 I am cd3 so af got me on Monday and I had a wee cry and I'm okay again. I'd love a 10 day lp but my bleeding starts on 9dpo. I'm getting my day 3 bloods done tomorrow and my 21 day bloods this month to see if there is anything they can see is causing short lp.

I suspect its low progesterone but I know GPS are v reluctant to prescribe progesterone and I'm not sure that fertility clinics will privately but if it is low I'll try my best to get hold of it somehow 😊

I totally agree about the benefit of short lp is the shorter tww, haha. I ovulate like cd17 so I always find the first part of cycle drags so much 🙄 I am also upping my exercise and have reduced alcohol intake. Lock down has def made me care less about overall health so I need to address that if I want to get my bfp.

This month I'm having a bit of a 'will it ever happen' time but think lock down and lack of ability to paln anything is getting to me.

Sorry for my ramble, apparently I needed to talk also lol

Hi all,

So glad I found this forum. I just joined mumsnet because I was starting to get a bit lonely ttc. Here's a bit about my situation:

• I'm 32, TTC #1
• Cycle 7 although only 5 actively ttc and tracking OV.
• Luteal phase has recently only been 8 days.
• Ovulation CD17-18, Cycle length is currently average 26 days but the past few months I start with spotting on CD 25 or 26.

I've been taking vit B6 along with prenatals and bought agnus castus but wasn't sure if I should try it yet. I have the drops if anyone has any advice on how and when to take it.

I know it hasn't been very long for me but when AF came a few days ago I cried my eyes out because I felt like I never even had a chance again if I ovulated on day 17/18 and started bleeding on day 26. My LP was 9-11 days but the past few months it has been around 8. I called my GP yesterday who is great but she just said there is nothing they can do right now, I thought maybe she could prescribe progesterone but she said there is nothing she could prescribe. Is prescribing progesterone not the done thing in the UK?

Some of your stories are really giving me hope, @Wearenotyourkind congratulations on your BFP and thanks for sharing, I hope you are doing well.

Thank you so much @KateMCL I think I'm still in shock! Please don't lose hope. I honestly felt like it was never going to happen for us. I'm 5+4 now, but whatever happens, I at least know I can get pregnant 💗💗💗💗

@KateMCL hello. Omg it is like reading about myself except I am 33. I ovulate exact same day 16/17 and af comes cd25/26 and I too burst out crying this month. I tried progesterone cream this month and it gave me like half a day extra which isn't great. I am CD 3 today so I went and got my day 3 bloods done. I also plan to get my day 21 bloods done for progesterone too.

I suspect low progesterone to be my issue but not sure they will do much about it from everything I have read. I am too scared to try AC as I read so many peoples stories of it messing their cycle. My cycles have only just become regular past few months after coming of bc in Nov.

Have you had any bloods done? If my prog comes back low and gp won't give prog I am going to pay privately and see if a private clinic will. That is of anything ever opens again with this pandemic.

Sorry for rant. I wish you all the baby dust this cycle xx

So nice to chat with people in nearly identical situations! I'm 32 and trying for our first. It's such a rollercoaster of emotions isn't it! Im fine most days, then I get AF, cry that it'll never happen, I'm getting too old etc etc and then by cd2 I'm generally back to my positive thinking. My own mother told me I was running out of time the other week!!

My hopeful mood dropped a bit this month when we didn't BD as much as I would of liked due DH had some stresses that meant he just wasn't feeling it. I struggle with that (I am running out of time after all! Haha) at the same time as appreciating that it shouldn't take priority over other aspects life. Such a hard balance though isn't it! Do you guys face similar issues?