3 Day Luteal Phase?! Help :(

[MintGreenLife]

Hi everyone,

I'm just reaching out to see if anyone has experience of this or any advice.

As you can see from the subject, I've just experienced a 3 day luteal phase! I didn't even know it was that possible for it to be so crazy short.

This was my second cycle off the pill, and I've read now in two books and online that you can expect a short luteal phase post-pill, but I didn't expect it to be that short!

This cycle was crazy anyway - 37 days with ovulation on CD34. I confirmed ovulation with OPKs and a temp spike, but in total I had three LH surges, starting from CD20, again on CD25 and then finally got a positive OPK on CD33. I felt awful during the almost two weeks that my body was trying to ovulate, from what I understand oestrogen builds up until it reaches a certain threshold and triggers LH to trigger ovulation, so I must have had really high oestrogen levels for a while.

As soon as I ovulated my nipples were agony. I wasn't tracking my last cycle, but I recall I got EWCM for two days followed by sore nipples, followed by AF a few days later, so does very much appear that the same thing happened last month too.

From my research the sore nipples and short luteal phase means low progesterone, and an oestrogen dominance, which makes sense.

I was wondering if anyone found something similar from coming off the pill and if it regulated itself? I've just started taking pregnacare as of a few days ago as read that you can have serious vitamin deficiencies when coming off the pill, specifically the b vitamins which can throw your hormones out of whack, so am going to start taking a vitamin b complex too.

Any experiences/advice would be much appreciated xx

Sounds like your body is taking time to adjust post pill. I think some women experience low progesterone after finishing birth control. Can you remember if you had cycles like this pre pill?

Thanks so much for your reply :)

I don't think so no, it's hard to recall as I was 18 when I went on the pill (now 31) and was on the pill all that time. I've read issues post pill with hormone relation etc is more common in women that have been on it 10+ years. To be honest I felt like it wasn't working for me for quite some time as I experienced next to no sex drive for the last few years on the pill, which is also a symptom of low progesterone (and sex drive hasn't returned yet).

I guess the fact that my luteal phase was only three days has freaked me out a bit as I was mentally preparing myself for it being short, but I didn't think it would be that short! Before the pill I actually had very heavy periods, and my first post pill (after breakthrough bleed) AF was very light - more brown spotting. Today it's bright red and am getting some mild cramps, which I didn't get at all last time, so maybe that's a step in the right direction x

@DoctorBambino x

I hope it starts to move in the right direction for you. I was on the pill for a similar length of time and have now been off it for 4 cycles. I would say my last cycle was more like a normal period than the previous ones. On the pill I was pretty much just getting spotting in the end. I also had pretty minimal libido over the last few years but it has come back this cycle 🤭

I've read that taking pregnacare conceive plus sometimes regulates cycles, could be worth a look into to see if that extends your luteal phase.

Well that sounds encouraging. I feel ok about the idea of it taking a few cycles to get back on track and I'm sure it is the pill causing the problems. Great that you found your libido came back and that you seem to be having a normal AF now ☺️

I've actually just started taking Pregnacare Conviece as I read the same, will look at the difference with the Plus option though. Am going to take a B6 Complex this cycle and vit c too as apparently these can help also. Am completely cutting out alcochol (haven't had a single drink in a month now) and will cut out sugar too. Hopefully all of those changes will have a positive impact 🤞🏼

This happened to me and I thought I was broken! Next month was more like 7, and I got up to 8 days by 4 months when I conceived. It’s so scary and no one warns you but it should settle down. Good luck

Oh phew! I'm sorry you found the same but does make me feel much better to know it's not just me. Can't say I'd ever heard anyone else say they had a 3 day luteal phase! Did you do anything to try and help your cycles along at all, like supplements and diet changes? Congrats also ☺️

@NotYetBaby x

Yes I took b-complex, vitamin C (1000mg per day) and vitamin E! But hopefully time will be enough. It’s frustrating to have to wait through when you’re keen to TTC

I was on the combined pill for just over 14 years before I came off of it to TTC. I conceived on the second month. I didn't track so couldn't tell you what my luteal phase was, however I do know I ovulated late (based on due date) around CD 20/21).

I would say that everyone's body reacts differently to coming off of hormonal BC, but don't rule yourself out just because you've been on it for awhile. I also wouldn't go too far down the route of analysing it if you can help it. Sometimes changing too many things (for example diet, exercise and vitamins etc) can cause more harm than good. So can the stress that comes with OPKs and the TTC process in general.

Try to go easy on yourself, it's completely normal for the TTC process to take 6 months or more, and it's also very normal for it to take 6 months for people's cycles to settle after coming off of BC. I definitely understand the impatience you're feeling though. My first two cycles were probably around 35/36 days in length and it feels like you're waiting forever for the answer to the question of 'Am I pregnant'.

@NotYetBaby thanks for your reply ☺️ Am waiting for B complex and vit c to arrive so will try that both, may add in Vit E in the next cycle or two if no better. Thanks so much for sharing your experience, makes me feel better knowing it's not just me x

Thanks for your reply @Curiosity101 the only thing I will be really changing is adding in supplements, which are reccomended on quite a few articles I've read about how to help your body reset after the pill. Otherwise I exercise daily and eat well anyway, I'll just adjust my diet a little to make sure I'm getting lots of fruit and veg and not having my weekend chocolate ☺️

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. To be honest I think sometimes you can know too much can't you, as if I wasn't doing OPKs and temping I would think I was just having a slightly longer cycle this time around, although it is reassuring from my temps to know I'm ovulating.

We will keep TTC anyway, and hopefully things will sort themselves out soon ☺️ Oh gosh totally, this cycle felt so long. I did two pregnancy tests as I thought I had ovulated earlier until I finally did and got my temp spike. Thanks so much for your advice ☺️ Xx

@MintGreenLife how are you getting on. My luteal phase has been 9 days now for 2 cycles. So I'm a little concerned it's too short... Will try and improve my diet this month... Lots of kiwis and kale and I was veggie but decide to eat sustainably sourced salmon at least once a week and see what happens. How was your cycle this month.?

Hey @SVC11 ☺️ Not great - I'm on CD26 with no positive OPK or temp rise. I had EWCM CD23-24 and a high cervix, but EWCM disappeared yesterday. No idea what's going on 😕 After my last cycle with multiple LH surges I've now gone the completely opposite 🙄 So no idea whether my luteal phase will still be short this cycle, to be honest I've been questioning whether I've even been ovulating, so potentially don't have a short luteal phase if I'm not actually ovulating. Really hoping something happens soon so I can get a better idea of what's going on! Well done on the diet ☺️ I've made lots of changes to my diet this cycle and started taking various supplements, but doesn't appear to have helped! X

Aww how frustrating... How long have you been ttc or off birth control? Hmmm I bit concerned as I've had regular lh surges so I am assuming I am ovulating after that... I don't know how else you can tell if you ovulate... I guess bbt. But then I get a really short luteal phase before af which I'm trying not to worry about but from what I've read it's not great for ttc