Regular cycle, short luteal phase, next steps?

[NorthernLass213]

Morning everyone!

I have been TTC for about 6 cycles and no luck. I came off the pill last June and cycles returned in September. At first they were long cycles, but for the last 4 months they have been clockwork. Ovulate day 20 (validate with OPK, temping and CM) and cycle length 27/28 days. That means I have a 7-8 day luteal phase!

One cycle around Xmas I got my luteal phase to 11 days and felt so relieved, but ever since it’s been going back the other way and for the last 4 months it’s been 7/8 days - this month I have light pink spotting at 6 days!!

Last month we had a “chemical” if I can even call it that - positive test 7DPO and period 8 DPO.

I’m hesitant to try herbal remedies like vitex because my cycle is so regular and I am ovulating already.

Anyone else have experience with this? I had bloods at the GP last year before my period came back and all normal, maybe I need to request again? Did anyone go homeopath route? Or do I try over the counter progesterone?

Thanks ladies! X

@CH2205 I did actually make a thread about it to ask others www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/4229105-Acupuncture-for-fertility?msgid=106847207#106847207

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 thanks that’s really helpful to know - I think I’ll look into the soy. I have spotting, short luteal phase and now you’ve said it I don’t get a strong OPK either and I’m also I ovulate late - (this month was day 22!)
The lady who does acupuncture is a fertility specialist one so she asked me to see her osteopath first who she works jointly with to check for any structural issues so I’m going Saturday to see her and then I’ll start the acupuncture. If you don’t mind me asking though how much are paying per session? My acupuncturist charges £85 and wants me to go weekly. It just seems extremely expensive?!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 thanks for tagging that thread on acupuncture- I’ve just had a read through all the comments -Interesting to see everyone’s experiences. It all seems pretty positive 👍🏻

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 I started trying soy this month so will keep you posted! @CH2205.

I’ll do soy days 3-7 and then normal b6, vit c, vit d and prenatal.

@CH2205 wow she sounds thorough, great to see a osteopath first! I wasn’t offered one. I’d ask her about the soy first maybe if you’re starting the acupuncture soon. I’d already done a cycle of soy and asked mine if she wanted me to stop (she said to continue) but I’m sure they’re all different. Ha yes mine is £85 a session, and she wants me weekly for six weeks, so yes it’s expensive! However I’m in Central London. Others I spoke to are paying £45 to £60 for a Zita West trained acupunturist ourside of London

@NorthernLass213 I hope it works for you 🤞

Hi Everyone I know this is a little bit of an older thread but does anyone have an update. I’ve had a short LP since my covid vaccine in July 2021. Brown spotting starts at 7 dpo but temps always stayed high so I was in denial it was a progesterone issue. I’ve had a few blood tests at 7 dpo all varied. One at 61, one at 37 and one at 21. I’ve heard it can fluctuate a lot throughout the day so it’s hard to get an accurate read. Plus on the higher ones it could of been dramatically dropping the next day.

I went private back in January and paid for a hysterscopy to check the lining and for polyps and nothing came back. So we tried cyclogest 400mg from 2 dpo. I’ve had 3 cycles of this now and no positive test. It has completely stopped my spotting though.

I saw on the thread someone say LP issue can be from a few different things but is mine likely low prog because since taking the prog it’s stopped? Or is it a lining issue maybe? We had a MC at 18 weeks in feb last year so I’m wondering if that’s affected my lining in anyway.

Thanks xx

@Loz2467 sorry to hear about your miscarriage and short LP! It’s such a mine field trying to find the cause. I never managed to extend mine but ended up getting a BFP just after this thread! It was the first cycle I did soy iso. My little boy is 8 months now! I did have really heavy implantation bleeding/spotting at 7/8 DPO (enough to wear a tampon!) so thought it was my period but it ended after 2-3 days.

There is hope for BFP with a short luteal phase. Fingers crossed it happens for you very soon. X

@NorthernLass213 congrats! What amazing and positive news to hear.

for me it’s secondary infertility so I’ve got a 3 year old and we started trying for our second when he was 15 months and we got pregnant and then obviously had the loss. Since then we’ve been TTC so since April 2021. The spotting star s July 2021 and I can’t help but think of the vaccine. This is my 4th medicated cycle and I have enough cyclogest / progesterone for 2 more months after this and if that doesn’t work it’s IVF in the new year. It’s so hard to get my head around. I’m thinking have I had chances to get pregnant with this spotting from 7 dpo or sometimes even 5 dpo. I just don’t know. :( infertility after loss seems so cruel. Well infertility in general xxx

Hi @Loz2467 so sorry to hear about your loss.

Opposite experience here but with a similar ending- I never fixed my short luteal phase and ended up going down the IVF route. We were very lucky and it was successful first round, I am now 37 weeks pregnant.

Wishing you all the best whatever path you end up taking.

@LondonladyTTC Aw congrats! That’s great news. I’m assuming you kind of forget a lot of the pain and upset when your so close to the end. I hope one day TTC will feel like a distant memory but I don’t know. I’ve priced up some IVF packages in prep for the new year and I’m already under a clinic etc for my meds so I’d stay with them.

Ive got 3 more months of cyclogest. Well 2 really but I’m not hopeful xx

@Loz2467 I'm really sorry that is so rubbish. I also got pregnant and have an eight month old. For me I think the acupuncture really helped sort my cycle out

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 congrats! What amazing news! I’ve just started accupuncture actually. Well I did it a bit last year but couldn’t keep up with it because she didn’t work in my area that often so I’ve found a new one.

Did it help the spotting? I’ve been TTC now 17 months since my miscarriage and I’m not sure how much longer I can keep going!

Hi all,
A bit late to the thread and also concerned about my LP length
@LondonladyTTC many congratulations ! Would you be able to share the details of the Dr you saw on Harley street with expertise in LP?? Struggling to find real specialists in the area xxx

@Sapphire27d I saw Dr Gudi at Fertility Plus. He has a YouTube video on short luteal phases somewhere, which made me realise that he takes them seriously. Although we didn't get pregnant without IVF (found out my DH actually had a very low count as well as my luteal problems), he was great!
Best of luck!

Hi @LondonladyTTC thank you so much for the quick reply! It’s such a worrying and lonely time so I appreciate the response :) Just wondering then, are IVF treatments also helpful / suitable for short LPs? Noting you did have other reasons for this too xxx

@Sapphire27d with IVF they medicate your whole cycle so I think having a short luteal phase is irrelevant for that cycle. Depending on how long you have been trying and the other factors which may impact it (your DH sperm), defintely worth trying some other treatments before jumping to IVF I think.
I didn't get IVF at fertility plus as it was going to be about twice the cost of where I did get it in the end (ABC).

Hi @LondonladyTTC thank you for the quick response. That makes sense re the medication used in IVF and I’m pleased you had success elsewhere, the costs I saw online for fertility plus did look 2 / 3 x what I’d expect!

thank you for much for the advice and wishing you all the best health and luck for your pregnancy xxx

Hi again everyone,

Im just curious what you may think. So the cyclogest I’m taking after ovulation is stopping my brown spotting however 5 months of it and no pregnancy - so maybe I have more / different issues. My periods are still starting brown but they never used to before my miscarriage so I’m paranoid thinking If old brown blood is sat there then surely the lining isn’t fresh for implantation and how would that even work with IVF?

I went for my follicle count scan done last Monday and my AMH blood test and the nurse said she could see some clear signs of adenomyosis on my scan along with 2 cystic spaces in my endometrium lining. I’m just so down and unsure now whether to spend so much financial cost and more years of heartbreak on IVF? What if my chances are super low and what about this brown I still get before and after my period regardless of being on progesterone?