Short luteal phase

[Janey3090]

Hi everyone! Has anyone experienced having a short luteal phase after coming off the pill, and if so, how long did it take for your cycles to return to normal?

I came off the pill 31st December after being on it for a long time, and my periods returned right away though my cycles are still very irregular (anything from 25 days to 36 days) which has made TTC very hard. The last couple of months I have used ClearBlue digital ovulation tests, but have found that my period arrives 7-8 days after I reach my peak. So for example this month I reached my peak 14th August, AF arrived 22nd August.

Having read up on it this means I'm not actually ovulating, or I'm having short luteal phases (as anything under 10 days is classed as that) so at the moment concieving seems pretty much impossible.

Has anyone experienced a short luteal phase after the pill and did you manage to correct it? Will I need to wait to speak to a doctor, or is it simply something that I have to wait it out in the hope it will return to normal? Any advice greatly appreciated! xx

[Bundaberg84]

Hi @Janey3090 - I would actually speak to a doctor sooner than later. 8 months off the pill and still having an unusual short luteal phase is something that needs to be adressed if TTC.

[Janey3090]

@Bundaberg84

Hi *@Janey3090* - I would actually speak to a doctor sooner than later. 8 months off the pill and still having an unusual short luteal phase is something that needs to be adressed if TTC.

Thank you! I actually have a call with my doctor booked for 13th Sept, but wasn't sure if I should bother them with it or wait until a year TTC first so thought I'd ask for some advice. Hopefully they will be willing/able to help!

[lionsmum]

Hi OP, I had/have a short LP & been pregnant twice, so don't lose hope! Mine ranges from 8-10 days. Whilst TTC I took high strength vit C & also found the vitaviotics omega-3 capsules helped increase my LP, I took vit D & folic acid alongside those too. My GP did do a progesterone test to check I was ovulating whilst TTC no2, and although the levels were on the low side it did show I was. It might be an idea to get that checked if your GP will comply. Wishing you all the best! @Janey3090

[Janey3090]

@lionsmum

Hi OP, I had/have a short LP & been pregnant twice, so don't lose hope! Mine ranges from 8-10 days. Whilst TTC I took high strength vit C & also found the vitaviotics omega-3 capsules helped increase my LP, I took vit D & folic acid alongside those too. My GP did do a progesterone test to check I was ovulating whilst TTC no2, and although the levels were on the low side it did show I was. It might be an idea to get that checked if your GP will comply. Wishing you all the best! *@Janey3090*

Aw thank you, congratulations on your two! That definitely gives me a bit of hope

Currently on vit D and folic acid but will start with those other ones too, thanks for the tip. When I speak to my GP I will ask for a progesterone test to check, then if it proves there's an issue hopefully there's something they can do to help! (Maybe fertility medication?)

[JO1212]

Hi there, I currently have a short luteal phase too and TTC baby number 2. I track my BBT and ovulation so it was obvious this month it was less than 10 days and as expected BFN :( However I do have a son already so there is hope! First time round when I came off the pill my cycles were really long, but I took pre conception multivitamins and I think it helped, so have started taking them again.

@lionsmum how much vitamin c did you take? I started last month on 500mg after reading it can help short luteal phases, but maybe this isn't enough?

[Mybobowler]

I have a short luteal phase of between 8-10 days. I conceived both of my babies (currently pregnant with #2) while taking agnus castus. The first one was a happy accident - I was taking the AC for PMS symptoms, not trying to get pregnant! The second time we had been actively trying for 4 months and the month after I started the agnus castus was the month we conceived. I'll obviously never know for sure if that's what made the difference, but I'm convinced that it did. Maybe worth looking into?

[lionsmum]

@JO1212 I took 1000mg and tried to remember to take it daily which was the tricky bit! Wishing you all the best🤞🏼

[JO1212]

@lionsmum Thank you! I will up my dosage

[Roseg1234]

Hello

I have same problem. Short luteal phase of 5 days consistently and trying to conceive for over a year. I had ammenohrhea but had 5 periods now. is there any hope for me or anything I can do? Anyone had sucess with clomid?

[Carlotta27]

Hey @Roseg1234 i know it’s been a while but wondering how you got on ? I’ve been having short (4/5 day) LPs too and GP doesn’t believe me (apparently it’s always 12-14 days!) - did you manage to try clomid or another treatment? Hoping you’re well x

[Desperatelyboredhousewife]

Hi all, I just clicked on this thread as I had the same issue, I came off the pill July 2021 and my period returned October 2021. From October - March I consistently had 4-5 day luteal phases, I had 2 day 21 progesterone tests that came back low and indicated I may not have been ovulating/weak ovulation. I started taking B complex & vitamin C 1000mg and reduced caffeine intake and from around March my LPs began to look more like 7 days, then 9, then last cycle was 12 with spotting on 11. In the mean time, last month I visited a private consultant who prescribed me 3 months of Clomid and progesterone, I'm currently 12dpo on my first cycle and testing on Friday. I'm not sure if the vitamins helped me or if my body just needed a long time to recover from 10 + years on contraception, but things were certainly feeling more positive by the time I started Clomid.

[Carlotta27]

@Desperatelyboredhousewife thank you for sharing that! Please let us know how you get in with clomid too. Hopefully the progesterone gives you a full / normal length LP :) fingers crossed as everything is moving in the right direction for you

i was wondering if you remember what your cycles were like before BC ? If the 4/5 day LP was only an issue after it really does suggest your body needing quite a while to reset. Only asking as I’ve always had a short cycle and it’s the same length now after BC with no impact of Vits after about 4 months. Beginning to think this is just me but maybe I need to be more patient ! X

[Roseg1234]

Hello. I am now 28 weeks pregnant! I did 5 rounds of clomid. Clomid didn't do anything but progesterone prolonged my luteal phase and kept my pregnancy going. I stopped taking at 16 weeks.

[Roseg1234]

Hello. I am now 28 weeks pregnant! I did 5 rounds of clomid. Clomid didn't do anything but progesterone prolonged my luteal phase and kept my pregnancy going. I stopped taking at 16 weeks. Stress did have a negative impact on my cycle and luteal phase.

[Carlotta27]

@Roseg1234 that’s fantastic news! Thank you for sharing :) May I ask how long your LP was before clomid / progesterone treatment ? X

[Carlotta27]

@Roseg1234 sorry, stupid q as I just read back and saw you mentioned above it was 5 days !

[Desperatelyboredhousewife]

@Carlotta27 Thank you :) It's hard to remember exactly as I was around 15 when I went on BC (which I regret now!) but I'm pretty sure I had normal length cycles which suggests a normal LP - although I ovulate late naturally so that could make an abnormal cycle seem more normal as it would be longer!

[Carlotta27]

@Desperatelyboredhousewife thats good to hear that it was probably normal and a case of getting back to normal levels for you!

I recently had a GP tell me my LP had to be 12-14 days so if it weren’t for threads like these I’d be clueless … I’m hopefully there will be some form of treatment that works for me as last LP was just 4 days!