Very Short Luteal phase- help?

[Jmarie123]

Hi everyone
I’m really devastated to be honest, been actively trying for a few months now and my literal phase is SO short..usually 6 days with spotting before. Today is 4dpo and I was feeling really hopeful but just got spotting again so I guess I’m out.
I’m assuming it’s low progesterone, I have a doctors appointment tomorrow to talk about it does anyone have any advice?
What could I do?
Would really like this to happen soon for so many reasons and it’s so disheartening.
Would love any advice or reassurance.
I’ve been taking prenatal vitamins, vitamin C and tried progesterone cream this month which has obviously failed.

@Mariabombia no I don’t even feel AF coming. I only feel being a bit wet down there (sorry TMI) and that’s when I know. They didn’t specifically do the ultrasound for that reason. It was part of my infertility checks to have a scan and it happened to be one of the things they measured. Unfortunately the sonographer was now allowed to tell me anything. She basically said I have to talk to the GP. I don’t think they’re allowed to give results. GP was being vague as usual so I never trust her. So I’m taking the full report to the consultant. The appointment isn’t until 10th March as I need to get an HSG done before that. How long are your cycles? CD 22 must be after ovulation, around implantation? So the lining should be pretty thick by then so they would know if something was wrong. Maybe get them to check?

@Mariabombia forgot to mention yes I’ve read up on what would help thicken up the lining and I do already take most of it as I’m on crazy amounts of supplements these days. I’m also sceptical about baby aspirin and I did take it after ovulation last month but ended up having clots in my periods which I’ve never had before so I stopped doing that.

Thanks for your reply @Tinkerbell098 sorry for all the questions. Have your periods always been like that? I was on the pill for years and I think I remember them being a bit longer when I was a teenager but they've been short since being an adult! Mine are always pretty painful.
I guess it's a blessing to have pain free periods until you come to wanting to conceive like you say, hopefully you get more answers in March 🤞🏻 please let me know how you get on.
When are you getting a HSG done? Is that to check your tubes etc? Hope that goes well for you too! It must be a relief in a way that you are getting checked. That's kind of how I feel about the ultrasound anyway.
My cycles are 28-30 days, how about yours? Yeah it would be after O! But I have covid at the moment so I'm hoping that doesn't delay O.
Yes I think I will ask them to check for everything re fertility when I go haha, thanks so much for your advice.
Re the pills and potions, what else are you taking? I'm literally just on the seven seas trying for a baby vitamin at the mo.

@Mariabombia no worries, ask away. Yes, for as long as I remember, even as a teenager, when everyone in school complained about pain and pretty much all my friends used to take pain killers for AF, I was really surprised and I remember not even feeling anything leading up to it or during. It may have been a little bit heavier, I'm not sure, but definitely no pain. Also the actual flow hasn't lasted more than 3 days (as I said I do spot the last couple of days, which has always been the case). My cycles are 30 days (I'd say about 90% of the time, occasionally can be 29 or 31), pretty regular.
I am yet to book my HSG as it needs to fall between day 9 and 12 of my cycles, so having to ring them up when AF shows, so my guess is it'll be on the 2nd March, and I'm seeing the doctor on the 10th. Yes, it is to check for any blockages in my tubes. In terms of the standard investigations, that'll be the last test to do before planning treatment.
I had covid last month, but it didn't alter my cycles or O day, so hopefully it won't have an impact on yours either.
I'm on Proceive Max which has all sorts of vitamins and minerals and I also take high strength CoQ10 and folic acid on top of that. Nothing has seemed to work so far, so think the problem lies with my lining, which would explain why I've never implanted/had a CP ever for the 15 months of TTC.

@Tinkerbell098
I spot for a couple of days after the second day too but it's defo not a proper period. It's weird how I've never really thought a 2 day period was abnormal until ttc!

Ah not long until that then! It's daunting but at least you'll be closer to getting answers :) how do you feel about hsg?

I'm still getting the blank circles on Clear blue advanced and I'm meant to be ovulating tomorrow, how annoying! I'm meant to be going for by 21 day blood test next week but if O is late the results won't be very accurate will they :/

Ah I was thinking about taking the CoQ10, I've heard good things! I would do anything to improve the chases of conceiving lol.

I've never had a cp or anything remotely like a second line either, it is such a worry.

I hope all goes well with your tests, please keep me updated, I'll be thinking of you!

I'm sure if there is a problem with your lining there will be things they can do to improve it once they know what's caused it.

Xx

@Mariabombia it doesn't have to be abnormal to be honest, as I've read some posts on here where people have had light/short periods and still had healthy pregnancies. I think that coupled with a thin lining just makes sense to me. I'll let you know what the consultant says at the next appointment (which seems ages away still).
I'm very nervous about HSG as I've heard a lot of horror stories. I'm going to ask if OH is able to come in with me, but they may say no. But worth asking I guess.

Any luck with your OPKs? Are you able to move the blood test accordingly? I've been taking COQ10 for a few months now, but they say it takes 3-4 months to see benefits. But then I think, if my defect is in the lining, even if I improve egg quality, it's still going to fail to implant.

Good luck with the tests next week. Hope they come back normal.

@Tinkerbell098 I'm really hoping it's not but you start looking into everything as being a problem when you're ttc don't you 😕

Did you have a scan recently & they found fibroids? I'm sure I've spoken to you before. If so I think fibroids could be linked to thin lining so maybe if they are able to get rid of those this would help your lining?
But yeah please let me know how you get on & try not to worry about HSG, I've seen some stuff about them hurting too but I've also seen plenty of posts saying it's absolutely fine and didn't hurt at all. I think it depends what the problem is, if someone's having pain anyway that's not going to be a walk in the park but if you're pain free I'm sure it will be fine. & just keep thinking that once it's done it's done and you will get peace of mind knowing what's going on & you'll be one step closer to having getting your baby 💕 Really hope OH gets to come in with you love, I hate that they're still making people go on their own to things.

Yes! So I got my smiley face today, a couple of days later than it should be. Do you think I should move my blood test on? Not really sure if I should just leave it as I don't know when I will be coming on now. Might still come on the same predicted day in which case the bloods would still fall on the right day? Think I might ring the drs and ask them. Do you know if ovulating late has any detrimental affect on ttc?

I think you should carry on with the vits, if it helps the egg quality it's still helpful for when you do conceive.

Thank you! I'll let you know how I get on. Not sure how to private message on here so will probably just respond on this thread. Sorry OP for taking over.

@Mariabombia I’ve PM’d you. Let me know if it hasn’t worked.

@Jmarie123 hope the blood test went ok. When do you get your results? Did you get a date for your scan?

@Tinkerbell098 hoping to get this results at some point this week, I’m dreading they’re going to say I haven’t ovulated at all... the doctor said positive opks dont prove anything which I didn’t know, I was thinking it was a luteal phase/ low progesterone problem but now worrying it could be even worse. Just waiting for the letter to be able to book an ultrasound. Hoping it doesn’t all take too long.

@Jmarie123 interesting about how GP didn't believe in OPKs as this is one of the first things my GP asked, if I've used these as that's sort of the first checks you could do at home. I wouldn't worry too much just yet. Wait until you get the results and take it from there.

Hey @Jmarie123 hope u are doing well! I’ve also been experiencing a very short 5 or 6 day LP and was totally dismissed by my Dr. Was wondering how you got on treating yours? X

Hi @Carlotta27 , I’ve actually just had my baby 4 weeks ago! I just naturally got pregnant with no intervention shortly after this post. I started taking Angus cactus and using progesterone cream but I was still having such a short LP. The month I conceived I still started spotting (evening with clots) a few days after my positive opk so assumed it was my period and was devastated again and then it just faded away and didn’t turn into a full period. It can happen! She’s perfectly healthy and no complications.

Hi @Jmarie123 thank you for getting back to me and for sharing that - it’s fantastic news, so happy for you and it has given me a glimmer of hope. I felt like I had a death sentence when I’d tracked 5/6 day LPs so it has lifted my spirits to know it’s possible!

take care and enjoy your daughter! X

im just reading back on this, fantastic news I have similar issue. where did you get your progesterone cream in UK? Doctor doesn’t seem LPD as an issue here

Hi, I’ll link the one I used. Apparently it’s really easy to get in America but hormone stuff is just much more regulated here but it has great reviews and I did a lot of research on using it.
my doctor was the same, it’s so frustrating but my daughters proof that it’s not impossible after like a 5 day LP when she was conceived haha. Good luck x
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Thanks so much! How much and when did you use it.
thanks again 🥰

Just a dab or two twice a day. I’d use the ovulation strips so to be sure you use it after ovulation. I continued using it once a day until I was about 10 weeks pregnant as well.🙂

Thanks I ordered this last night and it’s due to come tomrorow.
I am 5DPO and started light pink spotting again today don’t know whether to start this tomorrow at 6DPO or just wait to next month 😩 soul destroying hoping it’s my month soon!
thanks again for your help xx

I have a short phase, I tried fit a few months then researched it. I took a really high b6 vitamin & used conceive plus lubricant and got pregnant the following month. Second baby I did the b6 & lubricant first time and got pregnant
good luck anything’s worth a try

Hi there how much b6 did you take and how quickly did it work?

Mine was quite short... I started taking B-Complex Vitamins daily, but only AFTER ovulation each month - and found that made a difference really quickly, and I now have DD. Good luck ♥️