Just starting TTC - worried about low progesterone, any advice,

[1woodpecker]

I’m excited to be finally ready, but a bit worried because I’ve done fertility blood tests before and I know my oestrogen and progesterone are a bit low.
I did speak to the gp but that was before moving to TTC and she did further bloods but I didn’t ever follow up.

We haven’t used contraception for a while and just avoid unprotected in my fertile window but a couple of months I’ve messed up and we’ve had unprotected either ovulation day or O-2, and this didn’t result in anything. I know there’s only 25% change at best each cycle or whatever the stat is but it’s already made me feel a bit worried!

I know low progesterone is linked to higher change of miscarriage and maybe harder to implant? Should I just crack on and see, or should I be flagging this with the gp now we’re actually being intentional?
is there anything else I could be doing to boost chances (taking folic acid, vit D, and B6 which is meant to help progesterone).

Am slightly overweight but not by a huge amount and have been under stress lately so I do want to focus on trying to relax and stress less and move a bit more!!

How old are you? It makes a difference in terms of how much time you should try for before seeking help.
Do you have any health conditions, like pcos etc?
Would you be open to doing BBT to monitor your cycle? It is so helpful to show that your hormones are more or less balanced and confirms you ovulate every month. It will also give you a better chance of knowing which day is best to get progesterone bloods done, as you want them done in the follicular phase and then 7 days post ovulation. You can guess, OR you can do BBT and know for sure. BBT is best for women who wake within a half hour window each day, don't drink much alcohol, and don't find that the act of recording temperatures actually increases their stress!

Randox health - 30 gbp
Progsterone test..
Highly recommend

Are your cycles regular ?

Generally - progsterone over 30 often confirms ovulation..

I had a cycle where i ovulated day 17 / 18

With randox health - i learnt that day 25 - .my progsterone was 30.600 .

The 4 gbp Amazon ovulation tests am and pm do the job

Good to have regular sex esp 5 days before ovulation - day of ovulation and day after..

Thanks both - already tracking BBT, cervical mucus and using OPKs as used them for avoiding pregnancy.
The two day 21 progesterone tests came back as 26 and 28.. I’m pretty certain I am ovulating just going by BBT and other signs but wondering if it’s a weak ovulation if that’s a thing! I know it’s hard to get a really accurate mid luteal reading as can’t be certain about right day to do it and catching the peak?
I’m 32 ☺️

Cycles are a bit irregular CGT not massively- they’ve been between 26 and 33 days in the last year. Also my periods have got shorter, they’re now only about 2 days and light (don’t need more than a light tampon or pantyliner), when they used to be 3-4 days and medium flow (never had particularly long or heavy periods).
no known issues like pcos as far as I’m aware.

32 is great, time is probably on your side!

Would you feel comfortable posting a month from your chart? A lot of people on here are very experienced charters and could either reassure you, or suggest you get checked out.

Oh ok just seen your post re periods. They do change over time but that does seem particularly short and light. Did you mention that to the GP before?

I’m hoping so! Worrying about “running out of time” has been on my mind for the last couple of years almost constantly so I’m glad now we’re ready. Yes I’ll share my last chart. My temps have always been low like this - I’ve had thyroid checked and all fine.

The day 21 test is called day 21.
But only really works for 28 day cycles

Where your cycles are sometimes longer than 28 days - that test would be later

Do the test 7 days after ovulation

So if u have a longer cycle and ovulate day 17 - test cycle day 24
Even tho its called day 21

Yep mentioned that to GP which I think is why she was happy to do further bloods. It was just before Xmas so I didn’t end up booking another appointment to follow up but thinking I should do now

This makes sense - I think I did the last one 7 days before period due but my luteal phase is usually 12 days so maybe this was too early!

I've only BBT tracked for two babies, but your chart looks good to me. Your temps are 0.5 degrees lower than mine throughout your whole cycle, but I believe it's the difference between follicular and luteal that matters, not the starting temp, and your difference is fine.

But since your GP is happy to do the bloods I'd probably go back and get them done, just because of the short periods.

Have they checked your ovaries - have u had a transvaginal scan ?

Have they ever done a ca125 blood test ?

When i did mine before day 25 - it was 19 ish.
Day 25 - 30.600

( later ovulation)

I had a scan years ago (due to painful periods) but not recently. And no haven’t had that blood test - online it looks like it’s for detecting ovarian cancer, is that something I should be worrying about with these symptoms? 😬

Ovarian cancer is often symptons like bloating

Im just concerned about the short ness of your periods ^ you said higher up that sometimes u dont bleed much at all and only for a very short time - i feel that should be checked/ discussing your cycles with gp would be wise

So I ordered a ca125 and can definitely see a very faint line on the test and now freaking out if it’s just an indent or it’s a faint positive. Am going to follow up with the gp (although proving difficult to get an appt!).
I think the line is darker in real life, I can see it without squinting but it’s hard to see in the photo. I might have just done the test wrong (not sure I had enough blood!) so maybe I should do it again.
Cancer does run in the family which is a worry