Luteal Phase Experts?

[ruby412]

We have been TTC baby #2 since June (5 unsuccessful cycles). I've been charting (not temping) and using OPKs. Consistently, I get my period 10 days after the + OPK. According to a luteal phase calculator, this is considered an 8 day LP? Would seem like 9 to me. But, either way, is this definitely too short to conceive?

I've been taking 50 mg of B6 for 2 months and I took Vitex for 6 weeks. Should I just keep trying? Is it time to call the doctor since this is something that doesn't generally fix itself? Any other ideas?

I'm 33 and H will be 38 in December. Our daughter is 2.5.

TIA

[ruby412]

Guess this is a quiet board! I decided to make an appointment with my OB. I'm due for an annual anyway.

[MrsMB]

That was a good idea to go ahead and make the appointment. My doc saw that I had a 10 day luteal phase on one recent cycle and side-eyed it....so I imagine yours will want to take a look to see why yours is 8/9.

[ginkgoleaf]

It's on the short side. B6 didn't do much for me. I'm doing fertility treatments now, but you can ask about getting a prescription for progesterone, which will definitely lengthen your LP.

[ruby412]

Thanks, ladies. I'm thinking this is something that will need some type of treatment, so I might as well get the ball rolling. Hopefully it's an easy fix.

[rockinrobyn]

I started using B6 and my LP went from 10 to 12 days. I have no real advice, but good luck and hope the appointment goes well and it is a quick and easy fix.

[ruby412]

Oct 24, 2014 10:18:04 GMT -5 rockinrobyn said:

I started using B6 and my LP went from 10 to 12 days. I have no real advice, but good luck and hope the appointment goes well and it is a quick and easy fix.

You're lucky that it worked for you! How much were you taking and for how long?

[rockinrobyn]

50mcg pill along with what was in my pre-natal vitamin. I ran out of just a B6 pill and am now taking a B complex along with my pre-natal.

[rockinrobyn]

I was told that if my LP was not 12 days or longer the next cycle to increase to 75mcg or 100mcg daily the next month.

[ruby412]

Oct 24, 2014 10:31:18 GMT -5 rockinrobyn said:

I was told that if my LP was not 12 days or longer the next cycle to increase to 75mcg or 100mcg daily the next month.

I wonder if I should go ahead and do that. My appointment is not until 11/17.

Thanks for the info!

[rockinrobyn]

Happy to help!

[ghostmonkey]

Oct 24, 2014 10:31:18 GMT -5 rockinrobyn said:

I was told that if my LP was not 12 days or longer the next cycle to increase to 75mcg or 100mcg daily the next month.

There was no reason to do that. A 10 day LP is fine.

Unfortunately OP you can't untake the Vitex that you took. That can severely screw up your cycles and has much more of a track record of doing that than helping at all. You would have to take it another 4 months to see any benefits from it if you get any.

You really need to temp for a couple cycles and see if your LP is actually short. OPKs aren't really accurate enough to give you a good idea of what's going on. Throwing progesterone at it may not be the correct fix either if it happens to be a low progesterone issue.

[dragonfly08]

When I was TTC #2, I had a 10 day LP. My OB/GYN gave me a couple of prescriptions to help lengthen it. I can't remember what they were since it was almost 9 years ago...I never picked them up. While they were at the pharmacy waiting on insurance approval, I tested just to be on the safe side and got a BFP. So I guess the point of my story is that 1) docs may consider 10 days borderline, and 2) it is still possible to conceive with a 10 day LP.

[ruby412]

Oct 24, 2014 11:37:10 GMT -5 ghostmonkey said:

Oct 24, 2014 10:31:18 GMT -5 rockinrobyn said:

I was told that if my LP was not 12 days or longer the next cycle to increase to 75mcg or 100mcg daily the next month.

There was no reason to do that. A 10 day LP is fine.

Unfortunately OP you can't untake the Vitex that you took. That can severely screw up your cycles and has much more of a track record of doing that than helping at all. You would have to take it another 4 months to see any benefits from it if you get any.

You really need to temp for a couple cycles and see if your LP is actually short. OPKs aren't really accurate enough to give you a good idea of what's going on. Throwing progesterone at it may not be the correct fix either if it happens to be a low progesterone issue.

I know I probably do need to temp. It's so hard though. My 2 year old wakes up often in the middle of the night so I feel like my temps would be inaccurate. I'll start anyway, though. It's worth a try.

[ruby412]

Oct 24, 2014 12:08:49 GMT -5 dragonfly08 said:

When I was TTC #2, I had a 10 day LP. My OB/GYN gave me a couple of prescriptions to help lengthen it. I can't remember what they were since it was almost 9 years ago...I never picked them up. While they were at the pharmacy waiting on insurance approval, I tested just to be on the safe side and got a BFP. So I guess the point of my story is that 1) docs may consider 10 days borderline, and 2) it is still possible to conceive with a 10 day LP.

That's awesome. Hoping the same things happens for me! I think I'm probably looking at more of an 8-9 day LP though. I think 10 is the minimum for success.

[dragonfly08]

Oct 24, 2014 12:45:19 GMT -5 ruby412 said:

Oct 24, 2014 12:08:49 GMT -5 dragonfly08 said:

When I was TTC #2, I had a 10 day LP. My OB/GYN gave me a couple of prescriptions to help lengthen it. I can't remember what they were since it was almost 9 years ago...I never picked them up. While they were at the pharmacy waiting on insurance approval, I tested just to be on the safe side and got a BFP. So I guess the point of my story is that 1) docs may consider 10 days borderline, and 2) it is still possible to conceive with a 10 day LP.

That's awesome. Hoping the same things happens for me! I think I'm probably looking at more of an 8-9 day LP though. I think 10 is the minimum for success.

Wishing you luck!  It took 9 months to conceive #2 with the LP defect, but she's a beautiful, happy, moody, often annoying, always lovable 8 year old who was worth every second of the wait!

[jessnpaul]

Oct 24, 2014 12:42:47 GMT -5 ruby412 said:

Oct 24, 2014 11:37:10 GMT -5 ghostmonkey said:

There was no reason to do that. A 10 day LP is fine.

Unfortunately OP you can't untake the Vitex that you took. That can severely screw up your cycles and has much more of a track record of doing that than helping at all. You would have to take it another 4 months to see any benefits from it if you get any.

You really need to temp for a couple cycles and see if your LP is actually short. OPKs aren't really accurate enough to give you a good idea of what's going on. Throwing progesterone at it may not be the correct fix either if it happens to be a low progesterone issue.

I know I probably do need to temp. It's so hard though. My 2 year old wakes up often in the middle of the night so I feel like my temps would be inaccurate. I'll start anyway, though. It's worth a try.

I had this same problem with temping but it's still worth doing. As long as you can get 3 hours of consecutive sleep, it should work! So I would always hope DS wouldn't do his MOTN wake ups anytime after 3am ;-)

[ruby412]

Oct 24, 2014 13:05:29 GMT -5 dragonfly08 said:

Oct 24, 2014 12:45:19 GMT -5 ruby412 said:

That's awesome. Hoping the same things happens for me! I think I'm probably looking at more of an 8-9 day LP though. I think 10 is the minimum for success.

Wishing you luck!  It took 9 months to conceive #2 with the LP defect, but she's a beautiful, happy, moody, often annoying, always lovable 8 year old who was worth every second of the wait!

This made me smile.

[ruby412]

Oct 24, 2014 13:15:08 GMT -5 jessnpaul said:

Oct 24, 2014 12:42:47 GMT -5 ruby412 said:

I know I probably do need to temp. It's so hard though. My 2 year old wakes up often in the middle of the night so I feel like my temps would be inaccurate. I'll start anyway, though. It's worth a try.

I had this same problem with temping but it's still worth doing. As long as you can get 3 hours of consecutive sleep, it should work! So I would always hope DS wouldn't do his MOTN wake ups anytime after 3am ;-)

If they are going to wake us up in the middle of the night, it should at least be at a convenient time for us! Toddlers are so inconsiderate sometimes, lol.

[Blackout81]

Oct 24, 2014 11:37:10 GMT -5 ghostmonkey said:

Oct 24, 2014 10:31:18 GMT -5 rockinrobyn said:

I was told that if my LP was not 12 days or longer the next cycle to increase to 75mcg or 100mcg daily the next month.

There was no reason to do that. A 10 day LP is fine.

Unfortunately OP you can't untake the Vitex that you took. That can severely screw up your cycles and has much more of a track record of doing that than helping at all. You would have to take it another 4 months to see any benefits from it if you get any.

You really need to temp for a couple cycles and see if your LP is actually short. OPKs aren't really accurate enough to give you a good idea of what's going on. Throwing progesterone at it may not be the correct fix either if it happens to be a low progesterone issue.

New here, so sorry if this is a common knowledge question, but 4 years ago I was told by a number of sources that vitex was good to take while TTC. My LP then, according to charting, was 9-11 days, so borderline, and vitex and b6 seemed to help it and we ultimately conceived.

is that not recommended any more? I just started taking it again a few weeks ago, should I stop?