Thread: Too short of Luteal phase?

Ugh! Looks like AF is here.. EARRRLY!!!

It's so stressful because I'd always been so "regular" literally every 28 days on the dot, then took birth control for a few months and stopped again ... anddd now I'm all messed up! I've been off since April though so I feel like it should be back to normal!!!

Anyhoo- wake up this morning, its 7/8 dpo maybe... anddd blood so AF is here, only a week after I O'd..

Also, that would make this cycle a 28 day cycle, yet I knowwww I didnt O until last weekend at the earliest (I didnt temp, but opk + cm) so a 7 day luteal phase would have to be too short!!

Even the last few months, when I had a super long 40 day cycle once, and a 34 day/31 days... Im thinking I never O'd until CD20/21ish

What shld I do to lengthen it? I've been taking vit b... but the stress complex and not the exact vitamin b6..not sure if those are different...

:-/

Yes, that is a frustrating problem. I think a lot of people have success with B6. I've also heard acupuncture helps.

I've had this problem as long as I've been charting (years) and have tried just about everything short of fertility drugs. B6 helped, sometimes. I am doing acupuncture now and using progesterone supplementation, and something is helping (went from 10 to 14, then 13), but then this last month I only had a 12 day LP, with progesterone! So I am always battling this.

The good news is, even though this has been a constant problem, I was able to get pregnant and carry 2 babies, + 1 m/c(won't ever know if it had anything to do with the short LP) and my LP (without any interventions) was from 8-10 days.

Honestly, though, I think my body is stubborn and mostly I've heard that this is an easy problem to fix!

Hopefully others will have some more pointers.

Good luck!

I'm no pro at this stuff, but my LP was just a shade on the shorter side because of BFing, so I'm taking Vitex. It's a natural fruit/berry that helps regulate your hormones, so it is supposed to help increase progesterone after O, giving you a longer LP. It has also given me TONS of CM. I'm hoping it helps us catch the eggie this month.

I had this problem too. I'm not sure if I wasn't ovulating, or if I just had a mysteriously short LP (I was diagnosed with a thyroid disorder after my second m/c and my cycles never really normalized). When I got pregnant again, I started progesterone supplements and so far so good! Good luck!

Originally Posted by ambie719

I'm no pro at this stuff, but my LP was just a shade on the shorter side because of BFing, so I'm taking Vitex. It's a natural fruit/berry that helps regulate your hormones, so it is supposed to help increase progesterone after O, giving you a longer LP. It has also given me TONS of CM. I'm hoping it helps us catch the eggie this month.

Is vitex something different then vitamin b6 vitex??


Thanks girls!

I'm not sure Cait, I did google it though and it seems like some companies do a supplement with both B6 and Vitex combined in one pill, so maybe. I'm just taking straight up Vitex fruit pills (these ones to be exact) and prenatal vitamins, nothing else.

Originally Posted by lemonlemon

Is vitex something different then vitamin b6 vitex??


Thanks girls!

Yes, Vitex is essentially an herbal clomid. B6 is good at helping a short luteal phase. I also did acupuncture -- my LP after having my DD was only 3-4 days!

Good luck!!

Thanks girls!

I went to the health food store yesterday and got some vitamin b6 and found vitex- it happens to be the same one that you're taking

so hopefully it helps lengthen mine, and some more CM would be helpful as well!! Anythings gotta be better than these 7 day LP's!!

Also, by lengthening your luteal, does that make your cycle longer, or ovulate sooner?

Ive noticed the last few months I've been ovulating really late, and then having a short LP, even though my cycles are longer than they used to be (used to be 28, now they're 31-34 but ov a week later than i used to)

Did the bleeding continue? I think you might be pregnant, based on your other post about spotting.

That does seem like too short of an LP. While it's possible to get pregnant with a short LP, many people do struggle b/c you need a sticky bean on the early side for it to happen. Previous suggestions (which you've seemed to follow) are good ones that I've heard helps stretch out your LP some. I suggest full out charting if you're able (I know it can be hard with a kid!) so you can get a bit more accurate idea of what's going on with your body. Charting can show if there's other issues going on.
Best of luck! I hope these supplements are all you need!