looking for advice... short luteal phase and recurrent chemical pregnancies

[geckorachel]

Hi all

So it looks like I'm now having my 3rd chemical/early loss since my daughter was born 2 years ago. We had a very odd missed miscarriage before we got pregnant with her as well.

I've been tracking and it looks like I have 28-29 day cycles, positive opks CD 17-18. I see lines early on then they seem to just stop progressing until I bleed, this time I'm 3 day's late, had been 12 the last time back in October. We hadn't been ttc just using pull out (I was hopefully a whoopsie would happen, and it did several Times but nothing came of it in the end).

Anyway, fast forward to this month when we started ttc #2. Husband was convinced it would all be fine (had the theory that we lost them last time as we weren't trying and they we're older rubbish sperm in the precum). So I start getting lines on every brand of test, they didn't develop anywhere like they should have, so I was worried. Yesterday they looked like they took a leap in the right direction and I felt a sort of surge of hormones? And then today I bleed I'd been cramping since ovulation, had a really sore back, had insane dreams which I cant usually remember, Boobs were sore and itchy etc etc and I really wasn't trying to symptom spot. So I was really shocked and upset when I found blood today it's not tons but in my mind it's more than it should be.

I've never bothered going to the doctors about the losses as I was treated so so badly the first time, I ended up paying a 3d scan company to have a look as the doctors said it was all in my head. Since then I haven't wanted to go back (albeit to a different surgery) and feel that humiliation.

Does anyone have any thoughts? Would the gp (in UK) be likely to do anything?! I have photographs of two of the miscarriages (as you do...).

I'm just so frustrated as I know my body and I know there is an issue and it's breaking my heart. I'm scared to try this cycle for fear of it all happening again :'(

Any words of advice or comfort much appreciated, I cried for hours earlier :'(

Thanks and hope you are all feeling ok x

 

[poppy]

Hey Rachel! Three chemicals are still considered miscarriages, so you would be entitled to some investigations/tests under the NHS (as they test after three concurrent miscarriages). If you are unhappy with your GP, you could ask for a different one in your surgery.

Sorry you are feeling down, I know the feeling about being scared to ttc again as I have just gone through a second miscarriage (at nine weeks) after having a blighted ovum in March. I feel very scared about ttc again, worrying that it will happen again. I do want a third child though, so I know I will try again in a few months.

I hope things work out for you.

xxx

 

[geckorachel]

Thanks, I'm just worried they won't believe me as I haven't been to them about it? I'm also terrified of needles so that's another reason I always put it off any idea what to expect? I'm so sorry to hear of your losses, my fingers are crossed for you next time xxxx

 

[NorthStar]

This is the leaflet from the Miscarriage Association about the testing you get on the NHS

https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/wp/wp-content/leaflets/Recurrent-Miscarriage.pdf

I've yet to meet a doctor or even fertility specialist in the UK that believe in luteal phase defect

I'd definitely be looking for a new doctor, you should not have to put up with someone that makes you feel crap.

 

[geckorachel]

thank you, even if they could give me progesterone or something that might help hell even if they just listened to me! x

 

[NorthStar]

thank you, even if they could give me progesterone or something that might help hell even if they just listened to me! x

Let us know how you get on, even when I paid £175 for a proper private OBGYN he didn't believe the luteal phase/progesterone thing (unless we wanted to pay £5k for his IVF programme, then it was a different story).

In the end I bought oral progesterone online from overseas. I wouldn't recommend it, but I was desperate Certainly it fixed the luteal phase thing but it didn't ultimately save my pregnancy (currently experiencing MC no 2 @ 9w)

Still, at least with having the progesterone supplementation you can probably eliminate low progesterone as a potential root cause, and there's a certain comfort in that

It's crap that we have to be our own advocates and kick up hell to get anything from the medical system we've been paying into all our days

 

[staycb01]

I've had 6 chemical pregnancies and the first month that I was put on Progesterone after ovulation I got pregnant and made it to 9 weeks (I just lost the baby - but it was not due to progesterone issues as my levels were great). I would have never made it this far if it wasn't for the progesterone! I highly recommend it after ovulation like my Dr said - b/c if yours is low the baby won't implant correctly therefore resulting in a chemical pregnancy.

 

[NorthStar]

I've had 6 chemical pregnancies and the first month that I was put on Progesterone after ovulation I got pregnant and made it to 9 weeks (I just lost the baby - but it was not due to progesterone issues as my levels were great). I would have never made it this far if it wasn't for the progesterone! I highly recommend it after ovulation like my Dr said - b/c if yours is low the baby won't implant correctly therefore resulting in a chemical pregnancy.

Sorry for your loss Staycb.

Can I ask what kind of progesterone did your doc put you on, and what was the dosage? (For the benefit of us UK ladies who have to self medicate )

 

[geckorachel]

Thanks both, sorry to hear of your losses x

 

[lhancock90]

So so sorry lovely

 

[lauraloo24]

Sorry to hear of your loss.i had a cp in April and suspected luteal phase defect. After doing some research I started taking 100mg vit b6 daily and my luteal phase increased from 10 to 13 days. I've just got my BFP and hoping this is a sticky one xx

 

[poppy]

Like Laura said, I heard B6 is really good at lengthening luteal phase. Also agnus cactus.

 

[NorthStar]

B6 did nothing for me at all (think it might have delayed ov and gave me luminous pee that's about it) but it's only a few pounds to try it out.

Prescription progesterone does the trick though, taken from 2 DPO.

 

[geckorachel]

Thanks all, will get some vit b6 and see what happens. Wondering if somethinf is going on, constant periody cramps when I'm not on the pill we are wondering about waiting a few months to save up some more money but we aren't sure if we want to wait x

 

[staycb01]

I've had 6 chemical pregnancies and the first month that I was put on Progesterone after ovulation I got pregnant and made it to 9 weeks (I just lost the baby - but it was not due to progesterone issues as my levels were great). I would have never made it this far if it wasn't for the progesterone! I highly recommend it after ovulation like my Dr said - b/c if yours is low the baby won't implant correctly therefore resulting in a chemical pregnancy.

Sorry for your loss Staycb.

Can I ask what kind of progesterone did your doc put you on, and what was the dosage? (For the benefit of us UK ladies who have to self medicate )

Sure! I'm on vaginal suppositiories. 100 mg twice a day.