Vitamin B6 - Lengthen luteal phase or increase progesterone

[GillAwaiting]

Hello, I'm very new to this forum and this is my first post. We have been trying for over a year now - but for a large part of that year I was quite ill/low immune system so although its been a year - we say its less as most of it I probably wouldn't have got pregnant.

Now my immune system is 100% and I'm feeling good we are really going for it. A few months ago I discovered by myself that I think I have a luteal phase defect - my cycle is about 27 days but I only get a positive OPK test on day 16. I did a lot of online reading and found out about vitamin B6 and for 2 months have been taking an extra 50MG a day (there is 6MG in my pre-natal) but after two months it doesn't seem to have made a difference - do I need to up it to 100MG a day (making my daily intake 106MG) or do I need to be more patient?

Last week I also read about Red Raspberry leave and am now taking 800MG of that every day (should I also take more of that?).

Any other tips or advice?

Welcome CRC! Don't know if Im much help to you but it took 2.5 cycles for the b complex 50mg to really swing things around for me. I went from a 10 day luteal phase to a 14 day the last time!!!! I always had 10 day so knew this was the bcomplex. Lots of people here are taking stronger doses. It also makes for less painful ovulation and periods and I even think less bloating! My ovulation day still hasnt settled though although it has certainly shifted sooner in the cycle, it used to be very late. It's all such trial and error Has it had any effect on anything at all? If it's done absolutely nothing for 2 full cycles I would prob be inclined to up it for a cycle or two and see. I did 5 days of soy this cycle. That seems to be doing weird things..

 

[CRC]

Hello GillAwaiting, thanks very much for the warm welcome and the advise! To be honest, I had a bit of bad luck with the ovulation sticks this past month and I ended up not getting one positive so I'm really not sure what happened but I did have ovulation symptons around the usual time (day 16-18 of my cycle) which makes me think that the Vit B6 has not yet started working as really I should be ovulating earlier than that if they are going to work..my period is due the end of this week so I'm going to wait and see what day that arrives on then decide whether to up the B6 to 100MG per day (which will be 106MG including my pre-natal).

Are you also taking a pre-natal and does that have B6 in it? Did you try any other herbs or vits to get your Luteal phase down?

One other question - I notice that no one mentions talking to their GP about Luteal phase and I've seen on other forums that GP's don't really seem to think its an issue - have you ever talked to yours or do you know if it is an official medical term?

Thanks!
x

 

[GillAwaiting]

Hello GillAwaiting, thanks very much for the warm welcome and the advise! To be honest, I had a bit of bad luck with the ovulation sticks this past month and I ended up not getting one positive so I'm really not sure what happened but I did have ovulation symptons around the usual time (day 16-18 of my cycle) which makes me think that the Vit B6 has not yet started working as really I should be ovulating earlier than that if they are going to work..my period is due the end of this week so I'm going to wait and see what day that arrives on then decide whether to up the B6 to 100MG per day (which will be 106MG including my pre-natal).

Are you also taking a pre-natal and does that have B6 in it? Did you try any other herbs or vits to get your Luteal phase down?

One other question - I notice that no one mentions talking to their GP about Luteal phase and I've seen on other forums that GP's don't really seem to think its an issue - have you ever talked to yours or do you know if it is an official medical term?

Thanks!
x

Hi CRC, I had a cycle where couldn't get a positive opk either. That was my first full month on B complex. Before that I had three full days of strong positives every month so that really threw me for a loop. I was freaking out! Im pretty sure this thread has me having a rant about it a while back. I was temping though so that helped. When the temperature flew up I knew something had happened. The doc did 21 day test that month too and it confirmed that it had actually happened. The surge must have been very brief though, I was testing twice a day.

My g.p is absolutely lovely and I did mention luteal phase to him. Bless him I think it was a bit much for him and he suggested that we move things along and make a referral to a fertility clinic. He had been trying a while for kids himself but seemed a bit baffled by my suggestion of a day 3 blood test and talk of luteal phase. He did do the 7dpo (day 21) test though so I gotta give him credit for that! I've done lots of blood tests now and internal scan. Hubby did sp. test too. Won't get the results of any of it until we go to meet the consultant on Dec 21st. It seems like forever away.

I tried soy this month, day 2-6. It's prob a long shot but hey, I'd do anything at this point. Taking pregnacare every day and even started chewing on some vitamin c every day too. We use preseed, I have a few shots of cough bottle with guafenisen around ovulation time and that's about it. I was sorry I tried the soy this month as didnt realise the internal scan would be a follicle count. Now I kinda feel that result with be kinda skewed.

We will endeavour to persevere!

 

[Allie84]

Good luck Gill and CRC. I'm on my 2nd cycle of a B50 complex....and my LP was about the same, 13 days.

I was wondering, some days, like on the weekends, I don't take the B50 as I forget. Does forgetting a day here and there mess with it or should it not make a difference if I take it most days?

 

[lisaf]

I missed days occasionally, it doesn't matter much from what I've seen.

 

[erin7707]

Hey girls, I'm a bit depressed today as AF has reared her ugly head very early! Only a 9 day LP this month!!
First month charting I had an 11 day LP, spotting on day 11.
Started B6 vitamin on CD1, 100 mg, along with my prenatal vitamin.
That cycle I started spotting on 9DPO, AF showing on 12dpo, another 11 day LP, but this time with spotting for 3 days prior.
So I "blamed it" on the B6, and stopped taking it.
This cycle I took baby aspirin and maca - and at 10 DPO, AF has shown. Only a 9 day LP, with no spotting beforehand.

Now, After reading the first 20 pages of this thread, I read a lot about taking a b50 complex. What worries me is that my prenatal contains 800 mg of folic acid, and if I take a b50 complex, that would make it about 1200 mg, and I think that is too much, right??
Should I discontinue my prenatal???

 

[lisaf]

Erin - you CAN take more than 1000mg(mcg?) of folic acid, but usually should only exceed that amount with a doctor's ok first.
What I did, is switch to a regular multi-vitamin made for women. It had similar amounts of almost everything but only 400 of folic acid.

The prenatals made me sick to my stomach after taking them (while TTC) and the pharmacist my husband talked to pointed out the similarity between the prenatals and the regular vitamins. Plus, they're cheaper, lol!
My FS and OB have never said anything to me about being on prenatals instead of the multivitamin. I mention I'm on it and they just go 'ok'.

I do also take a Omega 3 fish oil capsule (one thats from a very pure source etc). My doctors have been happy I'm on that too.

 

[erin7707]

do most of you all take a b50 complex? I'm not sure how many of each Bvits are in my prenatal, but rather than have to buy a multi-vitamin it'd be nice to keep using my prenatals, I have a whole bottle about to expire, (from my last pregnancy) and another whole bottle that I bought because I didn't know I already had some! haha. so I'm stocked up on those!

 

[nypage1981]

I take prenatal and b complex. My b is only 50. This is a dumb question...but is folic acid and folate the same? If it is, im taking 1200 mg total between the two...am I being bad?

Vitamin B didnt seem to help me yet this month. I was hoping for more of a period....and it was still light and 2 measely days long. Grrrr. Not sure if thats good enough progesterone to make babies or not.

 

[erin7707]

I take prenatal and b complex. My b is only 50. This is a dumb question...but is folic acid and folate the same? If it is, im taking 1200 mg total between the two...am I being bad?

Vitamin B didnt seem to help me yet this month. I was hoping for more of a period....and it was still light and 2 measely days long. Grrrr. Not sure if thats good enough progesterone to make babies or not.

nypage, I think that taking a baby aspirin (Low dose- 81 mg) might help with that. It helps thicken the uterine wall lining, which helps increase blood flow, and give you better periods, or better uterine lining for implantation

I've wondered the same about the folic acid tho (yes, folate is the same thing), I'm worried I'll be taking too much if I continue my prenatal with the b-50 complex it will be 1200 mcg's total..

 

[lisaf]

can you guys ask your doctors? I know they ok some women to take up to 2000mcgs ... just that 1000 is the recommended limit without a doctor's ok.

 

[nypage1981]

Well shoot! Ive been overdosing on folate for over a month now, didnt even know that. Doh! On a good note, i've not grown an extra eye or anything weird....hehe.

Erin- I never knew baby aspirin helped with periods at all! Its another dumb question, but is it near the Ib profen and stuff. And is it really just called "baby aspirin" or is it a childrens medicine or what the heck is it?!?

 

[ladybeautiful]

Sorry to answer uninvited LOL, nypage, I bought baby dose aspirin it's called 'low dose aspirin' (81mg)... I bought the Bayer's brand.

 

[erin7707]

Well shoot! Ive been overdosing on folate for over a month now, didnt even know that. Doh! On a good note, i've not grown an extra eye or anything weird....hehe.

Erin- I never knew baby aspirin helped with periods at all! Its another dumb question, but is it near the Ib profen and stuff. And is it really just called "baby aspirin" or is it a childrens medicine or what the heck is it?!?

lol, yeah, I don't know how to NOT overdose on the folic acid tho!

Yep, baby aspirin is either called baby aspirin or low dose aspirin. just make sure it is 81 mg! Sold right by the regular aspirin/tylenol, etc. It's pretty popular for a lot of different reasons. It sounds like it would definitely work for you though!

 

[nypage1981]

Suweeet! And Lady- everyone's always invited to answer anything on here, its appreciated! thanks!
I'll go buy that. I know this isnt the baby aspirin thread so just one more- do I need to begin or stop it at any certain time in my cycle. Like, after Ovulation and further on may I still take it or should I get off it in case of pregnancy? thanks!

 

[lisaf]

I would stay on it once you start it... its actually good at preventing any miscarriages that might happen due to clots. Not that I'm a baby aspirin expert, lol!!!

With the folate, some people are deficient or have trouble absorbing it. Drinking green tea can actually inhibit the absorption of the folic acid too. I don't know if drinking a cup of green tea could help take care of the 'extra' or if 200mcg is really that much extra to worry about.. hmm... Pharmacists are good at knowing this stuff too.

 

[erin7707]

agree with Lisa, it's supposed to increase bloodflow to the fetus also, helping to prevent MC, and its good to take your whole cycle!

Lisa, good idea about the green tea! I've heard that too! and since it helps increase CM, maybe I'll do that again this cycle! Thanks!

 

[ladybeautiful]

I'm not sure about that one, actually. I just started taking it after I read about its promised benefits, took it a couple of times after Ov, but I didn't feel very comfortable about self-medicating so I stopped. When I got pregnant I asked my doctor about it and she said that while they do prescribe it to women with certain conditions, there's no need for me to take any low-dose aspirin.

 

[nypage1981]

Ok sounds like i'd need some baby aspirin since ive had a couple early MC's so cant hurt me! And funny about the green tea thing cuz I drank it a load this last cycle and am now beginning this cycle with it too. Just made a cup and am literally drinking it when you mention that it may lower absorption of folate. Guess I feel a tad better about it and will continue with my 200 extra mg's for now. I will google it a bit of course since thats what I do, but dont feel like 200 mg can really be thhhhat bad.

Does anyone know abouts how long it can take the vitamin b to begin to work? I was expecting to feel less pain and more flow for this period but didnt happen yet!

 

[mamaball]

Hello ladies
I have a very short luteal phase...this month just 6 days!!! I have started on vit b complex 50 this month but was wondering if I can take vitex (agnus cat something?!?!?)at the same time as b vitamins? I have been trying to do as much reading as I can about short luteal phases and this herb is supposed to help too. Any advise would be gladly welcome