Vitamin B6 - Lengthen luteal phase or increase progesterone

[magicvw]

CRC I'm a year older than you (37) and I was wondering about the pre-menopausal thing too, as my periods were so wonky (getting better on B vits tho!) I was worried it might be a cause. I bought an FSH menopause test online - very cheap actually - just £3 or something like that for 3 tests. Mine was negative, so I can rule that out - quite a relief!

 

[CRC]

Hi magicvw, that's great news you are not pre-menopausal! Do you have any children already or are you trying for your first and how long have you been trying? My periods were not at all wonky - it was just my luteal phase that was too short (so I read on the internet anyway!) I have always come on day 26 for as long as I can remember but I don't get positive o tests until around day 16 (although regular as clock work!) so that's why I started the B6 but I don't think its worked for me that's why I've stopped.

 

[magicvw]

Hi magicvw, that's great news you are not pre-menopausal! Do you have any children already or are you trying for your first and how long have you been trying? My periods were not at all wonky - it was just my luteal phase that was too short (so I read on the internet anyway!) I have always come on day 26 for as long as I can remember but I don't get positive o tests until around day 16 (although regular as clock work!) so that's why I started the B6 but I don't think its worked for me that's why I've stopped.

Yeah i have 2 kids (do you have siggies turned off? ) this is our 11th cycle trying for no.3. no.1 took 10 months and no.2 took a year and a half, so I'm not getting too impatient yet - I knew it would take time! My periods have always been wonky with spotting and bleeding when not supposed to (even when I was on the pill (11 yrs). I have been on progesterone supplements from my doc several times - lost count actually. I was on them during my first pregnancy, but not the second.

But my periods got REALLY bad after my second child. Never painful, but basically I was bleeding for about 18 days out of 28. I had pre-af spotting, then af for about 5 or 6 days, then a day off usually, then af would come back, and at one point I had bleeding around cd14 which was heavier than AF. I got a bit confused at that point and wasn't sure what was af and what was mid-cycle, but i had a pelvic scan while was happening and the doc assured me it was abnormal bleeding but not AF. *sigh*. Anyway, he put me on the pill to solve the problem. First month on it was still awful, but the second month was normal, and so was the third. Then I came off it, and the first month off was normal, but the next month was bad, and each month subsequently was worse, with more pre-af spotting (like 4-5 days), proper af lasting about 10 days in total, so basically bleeding/spotting for 2 weeks.

That's when I decided to go on B6. I also did more research and decided to take vitamins E, A and C also. First month, my spotting was there but very light. Second month, no spotting at all!! And my LP was extended by 1 day to 12 days, as a bonus! AF was a day shorter too. This is my third month on them and I'm so pleased that my cycles are beginning to regulate, and really hoping for that BFP!!!

 

[mjemma]

I have been TTC for 6 months but this is my first month charting. I ovulated today (day 20) and usually have a 30 day cycle so it looks like my luteal phase is quite short. Is there anything I can take now to lengthen it for this cycle?

 

[magicvw]

I have been TTC for 6 months but this is my first month charting. I ovulated today (day 20) and usually have a 30 day cycle so it looks like my luteal phase is quite short. Is there anything I can take now to lengthen it for this cycle?

You can start B vits whenever you want, but it might not have that much effect now. Having said that, you might not really have a problem. 10 days LP is fine, and anyway you might well have ov'd a day or two later than usual this month (most people get a bit of variation) in which case your ov would be pushed back by the same - a case of wait and see, but don't worry because 10 days is ok anyway

 

[mjemma]

Thanks. Yeah, I know I should wait this cycle out and see but I'm obsessing about all the possibilities of why I haven't got my BFP yet! I'll try and relax.

 

[ljo1984]

AF came today! 13dpo- so very happy its longer but sad i didnt get BFP! and onto cycle 6!

 

[inkdchick]

i feel a bit thick for asking but is there anything REALLY that can boost your progesterone levels as my fs and gp says NO, so know im confused, can anyone help with this?
the reason i ask is coz i think we know better than they do

 

[magicvw]

I have been back to my gyno endless times about my LP problems. He prescribed me progesterone pills, a vit A-E combo, the pill. None of these worked particularly well, but B6 HAS worked. I don't know whether he even knows about it, but I will tell him next time I go!

 

[CRC]

So after all the weirdnesss I've been having the last few months (ie no ovulation positive test since taking the vit B6 and vitex) today I started bleeding (its day 19 of my cycle - my period usually comes day 29), sorry for the details - but its very brown and painful - it feels like a period but worse. Could it be because I stopped taking the B6 and vitex the other day (after taking them for almost 4 months)? Did I totally screw up my body by taking them in the first place? I've never ever experienced spotting or mid-cycle bleeding of any kind and have never had a period this early so I'm extremely confused and quite stressed by it all - which obviously isn't helping. Could it be a very early miscarriage (very unlikely as we only had s twice last week on Wed/Thu). I'm taking nurofen and staying away from the B6 and other herbs. I'm about to go and eat a nice big piece of cake and sit and feel sorry for myself! If anyone has had any similar experiences of tips please let me know. Thanks girls. x

 

[magicvw]

I would go to the docs hun I don't think B6 or vitex are likely causes really - you need to get it checked out properly anyway.

 

[Tampa]

I'm in Glasgow. Just had my 2nd appointment at NHS. Both the consultant and the professor I've seen consider my 9 day luteal phase insignificant, because my progesterone level is (just) within normal limits. Aaaaargh! So frustrating. I'm on the B6; AC I think gave me horrendous IBS last month. In fact it's still bad 3 weeks later. NHS are unwilling to try progesterone pessaries, or clomid, and say there's no point trying B6 or AC anyway. Waiting for IUI (summer), although prof reckons because there's "nothing wrong" with me it won't work. Coming up for 2 1/2 years TTC. Unexplained infertility sucks!!!!

 

[lisaf]

Tampa - did they give you the actual numbers of your progesterone levels? My GYN thought my levels were low, but fine since they indicated ovulation.
Can you afford any kind of private treatment?

 

[quail]

hi,well im 8dpo today just hoping i get passed 10dpo and the b6 works.xx

 

[inkdchick]

lisaf long time no chat how are you going cant believe you are just over 6 months now WOW congrats xx

 

[Tampa]

Hi Lisaf,
My 21 day tests have been checked a few times for progesterone - results were 21, then 22, then about 6 weeks ago I had a 21 day (was 18), 24 day (was 37) and 28 day (was 4 - AF appeared later that day). Normal range, in this area, is considered between 20 and 80. Even though I hadn't reached normal level til day 24 in the last array of tests, he reckons there should be no problem.

As he thinks IVF is the best thing for me, I'll just wait til next year. It's about £4000 a cycle here and there's no way I can stretch to that. Even acupuncture at £35 a session is too expensive to try. Sooooo I'll just have to be a patient patient!

I keep reminding myself there's people out there finding it much harder than me!

And hopefully me and the lovely other half will get there yet...

X

 

[lisaf]

Hi Lisaf,
My 21 day tests have been checked a few times for progesterone - results were 21, then 22, then about 6 weeks ago I had a 21 day (was 18), 24 day (was 37) and 28 day (was 4 - AF appeared later that day). Normal range, in this area, is considered between 20 and 80. Even though I hadn't reached normal level til day 24 in the last array of tests, he reckons there should be no problem.

As he thinks IVF is the best thing for me, I'll just wait til next year. It's about £4000 a cycle here and there's no way I can stretch to that. Even acupuncture at £35 a session is too expensive to try. Sooooo I'll just have to be a patient patient!

I keep reminding myself there's people out there finding it much harder than me!

And hopefully me and the lovely other half will get there yet...

X

Hey, the levels are a little different between the US and over there. But even though they have a range for normal, I think they like to see it hit 30. Do you know how many dpo those tests were done?

I know there are several ways for an LPD to happen... one is when the corpus lutem fails too soon which sounds like what you're having. Mine was most likely that my follicles were never big enough and therefore my corpus luteum wasn't big enough and so my progesterone never got high enough.
I'm not sure what the treatment is if your progesterone falls too fast. I'd be curious if a private place would have a different suggestion (don't have to do the whole treatment there, just get another opinion, you know?)

You sound a lot more patient than me though, so if you can handle the wait, I totally admire that!

 

[Tampa]

Hi Lisaf,

I usually ovulate around day 18 or 19 on an average of 27 day cycle. I bet we've read allthe same books and websites! I know it's either corpus luteum insufficiency or early failure of the uterine lining that's usually the cause.

I've called 2 of the Glasgow fertility clinics - they say for my problem they only offer IVF or IUI. They don't believe in investigating any further than NHS. I suppose it's all the same consultants, just working for a private fee. I asked them about trying clomid or progesterone, they just donned me off with "that's not how we really do things" type of response. I'm assuming this is the way it is in the uk - less emphasis on diagnosis, more emphasis on the big treatments.

It's all pants really. I'm trying to be patient, because I have to be, but with friends and family churning out babies like a human reproduction factory, it's not easy! love them all to bits though.

X

 

[lisaf]

Thats rough! I do wish they would at least let you try progesterone while you're waiting for further treatment! Its such a cheap option, you know?
But they only seem to think it helps with multiple miscarriages and even then half the docs are skeptical about it! I can't see that it would hurt for you to try it, especially if you are stuck waiting.

I bet we have read all the same stuff I did acupuncture weekly for months... it helped tremendously with the stress, but had no effect on my progesterone
Though one of her other patients had PCOS and very irregular periods and with a ton of herbal treatments etc she got that patient to finally have regular, clockwork cycles.

 

[Alix]

Tampa, My P levels were between 21 and 28.. and I got pregnant. How much B6 are you taking daily??