Vitamin B6 - Lengthen luteal phase or increase progesterone

[Khloeee]

Hi girls, I'm OK. Impatient to O. Grateful for the long weekend and its distractions that are stopping me just sitting around waiting for O to happen. CD16 now *drums fingers on table*.

 

[bubbles81]

Kiara - its great news that u got crosshairs!!Dont worry about havin ur bloods fine a day late...when I had CD21 bloods done I was only 5dpo but they defo showed that I O'd n that's all that mattered FX for u this month x

Khloeee - I O'd a day late last month n I think it was due to the vit B as I never normally O on CD16...for me it's normally CD14 or 15. I hope u O soon as its horrible waiting for it when u know u are so close!

ATM I'm on CD7 and started taking the vitB again on CD5 (I didn't want to take it earlier incase it made me O even later! N I had bloods on CD3 n didn't want it to effect my bloods). I'm going to start temping 2moro n will start OPK's on CD12...I'm expecting O around CD15 or 16 this month. I hate waiting x

 

[Khloeee]

Waiting to O is horrible!!

Last month (the cycle I got PG with the chemical) I Oed on cd19 instead of my usual cd15, so maybe this month will be similar. Could be all the vitamins I've started taking this month, could be the chemical... There are so many factors.

Just did today's OPK and got a faint line. Hoping that means O either tomorrow or the next day. Am having cramp type pains near my hip... Am thinking they might be ovulation pains? Can't say I've ever noticed O pains before.

 

[Khloeee]

Just got my blood results back. They've tested LH, FSH, prolactin and Oestradiol too. I thought they were just testing my thyroid. Is anyone good at interpreting these results? She said my levels were all normal but I have no idea what the figures mean?!

My results:
LH: 3.7
FSH: 3.7
Oestradiol: 232
Prolactin: 132

The test was done on CD9 (straight after chemical pregnancy). From today's OPK, it looks like I will ovulate tomorrow (CD18). I know they should have done the test earlier in my cycle, but I didn't realise they were testing for LH/FSH too, and the GP insisted I wait another week before the blood test to make sure any imbalances from the chemical had died down.

 

[kiarajade2001]

Just got my blood results back. They've tested LH, FSH, prolactin and Oestradiol too. I thought they were just testing my thyroid. Is anyone good at interpreting these results? She said my levels were all normal but I have no idea what the figures mean?!

My results:
LH: 3.7
FSH: 3.7
Oestradiol: 232
Prolactin: 132

The test was done on CD9 (straight after chemical pregnancy). From today's OPK, it looks like I will ovulate tomorrow (CD18). I know they should have done the test earlier in my cycle, but I didn't realise they were testing for LH/FSH too, and the GP insisted I wait another week before the blood test to make sure any imbalances from the chemical had died down.

The FSH is great. The higher the number the less in ovarian reserve. The LH is also really good and the ratio to FSH is spot on showing unlikely any PCOS.

The estradiol and prolactin would be quite high for CD3 but would be within normal range for any time later than that. Though saying that, different labs have different ranges and measurements. The copy of blood test results would have the normal ranges for the lab who did your tests. Ask your doctor for a copy.

But overall, they look really good for the time in your cycle they were done xxx

 

[Khloeee]

Thanks Kiara, that's really useful to know. It was the Prolactin and Oestradiol that I was most interested in, as I figured my ovulation was OK because I've been managing to conceive. I was worried I could have excess prolactin from breastfeeding, but the tests don't seem to indicate that, so that is good. I also suspect that my estrogen levels are higher than they should be, but again, the tests don't indicate that, so I'm hoping that everything is OK.

They have given me a copy with the ranges, etc. Prolactin is 102 - 496 (so mine is pretty low...which I take as a good thing?) And Oestradiol is 90 - 716 for the follicular phase.

 

[kiarajade2001]

Thanks Kiara, that's really useful to know. It was the Prolactin and Oestradiol that I was most interested in, as I figured my ovulation was OK because I've been managing to conceive. I was worried I could have excess prolactin from breastfeeding, but the tests don't seem to indicate that, so that is good. I also suspect that my estrogen levels are higher than they should be, but again, the tests don't indicate that, so I'm hoping that everything is OK.

They have given me a copy with the ranges, etc. Prolactin is 102 - 496 (so mine is pretty low...which I take as a good thing?) And Oestradiol is 90 - 716 for the follicular phase.

Exactly. The ranges of normality are usually quite large but with these tests of hormones, it's generally that lower is better and all your results are on the lower side of normal, which is very reassuring news. Yay!!

 

[Khloeee]

Hmm, my OPKs are behaving strangely. I usually get a faint line one day, then two days of strong positives. I got the faint line yesterday, so was expecting a positive today, but it's even fainter than yesterday's line. This has never happened before. CD18 today, I've never ovulated later than this since I've been charting.

Starting to think B-100 might be too high a dose for me and it's doing a bit too much of a good job at keeping my estrogen levels low (low enough to not ovulate?!). Might try switching down to B-50 and see what happens. No harm in switching back up to B-100 once I know I've ovulated.

 

[kiarajade2001]

I got my 7DPO results back. 45 so I did O at cd44 but not sure if 45 is a good result. I was 8DPO having the test and now 9 DPO. Having a lot of watery cm today so assuming that AF is coming soon

 

[Khloeee]

Kiara, as you've probably already gathered : ) , I know very little about these tests and what the results indicate, so I can't be of much help there I'm afraid. It is good that it showed you did ovulate though. This whole thing is just waiting isn't it? Waiting for OV, waiting for tests, waiting for AF.... I hate it!

I've done some more reading around today, and I think the B complex IS responsible for my delayed ovulation. I can see from the OPKs that my LH levels have risen twice in the past week, but not enough. So my body is obviously trying, but not enough estrogen. This could be a good thing, maybe my body is gearing up for a stronger OV and the B6 has suceeded in helping me obtain a better estrogen level (ie, not excessively high). Or, it could mean I'm taking too high a dose of B6 and it's made my estrogen too low for ovulation.

So, I'm going to move down to B-50 tomorrow and see what happens. Either way, I am taking the whole thing as a positive sign that the B6 is indeed doing SOMETHING to my hormone balance, I think it's just a question of finding the right level for me.

 

[kiarajade2001]

I think you may be right. This was my first month on Vit B Complex (100mg) and I got my first surge on cd22 and then my second surge at cd42 then O on cd44. I thought it was delayed because I was ill and travelling at the early part of my cycle but it could be due to the vits. I'll probs perservere this month to make sure because tbh, I don't often get ovulatory cycles so I'm happy I did and don't mind too much how late it was

I will be interested to see what a lower dose does for you. Sometimes it just needs playing around until the dose that suits you is found xx

 

[Khloeee]

So, now I'm confused. Temp has gone up this morning (not by a huge amount though, but still the highest temp yet this cycle). Maybe I am heading into LP after all, although I don't know that I ovulated....unless I missed the surge, but I usually get at least two days of positive OPKs so this would have been an unusually quick surge if that's the case. The 28th was when I started to get a line on OPKs, but I only tested once around midday, and 24 hours later it was back to no line. Could be a rogue high temperature, time will tell. More waiting, yay! *sarcasm*

I've put my chart in my sig now if anyone wants to have a look.

Kiara, yes from what I've read B6 can definintely delay OV because it lowers your estrogen levels (thus helping to increase progesterone levels in your LP). But this might not necessarily be a bad thing, if it helps your body readjust and build up to a stronger OV a little bit later in your cycle. In my case, I don't think it's given me a stronger OV, more the opposite! Starting on b-50 complex today.

 

[bubbles81]

Hey ladies
How is everyone?

Khloeee - I had a look at ur chart n it does look like u could have O'd yesterday as long as ur temps stay up...did u BD just in case?

Kiara - how long is ur LP normally?

Im on CD10 today so will start looking for O in the next few days...Im expecting it to be CD15 or 16....i hate this time of the month as i always get worried about missing it
I got my CD3 bloods back the other day n was quite disappointed! The GP had commented that everything was normal but im sure she didnt check for everything they normally check at CD3!

Does anyone know what they should be checking at CD3? x

 

[Khloeee]

Bubbles, my GP checked estradiol, prolactin, thyroid, FSH and LH levels. But I don't know if this was stricly a CD3 test as she didn't specify that it was.

Temp up even higher this morning. Do temps rise if you haven't ovulated? I'm just not sure because my OPKs never got dark like they usually do.... but the timing of the darkest OPK I got seems to fit with my temps (I've marked in it as a positive OPK on my chart).

And yes, we did BD two days in a row after my 'positive' OPK, although I'm not too fussed about getting my timings right this month as we are meant to be taking a month of TTC.

Guess I better get back on the B-100 complex if I have indeed already ovulated, just moved down to B-50 yesterday.

 

[bubbles81]

Hey Khloee
It does look like u have O'd but ull have to wait another day or 2 for it to be confirmed. Temps can rise if u havent O'd but then they drop bk down again...whenever ive had a high temp before O it drops down the next day x

My GP said bloods had to be between CD2 and 5...she checked full blood count, thyroid function, TSH, T4, progesterone, vit B12 n a whole load of other things that I dont even know about but she didnt check LH, FSH, estradiol or prolactin (what is that?)....she did check LH, FSH and estradiol as well as progesterone on CD21 but im sure she should have checked them for CD3 as well as she said she was going to compare the bloods....the only one she can compare now is progesterone which is not really relevant as we already established that i O'd! Arrgghhh im really annoyed about it now!

She commented on results that all were normal apart from minor abnormality in Serum Folate (18 ug/L) which I read is folic acid but she stated no treatment required...dont really understand that result tho as there is folic acid in the vit B complex x

 

[kiarajade2001]

Kiara - how long is ur LP normally?

Hi Bubbles, well my LP was 8 days at the end of last year (we think!), last month it was 10 days according to OPK and FF as I was on a break from temping for quite a while so entered the OPK because I'd never had one before. This month I'm on 12DPO according to FF, OPK and blood test. Can't quite believe it!

How are you doing? How is everyone else? x

 

[Khloeee]

Kiara, that is really really good news about your LP! What do you think has helped?

I've got crosshairs on my chart now!! (excuse my excitement, it's the first time I've used FF). But the coverline does seem quite high... I'm worried that it means low progesterone, as most charts I see have a much lower coverline. OH is telling me that I'm being stupid, and that I need to wait a few more days because it might rise further. I guess it may only be an issue if it STAYS at that temp and doesn't rise again - a 0.2 difference from the coverline doesn't seem enough to me.

 

[bubbles81]

Kiara - that's great news about ur LP...do u think it's the vit B or could it be anything else as well? x

Khloeee - I don't really know about the link between progesterone n the cross hairs but ur temps have still got time to rise yet x

I'm 12dpo today so am waiting for O...didn't get it til CD16 last month n before that it was normally on 15 so am gona BD on CD14-16 n hopefully catch that egg! x

 

[Khloeee]

From what I understand, progesterone is what causes the temp rise after ovulation. So if your temp doesn't rise that much it could indicate low progesterone. But you are right, it's early days. I actually hate this charting business, it means I have no choice but to overthink things. I would so much rather NOT chart, but I need to be able to pinpoint my exact day of OV in order to work out just how many days my LP is. Up until now, I've just been guessing from OPKs.

Bubbles, I would BD on CD17 too if you can. I know there is less chance after you've OVed, but you still have a 12-24 hour window after OV, and seeing as it's impossible to tell what time of day you OVed, if it was late in the day, you could still have a good chance of conception on the day after OV... if that makes sense?

 

[bubbles81]

I know wat u mean about charting but I'm kinda used to it now...I don't think I could stop n risk not knowing when I O'd...I have started to stop temping when O has been confirmed n I don't start again until AF has finished.

I don't think there is any point in me BD on CD17...I understand the reason behind it but with me we seem to BD on O day every month n never catch the egg...the day we seem to miss is the day before O so I think that's the most important one for me...n the sperm have to reach the egg as well so by the time they do I think my egg would be gone. If it was upto me I'd still give it a go but it's hard enough for me to get OH to BD on set days do I try to limit it to the important ones x