# I'm new here but hope my story helps people



## Jo-M (Jul 12, 2008)

Hi everyone,

I have just found FF and it probably seems a bit strange joining now as I have a 10 month old son but I had fertility issues before he was born so I wish I had found this site a few years ago and I hope my story can help/encourage others.

After over a year of unsuccesful trying (my GP wasn't interested in helping until 2 years) I started tracking my ovulation with testing sticks. I'd always had a regular 27 day cycle but I discovered I was ovulating at day 19 which only gave me a luteal phase of 8 days - this was consistent month after month. After a bit of reading on the internet I figured I probably had luteal phase defect and spoke again to my GP. He dismissed it but offered to test my progesterone levels. The results were at the very lower levels of the 'normal range' but within the range (just!) so the GP decided this wasn't an issue and refused to prescribe progesterone for me.

After much persuading he referred me to a subfertility consultant but due to a mixup at the hospital the consultant was away on the day I went so I saw one of her colleagues instead. He suggested superovulation/IUI and told me that would sort out the luteal phase. So I went through that, still had a luteal phase of 8 days and - surprise, surprise - no pregnancy. The next review was by a junior doctor who dismissed LPD and progesterone as an issue, told me to lose weight as "obesity causes infertility" - I was size 14, not exactly obese - and refused to discuss my concerns. After pretty much throwing a tantrum I managed to finally see the consultant I had originally been referred to. She also dismissed the notion of LPD but, I think just to shut me up, she prescribed progesterone suppositries (Cyclogest).

The first cycle my luteal phase extended to 14 days, the second cycle I got pregnant.

When I returned to the consultant with the good news her first words to me were "I bow to your superior knowledge". I continued to take the progesterone for the first trimester although none of the doctors seems to know whether this was necessary or not, and now have a lovely healthy baby boy.

Although my outcome was good it took a lot of persistence, arguing and an awful lot of money spent on ovulation tests to get there (the fact that I have a PhD in biology probably helped my case as well) and it concerns me that others without the resources I had may be not getting the treatment they need. Progesterone is cheap and simple to use, but if I had not pushed for it I would have gone through four cycles of IUI then IVF - completely unnecessarily.

I am now trying to figure out if I still have LPD as I would like to conceive again but as I'm still breastfeeding it is hard to tell. I am anticipating another battle with the doctors, and a lot more money spent on ovulation kits......

Good luck to everyone - and I would love to hear from anyone going through the same thing

Jo-M


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## dakota (Feb 6, 2007)

*Hi Jo-M,

Welcome to Fertility Friends, and congratulations on your little boy 

We have a parenting section you can post on http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=75.0 also the birth clubs where you can chat with ladies with children the same age as your LO http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=78.0

Im sorry you had such a battle with your GP and consultant, Here's hoping they are a bit more understanding this time round 

Good luck hun  

Nikki xx*


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## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Hello Jo-M, welcome to Fertility Friends. 

Congratulations on your litle baby  and what a wonderfully inspiring story you have given us! It does just go to show that, in this business, you do have to push push push for what you know is right. I know I certainly wish I'd done things differents and known more stuff before I was plunged into the wolrd of infertility. I can't really help you with regards to how breastfeedign may affect things, except to say it is generally said to make it harder to conceive - but not impossible. We have ladies of FF who have done FET cycles while still BF their babies to and a fair few ttc no. 2 while still feeding no.1. I have, myself, only just finished feeding my little man at 17 monthsand am now hoping to buck the odds and ttc naturally again. Lots of ladies in a similar position here on FF, you can meet there here:

*Hoping for another miracle ~ **CLICK HERE*

Do pop by and introduce yourself on the chat thread there as I am sure the ladies there will make you as welcome as they made me. 

You might also want to check out the following links to other parts of FF:

*What Every New Member Needs To Know (includes a list of common abbreviations) ~ *   CLICK HERE

*Babydust - Parents place for chat and support ~ *  CLICK HERE 

And don't forget to have a bit of fun while you are on FF and check out the general chit chat / jokes / hobbies area:

*Girl & Boy talk - Community & Fun Board ~ *CLICK HERE

You can also chat live in our excellent chat room. We have a newbie night in the chat room every week (*Wednesday at 8pm*), where you can meet other new members and get technical support with navigating the site and using all the functions available here.  CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON NEWBIE CHAT 

You can also "meet" and chat with people in your local area through the *Location boards*. This is especially useful to find people who may be using the same clinic and or in the same PCT area.

Wishing you loads of luck and look forward to bumping into you around the boards. 

C~x


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## spell (May 27, 2008)

Hi Jo-M,

Thank you for your story, it has inspired me!!.

I'm new to this web site, but when I read you post I felt inspired and brave enough to to make my first post and reply to you.  

We've just finished 6 months of clomid without success and all along this journey I've been trying to explain that I think I have a short luetal phase.  I'm a bit unsure of how to calculate, but what I've been doing is testing with OPK, when I get a positive I assume I ovulate the next day and then the last day of my cycle is just that.  Based on this I calculate that my luetal phase is 9 days.  I was originally referred to subfertility clinic as blood tests at day 19 (cycle usually 23/25 days) were slightly low for progresterone.  I am due to visit GP in 3 weeks time to discuss ISCI, DH has high level of abnormal sperm and I want to make sure that we have explored every opportunity before we have to pay out on IVF.  I have mentioned it on previous visits but they have all told me that clomid will make sure I ovulate correctly and it should be OK.  Clomid did increase my cycle length slightly but the luetal phase was still the same.  I'm 35 in a couple of weeks time so I feel that I don't have much time.  Would love to hear you opinions on this.  What are the down sides of progresterone suppositories?

Thanks for sharing your story, good luck for the future and I hope No 2 comes along very soon.

LOL, Spell. X


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## Jo-M (Jul 12, 2008)

Hi Spell,

Glad to hear that my story inspired you! I was also told that clomid etc would sort out my cycle but it didn't. As far as I can figure, it's not the ovulation that's the problem, it's holding off AF long enough for a pregnancy to take hold. I really don't understand why the doctors were so reluctant to try progesterone - it is very cheap (about £12 for 2 weeks supply I believe). I don't know of any major downsides (except messiness!), more information is available in the BNF (www.bnf.org/bnf/bnf/55/4358.htm - you might need to register to view this). I used Cyclogest 400mg.

I used ClearBlue ovulation tests to determine when I ovulated - had plenty of BMS for the next three days then started using the Cyclogest morning and night. After two weeks I did a pregnancy test and the first month it was negative so I stopped the progesterone and let AF arrive, then the second month it was positive so I kept using the progesterone throughout the first trimester. 

I have no idea what effect your husband's sperm will have  - luckily my DH was fine in that respect. But I really do believe that, if your luteal phase is less than 10 days then trying a couple of cycles with progesterone is well worth it - it's so cheap and easy and you can always go onto other things afterwards. I am not a medical doctor but I do have a PhD in Developmental Biology so I think I have a pretty good understanding of the science behind it all! My consultant really didn't believe progesterone would work, I think she only prescribed it to shut me up, so maybe I am unusual but my gut feeling is that I'm not the only one that it would work for.

Anyway, I wish you all the best of luck, and hope you have success - please let me know how you get on!

Hugs,
Jo-M



/links


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## carrie3479 (Nov 30, 2005)

Hiya Jo-M,
Welcome to FF 
I was told I had practically non existant progesterone in 1998, but then found out I was actually PG when they did the blood test lol. 
In 2002 my self and DH found out I was pg but sadly resulted in ectopic. We have been ttc since then, we were put on clomid, didnt work..infact made things worse so I was taken off after a month or two! Then refered to IUI in 2005/6 had 2 rounds but that failed aswell. Gave up and decided what the hey we will try naturally.. we had a BFP a month ago but had what I can only assume was a Chemical pregnancy as AF arrived a few days later and HPTs were neg 
I am now wondering whether I should have a word with my GP and get my progesterone levels checked again and push for more investigations. I have no idea when I OV as get far to confused with the OPKs!
Many thanks for sharing your story, huge congratulations on your little lad. 
All the very best
Corrina xx


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## Just a girl (Mar 6, 2008)

Hi Jo -
Welcome to FF's and I hope you don't mind me asking but did you have cervical mucus which is consistant when ovulating on your day 19?

Thanks x


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## Jo-M (Jul 12, 2008)

Just a girl said:


> Hi Jo -
> Welcome to FF's and I hope you don't mind me asking but did you have cervical mucus which is consistant when ovulating on your day 19?
> 
> Thanks x


Hi, Yes I did, I never had any success tracking my BBT - it went all over the place - but the 'stretch test' on my cervical mucus was very accurate - my mucus always became stretchy the day before I got a positive on the ovulation test, so generally day 18.

Cheers,
Jo-M


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## Just a girl (Mar 6, 2008)

Thanks for replying x


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## Joey_V (Jul 7, 2008)

Hi Jo-M
Thanks for your story. Very inspiring and just proves how hard you have to push these so called professionals sometimes. My GP wanted to refer us to a gyno when we had issues with sperm. Luckliy my sister is friends with a urologist who is pointing us in the right direction.
Carrie, I would definitely recommend tracking your BBT. I gave up doing it cos is seemed to be all over the place, but then was much more disciplined (very first thing in morning before going for a pee) as per the Taking Charge of your Fertlity Book (which I strongly recommend), and I know exactly what's going on now! You need 10 or more higher temps, otherwise there's probably an issue with the luteal phase. 
My cervical mucus is consistent with the temps, but I find going on cm alone isn't very precise as I get 4-6 days of it, and even a day or so after the temperature rise. Also, sometimes I don't get a positive on an OPK - the LH surge can be less than 24 hours (which they don't tell you in the packs) or you may drink loads of water (like me) and it's hard to tell.
The BBT will also show you for definite if you've miscarried (>17 raised temps followed by a drop) of even if you're in danger of doing so (falling temp). I'm a complete BBT convert and now think it's amazing!
Hope this helps.
Good luck to all of you  
Jo
xx


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## bablet (Jul 21, 2008)

Hi

Thanks for your inspiring story and I've also read some of your replies - thank you ladies for all the information.

This is my first visit here.     

I'm 34 next week and having been trying to get pg for nearly 10 years.  Docs wouldn't take it seriously until I was 30.   We then started the long referral process all the tests appeared to come up with 'unexplained infertility'.  My cycle has always been erratic but I had to be put on norethisterone for my cycle to work in with my DH and then I was put on clomid for 6 months which made my cycle so much worse and was not successful.  We were due to finally embark on our first cycle of treatment but now due to my DH's work we live overseas so will be looking to have treatment here in Cyprus.  I'm now wondering if my luteal phase could be an issue - this was never mentioned to me by my consultant.  I also have an underactive thyroid which again I have just recently found out is significantly connected to what happens with  my monthly cycle so maybe there is more I should be considering before we go down the route of expensive IVF treatment over here.

Any advice would be welcome. 

Thanks

bablet


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## professor waffle (Apr 23, 2005)

Hi Jo-M & welcome to FF. I too have always had a short luteal phase of about 9-10 days but have consistently been told this wouldn't affect me if I got pg. I'm convinced that on my last cycle of clomid I was pg - had all the symptoms but came on on day 27 (still early for a 14 day lp). I talked to my fertility nurse & she gave me cyclogest although she didn't think it would help as it's not proven. It didn't help then but I'm sure when I got pg on my 2nd IUI that it stopped AF from coming & that implantation took hold with those extra few days. 

I do think LP can stop implantation from taking place if it's too short or that AF comes just as implantation is starting. For me it stopped AF until I stopped the cyclogest so I'm convinced it works. The result is in my profile pic as you can see.

I think if you're wanting to ttc No 2 to give it the best chance you can to stick cyclogest is a good idea, after all it can't do any harm

G

cc


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## Jo-M (Jul 12, 2008)

Wow, I'm so pleased to get all these replies! I knew I wasn't the only concerned about LPD

Bablet: I have read somewhere that thyrod problems can cause LPD but I don't know much about it, and whether progesterone can help in that case or not. 

G: Thanks for your message. I really can't understand why health professionals keep insisting that a short luteal phase won't affect fertility/pregnancy when it just seems common sense to me - how is an embryo going to implant when AF is starting??! Glad to see it seems to worked for someone else as well!

Cheers all,

Jo-M


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## anna the third (Jan 15, 2008)

hi JM, completlely agree but then there are many things about this journey that seem illogical to me!

for what it's worth, the drs' rational is that the LPD is caused by poor egg quality beucase a poor egg stimulates only a little the endo to grow etc etc. It also won't implant. QED, lengthening the LP won't improve egg quality. 

However, i totally agree with you - i had short luteal phase at age 20, when egg quality cannot have been in issue. 

furthermore, if even a % of women are helped at a cost of next to nothing in IF terms, isn't that a good thing? grrr it makes me mad. 

congrats on little Fraser and good luck!


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## carrie3479 (Nov 30, 2005)

I will defanitly give tracking my BBT ago... I seem to have exhausted most things lol... cheers for advice.
And I have to agree I cant see how AF coming early can help if your body is also trying to get a beanie to implant. But thats Drs for you lol

All the best 
Corrina xx


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## spell (May 27, 2008)

Hi all,

Just thought I would update you on my docs appointment. We've decided to go for ISCI starting Oct / Nov, yikes!!  But in the meantime my doctor has prescribed me progesterone as he said it may help (?).  Don't think he would have suggested it if I hadn't asked though.  So a big thank you to you girls out there who have recommended it (especially Jo-M as you started this thread off with your story).  He's also given me some more clomid, so we'll see how we go on that combination....Wish me luck!

Chat soon.x


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## Jo-M (Jul 12, 2008)

Hi girls,

Thought I should put an update to this post. I stopped breastfeeding when my son was a year old and started tracking my ovulation again. After a couple of months it was clear that my luteal phase was still short (8/9 days). I went to my GP and this time there were no arguements - she prescribed cyclogest for me immediately!!

Anyway, have been using the cyclogest for two months now with no success (AF arrived yesterday   ) but I'm still hopeful and want to give it a couple more months before getting too worried. However I am a little concerned that both months AF has started before I have finished the 15 days of cyclogest (last month on the 12th day and this month on the 15th). When I first used cyclogest 2 years ago and I had one unsuccessful cycle but then AF didn't arrive until day 17 when I had stopped the cyclogest. I don't know whether to be concerned about this or not - anyone have any experience with it?

Cheers,

Jo-M


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