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Infertility due to low progestrone
My doctors answer to this is "clomid". I'm against clomid, multiple births, isn't America over populated as it is, and besides I want "a" child not a "litter". One at a time please. So what I did was some research on why I need my levels of progestrone at the rates they need to be for conception. Mr. Dr. said I'm at 4 and need to be at least 12, in order for my egg to be healthy enough to concieve. So I found that there is a natural root called Meca out there. It's grown in the Peruvian Mountains and the Peruvians have been eating it for centuries. They also would give it to their farm animals for fertility production. It's sold in natural food stores in either a pill form or a powder form, you can add it to your food. It had an oder, but it's tasteless. I started taking it everyday and 3 months later I went back to the lab for new blood tests of my levels of progestrone. And they actually increased from 4 to 6. I asked my doctor if she knew anything about this, and she of coarse said no. We are still trying to get pregnant, I always say no news is good news. So if there is anyone out their that knows of this to be true. Please respond, or check my research on this information. I would greatly appreciate it.
Jessie
Jessie
i am a little late here, but have you been on birth control pills????? I have been having low prog. as well. I have not liked the list of side effects related to prometrium supplementation, ,but would be willing to try if it means pregnancy. I have found some info on Vit. B6 that is quite interesting and have posted this a couple of times already. I hope this helps if you in fact have been on birth control pills.
Vitamin B6 supplementation and short luteal phase
Dec 03 '00
One reason that women can experience infertility is called a "short luteal phase" or a "luteal phase defect" (LPD). In real life, what is happening is that the interval from the time you ovulate until you have your period is too short. A fertilized egg needs a certain amount of time to safely implant in the uterine lining- if your hormones are telling the uterus to menstruate too soon, the pregnancy will not be able to implant firmly and you will get your period even though you may in fact have conceived.
How do you know if you have a luteal phase problem? Many women assume that if they have a short cycle (less than 29 days) they might have LPD. In fact, I have found that it is more common to have a LONGER than usual cycle- often as many as 40 days. But longer or shorter, the only way to know for sure is to use an ovulation predictor kit or chart your temperatures and cervical fluid signs for at least a month. If the interval between the day of ovulation and the first day of your period is less than 12 days, you may have LPD.
Once you know you have LPD, the next question is how to lengthen your luteal phase. Typically, a reproductive endocrinologist will supplement your progesterone level, which often works. However, I have found great success, supported by all the research I have done, with simple supplementation with vitamin B6.
The RDA or DV of B6 is extremely low- only a couple of milligrams. For this reason, most women assume they're getting plenty with their multiple or prenatal vitamin. However, the dosage typically needed to correct LPD is between 50 mg and 300 mg daily. I would advise starting out with an additional 50 for an entire cycle (start supplementing as soon as you get your period and don't forget to chart or use OPKs through the cycle to see if the LP changes). If the luteal phase does not change, or does not change enough, increase another 50 or 100 for each additional cycle until correction is seen. I don't know anyone who has had to take more than 300 mg- most see a radical change under 200.
So why does B6 work? Well, B6 is a very complex vitamin and has many actions in the body, but the most likely explanation is that B6 lowers the amount of prolactin in the system. Prolactin is a hormone that, in excess amounts, interferes with ovulation and the regularity of cycles. The majority of women that I have talked to encountered a LPD after coming off the birth control pill. Birth control pills cause a deficiency in B6, which can make your prolactin levels rise, which can in turn lead to a luteal phase defect. Supplementation with these large doses of B6 corrects the deficiency and the timing of ovulation hopefully goes back to normal.
Is there a concern about too much B6? B6 is not a vitamin prone to overdose- it is water-soluble and the excess will simply be secreted in the urine. Women who are establishing breastfeeding may want to keep their levels lower, since prolactin is also the hormone that controls milk production, but I have taken an extra 50 mg daily with no adverse affect on milk supply. But the average woman who is trying to conceive should have no problem with the short-term supplementation I am talking about here.
My own personal experience has been two episodes of LPD, both after coming off birth control (once the "regular" pill and once the minipill). In each instance my period has been 40 or more days for a period of four or five cycles, but with ovulation occuring only at day 30 or so. The first time I took B6 I only took 50 mg daily and the cycle corrected instantly- I ovulated on day 14 and got a positive pregnancy test on day 28, and a beautiful daughter 9 months later. The second time (after the minipill) I started with 50 milligrams, but began the supplementation on day 10. There was no change in the cycle, which was 42 days. The second cycle I took an extra 100 mg. Sure enough, I ovulated on day 14. I don't know whether or not I am pregnant, but I believe that even if I am not, my cycle will at least be regulated at 30 days. I plan to continue the supplementation at the current level until I am pregnant.
Hope this helps any women who are frustrated with LPD.
Vitamin B6 supplementation and short luteal phase
Dec 03 '00
One reason that women can experience infertility is called a "short luteal phase" or a "luteal phase defect" (LPD). In real life, what is happening is that the interval from the time you ovulate until you have your period is too short. A fertilized egg needs a certain amount of time to safely implant in the uterine lining- if your hormones are telling the uterus to menstruate too soon, the pregnancy will not be able to implant firmly and you will get your period even though you may in fact have conceived.
How do you know if you have a luteal phase problem? Many women assume that if they have a short cycle (less than 29 days) they might have LPD. In fact, I have found that it is more common to have a LONGER than usual cycle- often as many as 40 days. But longer or shorter, the only way to know for sure is to use an ovulation predictor kit or chart your temperatures and cervical fluid signs for at least a month. If the interval between the day of ovulation and the first day of your period is less than 12 days, you may have LPD.
Once you know you have LPD, the next question is how to lengthen your luteal phase. Typically, a reproductive endocrinologist will supplement your progesterone level, which often works. However, I have found great success, supported by all the research I have done, with simple supplementation with vitamin B6.
The RDA or DV of B6 is extremely low- only a couple of milligrams. For this reason, most women assume they're getting plenty with their multiple or prenatal vitamin. However, the dosage typically needed to correct LPD is between 50 mg and 300 mg daily. I would advise starting out with an additional 50 for an entire cycle (start supplementing as soon as you get your period and don't forget to chart or use OPKs through the cycle to see if the LP changes). If the luteal phase does not change, or does not change enough, increase another 50 or 100 for each additional cycle until correction is seen. I don't know anyone who has had to take more than 300 mg- most see a radical change under 200.
So why does B6 work? Well, B6 is a very complex vitamin and has many actions in the body, but the most likely explanation is that B6 lowers the amount of prolactin in the system. Prolactin is a hormone that, in excess amounts, interferes with ovulation and the regularity of cycles. The majority of women that I have talked to encountered a LPD after coming off the birth control pill. Birth control pills cause a deficiency in B6, which can make your prolactin levels rise, which can in turn lead to a luteal phase defect. Supplementation with these large doses of B6 corrects the deficiency and the timing of ovulation hopefully goes back to normal.
Is there a concern about too much B6? B6 is not a vitamin prone to overdose- it is water-soluble and the excess will simply be secreted in the urine. Women who are establishing breastfeeding may want to keep their levels lower, since prolactin is also the hormone that controls milk production, but I have taken an extra 50 mg daily with no adverse affect on milk supply. But the average woman who is trying to conceive should have no problem with the short-term supplementation I am talking about here.
My own personal experience has been two episodes of LPD, both after coming off birth control (once the "regular" pill and once the minipill). In each instance my period has been 40 or more days for a period of four or five cycles, but with ovulation occuring only at day 30 or so. The first time I took B6 I only took 50 mg daily and the cycle corrected instantly- I ovulated on day 14 and got a positive pregnancy test on day 28, and a beautiful daughter 9 months later. The second time (after the minipill) I started with 50 milligrams, but began the supplementation on day 10. There was no change in the cycle, which was 42 days. The second cycle I took an extra 100 mg. Sure enough, I ovulated on day 14. I don't know whether or not I am pregnant, but I believe that even if I am not, my cycle will at least be regulated at 30 days. I plan to continue the supplementation at the current level until I am pregnant.
Hope this helps any women who are frustrated with LPD.
I was just at the RE and she wrote down that the chances of having multiples are 9-10% with 90% being twins. I was just there last week and she wrote it on a paper sheet for me.
the chance is something like 20% higher that you'll have multiples. So, it's not that much of a risk.
But can't it make you ovulate more than one egg - increasing the chance for multiples?
Clomid doesn't really increase your chance of having multiples. All clomid does is make you ovulate.
I don't know anything about roots, but I'm on Prometrium - which is progesterone. I've been told to start taking it when I ovulate and continue taking it until I get my period or are 12 weeks pregnant. For low progesterone you can take hormone supplements - like I'm doing. Good luck!
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