[wishfulgal]

Ok, it's my turn to vent. I know I'm going to sound dumb but I'm going to do it anyway...

So, AF just showed, ending the longest and weirdest cycle of my life. I'm not sure why I feel so sad, b/c at one point I was sure I wasn't even going to ovulate, then I was cramping at 5DPO and sure I was going to have like a 8-9 day luteal phase, made it past that point and ended up with an 11 day LP .
This was only our first cycle officially trying (we've been not trying not preventing since our son was born in January 09, but I didn't get AF until Nov 09), so I know I shouldn't feel so bummed. It was my first post-partum cycle, everything is still wacky, what did I expect? I mean, how many people actually get pregnant the first time they try?
Umm, pretty much everyone I know in real life! My cousin got married 2 months ago and just announced that she's 2 months pregnant. Another cousin told me she has gotten pregnant on the first try with all 3 of her kids!The list goes on and on.

I dunno, just once I would like to just get pregnant without having to try so hard, without hardly thinking about it, just wake up one morning and realize AF is a little late, take a test and be pleasantly surprised.

Plus, I'm just kinda worried that something is wrong.
Is an 11 day LP long enough to sustain a pregnancy?
I've been taking 200mg Vitamin B6 for about 6 months (originally trying to bring on my post-partum AF) and took 300 mg a few days toward the end of my cycle. I'm not totally comfortable with taking such a high dose but I don't know what to do. If I cut down to 100mg, will my LP get shorter? ( I had a 12-day LP on the only chart I did before I got pregnant.)
I just don't know what to do. I wish I knew if my LP will get longer as my body gets used to cycling again, or if I really need the B6 to lengthen it. I'm paranoid about taking a mega dose, and it not being safe if I do get pregnant, or that if I would forget to take it my progesterone would go down and I'd have a miscarriage.

Sorry. Vent over. I really am so blessed to have one child. We tried for 6 months to get pregnant with him, but I know in the grand scheme of things thats not that long. I just wish I could quit feeling so sad.

[Coley]

First, let me say I am so sorry the stupid showed up flapping her broom all around.

300 mg is A LOT of B6... generally they recommend not to go over 200 mg.

If it's any consolation, I had a 5 day & 7 day LP before I started taking B6. I've been taking only 100 mg every day for quite a while now and my LP has gone up to 12 days just about every month... and that's even on months where I get spacey and forget to take my B6.

As far as having an 11 day LP and being concerned about it... generally, anything less than 10 days is considered a Luteal Phase Defect. Keep in mind that since your cycles are still righting themselves after having your son, there may still be a few pieces that are trying to fall back into place... so I wouldn't get too worried just yet.

[wishfulgal]

[quote=Coley;18456564300 mg is A LOT of B6... generally they recommend not to go over 200 mg.
[/quote]

Yeah, I, know. I was taking 200mg the whole cycle, and then when I started getting cramps down my legs (which ALWAYS happens about 4 days before AF) I just didn't want to end up getting AF while we were at my parents for Christmas, didn't want to be sad and dealing with AF while there, so I started taking 300 mg starting at 5DPO. So I'm really thinking I WOULD have had a short LP if I hadn't taken that amount, but there's no way to know.

I think this cycle I'm going to go back down to a more reasonable 100mg, but I'm worried that my body has gotten used to me taking more and I'll end up with an even shorter LP....but I'm hoping my body will just get back to normal on it's own. I'm just not comfortable with taking such high amounts.

Anyone have any experience/thoughts?

[Mod-LilSunshine]

It's okay to vent! That's what we're here for. I'm right with you on a lot of the things you said. AF just showed for me today too....so next cycle we can be cycle buddies. Lots of people I know are getting preggo right away too. In fact, lots of people I know are pregnant! There are 3 people that I work with pregnant right now (and a 4th just had a baby recently). My favorite is the one who complains EVERY single day about how much she hates being pregnant...). Anyway...

I have no idea about the B6, so hopefully someone else does.

I just wanted to drop in and say that I've read a lot of PP cycles while BPing are really whacky, like you didn't already know, huh?, but that I short LPs are also fairly common I guess with BFing moms. Mine was pretty short this past cycle, but I've always had weird LPs. Some last 14 days, others shorter then 10. I took natural progesterone cream the cycle I got PG (maybe the one before too) to help with spotting before AF. Now, I'm trying Bcomplex 100, and also ca/mag 1000/400 for the dip in milk supply, migraines, and spotting. I'm think we might start TTC this spring if I'm still on the waiting list for the nursing program this fall.

[Coley]

I'm glad to hear you will be backing down the B6.

I hear you on the whole not wanting an even shorter LP if your body goes through an adjustment to the lesser amount of B6, but in all honesty... it'd be better to let your body make that adjustment to a safer level now rather than later.

I do hope your cycle starts leveling out soon.

If it helps at all, it has taken me about 3 cycles to settle into a healthy regular pattern again after each pregnancy (not there yet with this one but this is only my second whole cycle). I realize you quit breastfeeding to get things started and settled down quicker but your body apparently still needs time. It will let you know when it's ready.