[ProudMomof2Boys416]

Well I went to my second opinion appointment this afternoon, and I got the EXACT same response as the 1st doctor. That my irregular periods, my heavy bleeding AND my short luetal phase (got my period today 8DPO) are completely normal!.

She wanted to run NO tests and said the only thing they would do for me was BC pills after I gave birth to our 3rd child (we are going to start TTC in May).....and that was all she was going to and said she COULD do. She said "You are ovulating and that is all you need to be doing". She said it didn't matter if my cycles are irregular....even though I told her I have been charting my period for 3 months now and my cycles look like this:

Cycle #1: 31 Days

Cycle #2: 49 Days

Cycle #3: 26 Days

She also told me that it "stinks to have heavy bleeding" and that my luetal phase is completely normal....as long as I am ovulating AT SOME POINT!.

So I guess what I am experiencing is normal. If it is not normal, I guess I am never going to find out what is wrong. I have now 2 doctors telling me nothing is wrong and they won't do anything.

Oh well, I tried

Thanks for all your help during this!. I really appreciate it

[Admin-pattyandthemoos]

Gosh how frustrating. I don't think they are right about your luteal phase being normal but I am not sure what you can do. Doctors don't like to look into things until you have been ttc for a while.

Maybe you can try some natural things to lengthen your luteal phase and improve your cycles. Have you heard of taking Vitex or vitamin B6?

[DeepSouthMommy]

Wow, that's just horrible that you've had two doctors with that same rotten attitude and opinion. At the VERY least they should be concerning themselves with your short luteal phase. How do they expect you to sustain an early pregnancy if the pregnancy never gets a chance to really get started??

I sure hope that you don't give up just yet. If I were you I'd start searching things like healthgrades.com or even just googling doctors in your area to find one that is willing to work with their patients. There are good doctors out there....sometimes it just takes some work to find them. Keep us posted as to how things are going!

[ProudMomof2Boys416]

Thank you so much for both of your replies!. Sorry my post seemed more like a vent. I guess I'm more upset about it than I thought.

Maybe you can try some natural things to lengthen your luteal phase and improve your cycles. Have you heard of taking Vitex or vitamin B6?

I actually did read about the B6 this morning before my appointment!. I think I'm really going to look into that!.

At the VERY least they should be concerning themselves with your short luteal phase. How do they expect you to sustain an early pregnancy if the pregnancy never gets a chance to really get started??

I thought the same exact thing. I kept thinking "out of everything, I know FOR SURE the luetal phase will be concerning!" but to my surprise, she blew it off like it was nothing!. She said "as long as your ovulating, you have nothing to worry about". I read this morning that people with LPD (luetal phase defects) cannot start and hold on to a pregnancy and the doctor I saw today (when I saw MY doctor on Wednesday, my period hadn't started yet so I was unaware that I have a short luetal phase) said "that isn't true". She looked at me like I was stupid!.

I sure hope that you don't give up just yet. If I were you I'd start searching things like healthgrades.com or even just googling doctors in your area to find one that is willing to work with their patients. There are good doctors out there....sometimes it just takes some work to find them

Thank you!. After reading that it gave me the energy to NOT give up. I am going to find out what is wrong with me if I have to see every doctor in this town lol.

How exactly does healthgrades.com work?. I'm visiting the website now, but I'm unsure if I'm doing it correctly. Does it just help you find doctors in the area?

Thanks again for both of your responses!. You have really helped me out alot

[NutMeg76]

If you tihnk there is a really a problem, then don't let them tell you know for an answer. You need to advocate for yourself.

[Coley]

Good for you!! I'm glad to hear you're gonna soldier on!!

If you look at my past charts, like back in the very beginning you'll see I had a 7 day LP, a 5 day LP, annovulatory cycles... it was a mess.

I stopped charting from January until April, we moved and stuff... but I also started a prenatal and B6. Since then, I've had one 9 day LP and all the rest have been at least 12 days.

I take 100 mg per day... it's worth a shot and fairly cheap!

[wishfulgal]

That's really frustrating! I can't believe the doctor said an 8-day LP is "completely normal."
I agree with the others, sometimes it is worth doctor shopping to find someone you can trust and who you are completely comfortable with.
When we were TTC #1, we had been trying for 6 cycles and I was getting pretty worried, so I scheduled an appointment (with a new doctor as I had moved to a new area after we got married) under the guise of needing my annual exam and brought my charts and a bunch of questions. I was surprised when the doctor ordered bloodwork and a semen analysis right away. My bloodwork came back ok, and we didn't need the semen analysis bc I got pregnant that cycle! But my point is, there are doctors that are willing to look into things long before the one-year mark.

Good luck and I hope you can either have good results with the Vitamin B6 or find a doctor who will address your concerns!

[jesridge]

I can't believe that... I'm so sorry they're not interested in helping you.

Definitely try the vitamins... I managed to go from a 7 day LP to a 15-ish day LP just taking prenatal vitamins (apparently I was totally depriving myself of B.. heh.) I also have very irregular cycles and have found that taking some time every day to just relax and clear my mind really helps to relieve stress that will delay ovulation and ultimately my period.

Good luck to you, hopefully you'll either find a doc that will work with you, or find an alternative method to helping yourself. <3

[LifesGood]

i agree with prenatals and B6 i take 100mg a day too. I had an 8day LP and a chemical pregnancy after a month of B6 I had a 11 day LP with a BFP on day 12

[NutMeg76]

I was wondering if the second opinion was with a different doctor in the same practice because of how quickly you were able to be seen. A lot of times doctors that work together have similar philosophies, so don't be surprised if they give you the same answers.

When you go for your third opinion make sure it is with a doctor in a different practice, or even with a full service midwife. I saw midwives for my last visit, they were CNM that did both in and out of hospital births. They also did well woman and normal GYN type appointments. A group like that would be good because they have a better understanding of the female body and how nature works for women.

[ShawnaCAN]

Are you at all open to seeing a physician who specializes in getting the root of reproductive problems and fixing them, without covering up the problem with the BCP? I saw a NaPro specialist for my PCOS and they are amazing, they investigate very thoroughly!
- Welcome to FertilityCare? Centers of America

[ProudMomof2Boys416]

I was wondering if the second opinion was with a different doctor in the same practice because of how quickly you were able to be seen.

Nope. It was actually at a different practice!. I called and gave them my information right after my appointment on Wednesday and they were able to get me in the next day (thursday), but I had to call back and cancel because something came up.

Well I called on Friday again thinking I probably woudn't get seen until atleast Monday but I went on a whim and asked if there were any openings that same day and she said if I didn't mind seeing their midwife (which was who I was going to be seeing on Thursday as well), she could get me in that day. So I was able to be seen at 2:00pm on Friday with their midwife.

She came into the room. Made sure she was right in knowing I was there for a second opinion....and went on to tell me that my other doctor was exactly right in what she told me and said what I was experiencing was normal. She said I was more than welcome to switch over to their practice, but since I got the same exact response from my doctor and the midwife and I absolutly love the 1st doctor I saw (she is the one that delivered Caleb as well), I decided to stay with my 1st doctor.

After seeing what you mentioned about midwives though, I'm shocked that I got the same response as a doctor. I don't know.....I guess I haven't found the "right" place yet.

Are you at all open to seeing a physician who specializes in getting the root of reproductive problems and fixing them, without covering up the problem with the BCP? I saw a NaPro specialist for my PCOS and they are amazing, they investigate very thoroughly!

Wow!. Thanks for the link!. I think I will look into that!

ETA: Well I just clicked on the link you posted and there are two doctors in my state....but none that are close to me

[ShawnaCAN]

Yeah, I had to drive 6 hours to see mine. But it was well worth it! She ordered so many tests and got right to the bottom of what was going on (plus she used my fertility chart as a diagnostic tool!) After our initial consultation, we did the rest by phone.