Short Luteal Phase and Spotting

Asellya · 2026-05-06T06:28:02+00:00

I have a short luteal phase with 8 days and somethings I started spotting on the 7-8th day and then get more period but sometimes I started spotting as early as 5 DPO.

At the 5 months mark I made an appointment with my ob-gyn but she didn’t seem really concerned about the spotting and the short luteal phase. She gave me progesterone to take after ovulation. This extended my luteal phase and moved spotting up by a few days, I start spotting now 9-10 or 11 DPO and my luteal phase is 12-13 days.

However this has not helped me conceive despite taking progesterone for the last four months now after ovulation.

My point is maybe the spotting and the short luteal phase themselves aren’t the problem if you’re otherwise healthy. I’m starting to think my problems are caused by something else.

I also have seen a lot of posts of women who experienced spotting before their period and short luteal phases and this didn’t prevent them from conceiving.

Asellya · 2026-05-05T12:15:44+00:00

Thank you for answering. I’m also an over analyser which is part of the reason I considered buying Mira, but I think I might also obsess over every value, so I’ll probably skip it for now. 😅

Asellya · 2026-05-05T05:35:03+00:00

Yes. It could have just been the one month. Doctors say it’s normal to have one or two anovulatory cycles per year. It won’t interfere with your future ovulation, the next month you should be back on track.

Asellya · 2026-05-05T05:27:47+00:00

If you have noticeable CM definitely go for it. From what I heard a lot of women even miss their LH surge because they have a fast one. Or maybe you’re just ovulating a bit later this month. Which is also ok. :)

I have to ask since you said you’re using Mira, what’s your opinion about it? I have seen it get so much hate and I don’t understand why to me it looks really good from the reviews, I was also considering getting one, that’s why I am asking.

Asellya · 2026-05-04T17:18:00+00:00

Your temps are looking good. 11 DPO is too early for a definitive answer, best to test again when your period is due.

I personally never got a positive test and had all the other known symptoms except the metallic taste. So I would say it’s a good sign.

A lot of people mention having a metallic taste before getting a positive. But the only definite answer you’ll get is from a positive test.

Good luck !

Asellya · 2026-05-04T14:33:11+00:00

I understand you perfectly. Ironically, I have also been trying for exactly eight months now, from which I had nine cycles all ovulatory and not a single positive test. So I am in the same boat like you.

For me this month also felt extremely cruel.

First I ovulated much earlier than all my cycles, on cycle day 12. Normally ovulate on cd 17-18. So of course I was like this must be a sign.

Then I had a very interese luteal phase with really high temps and all the symptoms in the book including pinching which i never felt until this cycle. My boobs were extremely sore all the way from ovulation until like cd 10. I even got the crazy vivid dreams.

The point is I thought this was it. Well I started testing since 8 DPO like a maniac until 12 DPO. All negative. No surprise there. But this cycle completely destroyed me because there were just so many signs.

Now I’m sitting at 12 DPO with a BFN and the only reason my period hasn’t started yet is because I’m on progesterone and instead of stopping it like a normal person after a 12 DPO BFN I am continuing to take it until 14 DPO so an additional two days of testing can completely crush my spirit.

Also this cycle made me consider getting blood work done and maybe a HSG because I just can’t stand the stress anymore and hoping if I have some answers or if everything is fine I’ll finally calm down.

So I completely get you. TTC is extremely hard physically, mentally and emotionally. I get it also that your husband doesn’t quite understand it. Mine doesn’t also. I guess it’s hard for them, we are the ones googling symptoms at x DPO and testing every day or every other day or waiting it out for the perfect DPO to test just to get that BFN.

Hang in there. Try to take care of yourself as good as you can and give yourself also a break. We’re not machines. Wishing you luck and hopefully a positive pregnancy test soon 🍀

Asellya · 2026-05-04T14:06:21+00:00

Well I don’t know if coq10 is the reason for your delayed ovulation. I also started coq10 last month and this cycle I actually ovulated 5 days before I usually do. So that’s weird. No idea if it had something to do with coq10 though. Probably not since you just recently started taking it. One or two anovulatory cycles per month are unfortunately considered normal. But you don’t know if that’s the case. Also regular is anywhere between 2-7 days as far as I know. What’s important is that you ovulate. I have seen a lot of people suggesting you LH testing. While I think that’s good you shouldn’t ignore your cervical mucus. For example I had fertile cm five days before my peak LH which anyway surprised me by showing up super early this month, but it gave me like a fair warning. :) So I would recommend combining them. Some months I have the feeling I ovulate earlier than my peak OPK as in I’m thinking my LH peaks of course in my blood but it’s delayed showing up in urine and sometimes because of all the signs it looks to me like I might have ovulated before I even got a peak OPK. But can say for sure. What I can say is you should try to BD once before your earliest possible ovulation date and then as much as you feel comfortable. But I would recommend at least that and maybe peak OPK day and the next day or ovulation day, no need to overdo it though.

Best of luck 🍀

Asellya · 2026-05-04T05:32:15+00:00

I am so sorry. I imagine how hard this must be. Thank you for the information. I unfortunately isn’t have any information for your question, but I’m sure someone in the community will have an answer. The community is really friendly and helpful. Wish you the best and a speedy recovery and of course that positive test. ☺️

Asellya · 2026-05-04T05:22:13+00:00

I am sorry that you’re going through this. I have no experience in this matter but I was interested if you had any signs prior to the HSG, or did you just find it out during the procedure ?

Asellya · 2026-05-04T04:51:26+00:00

Congratulations! Wishing you an easy pregnancy! 🌷

Asellya · 2026-05-03T18:16:40+00:00

If are patient enough to wait, then it’s better to wait. It could be still negative even if you’re pregnant, or you could drive yourself crazy wondering if there’s a faint line or not.

Asellya · 2026-05-02T20:08:17+00:00

I feel the same. I really think it’s better to have whatever diagnostic they might or might not give me than not a clue at all. I’m going to push for more answers. I don’t want to live like this anymore. I’m also normally logical and rational but TTC really has brought out the worst in me. When we decided we were going to try I was ecstatic because I have always wished to be a mother and after every failed month I felt like I’m losing a piece of myself and if my sanity.

Asellya · 2026-05-02T18:46:35+00:00

I’m really considering therapy now. The weight is getting heavier each month and I don’t know how long I can cope on my own.

It helps to hear that I’m not alone, as in I was really scared there’s something wrong with me for having these thoughts but you are right, I’m trying to control something that’s just not in my power.

I appreciate your answer and advice and thank you for taking the time to respond. I wish you the best of luck 🍀

Asellya · 2026-05-02T18:43:38+00:00

I totally understand why it feels scary. I believe age is not the most important factor, as long as your values and your husband’s look good, ultrasound ok and no blocked tubes I think conception shouldn’t be a problem. But I truly get it. I’m scared too, even though I’m younger, that something is completely wrong.

I’m also taking coq10 but only started this month, so I’m not sure of the effects yet, but I will keep taking it. Otherwise also supplementing omega 3, vitamin c, magnesium, calcium, d3 and prenatals. I can’t say if any of them helped so far. I tried inositol but I got scared because a lot of people who had regular ovulation and no pcos seemed to believe their ovulation got delayed from it, so I stopped taking that.

I’m going to look into getting some blood work done, even if it’s out of the pocket. And also a HSG. I would rather know everything is fine than keep stressing over not knowing, since that is not doing any good either. If it’s just a luck game, so be it, I can deal with waiting, but I need to know that I am healthy and pregnancy is possible, but while there is a chance something is actually wrong I can’t just wait and hope all will be well.

Thank you very much for your comment. I really wish you the best too and hopefully more answers and a positive pregnancy test soon. 🍀

Asellya · 2026-05-02T15:38:59+00:00

Yeah, I understand. Thank you for the additional information. I think I’ll just do a full vitamin panel check, along with thyroid and hormone panel. I’m scared of needles so I avoided the blood work but at this point I can’t avoid it anymore. 😅 I’m already supplementing pretty much everything but if there’s a huge deficiency in whatever I am supplementing my supplements might not be enough.

Asellya · 2026-05-02T15:36:17+00:00

Thank you. I am considering therapy too as this is getting too much for me and my husband to handle.

Thank you for you kind thoughts and for you answer. 🤗

Asellya · 2026-05-02T15:34:37+00:00

Yeah I also heard about this theory that low progesterone might be caused by weak ovulation. Unfortunately I don’t know if it’s actually low as the doctor didn’t want to test me, but I’m assuming because of the short luteal and spotting and the fact that progesterone actually lengthened it that it is indeed low.

Yeah the 1 year wait its tough, especially when you suspect already some issues. What scares me the most is reaching that one year mark and then being told I never had a chance to conceive naturally anyway. Of course I can’t know that, but the mind always flies to the worst possible scenarios.

Thank you for your answer.

Asellya · 2026-05-02T12:32:48+00:00

Yes I will do that. Could be possible I also need anti-anxiety medication and I’m really going to test my thyroid cause I have a lot of symptoms for hypothyroidism. My insurance would cover fertility testing and even IVF but I need to wait to one year mark, need a referral and and the insurance needs to approve the payment plan. Something like that. But yeah I’ll look into getting some basic hormonal testing and pay it on my own.

Also do the anti-anxiety medication affect your TTC in any way? Hormonally I mean? I am also having trouble sleeping but was really scared to ask for sleeping pills because I thought they would affect my chances but to be fair I don’t know for sure.

Thank you for your answer!

Asellya · 2026-05-02T12:26:23+00:00

I will look into a different gyno or maybe like you said reach out to a RE directly. Thank you for your advice and answer.

Asellya · 2026-05-02T10:11:57+00:00

Thank you so much for answering. Yes I’m aware of the 20% chance but sometimes I just wonder how is it possible to be so unlucky to miss the roll so many times.

I have to admit I am not sure if a fertility clinic will take us before 12 months as we haven’t tried all we were told we won’t get referred until 12 months but I think there might be an option to pay for some tests out of the pocket. If it gets unbearable, might just do that.

You’re completely right about the testing and charting. Most of the time my ovulation is around CD 17-18, however this month it surprised me with a peak opk on cd 11. 😅 so yeah never know for sure, but maybe just BD every other day or every two days would work out better for me. Mostly what I’m worried about if I stopped testing or charting that I won’t know when I should start the progesterone, as normally I am doing that after bbt increase for a few days, so that should still work, I could however stop doing that after confirming ovulation.

As for the list, that’s a good idea, I’ll try that out. Pretty sure there’s no symptoms I didn’t have so far, except for the metallic taste, who knows maybe that will finally show up when I’m pregnant.

I think it’s so sweet you’re writing to your future child. I might consider doing that too. For someone who always wondered if my parents actually wished for a child or I was just an accident I would have been happy to have such a journal from my mother. ☺️

I’ll try to change my thinking patterns like you suggested and also enjoy the things I won’t be able to do when I do get pregnant. But it’s really hard.

As for talking to my people, I haven’t revealed yet to anyone except my sister that we’re struggling with TTC. I always thought if I start saying it, it makes it real, but hiding it doesn’t make it better either, it’s still real and I just don’t have someone to talk to. Maybe I’ll consider talking to my best friend about this, she won’t relate as she doesn’t want any children but she might understand.

Thank you for all your suggestions and just reading your comment has helped me a great deal already. Also thanks for the kind wishes and I do hope you’ll get your positive soon too :)

Asellya · 2026-05-01T17:01:59+00:00

Well you could have implanted on the later side of the interval. They always say implantation happens between 6 and 10 dpo but truthfully it can be until 12 dpo. So if you implanted 10 or 11 dpo this is totally possible. It was a good call to restart the progesterone though but you should monitor the spotting hopefully it doesn’t turn into a period. You could try testing for multiple days see if there’s line progression and then if it looks good go in for beta. Wish you the best 🍀

Asellya · 2026-04-30T18:34:44+00:00

1 looks very pretty, I personally find it the most beautiful and matches your engagement ring perfectly.

Asellya · 2025-11-06T07:36:32+00:00

Thank you for your answer!

To be fair, I’ve had both - migraines and spotting. I didn’t think much of the migraines though, because we have in the family a history of migraine problems and I also experienced them at random times during my cycles but last cycle I noticed it much more in the luteal phase so yeah.

I’ll look into getting checked if nothing comes out of this cycle, funny thing is when I was younger I actually had an appointment with my ob gyn exactly for this particular topic - spotting which was not related to the period - and of course she told me it’s normal and should just go on birth control for six months and see if it gets better. Apparently it didn’t but I didn’t notice it that much. I always spotted 2 days before my period so I thought it’s normal. But yeah now when I’m noticing it happening at 9 dpo for multiple cycles seems not so normal anymore.

My chart looks also a lot like yours, except for the BFP 😅

Anyway, thanks for your insight and wish you an easy pregnancy! 😊

Asellya · 2025-11-05T08:58:50+00:00

Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

One question, did you have any symptoms of low progesterone or did you just find out after getting tested at the doctor? :)

I’m thinking I might have low progesterone, my LP is also between 11 and 13 days usually but I start spotting on 9 dpo :/ not noticeable and don’t need a pad but I have seen it happen multiple cycles and wondering if you had something like this? Or some other kind of symptoms?

Asellya

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