Giving up on Vitex... time to try B6

[mamaforever]

Hi ladies,

Just wondering if any of you either take Vitex or Vitamin B6 to help with lengthening luteal phase?  I have been off BCP since January and ever since have on average an 8 day luteal phase.  I started taking Vitex in April and thought it worked the first month because LP was longer, but then next 4 cycles were short again (8 days)!  I know it can take awhile for Vitex to work, but I'm becoming very impatient when it doesn't seem to be even helping by one day.

I'm thinking of trying Vitamin B6 instead of Vitex now.  I plan to take 100 mg of B6 along with my prenatal vitamin which only has 2.5 mg of B6.  Maybe it will work better for me.  Does this sound like a good plan?  Does anyone know it's safety when conceiving while taking this much B6?  Are you supposed to continue taking it after getting a BFP?  My dr. isn't much help... wants to do too many expensive tests that my insurance won't cover.  I want to try and solve this problem on my own!  I have a 2.5 yr old son and believe that my miscarriage I had before conceiving my son was caused by a short luteal phase.  Thank you in advance for your help!

[TTCmama]

This is my second cycle with Vitex and B6 and it has yet to lengthen my LP (well, that I can tell - long story short, I don't think I O'd when my fertility monitor said I did last cycle so that made everything confusing).  I'm going to keep at it until at least the Fall but it's frustrating.

Over the counter natural progesterone cream helped lengthen my LP with DD over 6 years ago but has not helped at all this time around.  I haven't even bothered with it the last couple of cycles.  But it may work for you...

[mamaforever]

Thanks so much.  After talking with someone on a different thread, I decided to start on the B6 but also continue with Vitex.  So now I'm taking both.  I'm not sure how long to wait before trying something else, but the natural progesterone cream will probably be my next option to try.  I hope we both find success with this B6 and Vitex combination!

[OakTreeMom]

Just tossing in my experience also.  I started taking an herbal supplement called Fertility Blend.  You can get it online or at GNC.  I get mine on Amazon and its around $20.00 USD per bottle.  The company has a special that if you become PG while using you can return the pills and they will give you a refund!  I have a really short LP.  I think it may be from taking BCP also.  My cycle is about 25 days.  I have been taking it for a little over a month and this cycle is 27 days and I am just starting to spot.  So I seems to be working.  The supplement has several vitamins and minerals but it also has Vitex and B vit. in it as well.  You take 3 a day.  Here's to longer LP!!!!

[mamaforever]

Thanks for the input, OakTreeMom!  Fertility Blend is certainly something to look into if this doesn't work!  Hope you find success and get your BFP soon!

[XanaduMama]

I used Vitex before with great success, but this latest time (the last few months) I've not been very happy. Maybe it's the different brand, I don't know, but it gave me all sorts of yucky side effects and didn't help a whole bunch with the symptoms that matter--ie, lengthening my LP. I've been taking a B100 complex every night for the past month and have been BLOWN AWAY by how much it's helped. I actually thought I might be pg this week (not actively TTC) because my period was 3 days "late": 26 day cycle instead of my usual 23, and a 12 day LP! My insomnia has gone, I feel full of energy and way less irritable...it's amazing.

[mamaforever]

That's great, Sarah!  You give me hope that this might work!