Introductory Post

[aunteater]

1) Are you new to FAM or an experienced FAM user?

I have been charting my cycles for 3+ years.

2) Why do you want to use FAM? Or, if you are experienced, why have you chosen FAM?

The charts are a good way to keep track of my overall health, to know what my body is doing, and I object to screwing with my hormones. They are screwed up enough

Comments

[jchammonds]

When I stopped bc pills, my LP bounced around - 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 and over the course of almost a year it kept getting shorter instead of longer. While my doctor didn't think it would help (she wanted me on Clomid), she agreed to let me try progesterone to extend my lp. I got pregnant that first cycle on progesterone (my temp went triphasic 10dpo - with a 6 day lp, implantation wouldn't have even had time to occur). You may find one who will take you seriously.

[aunteater]

That's good to know! I had run across a lot of mentions of progesterone supplementation in my reading, but kind of want to wait until I find a decent doctor and exhaust my dietary intervention options, before I try it. But it gives me hope to hear it worked for you.

[digitalexx]

I don't have the problems you mention, but I had a few really weird cycles earlier this year. I went to my doc with printouts of my charted cycles and she totally took me seriously, we were able to speak intelligently about it, and she listened to me quite well. You can find a doc that will respect you & go with your wishes. How awful, the thought of not being listened to until you've gone through a few miscarriages! Gah!

[aunteater]

It's comforting to know there are doctors who won't dismiss your chart information. I hope I can find one!

[elettaria]

Hi, nice to see you again! It's also good to find other women who are using FAM primarily as a way of keeping an eye on errant hormones. I too have a short luteal phase, and from what I've read it could be what's behind my PMDD. Only doctors don't get interested in short luteal phases until you are ttc and have already miscarried several times, as you say, which leaves me to see if I can sort it out on my own. It may be starting to look up, it's too early to tell. My diet's pretty much OK already, so I'm using herbs for the PMDD symptoms and echium oil (meant to be the best vegetarian alternative to fish oils) for the hormones in general (actually it's primarily to treat my ME/CFIDS, but it's meant to be good for hormones too).

[aunteater]

Hi elettaria! Thanks for pointing me in this direction. I've seen a few mentions here of the short luteal phase possibly being linked to very bad period/PMS/PMDD things-- if so, I REALLY want to do something about it asap. The first day of a new cycle for me often involves debilitating pain, vomiting, and diarrhea-- all of which, happily, responds well to naproxen. I've been taking flax oil for a while. It doesn't seem to affect my cycle one way or the other. I'm hesitant to try herbs. I need to do a lot more reading on that. I did get brave and try vitex 2 months ago-- only to have my first anovulatory cycle in over a year. Ouch. I still don't know if it was the vitex that caused that, or if it was the stress from planning my wedding. I'm a little leary of trying it again.