# menstrual cycle down to 24 days...why?



## flowmom (Feb 3, 2004)

I am not thrilled about having a 24 day cycle. Any idea of what could be going on? I am 41. My mother's cycle got really frequent in her middle age and it caused serious anemia because she was bleeding so much.


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## tanyalynn (Jun 5, 2005)

Are you tracking how long your follicular and luteal phases are? My cycle was just a bit shorter than yours, and it was mostly due to my luteal phase (days after ovulation to start of menstruation) that had gotten ridiculously short, 6 days. Symptomatically, my progesterone was very low, my temps after ovulation didn't consistently stay above my coverline.


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## BellinghamCrunchie (Sep 7, 2005)

I am having the exact same issue, and am already trying to stay on top of the anemia (iron levels consistently test low even with supplements). I use a natural progesterone cream but although its helped with other things (PMS especially) it hasn't lengthened my cycle which still occurs every 21 - 24 days. So I'm subbing.


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## meg-momto2 (Apr 23, 2007)

i never really thought of having a shorter cycle as being bad and anemia never crossed my mind. i'm on a 24 days cycle and ovulate around CD10.

i'm subbing for more info.


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## flowmom (Feb 3, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TanyaLopez* 
Are you tracking how long your follicular and luteal phases are?

No, I'm not trying to get pregnant and unfortunately I don't need birth control. Interesting about the luteal phase length and progesterone connection.


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## Panserbjorne (Sep 17, 2003)

I'll second the tracking follicular and luteal phases. It's important to know how it's shortened (for example if the follicular phase is the same but the luteal phase is shortened or vice versa) to be able to address it.

I have had success using homeopathy in a cyclical fashion. For 3 months I took remedies every quarter of my cycle and it got me back on track. It's not classical-it's a one size fits all approach but it made a difference for me. My cycle was wacky for two months after I started, but now it's back to being right as rain. For me my follicular phase was extremely short...I had fertile mucus within days of ending my cycle. Now I'm back to about 12 days out.

There's also a blend I've been using that addresses women's hormones and it has done a bang up job with other things as well, and I've seen my estrogen normalize nicely. I also noticed that my diet at the time was a major contributor to throwing things off. Now I'm back off the triggers (







) and doing much better. However it was the remedies that shifted things because I didn't ditch the triggers completely until I was back on track.

I'd be happy to post the names of the remedies if you are interested.


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## tanyalynn (Jun 5, 2005)

The stuff you've been playing with, would it be of use for those of us with short LPs? And when you say normalizing estrogen, is that starting from too much or too little, or does it not matter? I'm in the too much camp, at least judging by quantity of cervical fluid.

Good reminder about staying off food triggers, I'll consider that.









I'd love to hear more.


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## Panserbjorne (Sep 17, 2003)

It's meant to normalize the cycle, period. (no pun intended!)

The blend is a blend of some australian bush flowers that work directly on the endocrine system. It helps with many conditions, but really what it's doing is just bringing the system into balance which of COURSE helps a zillion other things. Specifically though I've found it's great for PMS, blood sugar fluctuations, wacky cycles, hormone related skin problems, food cravings etc.

The remedies are meant to be taken every seven days. They are prepared like homeopathic remedies, but aren't considered "homeopathic" when applied this way. This is sort of a seroyal protocol...address the issue not necessarily the person. I was kind of suprised that it worked as well as it did. Anyway, it's the lunar cycle protocol. The remedies are: hypophysinum, folliculinum, ovarinum and leutinum.

here's an interesting little bit on folliculinum by Melissa Assilem:

Quote:

I got really excited when I came across a piece of research done by Dr Katharina Dalton, which helps to explain why we find allergic reactions in cases of hormone imbalance. Under normal conditions, the ovaries produce the progesterone needed for proper reproductive function and the adrenal glands produce chemicals that are eventually transformed into a group of hormones known as corticosteroids. During the process of chemical transformation, progesterone is manufactured. As the chain continues, the adrenal progesterone is altered and eventually, corticosteroids are produced. Under normal conditions, then, it has nothing directly to do with the sex hormone
http://www.homeopathyhome.com/refere...s/follic.shtml


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## sbgrace (Sep 22, 2004)

My short cycles are luteal phase defect related too. I kept having early miscarriages. But even when a person doesn't want to get pregnant the short luteal phase is an issue because the body doesn't get a balance of progesterone. That of course has health effects (including bone density). Anyway, I'm going to be doing progesterone this cycle to try to fix stuff. Nothing I've done naturally has helped. My doctor did mention that sometimes these issues are gluten related.


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## tanyalynn (Jun 5, 2005)

Rachelle, yeah, it was a good clue for me that I needed to be gfcf when my LP jumped 2 days the first full month I was gfcf (and drops back when I fall off the wagon







).


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## Panserbjorne (Sep 17, 2003)

gluten and sugar are my big culprits.


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## sbgrace (Sep 22, 2004)

All our meals are gluten free for my kids but I often cheat when they go to bed.







I really love gluten but I probably need to cut it completely.


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## BellinghamCrunchie (Sep 7, 2005)

I've been gluten free for about 6 months now and although it has helped with other issues (completely cured restless legs syndrome) my cycle is still 21 to 24 days. But I do eat quite a bit of sugar. I guess I'll try cutting that out next.


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## tanyalynn (Jun 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sbgrace* 
All our meals are gluten free for my kids but I often cheat when they go to bed.







I really love gluten but I probably need to cut it completely.

That's what DH and I have been doing lately. It is _so_ wearing, just dealing with everything, and you've had so much on your plate, especially this year (it seems from the outside anyway).

FWIW, I've also seen my LP continue to get longer, though more gradually, when I was really taking care of my adrenals and resting, snacking as needed, trying to de-stress, all that jazz. That's also been stalled lately, I feel like a boring, fuddy-duddy version of the smoking/drinking/partying 20-something, and my version is staying up late on MDC, sneaking gluten after the kids are in bed and going back to sodas.


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## JayGee (Oct 5, 2002)

I'm also 41 and am having the same issue. My cycle has shortened in the follicular phase (used to ovulate on day 15-16, now more like day 12-13). My luteal phase is the same exact 11 days it's always been. I'm also interested in your protocol, P







.


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## sbgrace (Sep 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TanyaLopez* 
That's also been stalled lately, I feel like a boring, fuddy-duddy version of the smoking/drinking/partying 20-something, and my version is staying up late on MDC, sneaking gluten after the kids are in bed and going back to sodas.









Ha! Me too. I think you and I have an awful lot in common!


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## loveandkindness (Feb 1, 2005)

Wow! Didn't realize there are so many of us! Yep, going gluten free really helped me. My naturopath has me on bio-identical progesterone pellets, which work much better for me than the cream. In addition to a longer cycle I am SUCH a happier person, have so much more energy, lost my little belly pooch (yippee!!) and on and on. I had no idea it was a hormone issue -- thought it was depression. Hmmmm. . . wonder how many people on anti-depressants would be helped by hormones??


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## tanyalynn (Jun 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sbgrace* 
Ha! Me too. I think you and I have an awful lot in common!

Too bad you're nowhere near Texas (I don't think), or Colorado, our long-term goal.


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## dessismama (Mar 3, 2005)

I am in the same boat, pushing 40 and my cycles have shortened to 24-25 days from 28 before. I feel ovulation so it is very early for me, and then my periods come like a clock 14 days later... I will try to cut gluten but it is going to be hard...


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## Panserbjorne (Sep 17, 2003)

it really can be a HUGE disruptor of the endocrine system. It's hard, but worth it.


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