Using soy to shorten long cycles?

avenue · 07-03-2008, 05:40 AM

Ok so my cycle is proving to be kind of long and I dont like that, it doesnt seem very healthy. Ive read that taking soy can shorten it and I remember trying soy when I was TTC but it didnt work for me (maybe because I was taking it on CD 4-8 when I usually dont O till CD 24-28?) So if you stop taking soy 5 days before you are meant to O then does that mean I should take some like CD 10-14 or something and hopefully shorten my cycles a bit? Since ovaries always have follicles my cycles must be long because my follicles are taking longer to mature. So would soy help this ?

Franca · 07-03-2008, 10:40 AM

Hi Avenue! I'm in my 2nd soy cycle and can say that it has knocked a few days of my cycle. Both times, I've taken it like clomid or femara: On CD3-7. The theory I know of is that taking these things early makes more eggs and taking them later makes your eggs 'better'. Clomid also shortened by cycles.

Another thing you should look into before taking it is your thyroid level. Taking soy can affect your thyroid, but I don't know enough about how TSH results work to know if it will help you or hurt you further. That said, I think soy is only a problem for thyroid issues if you drink/eat it every day- not just for 5 days. But check before starting to take any. Good luck! I much prefer soy to clomid!

avenue · 07-03-2008, 09:31 PM

were your cycles long before the soy?

Franca · 07-04-2008, 01:41 AM

Normally, my cycles are 33/34 days. The cycle before soy I accidentally lengthened by taking milk thistle, to about 39 days. The first soy cycle was 30 days. This one I don't know yet, but it's looking good, if my OPKs are telling me the truth!

avenue · 07-04-2008, 04:03 AM

My luteal phase has never been this long, Im actually pretty confused about it all. Maybe I am doing something that is lengthening it..

Franca · 07-04-2008, 01:15 PM

Could you be pregnant?

Also, are you supposed to take vitex throughout your cycle or only in the first half? I've never taken it and don't know.

And an update since yesterday: I O'ed even earlier this month-- got a +OPK yesterday and high temps today, CD14. I wonder if it's because I did the soy & milk thistle even earlier this cycle (started milk thistle on CD1 to 6, and started soy on CD2 to 7). It was so early, I wasn't even looking t BD more frequently! D'oh!!

avenue · 07-05-2008, 05:09 AM

there is no chance im pregnant, also what is the milk thistle for? as for vitex the box says to take it all month but I did some research and some sources say it can prolong your period so now Im not sure!

Franca · 07-05-2008, 05:53 AM

Normally, people take milk thistle to support their liver health and sometimes clear estrogen from their system. I took it to have the same effect as soy, because it is anti-estrogenic and after you stop taking it, will make your body produce more estrogen than normal, helping to give you a stronger O.