# Did you used to spot before AF?



## Buninmyoven

I get this every month and after 2 years ttc am still not pregnant :cry:

Did any of you used to spot before AF before you got your BFPs? If yes on the month you got pregnant did you get any spotting? Did you ever find out what caused the spotting? Did you fall pregnant naturally or need IVF/ IUI or other medical assistance.

I feel like I am losing hope. 

Thanks all


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## babyface15

hi hunni, 
I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling :hugs:
I started spotting before my periods about 4 years ago or so. it got worse and worse and I would spot sometimes up to a week before. my period were very difficult, lots of pain etc. I thought for sure I'd have trouble conceiving. that's why I find bnb in the first place. but we were very lucky and fell quickly. I did however go to acupuncture for several months before we started trying so that may have had something to do with the success. the month i got pg I had spotting from 4 dpo to 10 dpo then it stopped which was new for me. I haven't had any spotting since. good luck hun if you need to chat or have any more questions feel fr to pm me


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## Seity

Yes, I always spotted for 3-4 days before AF. I got pregnant first time having sex, both times. It might be nothing, but it never hurts to have it checked out if you're concerned.


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## sevenofnine

I always spotted before my period. And it was exactly the same when I got pregnant. I still thought my period was coming.


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## maybebaby3

I spot before my period but not when I got pregnant. That's how I knew I was pregnant, no spotting!!!


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## Maltee

I'm sorry to hear of your struggles :hugs:

The spotting could indicate something. You might want to go to a doctor to get it checked out. If the spotting before AF is brown, black, or dark-colored, that can indicate a luteal phase deficiency, which means a lack of progesterone in the second half of the cycle. This can affect your fertility. 

I had brown spotting and irregular cycles and was diagnosed with PCOS. After Metformin and Prometrium (a progesterone supplement), better diet and exercise, I was back to normal cycles in half a year. About a year after that I got married and started TTC. We got a BFP after three months of trying, and besides progesterone shots in the first trimester to help with my progesterone deficiency, the pregnancy has been going well.

I'd recommend you try to find a doctor with a strong knowledge of women's cycles. I've heard many people recommend a reproductive endocrinologist over OB/GYNs, as many times they have a more thorough knowledge of the hormone deficiencies that cause infertility. Find someone who takes your symptoms seriously and is willing to work hard to find the underlying cause behind it. 

I'm sorry you're going through this. :hugs: It's a scary, uncertain time for sure. I really hope you'll be able to find a good, supportive doctor to help you.


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## Buninmyoven

Wow, thanks for all the responses. It feels very encouraging to hear from others who have experienced the same thing and have gone on to become pregnant. I have been given progesterone to take in the second half of my cycle so I'm hoping this will improve things. Thanks again everyone :thumbup:


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## mara16jade

I usually spot brown-reddish 5 days before AF. It lasts ~ 2-3 days and then nothing until AF arrives.

I however am noticing a pattern. There have been a FEW times where I don't spot OR have breast tenderness. On months I eat a way more balanced diet - those symptoms go away! This month I've had more red meat (more as in like 2x a month lol - I'm a chicken kind of eater) and I've been eating an egg almost everyday. I also have been drinking more milk than normal (non-fat milk). All three of those are in the "high progesterone" class of foods, and I've always had a suspicion I had mildly low progesterone. 

Google/search for foods that aid in raising your progesterone levels naturally and maybe give it a try. :)

ETA - not sure if this is a coincidence or not, but I started eating more red meat and eggs and drinking milk in the second half of my cycle. I wasn't meaning to....it just happened.


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## Mum2BKW

I would spot for a week before my period started, and my periods were always heavy. I didn't spot the month I fell pregnant (like a previous poster) - that's how I knew to take a test!

It took us 7 months to get pregnant and I had mentioned my spotting to my GP in case it might be a sign of a problem, but she said there was no reason to think that. If we'd had no success for a year we would have gone back to the GP for tests, but not specifically relating to the spotting - just would have had the usual checks that they go through.

Are you timing intercourse with ovulation? I also used preseed lubricant when we BD'd and we were pregnant 2 months after doing those things in combination. Good luck :hugs:


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## melbell

I spot before af, but am not sure if I did the month of my bfp. My Dr had checked me out as I had a history of fibroids and polyps, but could find no cause of the spotting. I'm convinced I have a lpd as my period starts 9-11 days after ovulation. 
My first pregnancy I fell pg the first month I took b6 to lengthen my cycle, which was something I researched and did on my own. This is after being with dh for 4 years! Unfortunately my Dr told me to stop the b6, and I miscarried at 6 weeks.
I'm now 28 weeks pig, the month I conceived I took b6, and started natural progesterone as soon as I got my bfp. 
If you spot and have trouble conceiving these things may help. Sometimes it just takes a while to get pg, nobody likes to hear it, but its true. Dh and I have been together ten years now, ntnp most of that time, and this is our first.
Good luck to you.


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## R8ch

Yes I always spot a day or so before a period. This pregnancy I also bled on the day I was due my AF but it didn't last long.
I have a short luteal phase of 9 - 10 days. It has never stopped me getting pregnant easily.
Rx


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## amber0134

I struggled with this for years. Took me 2 years to conceive this lil guy! Spotted every single month (up to a week long) and the one month I didn't.. was it! Sucks to say :/ To this day I still don't know what was the cause or anything. Had test done etc too.


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## Louppey

I spotted before AF for 3/4 days, dark brown ish to red. I started taking 1000mg vitex, a b vit complex tab every day and EPO cycle day 1 to ov, and within three months the spotting was down to one day and this month I conceived. When I was spotting we TTC for three cycles with no luck, this cycle we started TTC again and here I am pregnant. I'm 100% sure this was the vitex.


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## Buninmyoven

Louppey said:


> I spotted before AF for 3/4 days, dark brown ish to red. I started taking 1000mg vitex, a b vit complex tab every day and EPO cycle day 1 to ov, and within three months the spotting was down to one day and this month I conceived. When I was spotting we TTC for three cycles with no luck, this cycle we started TTC again and here I am pregnant. I'm 100% sure this was the vitex.

Hi Louppey,

Thanks for your reply and congratulations! Can I ask what dose of vitamin b complex did you take and when did you start taking it in your cycle? Also when did you start taking the EPO and Vitex and what dose of EPO did you take?


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## Buninmyoven

melbell said:


> I spot before af, but am not sure if I did the month of my bfp. My Dr had checked me out as I had a history of fibroids and polyps, but could find no cause of the spotting. I'm convinced I have a lpd as my period starts 9-11 days after ovulation.
> My first pregnancy I fell pg the first month I took b6 to lengthen my cycle, which was something I researched and did on my own. This is after being with dh for 4 years! Unfortunately my Dr told me to stop the b6, and I miscarried at 6 weeks.
> I'm now 28 weeks pig, the month I conceived I took b6, and started natural progesterone as soon as I got my bfp.
> If you spot and have trouble conceiving these things may help. Sometimes it just takes a while to get pg, nobody likes to hear it, but its true. Dh and I have been together ten years now, ntnp most of that time, and this is our first.
> Good luck to you.

Thanks Melbel sorry to hear about your miscarriage but congratulations on your pregnancy. What dose of b6 did you take what day of your cycle did you begin taking it?


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## Buninmyoven

babyface15 said:


> hi hunni,
> I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling :hugs:
> I started spotting before my periods about 4 years ago or so. it got worse and worse and I would spot sometimes up to a week before. my period were very difficult, lots of pain etc. I thought for sure I'd have trouble conceiving. that's why I find bnb in the first place. but we were very lucky and fell quickly. I did however go to acupuncture for several months before we started trying so that may have had something to do with the success. the month i got pg I had spotting from 4 dpo to 10 dpo then it stopped which was new for me. I haven't had any spotting since. good luck hun if you need to chat or have any more questions feel fr to pm me

Hi thanks for your reply (and congratulations on your pregnancy!). Funny enough I'm booked in for acupuncture too. I've got 4 weekly sessions booked in March. I've never done acupuncture before. What sort of clothing would you suggest I wear to it? How often did you go? I also get painful periods too. They've been getting worse this past year. I've started to dread them each month now. Thanks again :)


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## Louppey

Buninmyoven said:


> Louppey said:
> 
> 
> I spotted before AF for 3/4 days, dark brown ish to red. I started taking 1000mg vitex, a b vit complex tab every day and EPO cycle day 1 to ov, and within three months the spotting was down to one day and this month I conceived. When I was spotting we TTC for three cycles with no luck, this cycle we started TTC again and here I am pregnant. I'm 100% sure this was the vitex.
> 
> Hi Louppey,
> 
> Thanks for your reply and congratulations! Can I ask what dose of vitamin b complex did you take and when did you start taking it in your cycle? Also when did you start taking the EPO and Vitex and what dose of EPO did you take?Click to expand...

Thank you :)

I took the following:-

Whole cycle
1000mg Vitex
Pregnacare Conception Tab
Holland & Barrett B-100 Timed Release Vitamin B Complex*

AF - OV
1000mg EPO

OV - AF
2000mg Flaxseed Oil

* The B vit contained:
Vitamin B1 100mg
Vitamin B2 100mg
Niacin 100mg
Pantothenic Acid 100mg
Vitamin B6 100mg
Vitamin B12 100ug
Folic Acid 400ug
Biotin 100ug
Choline Bitartrate 100mg
Inositol 100mg
PABA 100mg

I wish you lots of luck Hun :hugs:


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## Buninmyoven

Louppey said:


> Buninmyoven said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Louppey said:
> 
> 
> I spotted before AF for 3/4 days, dark brown ish to red. I started taking 1000mg vitex, a b vit complex tab every day and EPO cycle day 1 to ov, and within three months the spotting was down to one day and this month I conceived. When I was spotting we TTC for three cycles with no luck, this cycle we started TTC again and here I am pregnant. I'm 100% sure this was the vitex.
> 
> Hi Louppey,
> 
> Thanks for your reply and congratulations! Can I ask what dose of vitamin b complex did you take and when did you start taking it in your cycle? Also when did you start taking the EPO and Vitex and what dose of EPO did you take?Click to expand...
> 
> Thank you :)
> 
> I took the following:-
> 
> Whole cycle
> 1000mg Vitex
> Pregnacare Conception Tab
> Holland & Barrett B-100 Timed Release Vitamin B Complex*
> 
> AF - OV
> 1000mg EPO
> 
> OV - AF
> 2000mg Flaxseed Oil
> 
> * The B vit contained:
> Vitamin B1 100mg
> Vitamin B2 100mg
> Niacin 100mg
> Pantothenic Acid 100mg
> Vitamin B6 100mg
> Vitamin B12 100ug
> Folic Acid 400ug
> Biotin 100ug
> Choline Bitartrate 100mg
> Inositol 100mg
> PABA 100mg
> 
> I wish you lots of luck Hun :hugs:Click to expand...

Thanks Louppey! Sounds like I have a plan I can follow now to beat the spotting! :thumbup:


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## Louppey

Buninmyoven said:


> Louppey said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Buninmyoven said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Louppey said:
> 
> 
> I spotted before AF for 3/4 days, dark brown ish to red. I started taking 1000mg vitex, a b vit complex tab every day and EPO cycle day 1 to ov, and within three months the spotting was down to one day and this month I conceived. When I was spotting we TTC for three cycles with no luck, this cycle we started TTC again and here I am pregnant. I'm 100% sure this was the vitex.
> 
> Hi Louppey,
> 
> Thanks for your reply and congratulations! Can I ask what dose of vitamin b complex did you take and when did you start taking it in your cycle? Also when did you start taking the EPO and Vitex and what dose of EPO did you take?Click to expand...
> 
> Thank you :)
> 
> I took the following:-
> 
> Whole cycle
> 1000mg Vitex
> Pregnacare Conception Tab
> Holland & Barrett B-100 Timed Release Vitamin B Complex*
> 
> AF - OV
> 1000mg EPO
> 
> OV - AF
> 2000mg Flaxseed Oil
> 
> * The B vit contained:
> Vitamin B1 100mg
> Vitamin B2 100mg
> Niacin 100mg
> Pantothenic Acid 100mg
> Vitamin B6 100mg
> Vitamin B12 100ug
> Folic Acid 400ug
> Biotin 100ug
> Choline Bitartrate 100mg
> Inositol 100mg
> PABA 100mg
> 
> I wish you lots of luck Hun :hugs:Click to expand...
> 
> Thanks Louppey! Sounds like I have a plan I can follow now to beat the spotting! :thumbup:Click to expand...

No probs hun, I would happily send you my leftover tabs but i'm nervous something might go wrong and i'd jinx myself. The first cycle I started this was longer than usual. My cycles before had gotten down to 20-24 days, the first cycle with all the above was a long one, 31/32 days iirc. Don't let that deter you because the following three cycles were all bang on 26 days. The second cycle in my spotting reduced from 3 days to two, that stayed consistent for 2 cycles then the third I only spotted for a day. Can't say what would've happened this month as I got my :bfp:

FX for you honey, I wish you lots of luck :dust:

EDIT: I'm not sure if I said before, but just incase you're wondering when you do get that :bfp: I stopped taking ALL of the above as soon as I got the faintest line, and I started taking Pregnacare for pregnancy.


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