Can the type and nature of your preAF spotting explain infertility?

[PinkPeony]

I thought I might chime in too. I have lots of brown spotting starting 7dpo a lot of the time. I hate it! I also have a thin lining and my AF is really light and only last 2-3 days of actual flow. I had some success with acupuncture but then spotting increased again after a while. The cycle I did before this one I was on Clomid and progesterone and like Madgirl said, it was totally gone while on progesterone. I think it might not be the same for everyone but I definitely think there's something going on related to progesterone for me.

Update on this... My doc was brushing off the whole spotting thing before but I told her about how it totally went away when I was on the progesterone supps and she doubled my dose.

 

[Butterfly67]

Pinkpeony, what dose of progesterone were you on? Last month and this I took 400mg a day but it made no difference I still started spotting on 7dpo

 

[PinkPeony]

I have no idea... It comes in these brown sleeves and has no label or instructions. lol
basically I have to put in a suppository once in the morning and again at night.

 

[calm]

Just digging up this old thread,as I had a bit of an update. Well,not sure if it is one, or just a coincidence. I usually have spotting from 11 dpo to 14 dpo. This cycle I am on baby aspirin as I am going to start my IVF cycle. Apparently baby aspirin can help with AF, but I don't think that is the reason I am supposed to be taking it. The thing is, I have only had 1 day if anything of spotting, and then AF, on time as well. Again, not sure if it could be a coincidence, but I have been spotting for years so I think there might be something in it, for me anyway.

 

[Blythe]

Im a spotter too! I took baby aspirin post ovulation last cycle and none of my usual spotting. Will be doing again this cycle!

 

[AidensMama]

This thread is really interesting to me as well.

I am a 'mid cycle' spotter and typically have a day or two of spotting before AF. The last several cycles my pre AF spotting has been really dark brown and my last 2 or 3 I have had dark, almost black and somewhat stringy 'mid cycle spotting'. My cycles are really irregular, sometimes even going 40+ days.

Recently I had 3 days of super dark black string spotting on CD 27,28 and 29 and then nothing. I got 3 BFNs (one at my doctors) and decided to count it as AF, but then a few weeks later spotted for a day and then saw bright red. So I'm figuring that was 'mid-cycle' spotting and that AF finally came after a 46 day cycle.

I am figuring low progesterone could be my issue. My GP and I discussed my irregularity and the fact that we haven't been preventing for the past 13 cycles and still no BFP. We are going to check my thyroid and do a basic work up in a few weeks and see what we can find out. I'm thinking of trying vitex for a while too.

I'll have to pay attention to my temps this cycle and see if I spot and what the correlation is.

As frustrating as this all is, it's nice to know that I'm not going through it all alone.

 

[Briss]

ladies, has anyone had any success with pre AF spotting? I started spotting for 4-5 days before my AF last 3 cycles and I wonder what could be the reason.

my 11 DPO progesterone came at 10.5 ng/ml which is confusing. it seems to be a different scale which I do not quite understand. Does anyone know if this is a high enough level or not?

ref:
Follicular 0.10 - 0.54
Luteal 1.50 - 20.0
Ovulation 0.12 - 6.22
Menopause < 0.41

I think (from my reading) on this scale they want 15-20 to confirm ovulation (which is around 7 DPO and when progesterone production peaks) but 11 days after O progesterone starts to decrease gradually (I think) so it can be lower I am just not sure by how much. I am pretty sure I ovulated based on my temp/CBFM. am I correct to think that 10.5 ng/ml is too loo for 11 DPO and my progesterone is dropping earlier than it should, which can explain the spotting?

I can see that some ladies have been successful with aspirin. I am willing to try. how much do you take and for how long?

also, a few ladies mentioned thyroid. I have borderline hypothyroidism as my tsh is 3.79 but I am not sure I understand the link between thyroid and pre AF spotting. could anyone explain?