Spotting before periods

[MissAma]

I'm sure this is no news to any of you googling wizards but this is a good article:
https://www.babyhopes.com/articles/luteal-phase-defect.html

Sadly LPD is treated like a make-believe condition these days. that's partly because vitamin B6, progesterone and estrogen supplements are not a miracle cure and do not really "fix it" and partly because the term has been abused but it is certainly a condition that's worth investigating starting with the P test and continuing with endometrium measurements through u/s and biopsy!

 

[magicvw]

I'm sure this is no news to any of you googling wizards but this is a good article:
https://www.babyhopes.com/articles/luteal-phase-defect.html

Sadly LPD is treated like a make-believe condition these days. that's partly because vitamin B6, progesterone and estrogen supplements are not a miracle cure and do not really "fix it" and partly because the term has been abused but it is certainly a condition that's worth investigating starting with the P test and continuing with endometrium measurements through u/s and biopsy!

Thanks for the link MissAma.

I really don't know, when it comes to terminology, if spotting is classed as a LPD though. Everything I read basically says that LP is determined as the time from Ov to CD1 and CD1 is the first day of full flow, so spotting in itself doesn't seem to count? But surely spotting from a week or more before af starts must be symtomatic of something and it happens within the luteal phase...... Sorry, just thinking out loud!

 

[tansey]

Well fellow spotters, i really got my hopes up this cycle as i had a different kind of spotting ta 5dpo+6dpo a pink/creamy blob on each day. But no, right on cue 10dpo brown spotting. It was actually lighter than normal at 10 and 11dpo but today i got up with hope and brown watery blood ran down my leg (sorry for tmi). My docs not bothered by it but is it him who has to wear panty liners for days until full flow which can make you sore or wear nothing and ruin all your knickers?

Sorry for the rant just fed up!

 

[magicvw]

Well fellow spotters, i really got my hopes up this cycle as i had a different kind of spotting ta 5dpo+6dpo a pink/creamy blob on each day. But no, right on cue 10dpo brown spotting. It was actually lighter than normal at 10 and 11dpo but today i got up with hope and brown watery blood ran down my leg (sorry for tmi). My docs not bothered by it but is it him who has to wear panty liners for days until full flow which can make you sore or wear nothing and ruin all your knickers?

Sorry for the rant just fed up!

Good point Tansey! Somehow I think he would have a different opinion if he had to endure it every month! Your spotting this month does sound quite different though - was today's "leakage" af do you think?

I know a lot of people say their doc's aren't bothered by it, but I have yet to read a good explanation for why it happens which at the same time proves it does not affect ttc. If the doc said, well you are spotting because you have "x" condition, and "x" condition does not affect ttc, I would say fair enough. But if they won't even investigate, how the hell do they know it's nothing to worry about. Sometimes I think docs just fob us off because they don't really know what the next step is. If this cycle ends like the others, I am determined to get some answers and will not be fobbed! (Easy to say that now, wait till I get to the docs and become a jibbering wreck!!! )

You know, I feel a bit better about the spotting thing at least knowing that I am not alone. I like this thread, and as crap and horrible as the subject matter is, I think may be, we might be able to help each other, sharing stories, advice and so on.

Good luck Tansey. When is your next appointment? xxxxxx

 

[Schmelly]

Well fellow spotters, i really got my hopes up this cycle as i had a different kind of spotting ta 5dpo+6dpo a pink/creamy blob on each day. But no, right on cue 10dpo brown spotting. It was actually lighter than normal at 10 and 11dpo but today i got up with hope and brown watery blood ran down my leg (sorry for tmi). My docs not bothered by it but is it him who has to wear panty liners for days until full flow which can make you sore or wear nothing and ruin all your knickers?

Sorry for the rant just fed up!

I completely get your frustration. Had my 1st doc appt last week as ttc a year now. Mentioned spotting to doc and he said "But that's a usual thing for you though isn't it?", then shrugged it off. Grrrrr

I think when doc reaches stalemate and can't find the reason for something they write it off as just 'one of those things'. That's what happened when I had spotting investigated before ttc.

 

[loopylew]

i think spotting is definately linked to some sort of hormone imbalance, my cycles are regulating themselves i hope after being on bcp for 11 years. previous cycles ive spotted 3/4 days before AF and the last cycle i think it was 1 day before full flow came which to me seems more "normal". Im hoping that as my body sorts itself out so will the spotting. With or without the spotting though my luteal phase remains between 5-9 days max so things clearly aren't sorted out yet!

 

[tansey]

Your spotting this month does sound quite different though - was today's "leakage" af do you think?
When is your next appointment?
...wait till I get to the docs and become a jibbering wreck!!! )

You know, I feel a bit better about the spotting thing at least knowing that I am not alone. I like this thread, and as crap and horrible as the subject matter is, I think may be, we might be able to help each other, sharing stories, advice and so on.

Todays is spotting not AF, in fact no sign of anything else making me think unless AF surprises me tomorrow, my cycle might be a day or two longer - bloody typical!
i also start crying at the docs, very embarrassing! i want to have FSH bloods done so as soon as AF arrives i will ring up.

It is good to know that others go through this as well and so to some extent it must be normal.

What i'm wondering is if old blood is brown, until AF my spotting is always brown, very dark?

 

[loopylew]

Mine is, always brown and stringy (sorry tmi) i spotted on cd9 and 10 this cycle as well, still the same.

 

[magicvw]

Mine is usually brown cm, or pinky cm with stringy brown bits in it, but if I bd i bleed fresh blood

 

[magicvw]

Had my appt with the gyno today and discussed the spotting. He is convinced it is due to progesterone deficiency and that it is preventing us getting pg - he said the fertilised eggs have nowhere to go.

Having cd21 (and cd3) tests done this month and I'm off the progesterone pills of course, so we can see what my real levels are!

xxx

 

[Beckic]

I have also thought that it might be to do with progesterone - as my spotting has reduced significantly after starting vit b6 (i know this doesnt work for everyone - but I have had good results) - and my boobs always used to hurt up to 7dpo when I didnt take vit b6 - and they stopped hurting as progesterone decreases after 7dpo - however since taking vitb6 my boobs stay sore the whole tww - presumably cos my progesterone levels are better.

having said that - my day 21 test was good (progesterone at 69 - with the borderline beign 30) without taking vitb6 - and was spotting from 10dpo - so not sure?

I have an appt at clinic on thursday so I am going to ask my doctor again about this - will keep you all posted.

Bx x x

 

[diva4180]

Hi ladies...I don't remember if I had posted about it in here this month (know I had raised my cyber hand and said me too! happens to me too!), but I also had began spotting at 11DPO and AF arrived at 13DPO this time. So I had two days of spotting (which is short this month, I usually have 4, and the earliest it ever had appeared was at 8 or 9DPO - was unsure which day I ovulated that month) then AF. Also my luteal phase has been varying, it's usually 12 or 13 days long.

Now I have never tried the B6 b/c I have been steadily this time, taking my prenatal vitamins every day for the last two months. I have been however, taking Agnus Castus along with it in hopes of it balancing my hormones and hoping it stops the spotting, and this is the third cycle taking it. (The directions on the bottle say to take 2-3 every day with meal for the first 8-12 weeks, thereafter take one daily for continued blah blah blah...) I had read on the internet that it could take up to three months for it to get into your system fully. The first month took 2 pills, noticed nothing, spotted 4 days before AF - second month (which was this month) took 2 daily again and only spotted two days, this month I decided to take the 3 and see what happens. So that's the route I'm going to try and see if it finally makes a difference. Oh and mine was light brown this month, it starts like a discoloration then goes brown. The past several months it was heavier though and would vary between brown, light brown, dark reddish brown (sorry about the TMI )

I also believe that this may have been happening all along after coming on BCP in '06, took a slight notice to it at work last year when it would be like, what pad do I wear, is it going to come now or not? but really took notice to it last year 3 months before starting TTC.

 

[magicvw]

Hi ladies...I don't remember if I had posted about it in here this month (know I had raised my cyber hand and said me too! happens to me too!), but I also had began spotting at 11DPO and AF arrived at 13DPO this time. So I had two days of spotting (which is short this month, I usually have 4, and the earliest it ever had appeared was at 8 or 9DPO - was unsure which day I ovulated that month) then AF. Also my luteal phase has been varying, it's usually 12 or 13 days long.

Now I have never tried the B6 b/c I have been steadily this time, taking my prenatal vitamins every day for the last two months. I have been however, taking Agnus Castus along with it in hopes of it balancing my hormones and hoping it stops the spotting, and this is the third cycle taking it. (The directions on the bottle say to take 2-3 every day with meal for the first 8-12 weeks, thereafter take one daily for continued blah blah blah...) I had read on the internet that it could take up to three months for it to get into your system fully. The first month took 2 pills, noticed nothing, spotted 4 days before AF - second month (which was this month) took 2 daily again and only spotted two days, this month I decided to take the 3 and see what happens. So that's the route I'm going to try and see if it finally makes a difference. Oh and mine was light brown this month, it starts like a discoloration then goes brown. The past several months it was heavier though and would vary between brown, light brown, dark reddish brown (sorry about the TMI )

I also believe that this may have been happening all along after coming on BCP in '06, took a slight notice to it at work last year when it would be like, what pad do I wear, is it going to come now or not? but really took notice to it last year 3 months before starting TTC.

Thanks for that! Keep us posted how the agnus castus is working. I might ask my doc about it when i go to discuss my results - see what he thinks. Yours sounds quite like mine Diva - have you had your progesterone tested? I think I have had it for quite a while too, but never used to take that much notice, like you.

 

[Schmelly]

Just back from my hol, and I have nothing useful to add here (sorry!). I just wanted to vent my frustration at the fact that I started spotting on CD17 this month (of 26-36 day cycle). The earliest I have started spotting since ttc (until now) was CD21 and that was when I was preg before my mc.



Have recently started taking meds for underactive thyroid...does anyone know if there could be any connection?...or am I clutching at straws?

 

[diva4180]

Schmelly - to you hun I think there might be a connection between the two but I'm not 100% sure, I may have read it somewhere, but don't remember where. I will try to find it today.

magicvw - Thanks hun, I'm glad there are other ladies out there that understand how I feel with the infuriating spotting. This was my third month taking AC, I now take just one pill a day (stopped the three about CD 21, b/c the directions on the bottle say one pill thereafter after 3 months) and am either 10DPO or 12DPO, this month I'm not sure which day I O'd, had some temperature/allergy issues. So I am still on alert for any spotting, b/c if I am 10DPO I will probably start tomorrow. But if I am 12 DPO then hopefully the AC is doing it's job.

I've read that AC may take up to 3 months to kick in, I saw a tiny change in month two, and of course every woman is different. Also I noticed a slight lowering in my libido now in my third month, which I have heard is also possible. Hope this helps hun!

 

[Faerie]

Just adding my progress on this, and I think I'm def going to start trying the vit b6. So for the last few months I've had spotting, just slight red discolouration on day 25 of a 29-31 day cycle. Yesterday I had dark spotting and my AF isn't due until the 12th or 13th at the earliest. I give up.

 

[diva4180]

hun

magicvw - I forgot to add I haven't been tested yet for progesterone deficiency, but we are coming up on one year in a month and a half so I'd like to ask to start some of the pre-lim tests. I can honestly say I don't remember doing this pre-BCP, I would maybe spot for like an hour and then come on, none of the 2,3,4 or more days stuff.

another update, I'm either 11 or 13 DPO and no spotting as of yet, hopefully it's the Agnes Castus working it's magic!

 

[diva4180]

A little update, just not a good one - started spotting this afternoon at 12DPO. Not a lot, just a little light brown blood. I just hope AF is close behind instead of having a few days of this.

 

[bernina]

Hi all. I know this thread is quite old but I see lots of folks that had spotting problems have gone on to deliver healthy babies. Just wondering if you could fill me in if a cause was ever found for your spotting or if you found anything to help shorten the amount.

Since my 2nd MC back in August 2009 I have been spotting for at least 5 days prior to AF and this last cycle I spotted 12 days out of a 30 day cycle (both pre and post ovulation).

I started taking a balanced b-50 vitamin a few days prior to the last cycle, but if anything my spotting was worse. I'm seriously considering upping my does to b-100. Prior to the 2nd MC I had only experienced ocassional spotting after BD due to a cervical polyp I developed during my first preg (MMC at 8 wks). That has since been removed so I can rule it out as the cause of spotting.

I am seeing a fertility specialist now but forgot to mention the spotting at our first meeting. I have a follow-up on Dec 30th so will bring it up then for sure.

Thank you for the update ladies and congrats to all on your new additions!!!

 

[Dancingkaty1]

hi i would love to know what causes spotting too!! every doc, fs & gyno i speak to seem to dismiss it completely! Ive had spotting b4 my period for a year now....it started off about 2 days b4 af due & has gradually got worse...october was 4 days! i started clomid in nov & that mth it was only 2 days....i started b vit complex (50) in dec & have started to spot the exact time i thought i would so i dont think its helped....do i increase to 100? or should i just give up? we have been ttc for 17 mths now 7 have had all the tests going apart from the lap which im hving in jan/feb, just waiting 4 the date..im hoping that i they do find anything wrong it will be able to be sorted out there & then. xx