Spotting week before AF every month - anyone else?

[cantwaitforu]

Hi Soili!

oh wow. What days are you going to take the soy?

I took first on CD26 and plan to do the usual 5 day thing, unless I miraculously get a positive OPK before that. One's not supposed to do it like that (and I'd really like to stress that), but I don't really care at this point and I wanna see what comes out of it. So far the only thing I can be sure it did - it stopped my spotting. Of course, for me it's different from you, guys, because mine's from not ovulating at all, not in the LP. I'll keep you posted!

cantwaitforu, it's really awesome that SA results were great!! One less thing to worry about it! And you must be relived that you're not going to need to do HSG! I would like to find out if MY doctor thinks I really need it, or did she refer me just because I asked I want ALL the tests Well, I meant, all the BLOOD tests, but I think she understood ALL, as just everything!

Do you ave your results in hand? What's wrong with your FSH??

I really hope you're not going to need to worry about any of this by the end of March! It appears everyone gets pregnant as soon as they schedule more doctor's appointments or some medical procedures, hehe.

Soili, it's important you do what you feel is right for you. Through this entire experience, I think the most important thing we've all learned is more about our bodies and becoming more in tune with them. Because of that, I think we will at the very least lead very healthy lives - especially with all the vitamins we're taking!

I'm very releived about DH's SA results. I hate that I'm to "blame" for our fertility challenges, but I think we'd be in much worse shape if DH had issues. I'll take whatever winning battle God throws our way.

I don't have the FSH results in hand. I have my appt on March 28. The doctor told DH that my FSH is on the low side. I immediately researched this and didn't find too much about it. One site had an RE post something about clomid not being the ideal solution for low FSH and that injections are the best thing to help with it. For goodness sake! I don't want to be injected with hormones!

I'll have to wait and see what my doctor says.

 

[cantwaitforu]

Oh - and how I wish that all these Dr. appts would scare my reproductive system into working properly! I should go through with the HSG just to teach my darn uterus a lesson!!!

 

[cantwaitforu]

Hello...I discovered something this morning!

My doctor wants me to go for a T3 and T4 test (again) - for my Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. This is probably the main cause for my low FSH, crappy ovulation, low progesterone and not being pregnant!

I connected all these dots. I just hope that there isn't anything beyond a messed up TSH that I should be alarmed about.

I've been taking omega 3 for the last month and half, and I had my earliest ovulation in 9cycles this time around. Omega 3 is a needed for healthy brain development - where your pituitary gland is (this gland works with your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone).

I'll know more next week!

 

[_Nell]

can'twaitforu - Have you had them tested before? (sorry I can't remember if it's earlier in the thread). I'm in the UK, they don't test T3 and T4 typically here but I had my TSH tested over a year ago, that was when still on the BCP though, maybe I should have mine re-tested. Well in the nicest posssible way I hope that IS the problem for you, as it's nice and straghtforward to fix I gather.

Just thought I'd pop on and update on my spotting progress......or rather lack of.
This cycle I decided to ditch temping (less stress and more sleep) and to take a B50 complex. Well nothing positive seems to have happened from that, I O'd the earliest I have in the last year, CD10 (typically Cd11 or 12 for me) and my spotting started a touch earlier too at 5dpo. It also feels like the sore, tender feeling i'm getting in my LP is getting worse and lasting longer or maybe i'm just conscious of it more.

I decided it was time to go back to my doctor and just ask for a gynae referral for the dreaded hysteroscopy probing thingy. 2 1/2 hours wait at the doctors office and this time I see the very nice male doctor who tells me lots and lots of women have this spotting and given that my progesterone is fine ie i'm ovulating and ive had an ultrasound and pap smear then it is just a hormonal imbalance. I am apparently normal.
He then went on to say that the only solution really is to either a) live with it or b) go back on the BCP to synthetically balance my hormones. b) is obviously no good for TTC.
He says I can just hope for the best with TTC and wait the 18months (I thought it was 12mths????) for the NHS to refer me to a fertility clinic or I can pay myself and go sooner. We had a good chat about my age, my fibroids and my desire to have ideally more than 1 child and so he has referred me now and I will pay for fertility diagnostics.
I think this is the only way I'm going to get my hormones sorted, presumably with clomid or progesterone support.
So, that's me. Waiting for my appointment in the next few weeks and then we'll complete the bloods (i've already had progesterone, fsh, LH and tsh so hopefully wont have to pay to repeat those) and DH will have an SA and take it from there. £200 a consult, ouch!!!

 

[Soili]

cantwaitforu, I had thyroid hormones tested too, but I can't figure out on my own what they mean They're all in the normal range, but I read it could borderline this and borderline that combo that would indicate something... So basically I can't tell on my own if there's an issue there or not. Will have to see what my ob/gyn has to say.

 

[cantwaitforu]

can'twaitforu - Have you had them tested before? (sorry I can't remember if it's earlier in the thread). I'm in the UK, they don't test T3 and T4 typically here but I had my TSH tested over a year ago, that was when still on the BCP though, maybe I should have mine re-tested. Well in the nicest posssible way I hope that IS the problem for you, as it's nice and straghtforward to fix I gather.

Just thought I'd pop on and update on my spotting progress......or rather lack of.
This cycle I decided to ditch temping (less stress and more sleep) and to take a B50 complex. Well nothing positive seems to have happened from that, I O'd the earliest I have in the last year, CD10 (typically Cd11 or 12 for me) and my spotting started a touch earlier too at 5dpo. It also feels like the sore, tender feeling i'm getting in my LP is getting worse and lasting longer or maybe i'm just conscious of it more.

I decided it was time to go back to my doctor and just ask for a gynae referral for the dreaded hysteroscopy probing thingy. 2 1/2 hours wait at the doctors office and this time I see the very nice male doctor who tells me lots and lots of women have this spotting and given that my progesterone is fine ie i'm ovulating and ive had an ultrasound and pap smear then it is just a hormonal imbalance. I am apparently normal.
He then went on to say that the only solution really is to either a) live with it or b) go back on the BCP to synthetically balance my hormones. b) is obviously no good for TTC.
He says I can just hope for the best with TTC and wait the 18months (I thought it was 12mths????) for the NHS to refer me to a fertility clinic or I can pay myself and go sooner. We had a good chat about my age, my fibroids and my desire to have ideally more than 1 child and so he has referred me now and I will pay for fertility diagnostics.
I think this is the only way I'm going to get my hormones sorted, presumably with clomid or progesterone support.
So, that's me. Waiting for my appointment in the next few weeks and then we'll complete the bloods (i've already had progesterone, fsh, LH and tsh so hopefully wont have to pay to repeat those) and DH will have an SA and take it from there. £200 a consult, ouch!!!

Hi Nell!

I had a standard thyroid test with my physical a few months ago. Since then I have switched GPs, and the one I'm with now used to work in a fert clinic. He's been doing the FSH, 7day blood tests on me for the last month and a half (he's checking it for two cycles).

DH went there on the weekend for his physical and SA results and asked about my results. I have low FSH and he wants to retest my T3 and T4 (and THS - is it the same?), so I'm not too sure why he wants them to be retested as well. I'll learn more on Monday.

If you can, I would go sooner. I hear mixed things about Luteal Phase spotting. I got my new GP to admit to me that we won't be able to conceive on our own if I start spotting at 5 dpo. There is no way implantation can happen if your lining is already trying to shed itself.

I thought that progesterone would help, but if you are low on progesterone because your ovulation isn't good, then there is a larger underlying problem with your ovulation and your corpus luteum not releasing enough progesterone.

I'm not a doctor, but this is what I've ready from other ladies, and what I've heard from my doctor. On a positive note, they say that somehow an HSG is known for clearing out tubes and blockages and women get pg the cycle after.

I've also learned that you should ALWAYS get a second opinion.

 

[cantwaitforu]

cantwaitforu, I had thyroid hormones tested too, but I can't figure out on my own what they mean They're all in the normal range, but I read it could borderline this and borderline that combo that would indicate something... So basically I can't tell on my own if there's an issue there or not. Will have to see what my ob/gyn has to say.

I know - lots of chemicals and numbers and weird codes to unravel. When are you going back to your ob/gyn?

 

[Morticia]

Hi ladies
New to this thread but just wanted to say hello and that I'm experiencing exactly the same thing...spotting for at least 4 - sometimes 6 days before a really short AF (2 days max). Am really worried it's going to be because of low progesterone...though I have heard a lot of people who come off bcp (came off it six months ago) have had the same thing, especially once TTC.

Anyway, hope for all of you who are having tests it gets sorted asap, and just wanted to say your stories have really helped. If I don't get my BFP this month am going to go straight to the doc to get tested.

Thanks and massive good luck hugs to you all xxx

 

[cantwaitforu]

Welcome Morticia!

Please let us know how it goes for you. We have created a pool of knowledge in this thread on the spotting topic. It seems that many of us spot for a few different reasons.

Good luck this month - I hope that you do get your BFP and can move on to a more cheerful part of this forum

I can't remember when I didn't have spotting and I've never been able to be on birth control. I would either bleed consistently throughout the month, gain a ton of weight or become an emotional wreck. Without bcp, I feel normal.

 

[MrsHY]

Hello fellow spotters!
Just thought I'd give you a quick update - day 19 today and still no signs of ovulation - had a bit of EWCM days 16 and 17 but not as much as usual and no temperature shift yet. So I think I can conclude that the weekly acupuncture is not yet helping me ovulate any earlier... if I do ovulate this cycle (fingers crossed I do - normally around day 25) then the next test will be to see whether it makes any difference to my spotting/luteal phase!
Meanwhile, the hospital's assisted conception unit has contacted me to say that they've received my referral letter and will be in touch with next steps within three weeks. Hopefully they won't want to re-test me given my previous PCOS diagnosis but at the very least I guess they'll want to ultrasound me. I just want my Clomid! I'm convinced my problem is that the delayed ovulation is causing weaker eggs, which in turn is causing weaker progesterone and spotting.
That said, I was chatting to a woman on another forum who was exactly like me and is happily pregnant with her third, so there is hope!
x

 

[yum]

hello ladies
i'm new here & posted abt my prespotting issues & cantwait4ru directed me here..sorry 4r long post..
thankyou cantwait4ru..its gud to know i'm not alone..
i'm 31 yrs old & all this spotting strtd after going off of BCP 4 yrs ago( hell of long 4 yrs)i spot abt 3-4days which goes into AF.had a cervical polyp removed in oct'10 along with hysteroscop on day 16 & doc found everythin aok ready 4r O & said the same wen i had my TVS earlier which discovered my cervical polyp..i really like my obgyn but i got so mad wen she said "i'm gud& spotting is just who i am"..i beg to differ b'coz i dint have it earlier to using BCP..i got my prog blood test on day 21 & it was 30.bummer! i know how it sounds but i really wanted them to find somethin so i can b fixed but huh..i got my tsh, ,fsh,estradoil on day 3 & all gud.
i strted RRL tea & strted temp last week..so far the tea made my teeth yellow..lol..
i want to try the vit b6 & progest natural progesterone cream..i went thru this thread but it left me
i'm on day 4(or3) & i want to try the b vit..can someone help me with dosage & days i shud take these? i feel the same way as rainbow32 & want to try progest cream too..

if anyone is interestd, u can go thru my detailed post here

https://www.babyandbump.com/trying-...m-pre-menstrual-spotting-need-advice-pls.html

gud luck to all

thankyou 4r all the support here !

 

[MrsHY]

Welcome yum!
I take a B complex - I'm not sure on the dosage but it's just a standard B complex you buy from a healthfood shop...as I read that B6 needs other B vitamins to be absorbed. I too have been told that spotting is nothing to worry about but I can't help thinking it is!
I'm trying a few things out this cycle (including acupuncture and chinese herbs) so if anything works I'll let you know! xx

 

[happyshopper]

Hi Yum,
I take b vit 100 complex and it may have improved my spotting (although I was taking soya isoflavones as well). Before I started taking anything my LP was 11 days and my spotting started on 6DPO. The next cycle I took soy and 20mg of b-vits and my LP lengthened to 13 days and I started spotting on 9DPO. The last cycle I started on 100mg of B-vits and soy and my LP was 12 days and started spotting on 9DPO again (so I knocked a full day off the spotting).
This time I am not taking soy but instead trying acupuncture and AC. I have also bought some progesterone cream as well but I think I have the bought the one wrong as its made out of soy. Here it is:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294
Does anyone know if this is the correct cream?
Good luck xxx

 

[yum]

thanks mrsHY, 4rm wat i read in here i think it needs to be a 100 mg/day?? is that right? supposed to strt on day1 but can i still strt 4rm day 5? how long shud i take them?? till o or till af??

 

[MrsHY]

Hello yum
Oh gosh I wish I knew! 100 mg sounds right - I take two tablets a day and from researching and chatting to other ladies on here I decided to take them throughout my cycle. I would just go ahead and start them when you're ready. Good luck!

 

[happyshopper]

I would start them as soon as you get them and take them through you whole cycle x

 

[yum]

thanks happyshopper, yay to a day of no spotting ! i read vitb can cause a delay in AF so wanna b sure.. i dont overdose myself as i have otr issues too ! i lukd at ur cream but nt sure! sorry,couldn't help!
i'm gonna get progest 4rm emrita..its supposed to be usp, no yam,no mineral oil,no animal xtract..
gud luck with everythin !

 

[happyshopper]

You too Yum. Keep us informed how you get on x

 

[_Nell]

MrsHY - you're in the UK like me, arne't you? I hope you don't mind me asking but I feel like i'm being given the brush off by my GP and being pushed to go private when I should be entitled to NHS treatment.....are you over 35 or have proven infertility? I'd really like a referreal on the NHS and you seem to have got one - how?! Did you just ask? Is it a long wait for an appointment? Any tips greatfully received

 

[MrsHY]

Hi _Nell
I am indeed - I'm based in London.
I don't mind you asking at all! I really hope I can help.
I'm under 35 - I'm 31 - but 8 years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS (because I hadn't had a period for 18 months). I was put on BCP but I read a lot about metformin and decided to use that - which I had to go private for. But once I was on it, I got repeat prescriptions through my GP on the NHS subject to me seeing a gynae and endocrinologist (on the NHS) every 6-12 months at hospital (again, on the NHS). I saw my GP a few months after I'd been trying and showed her pics of my charts - which show I ovulate late (cd20-25 typically) and then get my period only 8-10 days later. She was very encouraged that I was ovulating at all (said this was the main thing) and was reluctant to refer me - but I pushed for this because of the PCOS and my fear that my short luteal phase isn't doing me any favours. Basically I want to try Clomid as I feel this will move my ovulation forward and extend my luteal phase.
If you don't get regular periods, are over 35, have PCOS like me or have been trying for a year or more then I would definitely insist on a referral. See another GP in the practice if you have to, or change practices.
Come back to me if I can help further x