Spotting week before AF every month - anyone else?

[curiouscat6]

Hi Ladies,
Hope everyone is well... just wanted to check in to say I did my first cycle of progesterone suppositories (I was told to take 100mg starting 3DPO) and not a drop of spotting in sight... For those of you who haven't tried progesterone yet, I suggest asking your gyn about it.

Women with low progesterone often feel very fatigued after ovulation and have nasty breakouts--I had both.

My progesterone was tested 5DPO and it was strong but tanked out later so testing at the right time--day 21 or day 23 of your cycle is the best time--some gyns may just give you the suppository if you tell them you're spotting too.

Still no BFP but I feel good to know that the spotting has stopped with this suppository.. My DH and I plan to go with this strategy until Oct, then switch to an RE for more intensive measures at that time.

 

[_Nell]

So pleased you've had a break from the spotting curious, I too have none with the progesterone suppositories. I'm not convinces it fixes the source of the issue for me, just masks the symptom, but it is so nice to feel more normal in my LP.

 

[curiouscat6]

Great to hear, Nell. What dosage of progesterone are you on? How is everything else going for you? I hope all is well...

 

[MrsPTTC]

Hi ladies, Hope you are all ok. Sorry the got you Happyshopper! I've noticed it's 6 months now since this thread started and I'm still here - scary! I've got my first FS appointment tomorrow, I'll let you know how it goes, I've got all my cycle evidence printed off, he will wish he never got me ha ha. I'm getting a bit fed up now and am starting to get narked at people getting BFP's which is not nice really, but I think the jealousy is natural when you get passed a certain point . I've noticed I don't want to talk about TTC with my friends as much now either! x

 

[happyshopper]

Thanks MrsHY, I hope I do although I will be staying in the UK so it all depends on the weather. I will still be able to come on BnB now and again to keep up to date with all the news xxx
Thanks MrsPTTC and good luck with your appointment tomorrow. You may be nervous but you're also a step nearer to finding out what is wrong. I think we were one of the first on the spotter thread so I think we should have a to celebrate next month xxx
That is encouraging to hear Curious, i had mine done but I wasn't spotting at the time but I started the next day. I don't know if I feel lethargic but I get stressed, mainly because I'm preying that the spotting holds off for one more day so a catch 22 really xxx
Good luck everyone xxx

 

[_Nell]

Happyshopper - Have a lovely holiday and I hope the weather stays dry and sunny for you (and us!)

MrsPttc - good luck with the appointment today. I think it's only natural other peoples BFP's start to affect us - I channel hopped the other day and saw a coronation street character get a BFP and was bitter and that's not even real!

Curious - I use crinone 8%, it's one suppositry a day. I'm going to ask my FS if I should just take this on all natural cycles going forward, I know I still need my ovulation improving and if that's sorted i wouldn't have the spotting, but it is so much nicer to not spot, it really helps my stress levels and I sleep better with the extra progesterone too.
What are you using? Did AF still arrive on it or did you have to stop? Mine still breaks through on 13dpo so still a 12 day LP but i'm happy with that - better than spotting from 4dpo.

We are so due a sticky BFP in this group, babydust to us all

 

[MrsPTTC]

Thank you ladies Pmsl at you getting jealous over Corrie Nell! Yeah happyshopper as its our anniversary we should get BFP's this cycle! Will let you know how it goes! x x

 

[curiouscat6]

Hi ladies,
I got my progesterone blood level results back yesterday and my doctor now says my levels are "excellent" on the suppository I'm taking. Nell, I only take it once a day and I start two days after I ovulate. I use the clear blue easy fertility monitor (which I can't recommend enough! it's so helpful and literally pinpoints down your ovulation time) so I know when I ovulate and then start the suppository the day after. I take the progesterone for 13 days after I ovulate (until the point when my period would naturally start) and then take a pregnancy test and if negative, stop the progesterone. If BFP, keep taking it. Last cycle was my first cycle taking it and after I stopped taking the progesterone my period started 2 days later and I had absolutely no spotting at all while I was on it.

As for progesterone deficiences, here's what my doctor said: "Anytime you are spotting for more than 3 days before your period you need to ask a gyn to test your levels at cycle day 23." My progesterone levels were originally strong on cycle day 20 but then started tanking on cycle day 22. I'd start spotting lightly on cycle day 20 and my level was normal on that day but it was still decreasing later. I guess what i'm trying to say is I'd call your gyn as soon as you start spotting heavily and ask for a progesterone test. It's just a simple blood test and if the level isn't right that could very well be your problem and it's very simple to fix.

 

[curiouscat6]

Nell, forgot to add: I'm currently on 100mg vaginal suppository of prometrium. I'm currently taking nothing else so you can absolutely take it on a natural cycle. I'd ask your doc to inquire--if you're still having breakthrough bleeding your dosage may not be high enough. Did he test your levels on day 23 or later? If not, maybe ask him for a retest and you can get a higher dosage.. From what i hear, the spotting takes from our uterus so implanatation becomes even more difficult--the progesterone makes the area nice and strong for a bean to grow...

 

[MrsPTTC]

Update from me:

I didn't particularly like the consultant I saw today, I feel a bit deflated tbh. He said he's surprised my dr referred me so early, even though I am over 30, but "as I was there" it was fine! He said OPK's and temping are a waste of time & we need to BD every 2-3 days throughout the cycle. His reasons were that if you BD when you get your surge it's usually too late (we do it beforehand too so I don't really see his point there) and also it stresses you out and stress is bad for TTC - I totally agree there, I do get stressed... Hubby has to go for ANOTHER SA as apparently it's best to do 2, and this has to be done at the hospital so DH is gonna go off it lol. I mentioned the spotting but he didn't really pick up on it or ask many questions, nor about the ovary pain I've been getting during the LP and now during the first half of the cycle . I mentioned I'd been taking some herbs so my cycle has been up and down and he didn't even ask what herbs I'd been taking (probably thought that was stupid too lol!) and he said the only thing that concerns him is the cycle length 34 days, although classed is normal is on the long side. So - he's sending me for day 2/3 & 27 bloods, and a HSG. However, he's obviously been reading my file and noticed I've seen a gynae (no examination just a discussion) about painful sex (sorry TMI!) I explained this was better since TTC as now has a purpose! but he said he thinking a HSG might be too painful for me and gave me the option of a lap and dye! I said I wasn't keen on the idea of being knocked out and was a bit put on the spot so he said we'll go for the HSG then if it doesnt work a lap and dye...Now I've been thinking since I came home and am wondering if I should just go for the lap in the first place? What experiences do you have of these ladies? What would you do in my situation? I've read the leaflet about HSG and if there's a blocked tube they would need to do and lap anyway so surely it's better to have 1 procedure rather than 2?! Confuzzled.com . Do I give the opk's and temping a miss from now on? He didn't even want to look at my charts! I feel like I've wasted the last 10 months x

 

[MrsPTTC]

curiouscat, did you ever get my message a while ago in reply to yours? I didn't know how to reply and ended up posting it on my own "wall" rather than yours x

 

[curiouscat6]

Hi there,
No, I never got a private message but feel free to write me anytime.

 

[MrsPTTC]

Hi there,
No, I never got a private message but feel free to write me anytime.

Ha you'll have thought I was ignorant not replying!! This is what I said:

Hi curiouscat! Well it isn't actually my thread, but I have been on since the very beginning! You should join! They're a lovely bunch of girls, very friendly! TBH I think they're far worse spotters than me - my spotting is miniscule, but still enough to bother me. I've taken Agnus Castus/Vitex for 5 months now but stopped this cycle to see if it would make a difference. If it doesn't help in the next few months I'm gonna stop the pregnacare conception & see if that helps, though the spotting started before I started taking the pregnacare. The annoying thing is, I never used to spot before I started TTC!! The other girls seem to be taking B vits, special diets & accupuncture. Don't be shy, join the thread, I'm sure they'll be able to help you much more than me! Have you mentioned your spotting to a doctor? One of the girls on the thread was told one day she had "low ovarian reserve" then a few days later got her BFP! So there is hope for us spotters x

 

[_Nell]

MrsPttc - I'm not surprised you didn't like him. Seems like he just started you on the NHS treadmill of bloods and HSG, but still it is progress. I've heard lots of people say doctors have rubbished charting but so far mine have sort of accepted it at least confirms ovulation and gives them conifdence in the accuracy of my history (ie length of cycle, o day, lp length etc).

I'm not really understanding how having a history of painful sex relates to probably not being able to do a HSG?! Especially since you have overcome the BDing problem.
The only bit of a HSG that would be uncomfortable if BDing is would be the speculum and no one enjoys that anyway!
I would go for a HSG everytime over a lap tbh, so much less invasive and done and dusted in minutes. Yes you *might* need a lap later, but more than likely not.

OTOH i didn't chart in my IVF cycle and tbh I'm not going to rush back to it. I'm sleeping much better without waking up to temp (I used to have interrupted sleep then have to temp at 2-3am). I've looked back at 15months of charting and my O is always days 11-13, my LP always spots but has good temps so i'm not sure i'm now learning anything new. I use persona (like a CBFM but cheaper) so i'll just stick with that.

 

[curiouscat6]

MrsPttc: I've gotta agree with Nell on this--the doc sounds like a dud. And an HSG is much easier to recover from a lap--and it can clear your tubes (or show if you have a block) and show any polys in your uterus (which can tell you if you are spotting because of that). Laps are more in-depth and can also reveal the same thing but because they are more invasive HSGs are usually the first step for many docs. Is there any way you might have endo or scar tissue? I only ask because many women who have endo have very painful periods, BMs, sex, etc. And if your doc suspects endo that may be why he suggested a lap. Still, endo can be diagnosed with an ultrasound so if he's done one of those already and seen nothing a lap may not be necessary.

My motto: When in doubt about a doc, always get a second opinion. You can also just push for only an HSG and decide about a lap later based on what you find. And I'd ask him to test your progesterone if he hasn't already done that on CD23 too. But be prepared, my HSG was a horror, very painful. Still, as I said it 'clears' out the tubes so many women get pregnant after.

 

[curiouscat6]

I should also add that many say endo also causes spotting--the tissue grows around the uterus and negates proper hormone production causing women to spot. It also causes painful sex and painful ovulation. So the doc may suspect endo and that's why he's suggesting a lap. A lap would def. diagnose the problem and sometimes docs do laps with contrast so they also 'wash' out your tubes in the surgery (so you get the same effect as you would with an HSG) but laps are surgery. So the recover can take a few weeks... HSGs are also painful but the whole thing is literally over in 5 minutes.

 

[curiouscat6]

Just wanted to give you a quick shoutout because I'm a little confused. So I got a call from my doc recently and she said my estradol and progesterone numbers on my most recent cycle day 23 blood test were excellent (I was taking the progesterone suppository when my blood was drawn). Being the type A personality that I am, I asked her to send me a copy of my blood records. Well, they just came in today and they said my progesterone level was 8.6.

This seems like a really low number, right? I was under the impression that cycle day 23 progesterone had to be at least 10 or am I wrong? I just wondered what your numbers were if you remembered? Now, I'm thinking about boosting up my current Rx up to 100mg more... the current dosage of 100mg has totally stopped my spotting but this number just seems low to me.

What do u think?

 

[MrsPTTC]

Nell – I clam up when anything is inserted, I have overcome it for TTC purposes, but it’s still a bit painful, I’ve seen a councellor and a gynae about it in the past and it’s all in my head, they think it’s dyspareunia, similar to vaginismus. As BD’ing now has a purpose and I’m using pre-seed/conceive plus internally then it’s not so bad. I think he’s worried as I obviously have a low pain threshold and he said he’s had women say it’s extremely painful, but it depends on the woman .

Curiouscat – not sure about endo as I don’t have particulary painful or heavy periods and he’s not mentioned an ultrasound. I did think he might do one at the first appointment but no…So does a HSG not diagnose endo, only a lap? He’s doing my progesterone tests on the CD27 bloods as I have around a 34 day cycle and he said it should be done 7 days before AF.

So I’ve done a bit research on both HSG’s and Laps and it appears they can both pick up things that the other can’t! I know if I went for a lap and there was something there they could sort it straight away, but I’ve also heard about the HSG’s being good for cleaning the tubes out and you are very fertile afterwards. The more I read about laps they are a much more serious procedure and the recovery time can be long and I’m a bit scared to go for that, I’ve not had an operation in my life! I’ll do a bit more research and then make the decision but I think I’m swaying more to the HSG. I’m gonna continue OPKing but BD more this month, well at least start earlier as the doc suggested, and I’m defo stopping the temping. I was supposed to stop 2 months ago but decided not to so I had 6 months of evidence for the dr, which all seems a bit pointless now since he’s not interested! Thanks ladies xx

 

[lucyoz34]

Hey girls, so glad I found this sight. The last 2 cycles Iv been spotting from 8dpo till af, never happened before, dont have a clue why. Iv read through the thread and it could be low progesterone, my temps have been really erratic during LP. So I was thinking of trying agnus castus, but I dont know if it can be taken with soy?? Can anyone help???

 

[MrsPTTC]

Hey girls, so glad I found this sight. The last 2 cycles Iv been spotting from 8dpo till af, never happened before, dont have a clue why. Iv read through the thread and it could be low progesterone, my temps have been really erratic during LP. So I was thinking of trying agnus castus, but I dont know if it can be taken with soy?? Can anyone help???

Welcome Lucy! I don't know if AC can be taken with soy but I did used to take AC but stopped as I believe it made my spotting worse. Could just be me though! Good luck x