Spotting week before AF every month - anyone else?

[cantwaitforu]

happyshopper- what days did you start taking soy?
yes pls, keep us update..will be really intersting to know, thanks!

cantwaitforu- thank you!
yeah, i take wellwoman supplements which has three types of vitams B, incl 10mcg of vitamin b6 (not sure if this is enough?) and 20mcg of B12, plus folic acid 400mcg, zinc, selenium, evening primrose oil and other stuff that it's meant to help you.

I started charting few months ago and helps a lot with O.. I have PCOS so irregulare cycles are normal for me!

I've done acupuncture for months, i see a chinese doct and I am on chinese medicine herbs that a drink twice a day, it helps with O and fertility (pls feel free to real all my story on my journal).

This is the first time i started spotting at 5dpo but i normally start at 10 to 11dpo and it last for few days which i think it's not that normal??


bemybabe- thank you for popping in and letting us about your experience, it gives me hope!

Sunnysun, I don't want to read and run, but if you don't mind, I'd like to stalk your journal! Please feel free to stalk mine too!

ps. we're on a very similar drug plan!

 

[MrsPTTC]

Hello this is my first post EVER. I lurk in the shadows generally but thought I'd add my tuppence worth. I have two children and am ttc my 3rd (14 months at least). I am 38 and feeling time has perhaps run out. But, prior to conceiving my second child I would spot for a week before AF...and conceived in 5th cycle. So pretty quickly really. No spotting at all now before af arrives.

This is brilliant news! My spotting's about 5 days before AF and it's great to hear it didn't stop you conceiving. I am on cycle 5 now, so FX'd!

I still don't get why the spotting has only been longer since TTC though, it's so annoying. I wouldnt mind if it's something I've had all the time

I'm taking my Agnus Castus right through the cycle this month so hopefully the spotting will subside. And myself & DH are both taking Maca though I'm not sure how long it takes to work, possibly 3 months I've heard.

xx

 

[cantwaitforu]

Bemybaby
Thank you so much for posting! It's lovely to hear that it isn't always a problem.
I posted on another thread so apologies if you ladies have read this already (I know happyshopper has!) but I have been TTC for a few months now and through BBT charting (and generally becoming more aware of my cycle) am OV around day 20, starting to spot at day 25 and getting AF at day 30. However, I do know back in October that I didn't spot at all - but not sure when I ovulated as wasn't charting and had no idea about mucus!!!
This is the second month that I've been taking agnus castus, vit B, vit B complex and pregnacare so I'm hoping to see some differences. I'm also having acupuncture and reflexology. It's costing me a fortune!
I saw my GP this morning and she said to throw ovulation sticks into the mix and didn't seem overly concerned about the spotting. She said to keep trying for another three months and if I'm not pregnant by then she'll refer me to a consultant (I have PCOS and am on metformin so she's happier to refer me a little earlier than usual).
Good luck to everyone - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one with these issues. I'll let you know this cycle (I'm on day 7) whether anything changes. x

Please stay in touch - we're all on the same journey with so many different stops on the way. Would love to hear how yours goes on and how everything you are doing helps you along.

when I went to see my ob/gyn a couple years ago about this (we were not ttcing), he told me to come back if we had a hard time getting pregnant. I need to rule out thyroid and hormonal issues until I believe spotting isn't a problem. It may sound crazy, but when I spot, I feel like my uterus is sending me a clear signal that a) I'm not pregnant b) she needs help!

 

[cantwaitforu]

Hello this is my first post EVER. I lurk in the shadows generally but thought I'd add my tuppence worth. I have two children and am ttc my 3rd (14 months at least). I am 38 and feeling time has perhaps run out. But, prior to conceiving my second child I would spot for a week before AF...and conceived in 5th cycle. So pretty quickly really. No spotting at all now before af arrives.

This is brilliant news! My spotting's about 5 days before AF and it's great to hear it didn't stop you conceiving. I am on cycle 5 now, so FX'd!

I still don't get why the spotting has only been longer since TTC though, it's so annoying. I wouldnt mind if it's something I've had all the time

I'm taking my Agnus Castus right through the cycle this month so hopefully the spotting will subside. And myself & DH are both taking Maca though I'm not sure how long it takes to work, possibly 3 months I've heard.

xx

DH and I recently discovered that taking maca at night gave us some sleeping troubles! So we're only taking it in the morning and late afternoon. I've heard wonderful things about it though!

 

[Soili]

9DPO today, still spotting, very very minor though. Still taking Agnus Castus and B-50 complex. Because I kept entering spotting to FF, today it all of a sudden decided it's not even sure I ovulated or not. I kinda wanna know WHY it did so, but it just gave me the usual message. But whether I O or not, I know that I get spotting before the period. But it's an interesting new idea... Maybe I don't in fact ovulate at all?? How on Earth do I still get my periods though...

 

[Garfield]

So pleased that this thread has taken off - hopefully we can all support each other.

Update on me.... well this month I took 800mg of Agnus Castus every day after ovulation and increased this around 21days or 7dpo which is when I normally start spotting to 1600mg (4 tablets) for the second week. I also took 25mg start of B complex (1/4 of tablet) and increased this over a few days to up 100mg (watching for any side effects - didnt have any).

Anyhow it did help with spotting it was only 3 days before period this month and not 7 as normal, and I also charted BBT and they stayed high for longer - so although no BFP at least its a step in the right direction. Back on CD4 now - was unsure whether to keep taking hte tablets or just use for second half of cycle.. going to try and repeat last months and hope for BFP this month.

Good luck to everyone - baby dust to all

xxxx

 

[mooncake76]

So glad to have found this thread. I've been ttc since October and ever since then spotting has been driving me crazy. Before that I would spot maybe the day before my period came and sometimes when I ovulated for a day or so. But ever since I've been on a mission to get pregnant, I've been spotting both before and after my period. In November I had a suspected chemical (was 2 days late, sorest boobs ever and feeling v sick, totally different to how I've ever felt before) and then I bled properly for about 2 weeks. But I was holding out to test so will never know. Since then I start spotting about a week before my period and for about 3-4 days after, brown spotting that I normally only notice when I go to the loo.

My GP doesn't seem concerned and I'm due for a smear this Thurs that I've had to put off loads because of the spotting! I have no idea why this has happened just as I'm ready to go for it. I came off the pill in Nov 2009 and spent the year getting back to normal, charting etc. My LP is 13 days and my chart is biphasic and often triphasic. I often wonder if I'm conceiving and it isn't sticking or if the worry (is this the right word? Obsession?) of ttc has thrown things all off kilter? Or did I always spot and just never really notice before?

So, I'm spending a fortune on acupuncture. This has really helped when I had that long bleed (stopped it straight away) and this month after 5 days of spotting, a session bought my period on properly which felt like a big relief. I'm also on Zita West vitamins, raspberry leaf tea and Royal Jelly is the new one coming in the post. Never heard of AC so may well give that a go as well. All so expensive! I've quit drinking bar a glass of wine on Friday and Saturday (I've found this hard, I love a glass of wine with my tea). I'm also doing regular yoga and eating healthy healthy healthy. Sigh.

I had a break from the boards last month but feeling a bit lonesome at the moment. Everyone I know is pregnant! It's great to see success stories and also find support over something that seems frustratingly misunderstood.

 

[MrsPTTC]

Hello this is my first post EVER. I lurk in the shadows generally but thought I'd add my tuppence worth. I have two children and am ttc my 3rd (14 months at least). I am 38 and feeling time has perhaps run out. But, prior to conceiving my second child I would spot for a week before AF...and conceived in 5th cycle. So pretty quickly really. No spotting at all now before af arrives.

This is brilliant news! My spotting's about 5 days before AF and it's great to hear it didn't stop you conceiving. I am on cycle 5 now, so FX'd!

I still don't get why the spotting has only been longer since TTC though, it's so annoying. I wouldnt mind if it's something I've had all the time

I'm taking my Agnus Castus right through the cycle this month so hopefully the spotting will subside. And myself & DH are both taking Maca though I'm not sure how long it takes to work, possibly 3 months I've heard.

xx

DH and I recently discovered that taking maca at night gave us some sleeping troubles! So we're only taking it in the morning and late afternoon. I've heard wonderful things about it though!

I've found some interesting articles on this, one of them is quite scary about Maca! I tried taking it earlier last night and still had the same trouble sleeping. I've started temping this month but my temps are all over the place and sometimes very high cos I'm not having much sleep before I wake! I hope it settles down. Here are the links I found https://www.highonhealth.org/what-nobody-tells-you-about-maca-root-powder-dangers-and-side-effects/ & https://www.ehow.com/how_5066710_increase-fertility-quickly-maca.html x

 

[Soili]

I often wonder if I'm conceiving and it isn't sticking or if the worry (is this the right word? Obsession?) of ttc has thrown things all off kilter? Or did I always spot and just never really notice before?

I'm thinking that ALL the time! For me it also started when we stopped using protection. First 3 cycles off the pill we weren't trying and I had timely cycles and didn't spot. And now it's getting worse each month. And the thing is, we do have more sex each month! It couldn't be some sort of allergic reaction to sperm or something?? Ok, I know it sounds completely crazy, but I'm out of ideas here. This month we literally broke our own sex record and I started spotting at 5DPO, the earliest ever.

 

[MrsPTTC]

So pleased that this thread has taken off - hopefully we can all support each other.

Update on me.... well this month I took 800mg of Agnus Castus every day after ovulation and increased this around 21days or 7dpo which is when I normally start spotting to 1600mg (4 tablets) for the second week. I also took 25mg start of B complex (1/4 of tablet) and increased this over a few days to up 100mg (watching for any side effects - didnt have any).

Anyhow it did help with spotting it was only 3 days before period this month and not 7 as normal, and I also charted BBT and they stayed high for longer - so although no BFP at least its a step in the right direction. Back on CD4 now - was unsure whether to keep taking hte tablets or just use for second half of cycle.. going to try and repeat last months and hope for BFP this month.

Good luck to everyone - baby dust to all

xxxx

That's good news Garfield, this will be my first month taking the AC all the way through my cycle, I've been taking 1600mg since I started it. Just had a lovely thick dark line on my OPK today so will have to get lots of in, and it's on CD16, before I started the AC I was ovulating around CD 21 or later. I'm hoping the Maca will help this month too (it had better as it's giving me insomnia!!) x

 

[happyshopper]

happyshopper- what days did you start taking soy?
yes pls, keep us update..will be really intersting to know, thanks!

I started taking them from day 4 and I took 80mg days 4 & 5, 120mg on day 6, then 160mg on days 7 & 8. If I do it again next month, I think I will start them on day 2 and just leave it at 120mg for the whole 5 days.
I think that I may also have had at least a couple of chemical pregnancies without realising. I hope soy helps it this month but my temperatures don't look very good (shouldn't they be rising gradually)
xxx

 

[cantwaitforu]

I'm on cd 2, and started spotting 8 dpo last cycle. I've given up on all my pills. DH went to his doctor to see about getting an SA, and he wants to see me and is already talking about sending me for a whole whack of tests and possibly putting me on clomid to move things along and give me a stronger egg. My ov day fluctuates constantly, so this kinda tells me that I may be having some ov issues. Anyway, I'm going to see my doctor this thursday to get test results back, then off to DH's doctor who I already plan on naming my first son after LOL.

DH told the doctor that we have plans to have a few kids, so he said he really wants to help us move things along. I cried with joy to hear someone say that they want to help us and can help us

 

[cutsiecubbie]

Here's my story about pre-AF spotting:

I've been off the pill since May 2010 after taking for it 10 years. DH and I have been TTC 9 mos. I've had completely normal (for me) cycles every month until the 5th month when I started pre-AF spotting. Every cycle since then I've had spotting anywhere from 6-8 days before AF. I started 1st round of Clomid at month 7 and got pregnant after 2nd round (50mg) during month 8! Spotting stopped, AF never came and I got a cd23. Unfortunately, only made it to 5 weeks preg even w/starting progesterone right away. Miscarried on cd 35 My OBGYN said the spotting is related to low progesterone, hence the reason she put me on Clomid even though I had no trouble O'ing. At least now I have the progesterone handy in case I need to start it right away again.

Good luck to everyone!

 

[sunnysun]

happyshopper- i think that may have been the reason of your late O, I'm starting mine tonight I know you need at least 80mg so may give it a go with that.

Rising temp: i think that once it has rising as long as it doesnt go below the red line it's absolutely normal, you can still be pg...

good luck cantwaitfor u- let us know how it goes

Cutsiebibie- sorry to hear about your mc, I mc at 6weeks and think it was cause low progesterone. Did you doc give anything to take after O? Clomid will not help you with progesterone that much as it's mainly to help O..

 

[happyshopper]

Well Im on DPO7 and not had any spotting yet. If I use last month as a guide my spotting started at this stage but nothing about this cycle had been normal. I think if it does come then it will be here tomorrow or Friday at the latest. FX it doesnt come at all. Even if I dont get a BFP this month I will be pleased if its cuts spotting to a couple of days. xxx

 

[sunnysun]

that's a good sign happyshopper! soy is working then?

 

[mooncake76]

I'm pondering on whether B vits can actually cause spotting as when I quit the pills last month (felt like I was rattling full of them and was on my honeymoon - still took folic) I had no spotting. I just wonder if that might be why people sometimes get spotting when they ttc? Anyone else think they might have this connection?

 

[happyshopper]

Sunnysun - I hope so but dont want to count my chickens just yet. If I get through to the end of tomorrow then there has definately been an improvement.
Mooncake - In my instance B-vits have helped spotting. I have spotted for over a year even before I heard of b-vits but then I think I have low progesterone. This may not be the case for you xxx

 

[baddream13]

Hi everyone!

I strongly believe the spotting a week before AF is due to a luteal phase defect.

First let me give you a brief history of my spotting and fertility issues before I tell you a theory I have.

I became pregnant when I was 18. I was usually very careful, but it only took ONE TIME without protection for this to happen. I wasn't living the most healthy lifestyle at the time, for quite a while before I realized that I was pregnant, and I was very selfish and immature, so I went in and had the pregnancy terminated. I didn't think it was a big deal, until the doctor who performed the procedure informed me that it was twins, and if you have them once, you can have them again. That scared the bejeezus out of me, and after that, I became positively militant about birth control. I've been on 3 different kinds of BCPs, and a Mirena IUD for a total of 12 years since.

I started the spotting before my period about 3 years ago, when I was 30. I was put onto different pills with higher hormone levels after complaining to my doctor about it. Didn't help. So my doctor suggested a Mirena IUD, which she said in some cases even helps the woman to not have a period at all, which she said happened for her. I had it for about 6 months before I had it removed due to all the horrible side effects I was getting. (the worst acne I ever had in my life, and a whole bunch of weight gain). I decided at that point to go sans hormonal birth control.

After being off the hormones for 2 years, and keeping track of my cycles, I noticed how amazingly regular I was, and how the odd cramps I always get in the middle of my cycle exactly coincided with my ovulation due date. I later found out how lucky I am that I can exactly pinpoint when I ovulate, because of these "mittelschmerz". But I also noticed how, like clockwork, I spot 7 days before my period.

Well, 5 months ago, my husband and I started TTC. I would of course get my hopes up when the spotting started, thinking "oooh, I.B.!" But of course, it wouldn't stop, and then AF would come.

Before I even read anything about luteal phase defects, I kept thinking "how can a fertilized egg implant if my endometrial lining seems to be trying to shed early?" That just made sense that that was what was happening.

I went to my doctor, who gave me a cervical ultrasound, and everything was fine, no polyps, and she could see my healthy follicles. She tested my hormone levels on day 3, and 7 dpo, and everything came out normal. But of course, 8 dpo is when I started the spotting, so I was thinking "well, wouldn't my progesterone levels show signs of dropping when I actually start spotting?"

I decided to take matters into my own hands, and have been taking maca root for a month. It's horrible, and I don't want to take it any more because it seemed to really boost my testosterone levels more than anything. I've been irritable, and even rageful for the last 2 weeks. And yesterday, 8dpo, I started spotting!

So last night I tried putting some progesterone cream that I purchased a little bit ago. Immediately I felt calmer, more myself. I'm still spotting today, but I did start the progesterone cream late in my cycle, you're supposed to use it right after you ovulate.

I'm going to try the prog cream for my next cycle, and see how that goes.

Anyway, my theory is this: since the medical community seems to be apprehensive to acknowledge that such as thing as a luteal phase defect exists, I feel as though there is not a lot of research going into this for two reasons (and I know this is a little conspiracy theorist of me, so I apologize in advance): 1) All the money being make in the fertility industry, of course. But my big problem is with # 2) Perhaps long term use of hormonal birth control is CAUSING this to happen.

I'm willing to bet that most, if not all of you ladies on this thread was on some kind of hormonal BC.

I feel like they do not want to look into this, because doctors seem to throw BCPs at us so easily. It would cause a lot of problems NOT having them available, but I don't think all the dangers of them have been studied properly, especially now that all the children of the baby boomers have really been the first generation to have been on hormonal birth control long term.

Any thoughts?

 

[Soili]

baddream13, I agree that spotting is hormonal, and it does seem like it's most likely to be progesterone. Or at least the fact that estrogen is not balanced enough with it. I have a different theory, that my progesterone levels are fine (so are yours, it seems) although I haven't test it yet. But I'm betting my estrogen levels are being too high for LP. I'm thinking that because I get estrogen peaks signs in LP (random temp drops and fertile CM). My LP is actually not short, so I'm betting there's enough progesterone in my system to sustain the lining from shedding full time, but there could be too much estrogen that's triggering it to try and shed it earlier than supposed to.

But one way or the other, the answer to that would be progesterone supplements in LP anyway. I doubt they can suppress estrogen production, but they can balance it up with higher levels of progesterone. Unless there's actually something wrong with my thyroid or whatever else is there responsible for hormonal production.

And yes, I was also on BCP for 7 years and never had this spotting problem before starting it. I did have irregular periods before, so I can't blame the pill for that. But no spotting.