Spotting week before AF every month - anyone else?

[MrsPTTC]

Welcome Dreaminghopin! Sorry about your MC

Welcome Charlene_b-x My FS says spotting is normal, and won’t investigate it unless it comes much earlier, like a few days after ovulation. I would definitely recommend getting your day 21 or 7DPO blood tests done, it confirms you’ve definitely ovulated as well as checking your progesterone.

Sorry, i'm an official ART nerd with the lingo and terms now (ART = assisted reproductive therapy)

FET = frozen embryo transfer, so the frozen embryos from a previous IVF cycle.

Assisted cycles = IVF / IUI or a FET, ie where the Dr.s assist you in having a normal cycle.

I'm spot free with them because they effectively take over my body completely with all the meds, my crappy hormones are irrelevant then!. They shut my ovaries down, give me tablets or patches of estrogen, stop me ovulating until they decide i'm ready, then give me a shot to bring on ovulation, then post O (or egg collection as I do IVF not IUI) they give me progesterone instead of my corpus luteums having to do anything. It's all controlled and so usually spot free in my TWW, although I get a little spotting a day or so before AF but nothing like normal.
With a FET or IVF there's no need to even BD if I didn't feel like it

Thanks for the info Nell. Do all the meds screw with your moods/emotions? I am truly pathetic & angry on the clomid! I imagine if it gets to the IVF stage with me I will be all over the place. The fact that you’re spot free on all the meds suggests to me you have a hormone problem. Sorry if you’ve said before but have you tried progesterone in a normal, non IVF cycle?

Hi Nell!
I'm sorry about your stupid uterus. If I could have a word with her, I really would.
I have an appt to discuss IVF in Feb - we get one funded cycle here (sorry - I've probably harped on about this in an earlier post). I downloaded a book all about IVF onto my Kindle today and intend to read it so I can ask lots of questions. CD1/2 today (I never really know because the flipping spotting and AF just kind of merge into one mess). My spotting seems to have been a lot heavier this cycle - my first using 150mg of Clomid. It's made me wonder whether my spotting is worse the MORE progesterone my body produces, rather than less! I wonder if I have endo/fibroids and that's what's being stimulated by the progesterone and bleeding? I don't know. Nothing has been found yet but then I haven't had a laproscopy to definitively rule it out.
xx

MrsHY maybe you’re over stimulating on 150mg? Did you ovulate on 50 or 100mg?

Sorry about your spotting daydream

AFM, I’m feeling a bit more relaxed this cycle. CD10 and have started my OPK’s, just a waiting game now x

 

[Charlene_b_x]

Thankyou he is a little monkey! I managed to read through a lot of the posts the last few days and am hoping that everyone gets the bfps soon!!
I have a cervical erosion which I know can cause spotting but I think the spotting I have is hormonal as it always happens the same time in my cycle. Iv decided to take b6 next month see if this does anything to help. I had a mmc a few years ago and I spotted all through my cycle for 3 months I thought it would never end but it did, hopefully this will end eventually too!
Is the taking charge of your fertility book worth getting in your opinion?
Xx

Hi

Will be happy to compare notes ladies.

Charlene your little boy is beautiful. I am guessing with a 19 month you might not have the luxury of time to read through this forum but I have learned so much and it does appear that there are some who spot and still manage to conceive so please try and stay positive. It also appears that spotting can indicate a number of things such as low progesterone, fibroids, polyps, endo so I think it is best to discuss your concerns with your GP. Although there are also a lot of females who continue to have unexplained spotting. There also appears to be a range of things that women have done on this site that has reduced spotting such as vitamin B complex, Angus Castus, Vitamin D and Maca. Unfortunately for some, this may have increased their spotting or played havoc with their cycle. This TTC business aint easy!!

My progesterone level at day 21 was 34. The doc told me this was fine. Would others concur?? I have been referred to a gynecologist and in the meantime have decided to start taking Vitamin B this cylce.

keep in touch ladies x

 

[_Nell]

Thanks for the info Nell. Do all the meds screw with your moods/emotions? I am truly pathetic & angry on the clomid! I imagine if it gets to the IVF stage with me I will be all over the place. The fact that you’re spot free on all the meds suggests to me you have a hormone problem. Sorry if you’ve said before but have you tried progesterone in a normal, non IVF cycle?

No, the injectible meds generally have less side effects as they work in a different way to clomid - I tried clomid one cycle and got headaches all cycle long.
Yes I think mine is either hormonal or endo related, progesterone on a natural cycle also stops/reduces the spotting to a more normal day or so pre AF for me.

FX it won't come to IVF for you though

 

[MrsPTTC]

Hmm I wonder if its worth me trying the progesterone then that's if my spotting goes back to normal as I had a pretty good month last cycle, only starting 10 dpo & appeared like normal pre AF spotting. Fingers crossed I O early again this month & spotting is good. Yes I really hope it doesn't come to IVF as it seems so final & we want more than 1 child if poss & obviously we wouldn't get IVF funding for a 2nd. I hope that doesn't sound selfish, obviously I would still be over the moon with one LO! x

 

[Charlene_b_x]

Mrsptcc when does your spotting usually start? Were you previously on bcp?
xx

 

[Soili]

Hi guys! 12DPO here, tested yesterday and nope, no second line whatsoever, so expecting my period by tomorrow's afternoon! I'm more upset that my weight loss is not going as fast I wish, because it's close to AF Curious how the next cycle turns out, I hope I ovulate again, and even better if it's early!

On a different subject, anyone having problems with the new temp ribbon advert on FF?? It's driving me mad! Every single time I go my chart, the damn thing loads first. I tried everything, remind me later, checking that feature, even added it to my home page, it's STILL always there. I'm actually considering moving to a different charting site. I have VIP membership on FF and I just find it so disrespectful that they annoy customers with that damn feature (which I personally find useless anyway).

 

[dreaminghopin]

Hi everyone

Fingers crossed for you Soili... I am usually a wreck the few days before due date so hope your doing ok. I don't use FF as think my OPK and CM obsessions are enough to keep me busy at the moment.

MrsPTTC you are not selfish at all to want more than one child. I am glad that your spotting was a bit better last month. Did you do anything differently? Hope you get a positve OPK soon and ovulate super early!!

Well it's cycle day 3 for me ladies so long way off and no idea when I will ovulate as previous cycle was all over place after miscarriage.

Right better do some work.

x

 

[MrsPTTC]

Charlene - I was on bcp about 10 or 11 years, came off in Aug 2008 & used protection. Then around 2008/9 I went back on it again for a year, then came off in Feb 2010, used protection again until Sept 2010 when we started ttc. My spotting was about 9 dpo, sometimes 10 but after about 6 months started 6dpo though it varied. I 100% think now that I'll not get spotting the month I get my BFP but that's not to say you ladies won't get your BFP with the spotting

soili I access FF on my phone mostly & noticed something about a ribbon. I hardly use it these days as I don't temp. I hope your BFP is just shy hun.

Dreaminghopin - I didn't take the B6 or omega 3 after ovulation just with it being xmas I was so busy. but I O 'd so early, I think it was that.

x

 

[Chloe597]

Every time I think AF is here in the mornings, I end up spot free in the afternoons. Ugh! I am so out of touch with my body. No idea what is going on. I think i'm 13DPO now, and the spotting is easing up, not getting heavier, which makes no sense to me since the closer i get to 14DPO, I would think AF should show up.

Soli, i have not had that problem, but I use Firefox with AdBlock, so perhaps you need to install some sort of anti advertisement program to your browser? What are you using?

Nell, i wish you the best with your treatments!

 

[MrsPTTC]

Have you tested chloe? x

 

[Charlene_b_x]

I have been pregnant twice and didn't have spotting during my cycle. After my miscarriage I had spotting every day for 3 months and durin my pregnancy with my son I pretty much spotted on and off the whole 9 months and they always said it was a cervical erosion. Each month I get the spotting it's my early indication I'm not pregnant I agree with u about the not spotting and getting a bfp!hopefully it happens soon x

Charlene - I was on bcp about 10 or 11 years, came off in Aug 2008 & used protection. Then around 2008/9 I went back on it again for a year, then came off in Feb 2010, used protection again until Sept 2010 when we started ttc. My spotting was about 9 dpo, sometimes 10 but after about 6 months started 6dpo though it varied. I 100% think now that I'll not get spotting the month I get my BFP but that's not to say you ladies won't get your BFP with the spotting

soili I access FF on my phone mostly & noticed something about a ribbon. I hardly use it these days as I don't temp. I hope your BFP is just shy hun.

Dreaminghopin - I didn't take the B6 or omega 3 after ovulation just with it being xmas I was so busy. but I O 'd so early, I think it was that.

x

 

[MrsPTTC]

Thanks Charlene same to you. I think it depends on the cause of the spotting as to whether it indicates a BFN. Last cycle I would say was normal pre AF spotting at 10dpo for me, so if I manage to get to 10 dpo again & start spotting I'm just gonna assume I'm out x

 

[daydream]

Every time I think AF is here in the mornings, I end up spot free in the afternoons. Ugh!

Mine is ALWAYS worse in the mornings! There are some mornings where I'm like Oh Great thinking that AF is here, and then I'll get nothing at all for like two more days. So I spend that whole time running and checking because I'm all paranoid.

 

[Charlene_b_x]

Do you all find that the spotting gets heavier the closer it gets to af?
Or does it just stay the same? And do you have it all day or just once or twice in the day?x

 

[dreaminghopin]

Do you all find that the spotting gets heavier the closer it gets to af?
Or does it just stay the same? And do you have it all day or just once or twice in the day?x

My spotting tends to just stay the same. It is mostly when I wipe but require a pantyliner too (sorry tmi).

 

[MrsPTTC]

Do you all find that the spotting gets heavier the closer it gets to af?
Or does it just stay the same? And do you have it all day or just once or twice in the day?x

Mine varies, it mostly does get heavier closer to AF, but I've had some cycles where it starts early, stops completely (giving false hope) then starts again or goes straight to AF. My spotting tends to be all day but sometimes when I wipe it's not there and the next time it is. I know if I check my cervix it is there but sometimes doesn't make it down IYKWIM!

I've come up with a new strategy for this month. You might think I'm stupid but I'm giving it a go. My CM was never very good anyway and I've always needed lube, but with the clomid I've had very little (none last cycle) EWCM. I have a feeling my problem is that my CM is hostile. I read the other day if it is hostile the can only live 20mins!! So it got me thinking, I've used pre-seed, then conceive plus & now have just gone back to pre-seed, but maybe it's not enough. So I decided to do what some couples do for various reasons (same sex couples/sex pain/physical problems/illness) and inseminate! Well I don't know if inseminate is the right word, as what I'm doing (and I know through the soft cups thread I am on that it works) is putting pre-seed inside me, getting DH to "deposit" into the softcup, adding some more pre-seed to the cup and mixing it about, then inserting the softcup & having an O. I have no idea if it will work, but I just wonder if the lube we've used before is enough. We'll still BD around the fertile time just in case and because it's the "normal" thing to do. Any thoughts ladies? The softcups sit much higher than other menstrual cups so the sperm/lube mix is literally on your cervix x

 

[Soili]

MrsPTTC, I have considered that too some time ago. It had more to do with being tried of BD'ng on demand and never actually ovulating. It was incredibly draining and I was afraid it might just ruin our sex life for good. We never ended up doing it, because I never got pos. OPK back then. And now I don't find BD'ng a chore around ovulation, as I usually am a lot more in the mood for it then. I know the success rates from insemination seem to actually be higher than from intercourse, I don't really know why, but I say - go for it!

I'm expecting my AF today and really hoping it shows, because otherwise I'll start thinking that maybe I got myself a cyst instead of ovulation this time...

 

[MrsPTTC]

For once I'll say I hope gets you then hun, if it's really what you want!!

Yes I've just read a thread on AI success stories and they're all getting their BFP's within a few months! It's definitely worth a go. And I don't enjoy that much anyway, I have a low sex drive and it sometimes hurts me x

 

[Soili]

I'm not much for the myself. I do enjoy it, but I never get a vaginal O, so from my point of view... I much prefer the before and after parts

I remember sometime ago there was a girl doing AI with a donor sperm and she got pregnant like 6 times in a row (unfortunately all chemical). So it would seem like it's the best way to get the guys there.

 

[dreaminghopin]

I really don't know what I don't know...soft cups, preseed etc is all new to me. Good luck and will be very interested to hear how it goes

Bit bummed, hospital received my GP referral. Waiting lists longer than I thought and likely to be May before we are offered an appointment. I was feeling quite upbeat today as well.

Also started taking Vit B complex and pee is bright yellow