Do you get spotting before AF / period? Come and talk to me here

@burtle4 I'll bear that in mind, thank you :)

Ah ok, maybe if all is ok with your tests and doesn't show anything up you could try accupuncture? I know it's helped me before... Good luck x

Yes, they didn't tell me what the levels were. Just said it was normal and were consistent with ovulation.
Spoke to a Dr today and she didn't seem too concerned but I'm going in for an examination anyway to make sure everything's OK. She said it shouldn't affect chances of conceiving though, which was my main concern

@Jendrw5, did the hormone tests involve the day 21 progesterone tests? I'm not sure the standard hormone tests show up progesterone which is what you need decent levels off to stop the spotting...

@Goofers I was given them as an attempt to stop the spotting primarily with the hope that it would also help with fertility. The consultant gave me instructions to take 3 pessaries a day at a dosage of 200 each (so 600) but I actually only used 2 pessaries a day (400) one in the morning and one at night. I started using them a few days after ovulation in case they interfered with that and the first month of using them I had a very straight forward 5 day period with no spotting before or after for the first time in years. I did have to stop using them after a BFN on the day my period was due in order for AF to start though. The second month I amazingly got pregnant and I continued taking them throughout the first trimester. Hope that helps x

@burtle4 how do the progesterone pessaries work? What dosage are you on?

Checking in as I saw this thread had been bumped and I need to read it later! I spot for 4-5 days before every period. Nothing to do with cervical erosion as it happens even if we haven’t DTD.

I started getting brown spotting before my period. Started as just a couple days but it's now 5 days.
No idea why it's happening, never used to get it. Got blood tests done at the doctors and they said my hormone levels were fine. It's really annoying too as I get really bad cramps with it, just hoping it isn't stopping me from conceiving :(

@Want2bMumof3 you sound so much like me this time last year. I've always wanted a third child but it just wasn't happening and I was trying to accept the fact that it just wasn't meant to be. The doctor said I wouldn't get any help through the NHS due to having children already but they agreed to do the day 21 test which showed low levels of progesterone. Luckily my doctor (female) agreed to refer me to a specialist due to the fact I was spotting, not because of fertility and there he took more day 21 tests (amongst other things) which gave the same result. I then asked him if i could try the progesterone pessaries (he hadn't thought of this!) and I'm now 20 weeks pregnant 😊 Nothing else was shown as being wrong on any of the other tests they did.

My advice would be that if you really want it, don't give up. They will give you the tests if you ask and maybe go to them more along the lines of period issues rather than wanting a baby and they may be more helpful. It's so hard and I know the feeling of just being so frustrated each month that nothing was happening, every month was my last month. But I knew in my heart I couldn't just give up on it and I'm so glad I didn't x

@burtle4 oh really? Do you think that's why I'm spotting maybe then?
When I last spoke to the doctors they said because I already have children they wouldn't be looking to assist any further basically so it's pointless asking them to do the test. Plus this is our last month of trying anyway so I am just trying to accept it wasn't meant to be.

@Want2bMumof3 definitely ask for a day 21 progesterone test. They basically check your blood for levels of progesterone 7 days after you ovulate to see if there's enough. If you're in the UK the levels need to be above 30 to confirm that you've ovulated. If they're below it suggests you haven't. My levels were always in the mid 20's which suggests I wasn't ovulating but I knew I was due to taking my temperature every morning. I knew that my spotting had to be down to my progesterone levels falling too quickly after ovulating so an egg never had a chance to implant because my walls were already starting to shed. As soon as I went on the progesterone pessaries I got pregnant and I was 39 by this time after 2 years of trying with no hint of a bfp! Definitely worth a try to ask for the test...

@burtle4 I have been having issues with my periods since March (I made a pity party post about it yesterday) so I called doctor who said they'd run a blood test. They checked thyroid, kidneys, b vitamins, folate and hormones. All came back normal.
She didn't mention a blood test for ovulation but that didn't seem to be an issue at that time, but I didn't feel ovulation happen this month, normally I'm in agony so I can only assume for whatever reason I didn't ovulate this month. Maybe just because I'm getting older now.

@Want2bMumof3 was it the day 21 test that tells you if you're ovulating?

@burtle4 I had bloods done last month and they said my hormone levels were fine 🤷‍♀️

@Want2bMumof3 I definitely recommend getting your progesterone levels checked, it took us 2 years to conceive our third and I think a lot of time could have been saved had I known about my progesterone earlier x

We have been ttc for about a year. Used to get one or two days brown spotting before a period but since I had a late period in March I now have a week of brown spotting before each period...which also seems to come earlier each month 😔

@cmj18 ah I get you! My levels were always borderline and progesterone definitely helped me. Hope you get some answers soon x

@burtle4 sorry I'm in the US. The units measured are different. Technically anything above a 2 or 3 means you ovulated. But there is debate with Drs that below 10 means you didn't ovulate well. My old OB thought my progesterone dropped too fast, my new one just doesn't seemed bothered. I do temp, I use ovusense to track and it shows ovulation.

@Cmj18 do you mean your OB isn't concerned with progesterone levels of 5.1 after ovulation? Because that does seem low, think it's supposed to be above 30 which is what I always struggled with! Good idea to keep on the progesterone I think but also have you tried taking your temperature every morning to track ovulation? This was the one thing I found that helped me loads as it proved I was actually ovulating despite the border line progesterone levels. Anyway, something to think about, good luck!x

This is by far the best board I have found. I've been ttc for 9 months. I did have some breakthrough bleeding on the pill but since I got off the pill, I have been spotting after ovulation ever since. Usually it's 6/7 DPO but this cycle I've started on 4dpo. I just had an HSG and ultrasound and ruled out any causes like fibroids or block tubes.

I just switched OB's because I didn't think the first one was listening to me, but she did prescribe me progesterone which didn't help, just gave me an extra two days of no spotting.

Now this new OB doesn't think my 5.1 progesterone level is concerning but is testing me this cycle so I stopped my progesterone, hence the 4dpo spotting.

I've been doing acupuncture which helped me ovulate earlier. My new OB did offer clomid or IUI, so I think next cycle I'm gonna start clomid. It's just clear something is off. Also might ask to continue progesterone if I still spot on it. If she says no, I might find a new OB.

Hi all, this is a wonderfully long thread and has been so reassuring for me. A qualified good news story here:

35, ttc #2. Took a while to conceive no. 1 (DD) - short lp and spotted for a day or so before AF. But once my periods returned after DD arrived, I started regularly spotting brown or even red blood from 8DPO for c.4 days before AF. Often I get spotting that stops for a day or two.

Anyway, this month was no different, I've been spotting on and off, but felt different. Tested just now (roughly 12DPO - didn't use OPKs) and blazing BFP.

But... I'm still really crampy and so not sure if this bean can tough it out. Fingers crossed but at ieast the spotting hasn't stopped it sticking a bit!

Just wanted to update, we fell pregnancy with our second on the first month TTC #2 and I spotted before my bfp just like my son. Unfortunately it ended in a MC at 5 1/2 weeks, but at least the spotting doesn’t seem to impact my ability to fall pregnant.

@Mumsikins congratulations! So good to hear another fellow spotter has conceived! I'm now 11 weeks today and (hopefully) all going well so far 🤞 x

Just to add my experience to this and hopefully reassurance to others. I have 2 dds already and had no spotting prior to period at the time. This time however at the ripe old age of 38 I have been having spotting from day 22 in a 28/9 day cycle which is regular. When I say spotting I first notice pinkiness to the usual discharge at day 22 which becomes more significant to brown discharge until proper flow starts. Sorry if tmi. I have found this thread really helpful as I was thinking this was stopping me getting pregnant. Some had mentioned low progesterone etc. I have researched it a lot and as the gp and other doctors say I could t find any evidence that it mattered. Anyway this cycle (about month 9/10 of trying) I noticed the usual pink tint at day 22 but it never appeared again after that day. From then on it went back to white and creamy and at day 26 I got a faint positive on a cheap test and then used a cb early test which was clearly positive. So I’m only 4+2 now so early days but fingers crossed.

I hope this reassures all those out there and I’m sooo grateful to those that have posted above for giving hope and encouragement.

Best of luck to those who find this

I had this prior to my first child. I'd spot for a week before my period. Gp listened and did all the usual tests, thyroid, day 21, day 3 and everything came back fine. Had internal scans and they didn't find anything. We weren't trying to conceive, I just wanted to make sure everything was healthy.

We were using condoms as we weren't ready for children yet and my research on Dr Google suggested that the spotting would probably make it harder to conceive. Then one month the brown spotting had lasted for 2 weeks and I started feeling really sick. Husband joked I should take a pregnancy test. I took one and left it on the side in the bathroom and forgot about it, only to come back and see a blazing positive. I did spot for 10 weeks and had lots of early scans. They concluded it was excess lining. No other complications and I now have a healthy toddler.

I haven't spotted since having my child though and had two chemical pregnancies before getting pregnant with our second but I was underweightunderweight so don't think this was related.

So just wanted to say sometimes it is just a thing and nothing to be worried about! Good luck everyone!