TTC and thinking my period symptoms aren't normal

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Posting for traffic.

Please if anyone has a similar experience or knows anyone else I'd love to hear from you as I feel so alone and worried. I'm starting to think there might be something wrong, due to the symptoms I experience running up to my period.
I know that it can take a year and that for some people it's often longer, but 8 months is a long time to be repeatedly disappointed. It wouldn't be so hard if I hadn't realised that my pre-period symptoms may not be normal. About a week after I ovulate, and 5-7 days before my period starts, I begin to get a sort of burning sensation down below. It can be felt from my very lower back, more like the tailbone area really, and into my vagina. It isn't super intense but it's bothersome enough to annoy me make me feel a bit grouchy, a bit like the same level of pain as a headache you can't shift. I don't usually get abdominal cramps until my period starts. Also, around 5-6 days before my periods starts I often get itching around my vagina, it can be int nse. What's worrying me is that I can't find much evidence of this being a common pain for menstruation women, unless they have conditions like endometriosis. I'm driving myself sick with worry every cycle that there's something wrong and my tubes must be blocked etc etc.
Every cycle, I don't even get through the TWW because I know my period is coming by about day 21 (of a 27/28 day cycle). My symptoms start and my heart just sinks. So I spend the last week miserably anticipating AF, which inevitably comes within a week of the burning. Then I torture myself with worry, I feel sure that I must have something affecting my fertility. I've already been referred to a gynaecologist for my symptoms but god knows how long it will be until my first appointment. I'm 34 and my partner is 35.

You need to go to the doctor. It could be something as simple as your pH down there changes in the run up you your period and can cause itching- but in reality no one on the internet can tell you what’s wrong.

worry and stress can prevent you conceiving- so best to get things crossed off the worry list.

Thanks for your reply, I believe stress can only really delay or prevent ovulation and won't affect implantation, but I'm very likely ovulating every month with positive OPKs and changes in CM like clockwork.
I wish I could just hear about someone else who experiences this as I can't find anything on it anywhere. I doubt a gynae would test things like ph, they barely do the bare minimum in the UK let alone working out more rare and complex symptoms.
I just can't imagine why I'd be able to feel my period coming 7 days before it's due, that's not even enough time for implantation to happen properly. It's like my body just gives up.

I think coming on early or spotting before your period can be to do with progesterone levels. Have you had your fertility bloods done at your GP yet; FSH, progesterone, testosterone etc.? It’s the tests they do before referral to fertility.

Fertility referrals can take ages while by the way, so I don’t know whether you have thought about going down that route with your GP. When you start down the route you will get blood tests, gynae swab, pelvic scan which will show the number of follicles and HSG/ hycosy scan to check your tubes which might be good things for you to know and then your also in the queue as it were for fertility treatment if you decide that you need that.

Yes my GP did mention that a fertility referral would be relevant if we hit the 12 month mark with no luck. I have previously had the FSH test which came back fine. I don't tend to spot before (although have on occasion) and my cycles are quite regular. Its just feeling this particular pain for up to a week before that's disheartening. It's like a super early sign that it's another failed cycle, when others get to wait long enough to actually test. I haven't even used any tests in months because I've realised by tracking that I get this very particular lower back pain and itching..honestly driving me mad with worry and upset.

While you wait for a fertility referral OP, have you had a recent smear test?

And have you described the monthly discomfort to your GP and requested an ultrasound of ovaries & tubes?

Yes I have always been up to date with smears, my last one was last year and all clear. I actually also had a transvaginal ultrasound last year to investigate occasional mid cycle spotting which found one small fibroid. Apparently though this sort of fibroid would be unlikely to affect fertility and the rest of the scan showed nothing bad or unusual. Although I know that some problems wouldn't show on an ultrasound.

Oh I’m so sorry! I can imagine it’s very worrying and upsetting.

I also know how difficult it is to go through month after month of TTC (I’m still in that process now).

I had a couple of pelvic scans for a hip pain that I thought might be a gynae issue but is not as it turns out. But when I went for the pelvic scan they did check for endometriosis by pushing down on me while they scanned or something like that and they wanted scans done at different times in my cycle.

I would definitely push for a pelvic scan now to check why you are getting this pain.

Yes it is difficult isn't it, when you get another disappointment. Even though it's only been 8 months, realising that my symptoms may be a sign of something bad has made me less hopeful each month to be honest.

I see, was the pelvic scan a form of ultrasound? As from what I have read, it isn't possible to diagnose or fully check for endometriosis from a scan alone as the lesions are usually too small to show up. It might be strongly suspected if you have ovarian cysts or something is distorted on the scan, but not everyone with endometriosis will have this. Also, from what I've read, it's not just the endometriosis lesions themselves that can impact fertility but the inflammation they cause, making both conception and implantation more difficult in some cases. I don't mean to worry you, just sharing what I've learnt so far. Also the good news is that the majority of women with endometriosis can conceive naturally, it often just takes longer.

Ah I didn’t realise that, I e had 4 scans which were all ultrasound. 2 with the NHS were very brief but the other 2 were private and they were a lot thorough, I remember her checking for endometriosis signs during the scan.

The hip pain I have is constant and not worse at any point in my cycle and they couldn’t see anything on the scans so that’s why they think it’s muscular now.

I hope you find answers, it's awful having pain that can affect your walking etc.