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

[Whysoserious]

Morning ladies!

I have bleated on about spotting before AF a lot now on these conception boards and have realised that it does seem to happen to a log of people, can be for many different reasons and also people can be fobbed off by the doctors as "nothing to worry about".

My periods were normal until last August when I started getting brown spotting 4 days before AF came in full force.

I have googled and googled and there are lots of threads of women TTC with this mysterious affliction, but they only last about 20 posts so you can never find out what the outcome was. What were they treated for? Did they manage to conceive? And the one that I'm always desperate to know the minute I start spotting every month; did they get the spotting the month they conceived?

So I want this thread I be a place for TTC mumsnetters who spot before AF to come and share their experiences and stories and support. The information out there is so conflicted so it would be so good to keep this one going until we get some answers and some BFPs!!

@Bubblybub that's what I said about the lining and gp's and gynae just rubbished the idea really. I am now on cycle 16 ttc and spot from 6/7 dpo it's more than frustrating. I actually think am I wasting my time and effort ttc until this is got to the bottom of. When I'm referred to fertility clinic. I mean I won't stop trying but I'm just not expecting it to happen without intervention of some kind. Even if it's just medication.

@Bubblybub @orangeloo I have read every research paper I could about mid-cycle spotting. There is not a lot of research available on this issue and most of the papers are studies done with small samples. Well, I just think researchers haven't been so interested in this issue.
My personal conclusions are:

1. there are two kinds of mid-cycle bleeding, ovulatory and anovulatory. You need to know if you're ovulating or not to find out where is your problem.
2. for the ovulatory kind, they don't know a lot about the reasons, but it can be hormonal or the quality of ovulation. When your ovulation is not very good, your progesterone levels won't be high and that's when is difficult to get pregnant. But at the moment of ovulation, we can also bleed a bit without it being a problem, because is caused my hormonal changes in our body. Anyway, every time I ask the doctors, they don't seem to worry about this and I don't understand why! It seems an issue for me, especially if it is caused by anovoulatory cycles or by a bad quality ovulation.

I agree and I don't understand why if they are the only explanations all related to ovulation/ ovulation quality and the resulting progesterone and you've had your progesterone tested at the right time and it's fine. What's the reason then? I've only read 1 thing and I can't remember where that was that says for some women it's just a normal part of cycle. But it would appear not when everything else seems fine and we have all been trying a while with no BFP's and that's the common denominator!?

@Morgane777 @Bubblybub I have managed to get hold of some proov tests. I don't know if you've heard of them but they are from America and they don't post here. I only managed to get them as my DP was working in oz last month so I had them sent to his hotel. Anyway they are progesterone test strips. You test your urine days 7-10DPO and it will tell u if you are sustaining enough progesterone to conceive. Instead of just the blood test 7DPO that we are offered. I'm going to do mine this month. If you know anyone in a country they ship to might be worth a try and they can send the. On to you. I'll let you know how I get on anyhow I'm only CD4 so not using them for a few weeks. Proovtest.com x

Hi, just putting my 2 cents in.

I spot up to 7 day before my period. I went for a private appt and have been prescribed progesterone pessaries for day 20 to 27. Only used for one month so fat, no bfp but it stopped the spotting so I am hopeful.

@orangeloo that’s great that you got hold of some of them. Let me know how u get on. I wish I new, I went to America in February! Does it come up as a certain colour or lines If your producing enough? I’m on CD 4 aswell, but I’ve already lost hope, actually can’t be bothered anymore 😂 I’ve ordered some high strength b complex which is meant to help with spotting. So they arrive tommorow. Will take them aswell as my prenatal.

@rae444 did you go private while the corona stuff is happening or was it before then? I had my NHS fertility app cancelled for what was meant to be today. Gutted! But if private people are still open I may do that next month as I know it’ll be ages before I can get another appointment. I wish you could just buy progesterone tablets/pessaries over the counter!

@orangeloo thanks for the tip about Proovtest!
I've never had my progesterone tested after ovulation, only before! And with everything closed with Covid-19 it could be a wonderful time to try them.
I think I ovulated yesterday. So if I get a BFN again, I will definitely try to get some of this test!
@Rae444 thanks for the info! I hope you'll get your BFP soon! Keep us posted!

Thanks @Rae444 it's good to know that at least privately they will take it seriously. Fx for you!

@Morgane777 that seems very odd they have never tested your progesterone after ovulation as that is when it matters. Definitely push for this whenever 'normal' service post pandemic chaos resumes. X

@Bubblybub it was literally a couple of days before lock down. Some clinics are offering virtual appointments, not sure of price but may be worth a look.

@orangeloo Yes, i had read several people say GPs don't take short LP or spotting seriously. I have been referred for a NHS appt with a specialist but that was going to take over a year so investigated private options. The first appt was £150 and meds £20, IF it works it is 10000000% worth that. Time is flying by so didn't really want to wait until I was 32/33 to be seen by the NHS

@Rae444 whereabouts in U.K. are you? That seems quite reasonable. Please keep us updated.

@orangeloo South Wales, links to where I went below:

crgw.co.uk/
crgw.co.uk/free-telephone-consultations-during-covid-19-pandemic/

@Rae444 ah thank you, I'm in Surrey so no good for me but good to compare clinic offerings nonetheless x

So, last night after having sexual Intercourse with my boyfriend I started too have some brown ish discharge. Kinda curious on it because I've never had it before and I've got 2 kids. Still have it today as well so just wondering what it could be???

@journeykatie10 I really wouldn't worry straight away, lots of people have it. If you are anywhere near your period it's most probably that.

I commentes on this post at the beginning, but i usually have spotting from 2dpo till AF, this month i started taking maca roots pills, im cd24 & no spotting so far!
They are meant to regulate hormones, imorove egg quality, sperm quality, anxiety, depression etc.
If youve had all the tests done i would recommend them obvs its still early days for me. I got mine from amazon £10 for 3 months worth.

@MrsChicken89 hope it works for you. I've heard great things about maca! can't take it myself due to thyroid issues

Thanks for the tip @MrsChicken89. I cannot take it either because of thyroid issues, the same as @orangeloo.

@Morgane777 I took it for a while before I realised the contraindications and my underactive thyroid swung into overactive!! Have you ever taken maca?

@orangeloo I've never tried it, but I went to read about it online and it said that it's not good for women with underactive thyroid!

Ladies, how's your spotting this cycle?
Since I started Letrozole I never spotted again. But this month was my last prescription and I don't know if I will be able to renew with Covid-19 and everything on hold.

@Morgane777 No change to my spotting but I have no reason to expect change unfortunately. Surely you could get another prescription? I would make some phone calls and try. X

Typically after i wrote that i started spotting, so im on my 4th day of spotting with AF due anytime.

@orangeloo yes! I made a phone call and I'm hoping to get my prescription on time!
@MrsChiken89 sorry to hear you're spotting again. But maca finally helped you to spot later in the cycle! Maybe that's a good sign!

@morgane777 very true, ive only been taking it 2 weeks aswell so, lets see what next cycle brings.