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!!

pipbin yes if I am completely honest with myself I think that's a possibility, even if I definitely don't specifically remember.
I honestly didn't think this was normal, but at least I feel reassured now. Next time it happens I will assume that AF is on its way and not drive myself crazy.

My spotting has been less this month and I have been taking vitamin b6.
However I had spotting today during my run and after a number 2.
Other than that, nothing.

(why do I find myself sharing these things with random strangers like you guys?)

Pipbin I don't know why we do it either

I'm on 11 dpo (CD27) & still no sign... maybe our B6 has finally started working!

How much have you been taking Imaptiant?

Not loads - just Sanatogen mother-to-be which has 2.6mg 186% of RDA.
I compared it with loads of specific B vits but none seemed to have more (Holland & Barret) so just went for that. I'm a bit wary with some of the prenatal stuff as I have chronic constipation anyway so don't like taking lots of iron really

This is my 3rd cycle on it and first one where I've got past 8dpo without spotting but as I said I had been on antibiotics for 1 week in the first 2 months of the vitamins. The spotting was actually worse then so I was a bit disheartened but seems to be settling down - I hope!

My cycle varies from 26 - 31 days and I'm on CD27 now, really trying not to get hopes up but failing miserably!

Sounds very promising Impatient.
My spotting is better than it has been, but still there.

Well I thought i would pass this on.
I've taken 100mg of b complex every day this cycle and only started spotting on day 11 which I suspect is the start of AF.
It really made a difference.

Just wanted to respond to the original post.
I too had been experiencing spotting 4-5 days before AF since my early 30s (I'm now 39).
In my case, it turned out to be polyps; I had them both on my cervix and in my uterus. I had them removed to make sure they were benign, and they were. They nearly always are, the doctor said. They're really just a nuisance problem, but they can be responsible for spotting before periods.
And yes, I was still able to conceive even with the spotting.

That's interesting JJ29 did the polyps also cause spotting during your pregnancy?

I had bleeding for 4-5 days before AF, am now pregnant, have been having spotting on and off from weeks 6 to 12. I am convinced it is coming from my cervix - mainly because there has been no sign of blood in my uterus/placenta etc on scans. Just wondered if you had this?

Hi there, I'm new to Mumsnet. Just wanted to pop in here and thank you for this thread - it's been very useful :)

I recently miscarried my first baby at 6-7 weeks :( I've always spotted 2-3 days leading up to my full AF but never thought anything of it; now I'm thinking there could be a potential link. Reading all your stories and advise on various vitamins etc. has helped me to feel brave enough to possibly try again at some point soon.

Hi all

OP here.
I just wanted to give you all an update. Pregnancy is going well. 19 weeks today and have 20 week scan next week so fingers crossed for that. NO spotting/bleeding whatsoever.

Have been very anxious throughout so far and I think this is due to the fact that I used to spot before AF and almost convinced myself something was wrong before I got oregnant. Im just starting to accept now that there obviously was not.

So despite the spotting, I managed to get pregnant in 6 months (on holiday, relaxation makes a HUGE difference) and so far my body has been able to sustain the pregnancy up to 19 weeks. Fingers crossed all will continue smoothly and I will have a healthy baby in Oct/Nov

I hope to hear about many more success stories in here. Good luck ladies and, while spotting should always be investigated, if like me no reason for it can be found then don't get too hung up on it being an issue - it's clearly not

I've always had 1-2 days of spotting before each period (always brown, never pink/red) However, last month I has 5 days of spotting (9 July) followed by an awful 4 day visit from AF (14 July). Have been trying to conceive this month, had some pink spotting for 2 days about a week ago & had a positive test yesterday (8 August)!!!!! My problem now is that I'm not sure which is my "first day"! The test said that I was 2-3 weeks so I'm guessing I should count it as the 9th. All very confusing :s

hi not read this whole thread so apologies if this has been mentioned.
I used to get occasional spotting between periods when on the pill, when I ran more than 2 packs on together.

when I asked the nurse while having a smear she had a look and said I had an eroded cervix.
she said it was just a rough area of cells that happens due to the pill. she said it wouldn't impact on conception and would go if I came off the pill.

I only ever had spotting if I ran the packs on without a break though.

I'm a little late coming to this thread, but just wanted to share my experience, I have been a spotter for many years - usually light brownish for a couple of days before AF starts. I have two children each conceived in first month of trying, so there is hope for spotters!

We are currently ttc number 3. Sadly my husband is on medication which means we can't conceive naturally, so are doing iui with his frozen sperm sample. The IUI procedure happened 13 days ago but spotting started a couple of days ago (12 DPO). I assume that AF is on the way but maybe not? I had spotting in the early weeks of both my previous pregnancies (around weeks 5-7) and have not had any miscarriages, so am not worried about light bleeding per se, but more that it's happening this early. Oh well, pregnancy test on friday will confirm, unless AF hits with full force before then.

my periods started on 5th jan and i ovulated on 23rd
(ttc) after 5 days i stared spotting from brown discharge to pink and then some fresh blood and the spotting continues, I thought it could be an implantation bleeding when i took an pregnancy test it came out negative. is this hinting me some problem???

I ovulated on the 3rd of June I know this as I was testing everyday me and my partner had intercourse 3rd and 4th my period was due 23rd of June but I was getting spotting then on the 15th I started spotting again for 3 days then on the forth I got what I thought was my period it normally lasts 5 days this was only two days of bleeding not that heavy then it went back to brown discharge I still have it now and we are on the 24th!! Could anyone give me some advice

Hi, Ladies.

I've just joined here and it's my first time in this community. I'm 35 years old and DH and I have been actively TTC our first baby since January 2014. It's been 6 months now (we didn't BD in June because of travels) and so far, no bean in the bag. :-( I just got my period today and it painted me depressive. Just wanted to share my TTC diary for July 2014 just in case any of you may have had similar experiences. For the record, I have a history of spotting 2-3 days prior to any of my monthly periods - this has only been happening in my 30's and I believe the case has been such for the past 4 years now at least. My cycles are always between 29-30 days and they arrive like clockwork - likewise, so does my "spotting" work. I consistently spot 2 days prior to my periods, e.g. if my period arrived today (bright red blood), I would have spotted yesterday and the day before (dark brown spots). I have an idea when I ovulate, and DH and I have always BD-ed on the 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th and 20th of every cycle, during my fertile times. However, it has been BFNs to date. I wanted to bring to attention especially what happened this month (July), as the sequence was truly odd. I always got my period between the first three days of every month; and as usual, the two days of spotting which then converts into a full blown period. The month of July however, I was taken aback to see that I spotted FIVE days before my period! This has NEVER happened ever before, and to make things worse, i experienced a buffet of pregnancy symptoms. Hence, my first thought was, could this be the "bean in the bag" month. Sadly doubt it. Here's the chronology of events:

26th July @ PM

• Dark brown spotting. So weird - it came five days earlier than its normal visits! Too much chocolate?? Implantation bleeding?? First time it has ever happened this way. Feeling mild pinching twinges on my right side, mild stomach cramping, flu like symptom, dizzy/limbo feeling in head, fatigued, headaches, irritable, gassy - and feeling just bloody lost! Also noticed prominent Montgomery Tubercles (like raised whiteheads) around the areolas of my nipples.

27th July

• Very light brown (almost pink; like fading away) and extremely scanty spotting. Never had this ever before. Felt strange, mild muscle like pulls around abdomen, fatigued, dazed, gassy. Sore breasts. Also felt mild intermittent electric sensation jabs through breasts. Light pink vagina swipe @ 11pm.

28th July

• Very, very light (almost fading) brown/pinkish spotting. Slightly sore breasts. Slightly dazed/dizzy. Feeling some weird "activities" around low pelvic/belly area, stuffy nose, hungrier.

29th July

• Did a home pregnancy test @ 9.30am with first urine of the morning - BFN. No spotting so far. Not so hungry, fatigued, headache, slightly dazed. Feeling a stab of pain on and off on lower left/right pelvic whenever I make a turn to any side. 5.49pm - Just went to pee; wiped vagina with tissue and it had some light brown residue, but no stains or spots on panty. Went to pee again 30 mins later and after wiping with tissue, NO residue! Seriously freaking confused. 9.40pm - Took a pee; wiped vagina with tissue and it had some light pink residue, but no stain on panty; feeling a little "gush" down there - period?? Implantation bleeding?? Sudden headache right now (night). Shooting pain through right breast (pressed it and its sore!).

30th July

• Period arrived 2-3 days earlier than expected, not happened before and NEVER twice in a month. AM - medium flow, not as heavy and bloody at all as it should be on Day One (I would normally be changing pads or tampons every 3-4 hours), but I hardly got to two pads on Day One; this is abnormal, never happened before. PM - light flow; this is unusually abnormal!! WTH?!

31st July

• Light flow. Very abnormal. Day Two should have also been a very heavy flow. What I see on the pad is all blood (liquid) coupled with globs of eggwhite mucus - NO clots so far.

Even more sickening when symptoms are quite promising and "Flo Rida" gets all down, down, down! That's the thing - I don't quite know if it's my period - it's a very STRANGE Wizard of Oz kind of period, really. I've never ever had a flow like this before in the history of my periods. Usually, the 1st and 2nd days of all my periods are the heaviest, i.e. bucket loads of liquid blood coupled with globs of mucus and clots (which I presume is the dead uterine lining and egg). It's the 2nd day of my cycle today and the period is light, so was yesterday's (1st day of period). No clots whatsoever to date (I usually see massive clots on 1st and 2nd days of my periods), just blood and mucus.

Maybe a weirdo period just visited me finally. Or a period's period.

Just wanted to know if anyone has ever experienced something similar to my situation above, yet received a BFP after their "period"? Oh, pardon my super long post. Just plain disappointed and depressed. Sigh.

Just found this thread, and it's exactly what I've been looking for! My DH and I have been TTC since December with no luck. Since going off bc, I've had spotting (usually light brown/pink, rarely a bright red) that starts a day after ovulation (according to my chart) and lasts until AF shows up. I went in to my gyno in May to have this looked at. She sent me for an ultrasound to rule out any problems. I had a cyst, but it has since resolved (had another us in July to confirm). She never mentioned cervical erosion; in fact, she always tells me I have a beautiful cervix. So there don't seem to be any issues. She concluded it's just a hormonal thing that I'll have to deal with until I'm pregnant.

This month, I'm now 7 dpo, and the spotting hasn't showed up. I've been experiencing a bit of light twinges of pain in my abdomen (both sides), a lot of headaches recently, heartburn just started this morning (for no reason, I ate nothing out of the ordinary), tired, general digestive issues. All signs I've gotten before that resulted in bfns every time. But the lack of spotting is throwing me off completely! Anyone else who has experienced the spotting find that they didn't spot the month they conceived?

Hi I normally have brown spotting which turns pink and lasts about a week, before turning to af. I have been ttc #1 for 19 months now. Have had this spotting before af now for roughly 9 months

I have had all tests done and had an hsg in June. I am in the same boat as you on cycle day 28 and this is the first cycle in about 9 months where I haven't had the spotting yet. Quietly hoping for a BFP but won't be due to test until Monday as today only 11 dpo! Eek! Normally average cycle for me is 28-30 days.

Anyway sorry I'm not much help but I do know how dreadful it feels to see that spotting so quickly and how disheartening it is month after month. Fingers crossed you get a BFP too.

Would be nice to hear of other peoples similar experiences and can hopefully report back on Monday .

I'm also quietly hoping for a bfp! Haven't said a word to my DH because he's recently been getting his hopes up nearly as high as mine! I'm about a week away from testing, so we'll see what happens. Fingers crossed you get your bfp!

I came off the pill in December and my period is slowly getting back to my normal 28 day cycle I have noticed for a few months I have spotted brown blood two days before period starts, this month I started spotting brown blood from 6 dpo for 6 days , convinced it was implantation bleeding then on Monday my period turns up, totally gutted, and also worried about the spotting , a few people have said its prob due to being on the pill for so long and my body getting back to normal .

Hi, hope all of you get your BFPs soon! Just analysed my pad this morning:

1st August

• 9.30am: A glob of egg white mucus and blood, no clots or anything else. Felt twinges around lower left pelvic area in the later part of the morning. 12.40pm: Three blood spots on panty (decided not to wear a pad this morning since there were imminent signs that "Flo Rida" was leaving the scene"). Bent to wipe my face and felt slightly dizzy; feeling slightly feverish and really, really sleepy! Vagina wipes (after peeing) are all very light pink at this point. Feeling really foggy in the head. 2pm: Period has ended - overall, only lasted 2.5 days (my normal period lasts 4-5 days).

Anyone have ANY idea? Should I test in a day or two?

Well, saw signs of spotting this morning. Very light. I almost thought maybe I was imagining it. But I'm pretty sure there's something there. I'm not even getting my hopes up that it's implantation bleeding at this point. Just chalking it up to another unsuccessful month of trying and gearing up to try again next month.

Hi all I spot before AF and also have a 9 day LP which I'm taking to mean I have progesterone issues

Hello everyone, for the passed weeks I have been experiencing this spotting before and after period. I even spot after sex especially when I feel like my vagina is cut up inside. I realized that my uterus feels tender. When I go to the bathroom to pass stool, that might be challenging I realized that I bleed heavier. What do you think could cause that?