Spotting and Trying to conceive

[Cally80]

Hello... I am a regular spotter : ( and TTC and looking for people who are going through the same situation as me.

I'm 37, never been pregnant. Was on the pill since my early twenties and developed brown spotting for 2-3 days for the last 5 years or so whilst taking the pill, the spotting always occurred at the same time each month. GP told me not to worry about it and that it's normal.

However I have now been off the pill for 7 months, TTC. The spotting has continued and is now more prolonged. I spot for around a week before my period, light brown spotting, occasionally bright red.
I have had a pelvic ultrasound which was normal, hormone profile was normal and showed I was ovulating. I use home ovulation kits and get a LH surge at the same time each month; day 12 of my cycle.

My periods are regular every 28-29 days, although they are light and shorter than they used to be, even when I was on the pill.
I have been to see a Gynaecologist, who has tried to do a pipelle biopsy but wasn't able to get through my cervix (which can be normal so I'm told) . I have had my thyroid function tested which is slightly elevated with my TSH at 4.8 and have been started on a low dose of thyroxine to see if this helps, although your TSH level should be around 2.0 when TTC anyway.
I have only been taking the thyroxine for 2 weeks but I have started my spotting on cue today - day 22 of my cycle! It's always the same time each month, I can set my clock by it!
My GP isn't concerned, my Gynaecologist is more worried about it, and thinks if I haven't conceived within the next 6 months then I'd need to look into fertility treatment as its also likely that I would have poor ovarian reserve at my age!

Would love to hear of anyone going through similar experiences and if you were able to resolve it and get pregnant.

Many Thanks : )

I had accupuncture and my pre and post period spotting was gone by my next cycle! If you can afford it I would recommend it.

Thanks Holly, I have actually been doing some research on acupuncture and think it might be worth going down that route, it surely can't do any harm.

Hi Cally,
I spot at the same time every month too, leading up to my period. I also had elevated TSH so on thyroxine to bring it down to 2-2.15. For now my gyno is ignoring the spotting and telling me not to worry but it does worry me a lot! Especially as my Luteal phase is pretty short.
Hope you get it sorted - acupuncture has been recommended to me as well.

Hi,
I also get spotting before AF. I used to get it when I took the combined pill, then I was on the mini pill which helped, now 2 months into TTC. Last month I spotted 9 days before AF and today and yesterday had some really minimal but still slight spotting.
That's interesting what you're saying then, do they think it's a thyroid issue?
I tried to speak to someone about it but felt I was fobbed off with 'you've just come off the pill etc' and was consistently fobbed off a few years back with 'every woman is different, it's normal'
Maybe I'll go to GP and see what they say. Have read stuff about low progesterone being the cause but I'm not sure?
Are you takin any supplements?

Hi Rach,

That's interesting that you also had spotting whilst you were on the pill, and now you also get it whilst you are off the pill like I do.
I've not come across anyone else with this same problem.

I am not sure if it is a thyroid issue, but my Gynaecologist has said regardless as to whether or not it stops the spotting I need to get my TSH level to around 2.0 whilst I am TTC.

I'd say go to your GP and be firm that you'd like further investigation. Mine at first told me to wait 12 months, however I had already seen them a year prior to discuss my spotting whilst on the pill and they told me not to worry. So of course I was very worried that it became heavier and more prolonged when I came off the pill. So two months after coming off the pill I requested further tests with my GP including a hormone profile (FSH and day 21 progesterone) along with thyroid function tests. I also requested referral to a specialist due to my age and having had the spotting for several years, I almost feel like the pill has been disguising an underlying problem.
Thankfully they referred me, as I am 37 I don't have time to wait around and my gynaecologist agrees.
It took 16 weeks to get referred to the Gynaecologist (NHS) who at last I feel is trying to help me get to the bottom of it.

I am seeing him again next month so will let you know how that goes along with being on the thyroid. Although I am day 22 into my cycle and my spotting has arrived today as expected... lol so the thyroxine isn't doing anything yet but ive only taken it for a couple of weeks, so I need to give it time.

Just out of interest Rach how old are you? and have you been pregnant before?

No I don't mind, I'm 31 and no never been pregnant before.

I'm actually open to a Gynae already as in 2015 was diagnosed with severe endometriosis. However he doesn't seem to be convinced when I brought it up that it was related to spotting. I should mention I had a laparoscopy in Jan to remove it and the nurse seems to think it's linked to this.

Did your hormone tests come back normal? I had one years ago and I think they do the thyroid stuff every time I have a blood test and never suggested any probs but I think it is worth doing it again. I've only got a year or so whilst benefits of my lap help so I'm really keen to get pregnant as soon as poss if I can!
I've read a good book called the period repair manual that was interesting, and am taking b vitamins, vitamin c and magnesium - I have noticed this month the spotting started two days later and isn't as much as before (sorry for tmi but normally I would have bright red or pink and this month just a tinge of orange??) and I'm not sure if this is related to me having some endo in my vagina they had to remove. I was also told before it was a cervical ectropion causing the spotting, but I'm not convinced this was he main problem, think more of a red herring?!
Hope this helps anyway. Let me know how u get on, don't lose hope yet as I've got friends who have tried for 8/9 months with no Gynae issues who then successfully fell pregnant naturally.

Hi Cally I’m a spotter too. Usually 7-8 days before af and we’ve been ttc for 15 months. My gynae flat out refused to do anything other than test for sti’s which was negative. She says it’s not a barrier to conception. I’ve recetly gone to a new one and she’s done some blood work. Everything was in the normal range but my progesterone was on the low side so she’s given me a low dose of progesterone tablets to try. I’m currently on cd27 of a 28 day cycle and now spotting so I’m feeling positive for the first time in a while.

I do believe that a lot of women who spot have no trouble conceiving and it may not be a problem for you but it’s good you’re having some tests done.

That should say no spotting not now spotting. I’ve had nothing this cycle.

That's great Betsyboo that your spotting has gone. Fingers crossed for you that the progesterone tables keep it at bay for you and you fall pregnant soon
I'm going to try acupuncture next week, I spoke to an acupuncturist on the phone last night and she thinks that my problem could be that I ovulate too early, as I seem to ovulate around day11-12 of a 28-29 day cycle. She thinks the egg could be too immature to be fertilised and also that the corpus luteum could be breaking down too early causing a dip in hormones.
I'm not sure how sticking a needle in you can resolve these things, but I am happy to try it, you never know.

Thanks everyone for your responses, its good to know that you aren't the only one who experiences these problems and that you are also having difficulties getting it resolved.

I’m a spotter. Conceived 3 DS with little trouble. It doesn’t always mean anything, although at the time I found it very upsetting.

@Cally80 that's really interesting because I ovulated at day 12 last cycle too. Spotting again this month :-(
But @Pastaagain78 thanks that is really reassuring! Fingers crossed for anyone who is TTC x

@Pastaagin78 - That is reassuring to hear you conceived whilst spotting.
How long did you spot for and did you get any spotting on the months that you conceived?

Hi OP, I had this too. I had it for around 7/8 days before my period for about 6 months. I took vitamin B complex tablets to try and reduce it, and it maybe reduced by around a day or so. I had the pelvic ultrasound too and they said everything looked ok. Then immediately after the ultrasound I conceived. So it obviously wasn't a barrier for me and I did get there in the end.

The month I conceived I had no spotting at all - which meant I guessed I was pregnant pretty early on!

Hi all,

I too always spot before my period- I was really worried that it would affect my chances of conceiving, however blood tests showed that all was fine. I have a 3year old DC and I am currently pregnant with DC2 who was conceived on the 2nd cycle of trying. I still spotted the month I got my BFP. I spotted for 4 days before I tested positive, and continued to spot for a further 4 days. It the stopped for a week and returned for a further 12 days! An early scan showed all was fine. Due to a previous loop biopsy, I do have an ectropic cervix which (apparently) is sensitive to hormone fluctuations. My gynaecologist said it should stop as the pregnancy progresses and this would fit with my first pregnancy where I also had spotting but it stopped completely after 17 weeks.

So, spotting doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be able to conceive. I wish you lots of luck xxx

I’ve started taking Q10 and my spotting has gone down to just the day before my period. This could just be coincidence though...

Q10 is supposed to be good for egg quality x

Just thought I'd update you all.

My spotting started at its usual 6 days before my period was due and started the same way. However this month, it didn't seem to get as heavy or dark as it normally did, and weirdly for a whole 24 hours, I didn't have any spotting at all!! I was very excited by this as I figured it was the thyroxine helping things.
But no that doesn't seem to be the case, because on Tuesday I was a day late for my period so I tested and I still cannot believe that it is positive!!! I am still in shock about it now to be honest.
I am very worried though as I am continuing to have light pink / brown spotting though and I am so bloated, the most bloated I have ever felt in my life, yesterday I really did think that I would explode!!
I have a doctors appointment on Saturday so will see what they think about the spotting.
I'm cautiously optimistic, but you can't help but doubt that something isn't quite right but time will tell.

@Cally80 so happy for you!! Really pleased you got your BFP. Was it the first month on the thyroxine?

I've booked a docs appt for next week so hopefully can get some tests, but really reassuring to know you got a BFP!

Hope the pregnancy goes well, I'm sure it will. I've read lots of other posts whilst googling spotting about people saying they bled during pregnancy and that everything turned out okay so try not to worry too much.

Thanks @Rach0110

Yes it is very reassuring to get a positive result after spotting for such a very long time.
I have only been taking the thyroxine for a month now so I would have only have had two weeks of it in my system when I conceived so not sure what difference it would make as I think it takes 6 weeks to become therapeutic in your system.
So I’m
A little worried that even though I’m pregnant that I do have an elevated TSH still so I hope that doesn’t impact the pregnancy
I’m hoping my doctor will double my dose when I see them.

I hope all goes well for you at the docs and you get some tests done. Fingers crossed your on your way to some good news too xxx

Hi @Cally80 ,
Are you still here? I hope you've managed to conceive within that 6 months.
Wishing you all the best.