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TTC spotting before period - blood results

3 replies

dulci379 · 16/03/2021 16:25

Hi there,

I am 30 years old, currently trying to conceive, and have 26-28 day cycles. I have consistent spotting every month before my period, and have tracked this spotting for the last 6 months. This is normally 4 days of brown spotting before my period, fairly light but with a few brown clots / fleshy lining, and then my period comes and lasts 3-4 days. Not that heavy really.

My doctor suggested testing progesterone and FSH / LH levels when I raised concerns about the spotting, and put me in for day 3 and day 21 blood tests. These results were:

Cycle Day 3:
FSH 9.1
LH 3.2

Cycle Day 21:
FSH – 4.3
LH – 5.3
Progesterone – 41 nmol/l

These seem in the normal bracket, I was relieved my progesterone was over 30. A little alarmed my FSH was 9, as I know under 6 would be ideal.

Because these are fairly normal ranges though, I don’t really know if I should keep investigating the brown spotting. Whenever I google it, a lot of searches result in endometriosis. I had ruled this out because I don’t have any of the pain or heavy prolonged bleeding associated with endo, but spotting it is a typical symptom.

I am getting quite anxious that it’s the reason we aren’t conceiving, as if I’m already shedding my lining by 8dpo the egg might not be able to implant.

I am taking vit B6 as well as Zita West Vitafem supplements to see if that helps. I am also starting acupuncture this evening.

If anyone has any more insights would be so grateful to hear them xxx

OP posts:
Juno231 · 16/03/2021 17:21

I'm afraid I don't have much advice on the spotting - although I know others on here that had really good progesterone results yet got given progesterone suppositories for the TWW to stop their spotting and it worked, so might be more complicated than just looking at the day 21 level?

It's definitely worth investigating the FSH level though, it's too high for your age (should be below 7 if under 33) so could be indicative of early ovarian failure. I'd push to get your AMH tested (even if privately) asap to make sure that's not happening.

Grateful321 · 18/07/2022 09:19

Hi Dulci379,

I hope you are well. I have seen a few of your posts and I just wanted to say you’re not alone, I am also in a similar position to you and also don’t really know what to do! This website can be beneficial but not good if you’re a worrier (like me!) - it can put unnecessary thoughts in your head! I always read posts on here and never post but had to make an account to reach out to you. I hope you are okay.. and I am praying you have had some good news since.

Lots of love xx

Angie2018 · 18/07/2022 10:37

Have you had an internal examination? I had this for a couple of years, but started to bleed / spot badly after sex when we started TTC as we were DTD loads.... got checked out, everything looked perfectly healthy apparently but she said I had a small ectropian (they are just soft cells that get irritated) and they don't affect fertility in the slightest. She treated it with silver nitrate which took all of 30 seconds and painless. Never had the spotting 4 days before AF since.

I've read so many people with ectropians get spotting before AF.

May be worth getting that checked out?

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