TTC and light periods

[HJen22]

I was wondering if anyone had any advise 🤞🏻

We have been TTC for over a year now, onto cycle 16 and have our first fertility clinic call next week. I came off the mini pill and my period came back a few weeks later. Since they have been about 3/4 days and not that heavy. They seem to be getting lighter though as the months go on and I'm starting to worry about it, amongst all the other things to worry about it why it's not happening.

Does anyone know if this could be something hormone related, if it would make conceiving more difficult etc? I have had day3 bloods done and they came back fine and previously some tests for PCOS which also came back fine.

My sister and I have light periods (especially her, she only has to use a pantyliner). She's conceived within a month of stopping her pill both times. I struggled a bit (took 11/12 cycles) but I think that's due to me having endometriosis

@polkadotpixie thank you for your reply! I think every month there is something new to worry about, but hopefully it's nothing. It's good to know you and your sister have both conceived with light periods!

I was on the mini pill about 4 years, prior to that just the normal but I can't really remember what my period was like. I don't think it was ever extremely heavy, just seems to getting lighter and lighter or maybe I'm just overthinking it and noticing more because we're TTC!

I would say I have light periods. First day is not much but feel a bit of bloating and a bit of ache then day 2 and 3 are heavier (can go one pad the majority of the day) and then day 4 (if day 3 isn't lighter) will be a pantyliner if needed. I've been trying for 10 cycles now. No known issues and I'm getting day21 bloods later in the month. DH has above average SA results so I'm really unsure what is taking so long!

@polkadotpixie what symptoms do you have for your endometriosis as I know typically the main one is heavy periods which you don't seem to have so just wondering!

@Loops01 hello 👋🏻 my periods are normally 3/4 days with days 1 and 2 being medium flow and the other day or two light. But this month, yesterday was day 1 and I used one pad all day, today day 2 and there is basically no flow! I usually use tampons but decided to try pads this month to try and monitor easier, but there seems to be nothing to monitor?!

That's the same as us, my partners SA came back above average too, I haven't had day21 bloods yet but I'm hoping that's the next step and scans etc following on from the fertility app. Just wish it would happen x

Are you going private @HJen22? I will get referred in July but the waiting list is anything between 2-6 months with those over 40 prioritised. We are both 31 (32 in July). I had hoped we wouldn't need it but it is nice to see someone in very similar circumstances! I barely get any symptoms of AF but know when it's due if that makes sense. What does your day 3 bloods even tell you? I hoped they would test for hormones being all level etc but maybe the fertility place does it? No idea. My Dr's havent been helpful other than these day 21 test and telling me that there seems to be no issues and to keep trying. We have booked for private fertility scan next month to check my ovaries etc. I don't really have any symptoms of pcos or endometriosis etc as far as I am aware but who knows until they check!

@Loops01 the first appointment is NHS, I had bloods done in March, I think the start of cycle tests check for LH, FSH, I actually only know that from google! My Partner had his analysis done via the GP referral too. We've waited about 2 months for the first fertility clinic appointment so could have been worse I guess but has still felt ages, everything is just a waiting game. I'm 33; so had to wait a year too for the referral. I had tests done earlier last year to check for pcos as my sister was diagnosed but according to GP all the hormones they tested came back fine too. I might ask about doing some of the scans, hycosy etc if they suggest it, private to speed things up. That's good you've your tests booked for next month; do you mind me asking how much they were? It's hard to find costs and stuff online x

So it was a private scan place that mainly does baby scans. We're £135 for that scan. It's then £40 for hormone testing apparently but I just don't feel like my hormones are the worst if they are bad at all? I've really cleaned up my diet in the past 6 months at least and this month I've focused more on eating for stages of the cycle. I've cut out all extra vitamins etc and logged what I'm having. I'm going to try and source a good folate vitamin as my diet is OK but maybe not ideal. I have not really noticed much change to my periods with diet changes 🤷‍♀️.

I've heard that tampons are to be avoided when ttc but that goes along with any other fad or myth I've followed or tried haha.

My gp did a general blood test that would show thyroid disorders but otherwise I don't think the general tests would really show hormones. I think the issue for me is more the local gp. Good to here you didn't have to wait! When you got your first appointment letter how far in advance was it? Like 2 weeks or a month or similar? My friend has been referred and just waiting to hear.

That's not too bad then! Yes I'm unsure what the bloods even test for hormones wise, I didn't want to ask too much and the GP to tell me to stop stressing and googling!

Ha I'm a fan of trying anything and everything, I think it makes me feel better trying new things. I've tried reflexology, hypnotherapy, massage, meditation, next on my list is acupuncture. I take folic acid and recently vitamin D.

So I had bloods March, when they came back fine I was told I'd be referred, a week later we received a small questionnaire to send back to the fertility clinic. I called in April to check they'd got it, they had and said I'd likely get an appointment early/mid June. We then got a letter 20th April with the appointment over video for 1st June so 6 weeks notice, and 11 weeks from the GP referral.

If you've had bloods done already hopefully it can just be a straight referral to the fertility clinic for you! But hopefully it won't come to that and you get a BFP before then 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

@HJen22
Hello 👋🏼 just wanted to share my experience as I know how helpful it was to read other people's when I was going through this.
When I was trying to conceive my daughter I was really worried about light periods. They only lasted 1-2 days and I didn't even need any proper sanitary products (just a thin liner). I was 34 at the time and had been off pill for a few months. Went to the GP and he wasn't helpful at all, told me it was nothing to worry about and to come back in 6 months - 1 year if we hadn't conceived. (I was raging at the time!) Anyway about 2 weeks later I got my BFP! So I don't think light AF should be too much to worry about when TTC. I hope this helps. Good luck ✨

@Rudyroo thank you so much for your reply! It's nice to have some positive stories! I think it's worried me because they have been light ever since coming off the pill, but never this light! Just something else to worry about on the TTC journey! Trying not to stress is so much easier said than done isn't it. Hopefully it's just a one off and nothing to worry about! I'm sorry to hear your GP wasn't helpful! I'll definitely mention on my call next week, and fingers crossed it happens soon 🤞🏻 xx

Hi @HJen22 I just wondered if you have an update on your light periods? Mine are definitely a lot lighter than they have been. I’ve just turned 35 and worrying A LOT about perimenopause

@Hoping43 hi there. I'm currently waiting to start IVF at the end of the month. I was diagnosed with low ovarian reserve in August when I had an internal scan and HyCosy. I don't actually think light periods are a symptom though, in fact says on google a symptom is heavy flow. Shorter cycles can be a symptom though and my cycles can be quite short some months.

Don't want to worry you at all though! Light periods can be normal for lots of people. If you have been trying for 6 months you can go to your GP. I went after a year last February and it's taken until now to start IVF x

@HJen22 thanks so much for getting back to me.

Do you know the results of your scan?

To summarise a really long story…. I have two children who were conceived easily. When my second was 20 months old I started TTC my third and we have been trying for 11 months without success. After having my second baby, I started getting night sweats around my period which the doctors said was just PMS. I pushed and pushed and eventually had FSH measured a few times and it came back as within normal range each time but the last one in Nov was 9.6 so only just within range. The doctor referred us to the fertility clinic (because they said there was a long waiting list) so we had our first appt a few weeks ago. I’ve fully convinced myself I’m perimenopausal so expected bad results. Anyway, they said my follicle count was 13 which they said was normal so not sure how that compares with your results when you were told you had low ovarian reserve?

Anyway, my periods over the last 6 months have definitely got noticeably shorter and lighter. My cycle is always 28-31 days but I’m only having 2 days of heavy ish flow then it practically disappears about from some very light bleeding/spotting which continues on and off for a few days.

We have 9 weeks left to wait to see a consultant and I’m debating whether we should go private. I’m so worried if it is perimenopause that it’s been going on for 2 years now. Though, not sure if it can be that if my follicle count is normal. So confused. Maybe it’s the sheer stress of it all x

@Hoping43 no problem at all; I completely understand the worry and stress of it all! It's not a nice time.

My AFC was only 6 on day of scan and I'm 33. I had my AMH bloods taken too (which they need to know for IVF treatment) and been told they are low, which they expected. My FSH when first taken back in Feb 21 was 10.7 or something like that, slightly over 10 anyway.

I don't really have any days of heavy flow, one day where I need a pad and honestly the next its so light I don't even need that, and tends to just be on wiping.

Is the consultant appointment to discuss your results? Hopefully they can put your mind at ease but I think that's a pretty good AFC xx

@HJen22 I hope you don’t mind me asking so many questions. What did they say about your FSH result? I was so convinced that I was going to be told I have low ovarian reserve but I still need to have my AMH done so I guess that could be low.

Did they say there was any connection between your ovarian reserve and light periods? Also, have your periods always been light?

I hope your IVF is a success. TTC really is difficult for some xx

Of course not! When the clinic first seen the FSH results they said they couldn't rule out low ovarian reserve and it was then confirmed at the scan. They didn't really say anything about my periods as they were regular but I think the fact my cycles have been getting shorter was a bit of a possible red flag.

To be honest I can't really remember what they were like as I was on the mini pill so didn't get a period. But even when I was younger I don't remember them being all that heavy. So yeah I think they've always been on the lighter side.

Thank you, pretty nerve wracking and I've struggled a lot with my mental health over the last year or so. My clinic offer counselling so I've been doing that which helps xx

Yeah I can imagine. I’ve been struggling and I already have two children and am only trying naturally at the moment but the disappointment is still hard to take each month.

Did they say the reason for your infertility was low ovarian reserve? That’s the bit I don’t really understand as if you’re ovulating every month I don’t understand why people can’t get pregnant x

It's so hard isn't it 😞 it's also taken me a long time to get my head around the idea of IVF.

Yeah I wasn't sure how that worked either at the start but my understanding is that it can be that there are less eggs and of not as good quality as they should be for my age. X

Have you any problems on your partner’s side? We will try IVF because I want to feel happy that we’ve done all we can. Hoping it doesn’t come to it. I was trying to take the relaxed approach but then my period lasting less time has set the worrying off again. Xx

@Hoping43 no problems on his side, he has a daughter from a previous relationship. I hope it doesn't come to that for you 🤞🏻 oh I know, it's hard to relax and not worry xx