TTC with Luteal Phase spotting - anyone want to join me?

[HelloNope]

Hello,

I thought I'd set up a chat for those of us who spot before our periods and how / if that affects TTC.

Bit about me: 34, TTC #3. Always had normal cycles, used to spot one day before a period and then it would start.

I've gained weight over the last couple of years, I was on the pill until June last year and had two normal cycles straight after that. Once I had the Covid vaccine I started spotting before my period up to 5,6 or 7 days beforehand and it's been like this since August. I haven't gone to the GP about it yet as I wanted to wait and see if it got better but unfortunately it hasn't.

I've done some research on Luteal Phase Defect and I'm worried that I will not be able to conceive due to this.

Working on losing weight and I've started taking VitaminC as apparently that can help! I'm going to get an appointment with the Gp and hopefully get a blood test to check my progesterone levels etc.

Sorry that's pretty long! Hoping some of you will be along to join me soon!

If anyone has had success falling pregnant with this then I'd be keen to hear from you too!

I had this too but it didn’t start until after I’d had my first DS although always had weird spotting when on the pill. Had various tests and scans and nothing conclusive other than low progesterone.
Tried lots of things, progesterone supplements, vitamin B50 (from Holland & Barrett) - that really helped in lengthening my luteal phase. The last time I became pregnant I had more spotting than ever that cycle and was positive that there wasn’t a chance that I could have conceived…. DS is two now! There’s no rhyme or reason behind my spotting and also didn’t affect getting pregnant. Hope everything falls into place for you soon!

@CalamityJaney Thanks so much for your reply!
I've also always had random spotting whilst on the pill and I did wonder if that was related.
Did you have to get the progesterone supplements from the Dr? And did you have to take them during your pregnancy? Were you taking them when trying?

I'll try the vitamin B50 as well! Congrats on your DS, I'm glad to hear that it wasn't a trouble for you to conceive.

@HelloNope I wrote a similar post a few months back as was so fed up of spotting. You feel out of hope of a BFP a week before AF I honestly understand how frustrating it is.
I'd spot anywhere from 7 days to 3days before AF, felt I was on AF more than off.

I got my BFP in Dec, think it was cycle 5 (or 6) and didn't do anything different. I didn't have any spotting that cycle before BFP. Also baby number 3 (hopefully!!)

So touch wood everything will work out, I was in the same head space worrying about hormone levels and all sorts but sometimes out bodies are just hard work to understand!
All the best xx

Me too! I've had spotting before my period the last few cycles. This last month I only had spotting and no full bleed which was strange. I can sometimes spot for 4 days before. This is my first cycle TTC #1 so I'm not worried about it too much we will just see what happens.

I always used to spot for a day or two before AF, managed to get pregnant, had DD, then once my periods returned, I would spot for 5+ days before AF sometimes. Stressed about it and was about to get some GP tests then fell pregnant! That cycle, like a PP, I spotted even more than usual so was convinced I was out. Sadly that pregnancy ended in a missed miscarriage at 13 weeks (nothing to do with the spotting!)

Since then, I have been going to acupuncture and the spotting has almost completely stopped. Not sure if it's the acupuncture or if my body has just shifted again with each pregnancy. It's very weird, but I hope this gives you some peace of mind - and maybe try acupuncture? No idea how it works... but it seems to have some effect!

@Tiredmum31111 Congratulations on your BFP! Hope everything is going ok so far?
Have you always spotted? I'm so fed up basically bleeding 2/4 weeks each month.

Lovely to have some good news on this thread as when I Google it I go down a rabbit hole of "unlikely to conceive"...

@HMFx Hello! I'm also on first cycle, so it will be good to have a buddy :)
Has anything changed for you to have spotting for the last few cycles that you're aware of?

When are you due to ovulate next?

@Shortmamashortcycles I'm very sorry to hear about your miscarriage that must have been heartbreaking for you :(

I'm glad your spotting has stopped with the acupuncture, and I hope you have a bfp soon.

I'll definitely give it a shot, I'm going to try everything I can as I the spotting is a pain, even prior to TTC.

@HelloNope Thank you. Touch wood all okay (who knows!) other than feeling rough!
I was similar to you, I used to spot a day before and that's about it. Then with each cycle I seemed to just spot more and longer before AF due. Which is so annoying, the amount of times I've prayed it's implantation but knew it never was.
Then the cycle we conceived I just didn't spot at all, both my previous pregnancies I had spotting and bleeding early on (all fine) so no spotting at all seems very un natural!!
Hope it gives you a bit of hope :) xx

@Tiredmum31111 It definitely does give me some hope, thank you! You say you spotted with previous pregnancies, what was the spotting like if you don't mind me asking? Haha
I'm due on tomorrow and I've been spotting since the 8th, but it's more on/off than usual.
I just want my period to start so I can be done with it!

Oh and how long did you TTC your first two?

@HelloNope 1st and 2nd cycle for my previous children...to be honest I'm older and more tired so we probably tried a lot less than we did before 🤣
My spotting was literally the same time AF was due not much earlier and more brown.
The pill can throw things out for a while, always tended to spot on that as well!
Hope you get you BFP soon :) xx

@Tiredmum31111 haha same here!
Thanks. Take care x

@HelloNope hey! Nice to meet you. Well last month I had my booster so I'm blaming that for my weird period / early spotting. But no reason why the other cycles. I lost 2 stone last year and that didn't change anything either. What about you?

@HMFx I've had spotting since I got my second Covid vaccine in august. It's driving me mad! I'm waiting for my period to start, hopefully today.
Congrats on your weight loss, how did you do it? I need tips.

Thanks @HelloNope I calorie counted and did 10k Steps a day. Much easier than I thought. It was a slow process but worth it. Back on it since new year and it's just so easy. Xx

@HelloNope how are you getting on? Sorry to hear about your spotting troubles! I’m the exact same and haven’t been able to conceive again! My spotting started July 2021 when I had first covid vaccine! It’s a whole week before my period so from 7dpo. It’s driving me insane and I felt unsure about having the vaccine anyway :(

@Loz2467 Hey, it's such a pain isn't it?
I think it's time to speak to your GP if you haven't already, and get some bloods taken to check your hormone levels.

I actually got a BFP the following month, but I had a missed miscarriage at 10.5 weeks and found out at my 12 week scan :( . We'd had a scan at just over 8 weeks and everything looked great so it was a shock.

My due date was October, it was a bummer!

We decided not to try again after that, so I'm back on the pill and not dealing with the monthly spotting at the moment.

I still wonder if the miscarriage was due to my short luteal phase :(

Sorry I don't have a nicer update for you x

@HelloNope Thank you so much for replying! I didn’t write my full story just incase no one was active on the thread!

im so sorry for your loss and MMC is such a shock too - I’ve been there :( I’m thinking if it was due to short luteal then your loss may of been earlier but I don’t know? Did your periods change after your MC or don’t you know because of going back on the pill?

ive basically got a 3 year old. When he was 15 months we started TTC for baby number 2 as we wanted a close age gap. Got pregnant that month. Then in Feb 2021 lost her at 18 weeks MMC due to covid.

Next 3 cycles were pretty normal. Had my covid vaccine in the July - felt I needed to obviously because of the above but I felt unsure. Then since then the spotting started.

I was back and fourth to the GP and nothing was found. So Jan 2022 I went private for testing and scans etc. paid £1800 for A hyterscopy to check my lining seen as I lost due to an infection but nothing found. Following month was given clomid and he says that will boost ovulation and stop the spotting. That didn’t work so I’ve had 4 months of medicated cycles now on progesterone from 2dpo and that’s completely stopped the spotting. I just can’t get my head around conceiving easily to this heartbreak! And wondering about the spotting and the vaccine and almost wishing I didn’t get it because I’ve had covid since and I was just as poorly as when I was unvaccinated.
All my friends are having there second and we should have a 3 year old and 15 month old yet I’m sat here looking at IVF then worrying that won’t work and the financial implications.

How did you manage to close the door and go back on the pill? I’m 36 now so it’s my last chance really.

Thanks so much for listening as it’s so lonely xx

@Loz2467 I'm sorry it's taken me a couple of days to get back to you.

I'm so sorry about your loss :( MMC as you say is such a shock, and at 18 weeks, even more devastating (IMO) I'm so sorry you had to go through that.

I only had one period after the MMC and I went straight back to spotting days before it started.
I noticed on the Covid chat on here that a lot of women said the Covid vaccine messed with their cycles, but when I mentioned that to my GP it was dismissed (probably because I am also 10kg heavier!) but I always had a regular periods and no spotting until the vaccine....

Did your Dr do bloods to see what your progesterone levels are? It is good that the progesterone has stopped the spotting. Fingers crossed for you that you conceive soon now that it's stopped.

I'm in a slightly different situation to you in that I already have 2, and was trying to conceive number 3...so I think that's why I've managed to close the door. Another major factor is that I suffer from Hyperemesis, and I really struggled for the whole 12 weeks with the pregnancy I lost, I had absolutely no idea anything was wrong as I was still vomiting constantly!
I just don't think I could do all of that again, I was so useless and my DH really had to do everything. So, yeah, I guess that's how I've managed to close the door on TTC.

Good luck, I'm always here if you want to chat and I'm throwing loads of baby dust at you!