Bleeding a week before period

[KKelly34]

Hi all,

I'm new to Mumsnet, sorry for the long post! I'd be grateful to hear from anyone else who starts spotting a week before their periods (if you are TTC or going through fertility issues).

I went off the pill just over a year ago with the hope of conceiving and have spotted for around a week before my period since then. It usually starts 6/7 days before my period and gets progressively worse each day until my period starts. Sometimes I also get mild cramping with the spotting.

During our fertility investigations, we found out that due to my husband's sperm count, we won't be able to conceive naturally, so we've been referred to an NHS fertility clinic for ICSI, but we're also looking into private clinics.

I don't yet have a diagnosis for what is causing my pre-period spotting. My cycle is pretty regular, I've had a progesterone test which confirmed ovulation, and a hycosy and multiple internal ultrasounds which have confirmed that everything structurally looks ok (no blocked tubes, and no one has ever said that they can see any scar tissue etc). I don't have any other strange symptoms and luckily my periods aren't too painful. From what I've read, the pre-period spotting could be low progesterone or endometriosis. I'm hoping that it's not endo as I don't have very painful periods.

I'd like to find out what's causing the spotting as I don't want it to jeopardise our chances of success with ICSI. I understand that they give you progesterone after the implantation, but I'm getting nervous that if low progesterone isn't causing the spotting, I'd like to know what is causing the spotting before we start ICSI.

If you're going through anything similar, or have experienced unusual pre-period spotting and know what caused it or are trying to get a diagnosis, it would be great to hear from you. Thank you!

Hi OP.
I have had spotting starting about 5 days or so before CD1 for years.
I have had every test under the sun which haven't showed any problems.
We have had fertility issues which meant that it took us about four years to conceive our son, then five years of unexplained infertility followed by an unsuccessful round of IVF.

I had the same spotting issue after IVF implantation, and the consultant has told me that in our next go, she recommends we try injectable progesterone rather than the pessaries, in the hope that this will prevent the spotting.

I told her (and approx a billion other medical professionals and fertility experts) about my spotting before and they've always said it's nothing and normal and not to worry about it, but I really don't get how it's not related to progesterone and I do think it's caused my fertility issues over the years.

Saying that, they're the experts and they don't agree so what can you do! Hopefully the progesterone injection will make a difference.

Best of luck!

I use to get this and I researched the absolute pants off it!! The only thing that worked for me was what I read on mumsnet and other forums, B100 from Holland and Barrett and acupuncture! I was so fed up as all doctors/consultants told me it was just “old blood” but I had only had this spotting since my miscarriage. I managed in 2 months of taking the vitamin and attending acupuncture, get the spotting down from 5 days to 2 days (first month) and then the following month I was pregnant. I purchased progesterone pessaries after begging my consultant but never used them. Best of luck!

@Glitterandunicorns and @Alwaysworried247 - thank you both so much! It's really helpful to hear about your experiences. I'll definitely try B100, I've never heard of this before. And I will mention progesterone injections to our consultant when we start ICSI. Thank you again, it's helpful to know I'm not alone.

Hi @KKelly34 I too have spotting before my period, every month for the past 3 years since coming off the pill. It used to start at 7dpo but now it starts at 10 or 11dpo.
They generally say its the progesterone dropping but Ive had my progesterone checked so many times & its perfect. Ive had all the checks for fibroids/ polyps etc but nothing is there! So I figure if its nothing ‘physical’ then it must be hormonal. Which would make sense as if it were a physical problem then I would spot all the time which I dont. But all bloods are fine. Ive done 2 unsuccessful rounds of IVF, they said “dont worry about the spotting as we are controlling all your hormones” well surprise surprise I started spotting like clockwork at 10 dpo both cycles & I was on extra progesterone!
Anyhow Ive researched this loads & other women with the same problem still manage to get pregnant so Ive relaxed a little but still interested to hear others experiences too.

P.s, I did acupuncture for 8months & b-vits complex, even Chinese herbs but sadly nothing made a difference to me but I know it works on some people.

I’ve had this for years too. I’ve had all the tests under the sun and no explanation. I was given progesterone to take during the second half of my cycle as it was a little low and that did work but after 6 months of that I didn’t conceive. We went for ivf and were very fortunate that it worked first time. DS is now 1 and the spotting has returned with my cycles.

I was part of this thread a few years ago and has a few ideas. Chooklass who started it also conceived through ivf in the end.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2998852-Long-time-luteal-spotter-anyone-else

I have this, it really got me down during ttc as I was adamant it was causing an issue. Never quite got to a definitive bottom of it, however I personally think it was down to my pcos causing all of my cycles to be anovulatory cycles!

Clomid ended up working for me, no spotting on that cycle so it clicked that it likely had something to do with that!

Hope you get answers soon!

@GingerBrummie thank you so much for sharing this, it's a really strange one isn't it? May I ask whether you've done IVF on the NHS or privately? I'd like to ask our consultant if I can have a month or so on extra progesterone before implantation so I can see if it makes a difference but I don't know if that is possible.

@Betsyboo87 and @mummabear20202022 - I'm so glad you've had success stories, this gives me hope, although the whole thing is quite overwhelming, it seems to be a relatively common symptom but so many things (or nothing!) can cause it! Thank you for sharing that thread, there is a lot of information on there. I didn't spend very much time off the pill between the age of 18 and 33 (which now of course I'm kicking myself for!) but I did have a few years off here and there and I swear this wasn't an issue! Although I wasn't ttc then so maybe I just wasn't really paying attention to what was going on so closely.

@KKelly34 Hi, Ive done 2 rounds of IVF long protocol on the NHS. They gave me 3 progesterone pessaries per day but I started spotting at 7dp3dt which is equivalent of 10dpo. I dont think the spotting had anything to do with the failure as in theory if it was going to implant it probably would have done before 10dpo. With some people the pessaries hold off their period but mine came full force at 14dpo.
How many rounds on the NHS do you get?

Hi Everyone. Is there any update from the thread? I had a second trimester miscarriage back in Feb 2021 and haven’t been able to conceive since. In July 2021 I had my covid vaccine then since that month I’ve had a week of spotting before my period. I ended up going private and paying for a hysterscopy etc to check for polyps but it was clear. I was then given clomid to give me a stronger ovulation and that should stop the spotting however 7 dpo the spotting appeared again! So the last 3 months we’ve been TTC on clomid and progesterone from 2 dpo. It has controlled the spotting. But still no pregnancy. I tend to test at 12dpo and then stop the progesterone and get my period around 3 days later. I’m thinking of IVF as I only have 1 more medicated cycle to do.

any help or advice would be appreciated.

Dear @Loz2467 , thank you for this. We are still going through ivf and haven’t had any success, but it doesn’t seem that spotting I get is a factor and we have male factor infertility and we’re moving towards looking into donor sperm. The progesterone (both injections and suppositories) during the transfers we’ve had has always stopped the spotting. Although we’re really happy with our clinic, I have never managed to get a straight answer about what causes the spotting, and I’ve had a clear hysteroscopy. They just don’t know, they always say it’s either hormonal or structural (ie something in your uterus lining is which is reacting to your hormones and starting to bleed). So as a bit of a last ditch attempt to get me to stop asking about the spotting (!), during my last egg collection in August, the consultant performed dilation and curettage whilst I was sedated. Google this, it’s basically where the lining of your uterus is scraped out and sent for analysis. They found a small polyp. It didn’t seem to be a viable cause of the spotting which started when I came off the pill in sept 2020 and has happened basically every month, usually between 6-10 days before I get my period. But this month, which has been a normal menstrual cycle with no medication and no progesterone support, I haven’t gotten any spotting at all for the first time in 2 years. I think it must have been something to do with the curettage. I’m fully prepared for the spotting to come back next month or in the future, but we’ll wait and see. I wish you the very best and keeping my fingers crossed. This is a difficult journey but you’re not alone! Xx

@KKelly34 Thanks so much for this reply! I feel so lost. I’m sorry your having some challenges with the IVF still but I hope and have everything crossed once you’ve got the sperm donor. Have they given you any indication why it might not be implanting?

I refuse to believe I’m spotting due to stress… it plays on my mind because it started the month of my covid vaccine and that month was stressful because we got the post mortem results and it was the due date etc but surely 14 months later it shouldn’t still be happening. I’m at my wits end each month. I’ve had it start 5 dpo, 6 dpo. 9 dpo. But usually 7 dpo. That’s interesting and I was sedated for my hyterscopy and he did a d n c aswell apparently. He was adamant he would give me a d n c and rejuvenate the lining and then the clomid and the spotting would stop. But it didn’t in my case. I’ve had my thyroid checked too and literally can’t figure it out. Strange that the progesterone stops it for us both. I was thinking it must be low prog because the cyclogest is stopping it but do you not think that way? I don’t think I can wait till next year for IVF it’s affecting so much of my life. Xx

I've had this for the past few years. I was worried at first but my friends also told me this happens. So I assume some women just spot before their period? It definitely is frustrating though

@KKelly34 how are you getting on? I’ve had 5 cycles of progesterone now after my ovulation and no luck with a natural pregnancy so we will proceed to IVF next year which has blown my mind after getting pregnant naturally twice. It’s a lot financially and emotionally but I just don’t want to live with regret if we don’t try it as I’m nearly 37 now.

In my case it was progesterone dropping, though I do ovulate my 21 day bloods came back 21 and 22, when really over 30 is best. I bled on my first transfer 7 days last transfer as the embryo hadn't implanted, despite being on pessaries which I had thought would ward off a bleed. It was my own natural progesterone dropping though. For my frozen transfer (did ICSI in August and got 6 blasts) I pushed hard for lubion which is injected, despite it only being 25 mg and pessaries being 200mg, I just felt I didn't absorb them. My progesterone was 32 when they tested before transfer, they were happy as it was over 25 but I know my body and pushed for that extra med, may have been easier to get as we're private so paying for it (pricier than pessaries by alot!) I'm now 6+5 weeks pregnant from that first frozen transfer :) just make sure you push them to test you as not all clinics do - mine was never tested for my fresh transfer despite me telling them I spot between periods!

Forgot to add I'm on pessaries AND lubion, not just lubion :) I will say trying get cyclogest as I'm on utrogestan, and been on them so long that my cervix is quite irritated so when I've had a trans vaginal scan, a day later I've had a red bleed and been terrified thinking I'm having a MC, but have seen the heartbeat since so know its fine. I think prolonged use of utrogestan which can only be used vaginally isn't helping!

@Imisscoffee2021 thank you so so much for replying! I’m so happy your last transfer worked and wishing you a happy and healthy 9 months!

Its cyclogest I take now after ovulation and that’s completely stopping the spotting but I’m not getting pregnant again. After conceiving naturally twice.

I have been panicking a lot incase it’s endo. I’m 36. Concieved twice as I’ve said but one of those MC. I don’t have any period pain or heavy periods but I have spotting from 5 dpo it 7dpo for a whole week before my period. I’ve read it can be a sign of endo and I also worry why my AMH is 8.4 but I have 22 follicles. It seems like inflammation is suppressing it.

Ive had various prog results over the last 18 months. August 2021 brown sludge and it was 61: December 2021 and it was 37. Then June 2022 and it was 21! Then a cycle on clomid and cyclogest it was 142 p mol. No spotting but no pregnancy.

i refuse to believe it’s stress and I’m so worried it’s endo and what if I should have a laproscopy before spending a fortune on IVF. I’m due to start IVF in Jan on cycle day 1. No down regulation even though the nurse things she’s seen adenomyosis oh my scan.

sorry for the long message. :)

there might be a few reasons - how to know them and treat, here. Hope this helps x

Hi all,
I commented on this thread a year ago after my 2nd u successful IVF. I always spotted a week before my period, nothing helped. My progesterone was good etc etc.
Fortunately the 3rd round worked & I have twin girls who are 6 months old.
I still spotted as usual in my 2ww however it tapered off instead of turning into AF.
When I had my c-section the doctor said she could see small amount of endo. I never had any symptons of endo but perhaps this was causing the spotting but it didnt prevent a pregnancy
Good luck all x

Congratulations! @GingerBrummie

I want to share my experience of spotting to give people hope. It used to infuriate me and I was so upset the doctors didn’t give it more weight as a cause for our infertility. I spotted for 5-7 days before my period started for about three years every single month whilst we were TTC naturally. Clomid didn’t fix it, neither did HCG shots or crinone/cyclogest.

On scans they saw mild adenomyosis. I was never investigated for endo as the doctors said even if I had it at my age (37) IVF would have a better chance of taking home a baby then a laparoscopy + potential excision. I often debated this and thought should I go for a laparoscopy but in the end went for IVF.

Our first round led to a miscarriage BUT I didn’t spot at all. I didn’t even bleed till I came off the cyclogest at 8 weeks because the scan showed no heartbeat.

Our second cycle has been a success so far 🤞 I’m 12 weeks pregnant. Again, no spotting at all.

I think having an embryo implant stopped the spotting in my case. Maybe it was also the higher dose of cyclogest. Before IVF I’d taken only one a day in the luteal phase in order to fix the spotting which didn’t work, with IVF in the first round I took 3/day. Second round 2/day as advised by my clinic.

Wishing good luck to everyone here.

Thanks so much for both replying!

@GingerBrummie congrats on your twin girls!!! 💗 I’m similar to you apart from the cyclogest does stop my spotting. I read so many forums where women had spotting. Took cyclogest and got pregnant within 1/2 months of using it. Not going to lie I really got my hopes up but after 6 months of it not working we are moving to IVF in jan. I feel nervous and apprehensive. I got pregnant naturally twice in the first month trying. Lost our second then just nothing since which seems strange so I’m adamant something is wrong with me whether it be endo or adeno or blocked tubes etc. i know secondary infertility is a thing but I can’t understand how you can get pregnant easily twice then nothing 😞

@Marmiteontoastyum congrats to you also what fabulous news. Sorry to hear about your miscarriage too. I’m concerned about endo or adeno because like I said above I don’t see how I’ve got pregnant naturally twice easily then nothing. Something must be wrong now. The cyclogest has stopped the spotting but no luck so it’s making me think it can’t be the issue of low progesterone else it would of worked by now. Like I said above so many forums it worked for people but not me. 😞

I’m praying IVF works for us if not I’ll have to close the door and stop living in limbo. It’s been nearly 2 years of grief and TTC.

xx

@Loz2467 Good luck for your IVF. Be patient with it, they say you should give it 3 attempts at least. X

Thanks @GingerBrummie I started getting my protocol through so feeling nervous. I’m just so worried I have endo and it won’t work :( I’ve been stressing all morning on google because of my brown spotting before and after my period xx