Infertility - please help :(

[bunnyx]

Hello,

I'm really, really desperate for any insight from others who have any experience with anything like what I'm going through.

This might be long so bare with me :(

I've suffered from spotting before my period for the past 3-4 years. It usually lasts from 5-7 days.

In the past I suffered from very painful periods but this pain drastically reduced a couple of years ago. Always assumed I had endometriosis but then the pain stopped.

I then found a lump in my groin last year, this turned out to be a endometrioma cyst in my canal of nuck. All removed successfully - no further issues. Histology confirmed it contained endometriosis.

I then had a laparoscopy (as the mri to determine what the lump was) suggested I might have a tube blockage and potential endometriosis somewhere else. I used tbe top surgeon who was very experienced (I researched him heavily) for the laparoscopy. Histology confirmed I had no endometriosis. My ovaries were stuck to my uterus with adhesions and my left fallopian tube is blocked with adhesions. The right fallopian tube is open and healthy. Histology showed these adhesions were not endometriosis.
No hydrosalpinx in my tubes either. Surgeon thinks the blockage in the left is congenital. All my infection tests were clear (stds, endometritis etc).

I'd been trying unsuccessfully to conceive for over a year prior to the laparoscopy. Apparently prior to the surgery I wouldn't have got pregnant anyway due to my ovaries being stuck to my uterus as the eggs would have been dropping down. Ovulation was confirmed at the laparoscopy as surgeon could see I am ovulating.

Everything else in my uterus etc was normal. I had a hysteroscopy too. The only identified permanent problem is my one blocked fallopian tube.

Since the surgery I am still suffering with the spotting before my period - surgeon wasn't concerned about this at all!!
I am still not pregnant.

It's now cycle day 20 and the spotting has began when my period is approx. 10 days away. I just feel broken, completely destroyed with whatever my body is doing and I don't understand.

Can anyone please please please help in some way? I don't want to go back to the doctors as they seem to think this spotting js normal and that I'll get pregnant through the healthy tube regardless!!! The surgeon actively told me not to pursue any fertility treatment for at least a year as he is so confident I will conceive naturally. 😭😭

Thank you xxx

Desperate bump 😭

Hey hey,
I am so sorry to hear about your spotting and difficult journey.
I have some spotting but I did get pregnant (mc at 6/7weeks) with my DH's terrible sperm count.
The gynae said that as I got pregnant with it there is no luteal phase insufficiency and that she could prescribe progesterone but there is no clinical evidence for this.
I don't know if this is helpful, but I didn't want to not reply as I know how bleak infertility can be.
xx

@TheFanciestPants

Thank you - any advice whatsoever helps!

I need to go and get my progesterone levels tested but I'm terrified if I do have a luteal phase defect that it won't be fixable.

I'm terrified each day that I'm just never going to be able to get pregnant :(

I hope you are ok ♥️

Xx

Im really sorry to hear all you’ve gone through. I too had spotting 5 days before my period and a tremendous amount of pain but I never had a laparoscopy to check the cause. The doctors at the time said whatever the cause I would need IVF as we had been trying for three years and was 36. So we proceeded with that. I’m actually really glad we did as it took two cycles and 30 eggs to get just one healthy day 5 blastocyst which I’m currently pregnant with. I think there were unknown issues in our case to do with egg quality that I doubt surgery would have fixed. But obviously this is just our individual case. I would say though IVF can bypass a whole range of issues, and it can also be diagnostic so in that way you can find a reason for the infertility you never expected, I never expected my egg quality to be an issue. Good luck

@bunnyx it's completely normal to feel terrified about not getting pregnant. I do too.
How long is your luteal phase before you start spotting? If it is a progesterone issue it's very easy to fix.
The gynae I saw was very helpful and said they don't know why spotting happens, it happens a lot and if there is no physical reason (polyp etc) then it's in all likelihood nothing to worry about.
I hope that reassures you. I am myself very upset about not being pregnant too. It's so easy to catastrophise but the odds are you will get there. I know thst sounds like a platitude but it's all I can offer xxx

@TheFanciestPants

I'm so sorry you are in a similar situation - I really wouldn't wish this on anyone.

It tends to be at least 7-9 days before I start spotting. My cycle length tends to be 29-33 days.

That's comforting to hear - I have seen 3 doctors about it now (including my surgeon) and every one has said it's fine!! Just feels so wrong to me.

Thank you so much, you've really helped me. I hope everything works out for you too xx

@bunnyx sometimes it helps not to feel alone. So I am glad to help :)
In my completely non-medical opinion I think 7-9 sounds quite late for spotting and if it's light then it's probably just one of those things. I know that's really hard to accept but I am a statistician (limited research around - very frustrating) and I really interrogated my gynae (she's lovely, super experienced and was very patient!). My spotting is very light for a day around 7-10dpo, and stops for a few days ahead of my AF. Given this happened the month I got pregnant she said it's upsetting but nothing to worry about.
Wishing you lots of babydust xx

@Bunniesandcreamteas

Thank you for replying. I'm so sorry you've had it so difficult too.

Although in my late teens/early 20s I did strongly suspect a problem (endo) I never really grasped the true concept of what it might mean for me in the future. I'm kicking myself for not getting treatment (the surgeries) until I was 30 but.. hindsight 😭

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I hope all goes smoothly for you xx

@TheFanciestPants

Definitely! I've been feeling more alone than ever. And I'm stuck in the worst google pit where I'm panicking it could be perimenopause or ovarian failure! 😞

My spotting is odd - it's more 5 days before my period with the odd 7 days before. It varies from being practically nothing but light brown but then it can be quite bad with a dark brown enough to use the tiny panty liner things (not an actual pad). I do tend to cramp with it all too but it's just mild to show my periods coming.

It's interesting that you also have been told that it's just one of those things - I haven't actually found many (if any) people who have been told it is a concern!! Everybody tends to be told it's fine!

Only time will tell I guess, hopefully this time next year we will both be in very positive positions ♥️ xx

@bunnyx so on perimenopause and ovarian failure, I understand that is very easy to spot (don't worry I panicked too!). So considering you have spoken to many medical professionals I think that is extremely unlikely. Did you have your hormones checked? I am guessing so. As far as I understand, AMH can be a bit of a funny one but as long as it isn't too high or low, then that's fine.
They also checked my thyroid, FSH and LH.
It sounds super positive, so I agree with your surgeon. I know it's frustrating but a lot of medical interventions have limited clinical evidence so it is wise to be patient (I appreciate it's frustrating).
I'd love to be in a better place in a year, thanks for the lovely sentiment 😘. Feel free to keep in touch, I have my fingers crossed for you xx

@TheFanciestPants

I don't have any of the symptoms other than this stupid spotting and my surgeon said my ovaries were healthy. They had a couple of small cysts but both of them were from ovulation - one got removed anyway and the other drained.

No I haven't been checked for any of that. Sounds dramatic but I haven't been able to face with the possibility of any further bad news :( mentally I honestly couldn't cope if it was bad.

I really am going to push for the progesterone test though as a start at least, im fed up of going through this every month.

My surgeon also put on my records that I'm not to pursue any fertility treatment as he doesn't think I'll need to!! So I'm worried if I do go to the doctors and ask for tests they'll be funny about it!

You too, you can message me anytime xxx

I've now had bright red blood when I wipe ffs. I do tend to get that once during the 5-7 days of pre period spotting too then it's back to brown :(

@bunnyx urgh, that sounds rubbish.

Probably a technicality as far as your surgeon is concerned, but those fertility figures are tests rather than treatment :). When I had spotting, the gynae suggested those and an ultrasound. This is pretty typical (I went privately so no idea about NHS). Your case sounds more complicated and I am not a doctor, so I can only share my experience and sympathise with how rubbish this whole experience is. xx

Hi @bunnyx, how are you getting on? Your case sounds so similar to me. I’ve been ttc for baby #1 for over a year now. I always get spotting for at least 5-7 days before my period, usually from around 6dpo.

I had a scan where they found a small (3mm) endometrial cyst. No doctor seems concerned by the spotting or the cyst, despite the cyst being typically linked to endo.

I’ve just started my usual spotting (7dpo today) and I feel so broken. Every month I naively hope for the best but it never happens.

i really hope things are better for you and you got some answers?

@Fifii

Hello!

I have no good news to share I'm afraid in regards to being pregnant. We have decided to wait out the rest of the year and then pursue private ivf next year.

I've had ultrasounds, an mri, hysteroscopy and laparoscopy and no abnormalities or reasons for the spotting have been found. I did have a couple of small cysts on my ovaries - these were corpus leuteal (?) so left over from ovulation, these were removed. Again - no doctor is concerned in the slightest.

The only thing I have since discovered is that a lot of people have experienced this as soon as they've came off the pill. I'm not sure if you've been on the pill before but I traced mine back and it does seem to align with when I completely came off the pill. It was the pill that you're meant to take for 3 weeks then off for one (sorry I can't remember the name) - I took it the whole way through though and came off it every 3/4 months. I had breakthrough bleeding with this too which was light spotting - I had that pretty much the entire time I was on it.

I also don't have endo which has been confirmed in my laparoscopy via the histology of samples. I also had a biopsy during my hysteroscopy which came back normal.

In regards to my spotting, since my post it has continued to be 5-7 days before my period. The last 3 months my periods have been lighter than usual - I found on here and through other research that a vitamin b12 deficiency can cause this. I've been taking this now for about 3 weeks.... this period (which I'm on now) I had 3 days of spotting and my period arrived exactly on time!!!! Maybe this is a coincidence but I've not had just 3 days for years. I haven't had my b12 levels checked but the symptoms of the deficiency are basically identical to me.

I don't know if this will help you at all but I'd love to hear if you've also been on the pill.

Xxx

@bunnyx im so sorry to hear it’s not better news. I have everything crossed that you’ll get a bfp by the end of the year - but if not, I wish you all the luck with IVF!

that is SO interesting about the pill and b12 deficiency! and fascinating that, despite adhesions and cysts, they couldn’t actually give a proper diagnosis. Did they say what might have caused the adhesions if not endo?

I was on the same type of pill (the combined I think it’s called? The type I took was Yasmin - 3 weeks on, 1 week off). I did sometimes get breakthrough bleeding actually, but was always told it was normal. Prior to the pill, I didn’t have any issues with spotting at all! That’s absolutely shocking if the pill has caused this???!!!

I wondered ages ago about b12 deficiency but never pursued it. I’ve been vegetarian for around 5 or 6 years so I defo don’t get a lot of good sources in my diet.

just googled it - I have so many of the symptoms! How amazing that you only got 3 days of spotting this month! Can I ask which type/how you’re taking b12?

thank you so much - as horrible as it sounds, it’s nice to know im not on my own. It feels like I’m surrounded by babies and pregnancy announcements atm :(

@Fifii

Omg I'm so so glad I've mentioned both of this now!!

Thank you so so much - I wish you all the best too, it feels so lonely. I've unfollowed 3 people on social media in the last two days with pregnancy announcements 😬 it just kills me.

Nope - no diagnosis at all, everything is fine apparently and my results are good. With the exception of the blocked right fallopian tube which I think must be having an impact.

I found a thread on here which was mentioning the spotting after the pill - I can't find it anymore but every person on there except one had the same!!

Definitely look into the deficiency - I might not have it but it seems very coincidental if I don't. I had disordered eating for a long time too which only got better this year so I think if I do then it's that. I also didn't eat much meat at all, I eat more now than I have done.

Has your partner had a sperm analysis? Mines having his next week.

Xxx

@Fifii

amzn.eu/d/bw5ulNf

These are the b12 I got from Amazon. I got the same companies vitamin d too. Xxx