TTC spotting in cycle

Hfk1875

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Hi ladies
I'm new to all this but trying to find some comfort before I go in sane or my husband divorces me :)
We are now coming to the end of cycle 8 TTC, though two months of those we were 'not trying' for various reasons.
I've been spotting a few days before my cycle ever since I came off the evra patch. I am sure this is affecting our fertility. Also have a faint paint on left side. Had bloods, smears, external and internal ultrasound and no answers. Have a gyno appt on 2nd March, so hoping this might help because I'm now thinking I might have endometriosis. I cannot cope every month when AF arrives. I always hope the spotting is implantation :(
I've tried ovulation kits etc and timing but I find this just adds more stress.
So we now try to do the deed at least every two days throughout the month to give us the best chance. I really feel like we are doing everything we can.
This month spotting has been slightly different. It came on cd20 so about 7 days before AF due. It was also like a light period that lasted a couple of hours, rather than just the dark brown cm (tmi) that I normally get. Praying this is a sign 🙏🏼 but won't know till AF due next week.
Does anyone else spot between cycles and have you found any answers as to why and if this affects things? All of my friends are having babies or pregnant at the moment and though I am so so happy for them, it seems like there are babies wherever I turn and it's really getting me down.
 
Hi Hfk - do you normally spot between cycles or right before AF? I've been spotting for between 4 and 7 days before each period for years. Usually it's a sign of low progesterone and can affect your ability to get pregnant. I've had the 21 day blood test which showed good progesterone levels so in theory don't know why I spot but another lady on here who also spots before AF says that a good 21 day blood test isn't necessarily a sign that all is ok with progesterone. She was put on progesterone supplements or cream or something like that which stopped the spotting and is now pregnant. I have never been pregnant but I'm also much older. I'm trying to get it under control with reflexology, the last two months it's been down to 4 days but this month back up to 6 days, so frustrating.

Best of luck!
 
I get it too, have noticed it since TTC but probably had it before that. Mine is due to PCOS (which causes hormones to go crazy) and, as Syd says, is usually due to low progesterone.

It was Unicorn on here who had it and was put on progesterone suppositories which worked for her. Chromium generally stops mine but I think you can only take that if you have PCOS. I was on clomid for a couple of months which also stopped it (think both clomid and chromium are phyto-oestrogen blockers). I'm on loads of supplements already but going to try soy isoflavones and see if they help with ovulation... I don't think I ovulated at all this month! Xx
 
Thanks ladies. It's only ever right before AF, usually around 3 days. This time it is much earlier, unless I have a shorter cycle this month.. I'm hoping the gyno will be able to give me something to help, because I also read it shortens the leutal phase which can be an issue. This faint pain on the left side is also bothering me though. I've had it for months now.
I know 8 months TTC isn't a long time in the grand scheme of things (though it feels like forever!) but I'd rather try and find answers sooner rather than later. And I just have a 'feeling' something isn't right. I'll ask about progesterone supplements when I go. Never thought about reflexology - have you read that this helps? I hope I'm ovulating, I've given up on OPKs and trying to interpret them. What are soy isoflavones? Is this a natural supplement of from the docs?
 
Hi, yes, I had spotting every cycle for about a week before af but 21 day blood tests were fine. Our consultant put me on cyclogest and the spotting stopped and we conceived the second month of using it. It's horrible stuff but I'm sure it helped and I am now only just weaning off it to stop completely at 14 weeks. Good luck xx
 
Hi Unicorn, hope you're feeling well and all is going well. Cyclogest is horrible in what way?
 
Thanks Unicorn and congratulations! That's reassuring to know. I will certainly mention it at my next appt. Did they prescribe it straight away or did you have to try other things first?
 
I had to push for it, even though we were private so had to pay for it ourselves and it's nearly £40 for a months worth! Our consultant claimed that there was no scientific reserach to suggest that it helps outside of IVF cycles, but I think after trying for so long and having so many difficulties he was happy to just let us try anything we thought may help, and I'm sure it did! Once we were then pregnant the EPU prescibed it on the NHS to continue up to 13 weeks (well 14 including the weaning off period).
I'm ok thank you Syd, sick as a dog and finding it difficult to actually connect with the fact that I am pregnant, but I can't complain :) Cyclogest is a vaginal gel which turns into a kind of shredded tissue substance when wet to stick to the inside of your vagina. So it's really drying, you feel completely bunged up with it and hubby won't come anywhere near me without a condom as he says he doesn't want to grow boobs lol I think we must be the only pregnant married couple to be using condoms! xx
 
Thanks ladies. It's only ever right before AF, usually around 3 days. This time it is much earlier, unless I have a shorter cycle this month.. I'm hoping the gyno will be able to give me something to help, because I also read it shortens the leutal phase which can be an issue. This faint pain on the left side is also bothering me though. I've had it for months now.
I know 8 months TTC isn't a long time in the grand scheme of things (though it feels like forever!) but I'd rather try and find answers sooner rather than later. And I just have a 'feeling' something isn't right. I'll ask about progesterone supplements when I go. Never thought about reflexology - have you read that this helps? I hope I'm ovulating, I've given up on OPKs and trying to interpret them. What are soy isoflavones? Is this a natural supplement of from the docs?

I always say go with your gut. I was shrugged off for years and told everything was fine but I knew it wasn't and finally got a diagnosis 7 months ago.

I read reflexology helps and had acupuncture during my IVF cycle. That did help relax me but it was too expensive to have it all the time.

You can get soy isoflavones from somewhere like Holland and Barrett or online. They are natural. It might be that you have an ovulatory issue causing it and these should resolve anything like that. You take it how you would take clomid (on days 2-5), you just have to be careful with it if you are already ovulating. Xx
 
Thanks Phoenix girl - I think you are right. Well I have just been woken by the most horrific period pains and AF has decided to make an appearance. So must have just been a short cycle this month. Convinced the heavy spotting on cd20 won't have helped matters. My feeling is either low progesterone or endometriosis. I guess I could try OPKs again to check I am oving but it's so hard to catch the surge and determine the lines. Might try the digitals... Roll on gyno appt in 5 weeks. Can't see me getting pg before then. It's so frustrating when you feel you have tried so hard each month but nature has already decided the outcome before you even start. Glad I've started to look into this early. We have a good rated private fertility clinic near where I live and I will consider going there if I don't get answers from the hospital. Thanks for all your advice ladies xx
 
I don't want to worry you but you do sound like me (the spotting, the short cycles, the most horrific period pains). Are your periods heavy too? Do you get much cervical mucus?

The reason I ask is that on unmedicated cycles, I get heavy periods and next to no cervical mucus. X
 

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