Spotting days before my cycle start

[Katkan]

Hi all, I am new to this group and want to ask a question. I have always had spotting before my cycle. Sometimes it starts on day 15, sometimes after and spot all the way until day 1 of next cycle. None of the doctors pay much attention to it, but I think it is the main reason I can not get pregnant. I have 1 chemical, 2 unsuccessful IUIs and 1 unsuccessful IVF transfer of a good embrio. I also have endometriosis and had excision surgery in Nov, 2021. Does anyone have spotting for so long before the cycle and what was done about it?

[Dashound1]

:/ I'm so unsure now after taking the clear blue I prefair pink tests

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[Pollywho]

Hi Katkan, sorry to hear about your loss and difficult treatments. Did you spot that early during your ivf treatment too?

I don't have any answers but thought I would tell you my story. I pretty much always start spotting at 7/8 DPO then my period will start properly 3 to 5 days later. I have endometriosis too.

I've had one egg collection with an unsuccessful fresh transfer. And waiting to start a frozen transfer, but I've been spotting for over a week and no period - so frustrating!

My clinic hasn't pain much attention to the early spotting either. I figured this was because they automatically gave me progesterone.

Have you spoken to endo specialist about the spotting? I wonder if they would have a better idea of what could be causing it.

X

[Katkan in reply to Pollywho]

Hi Pollywho, sorry to hear about your situation and thank you for your reply. I only had one FET and I did not have spotting then likely because I was receiving progesteron injections. I asked the endo specialist when he did the excision surgery about the spotting and we weren't sure at the time if it will be resolved after the surgery, but it was not.

[sj482]

hey, I have been having treatment for several years and I started spotting a week before my period was due. I was doing ivf to remove a genetic condition which I have - 3 egg collections, 3 transfers, 1 failed, 1 chemical and currently 18 weeks with the third.

Good luck!!

[Katkan in reply to sj482]

Hi sj482, this sounds great, congrats! And thank you for your reply, I am hoping for good results too next time.

[Riri88]

Hi Katkan,

Sounds pretty similar to what I always had when we were trying naturally. Would start spotting 5 days after ovulation all the way up to my period which then still lasted for a week. No doctor has paid much attention to it at all. Even in the time where I had 2 chemicals and 2 ectopics they ignored this every time which to this day still frustrates me. After doing lots of research online I am still wondering if I have a progesteron issue. Which is what is needed to keep your lining from shedding early. Because the moment we started IVF and I was on progesteron all the spotting stopped immediately. And some research suggest lack of progesteron could impact how the fallopian tubes work (the little hairs inside to move an egg along) and perhaps the lack of this caused my ectopic pregnancies. Especially as prior I had the tubes checked and no obstructions were found. But again this is my own opinion and not backed up by a doctor. Due to IVF being controlled through meds and that solving the issue they didn’t look further into it.

I hope this helps, perhaps you could ask about the dose of progesteron in IVF? Did you have the spotting then as well? Did they do blood tests to check your progesteron levels? Maybe a few things to ask!

Sorry for what you have been through so far.

[Katkan in reply to Riri88]

Hi Riri88, thanks a lot for your reply and great news for the little girl! Yes, seems very similar. I did not have spotting during the IVF, so might as well be connected to progesteron, which are also my thoughts, but when they measured, they said progesteron was OK. So not sure if this is the problem.

[Ganges]

Hi I had started spotting when I ovulate. I can have blood in the mucus etc, I have endo too. Consultants aren’t worried and I guess ivf is all controlled by bloods anyway. My acupuncturist said at least it’s at a time in the cycle when things are happening, releasing an egg etc. I don’t remember having it before ivf, I’ll be having my 6th transfer in a few months. I’m not sure the significance, but nice to know it’s not just me! Good luck x

[Katkan in reply to Ganges]

Hi Ganges, thank you for your response and good luck to you too!

[Skittles11]

Hiya, yes I have experienced similar. I spot often about a week before my period, sometimes earlier and sometimes later. I have spoken to many doctors about this, including 2 fertility clinics and 2 gynaecologists outside of fertility clinics. None of them have been remotely interested which is frustrating because, like you, I felt it was relevant to my fertility issues. In an IVF cycle because the cycle is controlled/ monitored I don't think it matters too much. I don't have too much insight to be honest as I have pretty much had to accept after four professional opinions that it is not something to worry about, or rather nothing that they will / can address. Like a previous poster, I wonder if an endo specialist could help further. I totally appreciate your concerns xx

[Katkan in reply to Skittles11]

Hi Skittles11, thank you so much for your reply. Same, I asked so many of the doctors and none seems to acknowledge this, which I find very odd. My mom had 3-4 surgeries for polyps because of spotting and she always thinks this is my issue. But I have been checked for that and no. I guess the progesterone is the most likely clue. The endo specialist was not sure either.

[SANDTIUI]

My wife experienced this and was never able to get successfully pregnant. We put it down to hormone imbalance and particularly progesterone. X

[Katkan in reply to SANDTIUI]

Thank you for your reply, Sandtiui. And I am sorry for the situation with your wife, hope all of us get the luck in the near future.

[MrsOrangejuice]

Yes, I always spotted anywhere between 5-10 days before my period. For a while I thought I just had really long slow to get going periods. I went to so many doctors and private consultants over the years for this and a load of other gynae issues (including an endometriosis diagnosis) and they just shrugged it off. I got my day 21 progesterone checked a few times and it was always fine so I told "it's just the way your womb responds to your hormones". Then we were TTC for about 7 years and never had a positive and I always spotted early and new it was over. Then we did two rounds of IVF and had a chemical on each, and on one I spotted early. Thanks to some wonderful ladies on here and some research, I insisted on extra progesterone in the form of vaginal pessaries and lubion injections for my first FET and that took straight away. When I tapered off the progesterone I spotted and it terrified me so the consultants suggested staying on it throughout the pregnancy. I have a little girl from that and am pretty convinced this whole time my issue has been progesterone, but the doctors still shrug it off and say it's chance. Maybe also have a look at oestrogen dominance and progesterone resistance and how it may link to endometriosis, and see if it may be relevant to you. I think there's some research about how your blood levels can be ok but somehow your womb doesn't respond how it should and you may need really high doses or different forms of progesterone. Sorry for the ramble, it's just I think this is what finally worked for me.

[Katkan in reply to MrsOrangejuice]

Hi Mrs.Orangejuice, thank you so much for your response and advices. Yes, your experience corresponds to what I was thinking - that it could be low progesteron, eventhough they measure it within limits. This is great that it finally worked for you and you have your daughter.

[clarebearclarebear36 in reply to MrsOrangejuice]

your message is giving me hope. Thank you!

Our first fresh transfer has been unsuccessful and I started spotting from day 5 post transfer. I had a polyp removed last February and endo grade 1-2 was found and they managed to remove it although I know it is not curable. I’m convinced I have what you’re explaining with regards to hormone imbalance. They put me on lubion after I said I was spotting but has run out so I had to order from pharmacy. By the time I got some it was definitely too late.

I hope and pray if we go for a second round this embryo will stick with extra progesterone support. I’m so happy for you!

[Purpledoggy]

This happened to me for years and years. I suspect a specific contraceptive pill was the start of it. Sometimes I spotted my entire cycle, sometimes from just after ovulation. Always brushed off as hormonal and not significant. It used to be just brown spotting but shortly before IVF it got quite heavy (won’t go into detail but it def wasn’t my period starting a couple of days after ovulation). I am certain it was stopping my getting pregnant and I needed a high dose of progesterone during IVF, specifically injections and vaginal progesterone, to prevent early bleeding. I did have a successful IVF round and he’s now 11 months old 😊 I have done a vast amount on reading of original research papers and I am absolutely certain low progesterone as a cause for infertility is a much bigger problem than the fertility world seems to appreciate; it was only in the last year or so NICE guidelines were updated to include giving extra progesterone to recurrrent miscarriage cases. Ever since I got my periods back a few months ago the spotting seems to have stopped 🎉 so it seems to be reversible 🤷🏻‍♀️ All I can tell you is to push for high progesterone during your IVF rounds, including vaginal as well as injections. And try not to let the spotting get you down- I was bordering on depression because of it and it was a dark place to be. Xx

[Katkan in reply to Purpledoggy]

Thank you, Purpledoggy, your experience is giving me a lot of hope. Great news for your son!

[alockie]

I am so sorry you are going through this. Spotting might be the reason, and you need to discuss the issue with your doc, or even with a fertility specialist as there are some reasons of spotting and some of them might cause you cannot get pregnant. I recommend reading a helpful article to know what tests you might want to discuss with your doc: iyoni.app/the-whole-truth-a... All of the best of luck.

[Katkan in reply to alockie]

Thank you so much for your reply and the website, alockie!