mid-cycle spotting

[sunwillshine]

hey all. Just wanted to pick your brains a bit and see if anyone else has experienced mid-cycle spotting before?

I am CD11 (w/ expected O on CD16 or 17) and had a significant amount of brown/red-brown spotting today. This has NEVER happened before.

Was wondering your experiences, and ideas for causes? Is this a reason to be concerned about something??

[Monkey Keeper]

Hey Lyndzies...

I started to have mid-cycle spotting after DD2 was born. I got my cycles back this time last year, and nearly every one of them I've spotted for a few to several days b/t AF and O. Sometimes it's a little bit of brown, sometimes it's like light flow for a brief period of time. I have no idea what causes it, and it drives me nuts. Plus I too worry that it's somehow impacting my fertility.

So no information but lots of commiseration!

[whiddle]

I had a similar question in that I was expected to O on Friday (CD 17) and have spotting today. I haven't taken temps so I have no idea.

[MaerynPearl]

Were you the one with odd spotting at the end of last cycle too?

[Jules09]

I've also been having mid-cycle spotting since my son was born in April:

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/279b0b

I'm on my fifth cycle of TTC, and I too have been worried that the spotting might be impacting my fertility. I called my OB, and he said that he doesn't think it's anything to worry about, but that I should come in and talk to him if I'm still not pregnant in 3 months. He said that he thinks it's just that my uterus isn't as efficient in expelling the blood as I would like it to be.

[Wildecat]

Originally Posted by Lyndzies

hey all. Just wanted to pick your brains a bit and see if anyone else has experienced mid-cycle spotting before?

I am CD11 (w/ expected O on CD16 or 17) and had a significant amount of brown/red-brown spotting today. This has NEVER happened before.

Was wondering your experiences, and ideas for causes? Is this a reason to be concerned about something??

I had implantation spotting right around the time I was supposed to ovulate when I got pregnant with DD. I remember reading that spotting can be from ovulation too.

[TheDivineMrsM]

I have spotting a week or so before AF. Is it possible that this cycle is just a little wacky?

[sunwillshine]

Thanks for all the thoughts/weigh-ins, everyone. I always know I can count on you for info. and sharing of experiences!!!!

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

Were you the one with odd spotting at the end of last cycle too?

Yeah, that was me. I spotted the day before AF came (AND she came a day early), and now this. It's pretty much gone, but there was still a little brown mixed in w/ what I can only assume is the beginning of EWCM, because it stretched.

Originally Posted by Wildecat

I had implantation spotting right around the time I was supposed to ovulate when I got pregnant with DD. I remember reading that spotting can be from ovulation too.

Hmmmm..... interesting. I'm not due to O for a few days though, so I'd be surprised if it's O spotting.

Originally Posted by TheDivineMrsM

I have spotting a week or so before AF. Is it possible that this cycle is just a little wacky?

I guess it's always possible that a cycle can be whacky! I'm used to really consistent cycles, which was the only reason I was ruminating about this oddness.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by Lyndzies

Yeah, that was me. I spotted the day before AF came (AND she came a day early), and now this. It's pretty much gone, but there was still a little brown mixed in w/ what I can only assume is the beginning of EWCM, because it stretched.

hmmm... are you actively seeing anyone for your fertility (doctor/midwife/whatever) because a sudden onset of spotting when you do not have a history of such may be reason to run a few tests (nothing serious, the usual hormone stuff which can easily be fixed) I would honestly not be concerned but it is cause for noting, especially when as actively TTC as you are. It very very well could be nothing but something changing randomly like that when putting effort into TTC... I would certainly bring it up with my doctor.

Ovulation bleeding usually does not happen until the day of/after ovulation since it is (believed to be) caused by the egg rupturing from the follicle... and you would not be getting EWCM after the bleeding happens since that is supposed to end before ovulation itself happens.

You did rule out irritation to your cervix (from checking it) right?

[sunwillshine]

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

hmmm... are you actively seeing anyone for your fertility (doctor/midwife/whatever) because a sudden onset of spotting when you do not have a history of such may be reason to run a few tests (nothing serious, the usual hormone stuff which can easily be fixed) I would honestly not be concerned but it is cause for noting, especially when as actively TTC as you are. It very very well could be nothing but something changing randomly like that when putting effort into TTC... I would certainly bring it up with my doctor.

Ovulation bleeding usually does not happen until the day of/after ovulation since it is (believed to be) caused by the egg rupturing from the follicle... and you would not be getting EWCM after the bleeding happens since that is supposed to end before ovulation itself happens.

You did rule out irritation to your cervix (from checking it) right?

I have an OBGYN who I see for my annual, and who saw me when I had the bleeding/chemical pg... but she seems pretty clueless about fertility stuff in general (i.e., I feel more informed than her). I wanted to avoid going to an RE if at all possible, but I guess there are other OBs out there who are more knowledgeable about fertility, etc. Believe me, I thought the same (that it could be something hormonal, namely a drop in estrogen for whatever reason) since this has never happened to me before.

Ruled out cervix irritation because I hadn't really been checking all that often. I discovered the spotting when I wiped after a BM (sorry if TMI).

The only other thing I'm wondering is if it could just be "leftovers" from my last period... I am using a cup instead of tampons these days, and I just wonder if there was some left in there that the cervix expelled when I used the bathroom? A long shot, since I didn't notice any before CD11, but who knows....

I guess I just should keep an eye on this cycle and make an apt. if it continued.

Definitely know what you mean about wanting to get anything that raises a red flag checked out since we're TTC so actively.

To be honest, a very selfish, irrational side of me wants to be medicating my cycles to increase our chances, because I'm just so tired of waiting/trying. But I know that's totally illogical and stupid and likely unecessary. And expensive.

[MaerynPearl]

Well... a bm (if particularly hard to pass) could theoretically cause that same cervical irritation from squishing the poor thing inside of you (ewww to think about, right?) and from the straining to pass it.

Also, I go to a general practitioner who seems to know more about womens bodies than the damn OB/GYN I went to with my first pregnancy. I dont know how some of these people make it into practice when they dont even know the details about the system they are working with.

If it makes you feel better, I do root for you more than most of the other ladies that aren't (or should I say weren't) in the BSL thread (I have a bit more of an emotional attachment to them as too many have been around as long as I have) and I am sort of amazed I remember your details so well cycle to cycle. Sad too. I wish I didn't get to know any of you that well. Except in the way that I know Lauren31... she still hangs around though her little one will be showing up in just a couple months. I really wish prayer could work over the internet the way it seems to in person (okay blah blah blah yeah I believe in the power of faith, after watching my mom recover from lung cancer with a 13% chance of survival and now she is going strong... its hard for me not to believe)

[sunwillshine]

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

Also, I go to a general practitioner who seems to know more about womens bodies than the damn OB/GYN I went to with my first pregnancy. I dont know how some of these people make it into practice when they dont even know the details about the system they are working with.

It is DEFINITELY crazy that an OB doesn't know more about fertility than those of us on MDC. It makes me crazy.

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

If it makes you feel better, I do root for you more than most of the other ladies that aren't (or should I say weren't) in the BSL thread (I have a bit more of an emotional attachment to them as too many have been around as long as I have) and I am sort of amazed I remember your details so well cycle to cycle.

It doesn't make me feel better about this situation in particular, but makes me feel good all over in general. Thanks, Mae. You single-handedly lifted my TTC spirits a bit today.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by Lyndzies

It is DEFINITELY crazy that an OB doesn't know more about fertility than those of us on MDC. It makes me crazy.



It doesn't make me feel better about this situation in particular, but makes me feel good all over in general. Thanks, Mae. You single-handedly lifted my TTC spirits a bit today.

lol I didnt mean for the situation, I do hope my reassurance that it is probably nothing (since it is not a large amount of bright red blood but a small amount of red/brown its not a huge danger sign of anything) helped with the situation... just wanted to lift your spirits with the other half. Glad it worked