[Mizelenius]

So, here's what's going on . . .
(1) I have been on Prometrium (200 mg) since 1 DPO.
(2) I'm spotting starting at 10 DPO (and continuing at 11 DPO) JUST LIKE I ALWAYS DO.
(3) My progesterone level at 7 DPO (with the meds) was 46.6 That seems plenty high.

WHY AM I SPOTTING?????????

Oh, yes, and my nurse is no help. She left the message with my mom . . .my mom asked if the prog. level was good- THE NURSE DIDN'T KNOW. My mom told her I was spotting. THE NURSE SAID THAT WAS GOOD until my mom told her it wasn't good. I can't leave a message with the doctor directly-- ugh. Sorry for yelling, but this is driving me crazy.

Please sorry for my double post on this. . .I'm desperate.

Oh, here's my chart: http://www2.fertilityfriend.com/home/26817

 

[gonnabeamom]

I would highly encourage you to get your butt into the Dr's office so that you can be reassurred. You should let him know that the conversations you had with the nurse were more stressful then helpful.

However,

1) spotting is common in healthy pregnancies-about 1/3 of healthy pregnancies have some spotting or bleeding.

2) many women on these boards have had spotting or even bleeding and gone on to have healthy pregnancies (naturegirl for example had bleeding and a history of m/c and I believe is due soon)

3) 46 is a great level. My Doctor said we like to have it above 20.

4) As Katy mentionned, you can have cervical bleeding becuase you are increasing your blood volume and you have all these blood vessels close to the surface.

5) It might even be implantation spotting.

6) you are doing everything you can, so just concentrate on taking good care of yourself.

I'll keep my fingers crossed

 

[Lousli]

Oh Elena, I'm so sorry.

Your progesterone sounds really high to me, so I agree that it is confusing (in fact, when I had my progesterone done at 14 DPO it was in the 40's). I hope that you can talk to someone at that office that can give you some good advice! Do you think you might be pregnant? Any signs or symptoms?

 

[Mizelenius]

Thank you so much for the responses, ladies!

I actually got a call from my doctor herself . . .she said that the spotting can be considered normal since my progesterone is so high (and it was quite low before the meds). She said the spotting may stop over the next cycles,too. I dunno. I guess I have to trust her . . .

Lesley, can you ask your parents if this makes sense? Thank you so much!

 

[Lousli]

Elena,
I'll try, but my folks have this thing about giving medical advice to people they don't know. That said, if I phrase it carefully enough, "This woman I met online is doing progesterone supplementation to lengthen her LP, can you explain that to me?" I'm likely to get an answer. If it sounds like curiousity, they'll answer me, but if it sounds like advice, they tell me to tell you to call your doctor.

So did your OB say that it had to do with fluctuating hormones or what exactly? It does seem weird that you are having the problem that the progesterone was supposed to be helping. Maybe if you post here and on FF to get advice from others with short LP's/progesterone supplementation, you might find out more.

I'll try to speak to my folks tonight. BTW, does the spotting mean that you are "out" this cycle?

 

[Mizelenius]

Thanks, Lesley! Oh, and I keep meaning to congratulate you on your u/s! How wonderful!

If your dad could determine whether spotting at 10 DPO is OK for fertility, that would give me peace . . .

I asked my doctor and on FF why I might be spotting . . .she doesn't know, but said "some women just do" (I never spotted with cycles pre-Fiona though and now I'm spotting before the 10th DPO is over) and nothing to worry about since my prog. is so high. I keep thinking maybe the prog. was only part of the problem, but my doctor won't do anything else until 6 cycles pass with prog. (And even then she'll just give me Clomid.)

One answer I got on FF said that maybe the prolactin levels from breastfeeding might be doing it. So, no one knows for sure.

Anyway, I'm seriously thinking about weaning. I might be one of those rare cases where any breastfeeding affects my fertility.

And yes, the spotting definitely means I'm out for this cycle.

 

[Lousli]

Oh, that stinks. I'm sorry to hear that about the possible prolactin connection. I wonder why you're having this progesterone problem now, when you didn't have it before Fiona. Did you chart before Fiona? Did your cycles change a lot in length? My OB, when I told him I was worried about my LP (because I had a weird cycle with a 9 day LP) told me that it would be an unusual cause of secondary infertility. But, you know, he's an OB, not an RE. Maybe a visit with an RE would be more helpful?

I don't even know if my dad would know the answers to your questions (he's a rheumatologist)and my mom is a midwife. My mom might be able to answer a little, but I know she doesn't usually treat infertility type problems. I will totally ask them both, of course.

Well, I'm sorry this wasn't your cycle, and you're having the spotting probelm again. Maybe we can hope that it will resolve itself in a couple cycles (or one!) and it will work out okay for you. Alright, I'm at work, so i better get back to it.

 

[Mizelenius]

Thanks so much, Lesley!

I wasn't charting before Fiona, but I didn't have spotting (and got PG on the first try) so everything was fine, I think.

Anyway, I just did a search on FF for ovulatory cycles for people who BF . . .SO many of those charts had a short luteal phase and/or premenstrual spotting. So, I do think there may be a connection.

Today was our first day of no nursing, and everything went well. (Tho napping happened in the late afternoon since I couldn't nurse her to sleep at the right time!) So, we shall see if this helps . . .it's sad and I'm still torn about it, but like my mom says, nursing was going to end eventually anyway. I'll just have to see how things go to decide if weaning is realistic.

Thanks so much for answering, Lesley! I hope you are feeling well!