Please help me. What could be causing all this spotting?

ShortStuff

Do you have any idea what is going on?

For years, my cycles were always like clockwork. 27-29 days. I would typically spot for a day or 2 before AF, bleed for 2 days and then spot for a few days.

A couple of months into TTC, I started spotting for 8-9 days prior to AF. After a few months of this, I went to the Dr thinking I had low progesterone. Had some blood work done, progesterone was almost normal, but prolactin was elevated. I had no symptoms of elevated prolactin, so I was confused. OB sent me to the endo. He re-did the blood test and it was normal. Spotting was now coming for 9-10 days prior to AF and in addition, my AF symptoms had gotten unbearable.

Fast forward to this cycle. After my 9 days of spotting, I only had real bleeding of AF for 1 day (normally have it for 2) and then spotted until CD 6. I had an HSG on CD 9 and then of course, I spotted from that until CD 12. I had very strong O on CD 14 with the strongest O pain I  have ever felt and the darkest OPK I have ever had. I was SO excited and feeling so positive.

But then it happened. I started spotting on CD 16!!! WTF! I'm now on CD 22 and still spotting. I am pretty sure that I will continue to spot right up until AF next weekend. I am so bummed. There's no way I can hold on to a bean if I can't even hold onto my uterine lining!

I'm so tired of all this spotting! I only had 4 days this month where I wasn't spotting.

BTW, my spotting is always a dark pink/light red. I sometimes even get very tiny red clots in it. I know, TMI for some of you, but necessary info.

Anyway, I can not for the life me of figure out what is causing this spotting. But I know it's not good. Do you have any ideas?
Thank you!

gscoville

Unfortunately I can relate to your situation with all of the spotting. I currently have cycles where I spot starting at 1DPO and I spot straight through until my period starts. I have my period for 5-6 days then spot a few more days, ultimately I might only have 4 or 5 days per cycle with no spotting. When we first started TTC a year and a half ago, my spotting used to start only a week before my period, now I get two weeks or more of spotting before my period (I tend to have a 15 or 16 day LP, so longer than average). I've had all of the testing, HSG and bloodwork, etc., progesterone is normal, nothing seems wrong that anyone can see, I just spot. Doctors say the only real treatment for unexplained spotting is putting me on birth control, obviously not something I can do while TTC.

For what it's worth, I did get a BFP on a cycle where I spotted for 10 days before my period was due.  That ended in ectopic pregnancy at 8 weeks, but that had nothing to do with my spotting, I was able to hold onto a pregnancy for 6 weeks, it just happened to be in the wrong place.  Spotting doesn't immediately rule you out from getting pregnant.

ShortStuff

@gscoville - Thank you so much for your response! I am SO sorry to hear of your loss. But I am also so happy to see that you are still thinking positively. Just knowing that I'm not alone helps tremendously. Usually when I am looking for info I just google and search message boards. But I'm at a complete loss on this one. I can't find any answers. And yes, knowing that you got a BFP on a month that you were spotting (even though it turned out to be ectopic) does give me hope. Hope for both of us.
And, no, BCP while TTC is clearly  not an option! lol

2ndGeneration

 Could you have a polyp or something like that?

MARISAV77

Did the doctor do an ultrasound on you? For 2 months I had some really irregular bleeding, period for 2-3 weeks at a time when I usually only lightly bleed for 3 days with a couple days of spotting following. Mentioned it to my primary doctor during my annual exam and had to go in for an US. They found a 4cm cyst in my R ovary and was told to come back in 2 months to see if it goes away or grows. The next month I bled for another 23 days and saw my RE for my first visit. I told her about the 4cm cyst finding and she did an US that day and she said the cyst was gone but my uterine lining was thicker than normal for just finishing my period. So I was on prometrium for 5 days to induce another period and shed the rest of my lining and was thankful I only bled for 4 days that time. That was in November and I've been back to my normal 3-4 days of period bleeding since then.

ShortStuff

@2ndGeneration & @Marisav77 - thanks for your replies!

I had an HSG (AKA a saline sonogram) on CD 9 of this cycle. They looked at my uterus, tubes and ovaries. Everything was perfect.

However, @Marisav77, I have had ovarian cysts in the past. They have always ruptured or gone away on their own. I thought I may have had one a while back, but it didn't bother me very long, so I didn't get it checked out. I've never heard of your uterine lining being thicker than normal. I kinda wonder if that's what's going on, but I'm sure they would have seen that on the HSG. They had it up on the screen during the exam and also took xrays before and after, so I'm sure they would have seen it. I would think that an nice thick lining would help to get PG. Give the embryo more place to burrow in, no?

I'm glad that you got everything straightened out! Hopefully they can figure out what is going on with me.

jb2rn

This sounds like me. Lots of spotting, starting at 3-4 DPO when we were TTC the first time. My Progesterone levels were fine. My RE and OB had no idea. I do have high FSH and low AMH, but I don't think it's related. 100mg of B6 did help. I don't spot anymore, actually. I don't know why. I will say spotting doesn't mean you are out. After I was told I would not likely conceive with my own eggs, I did get pregnant. That cycle I actually had heavier/clotty clotting at about 7dpo. Then brown spotting until I tested at 12 DPO because I had different feeling cramps.

jb2rn

By chance, have you had a CD3. FSH level or AMH level done? Just curious.

Mrsbabyhopes

Endo can cause spotting. After my lap, my spotting improved. But, I still needed progesterone suppositories (Endometrin) to stop the spotting.

snowcone22

Also look into immune disorders.

I am looking into this as well, I have had repeat miscarriages trying for baby 2. I also have spotting but at the time of ovulation. 

https://www.rialab.com/miscarriages_prevented.php