Help! Implantation bleeding or period?

hailstorm808 · June 2015

So these last few days I have been bleeding/spotting on and off and I still have just under a week until my predicted period! The blood is brown and clumpy and it has also been a little red sometimes too. It started out as spotting and now is a little heavier but not that bad. Most of the time when I wipe it's clean and there's no blood. The heavy bleeding started right when my husband and I started to get intimate and has been on and off ever since. I have been off the pill since February of this year and my husband and I have been trying to have a baby since and haven't had much luck. My period when I was on the pill was very normal (I've been on it since i was in 4th grade due to hormonal issues) now that I'm off my period has been coming about 2 weeks later than it normally would so I'm thinking I may have a longer cycle naturally. My periods now start as 2 days of spotting and then i get my full blown period for 3-5 days and because of this i don't really know whether or not my period technically starts the days that i start spotting or when i full on start bleeding.... With my last period I started spotting 5/11 and full out bleeding 5/13 and it ended 5/16 with more spotting making my fertile days supposidly 6/2-6/7 and i had spotting 6/4 and 6/5. On 6/13 I started spotting and I started bleeding a little more and more yesterday 6/14 and today.... I don't know if I'm bleeding because of implantation or if it's because of me just being wrong about my cycle.

Symptoms i have been having are bloating, cramps, body aches, my boobs have been killing me and I'm always tired.

I took a pregnancy test today and it was unclear. It was a blue ink test and I guess that they're likely to have false positives and with it being so soon after the bleeding started but i don't know if i should test again yet.

I also track my cycle through the Ovia App but I dont know how accurate it is due to my cycle being a little off.

firebaby688 · June 2015

If it's heavy enough for a pad or tampon, it's a period.

Also don't look for implantation bleeding, as it only can be confirmed in hindsight and doesn't happen to everyone.

PugsandKisses · June 2015

There is no way for any of us to know what is the cause of the blood from your vagina.

And your periods were clock work on your HBC because that is what HBC does.

Start charting via thermometer, read TCOYF and use Fertilty Friend. That will show your where you are in your cycle and they are very accurate, no matter how your cycle will change. Because it does change, at least the time from your period to ovulation, but not the time after your ovulation to your period. That time is pretty steady.

matteosmom2012 · June 2015

with my last pregnancy I had implantation bleeding which I believed to be my period. I used a tampon before bed was mostly dry when I woke up, and there was no more blood. I don't think implantation bleeding would last that long. Also in my experience my period symptoms have been greatly intensified after coming off of bcps

WitandWhimsy · June 2015

Period tracking apps are useless and only guess when you are fertile or when to expect your next period. OP, charting/temping is the way to go. It is the only way to confirm ovulation.

As PP said, implantation bleeding is pretty rare. It sounds like you just got your period and sometimes the consistency with them changes. Some months are heavier, some months are lighter.

WitandWhimsy · June 2015

matteosmom2012 said:
with my last pregnancy I had implantation bleeding which I believed to be my period. I used a tampon before bed was mostly dry when I woke up, and there was no more blood. I don't think implantation bleeding would last that long. Also in my experience my period symptoms have been greatly intensified after coming off of bcps

Well of course they did. BCP are known to help PMS symptoms and the like.

Don't encourage symptom spotting - your experience has no bearing on hers.

Mel90412 · June 2015

matteosmom2012 · June 2015

keeira said:

with my last pregnancy I had implantation bleeding which I believed to be my period. I used a tampon before bed was mostly dry when I woke up, and there was no more blood. I don't think implantation bleeding would last that long. Also in my experience my period symptoms have been greatly intensified after coming off of bcps
Well of course they did. BCP are known to help PMS symptoms and the like. Don't encourage symptom spotting - your experience has no bearing on hers.

im not encouraging it which is why I explained implantation lasts hours not days.

ljwisniew · June 2015

I want to piggy back on this and please feel free to throw tomatoes at me if I'm symptom spotting.

I'm not sure if I am spotting or if its AF. From what I read spotting is pink or brown and light- menstration is heavy, bright red and you need a pad/tampon.

Yesterday I was spotting, but today the flow is heavier but I still don't need a tampon, a liner would suffice but its still not that necessary. However when I wipe, the blood is bright red/brown and there's a considerable amount. I started charting mid cycle so I'm not sure if it would help. From the little I charted and from symptom spotting I thought I O'd June 9th and therefore AF wasn't due till Sunday-Monday next week. Anyway, from what I describe above, what would you guys put down on FF? spotting or AF?

https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/5bb1b8

ljwisniew · June 2015

PocketFullofShells said:
I am glad to see that you are charting - bonus points from me. However, I don't think you have enough data to determine ovulation. In terms of what you're experiencing, it sounds like a period to me. Your period can change at any time for any reason. I think you may have to wait another day or two. But keep temping! ETA: if you think you could be pregnant, just take a test. You don't need us to tell you that. Then test once a week until you get a BFP or go 60 days without your period (in which case, go see your doctor)

Already tested and it was a BFN but if it were IB it wouldn't show up as a positive yet anyway. If I weren't trying- I'd have assumed it was my period as well. But again- I have no idea where I am in my cycle since I started midway.

Regardless, I want an accurate chart for my 2nd one so I want to make sure I get day 1 down correctly! For now I'm putting it down as AF. Thanks!

bsckgb7 · June 2015

ljwisniew said:

I want to piggy back on this and please feel free to throw tomatoes at me if I'm symptom spotting.

I'm not sure if I am spotting or if its AF. From what I read spotting is pink or brown and light- menstration is heavy, bright red and you need a pad/tampon.

Yesterday I was spotting, but today the flow is heavier but I still don't need a tampon, a liner would suffice but its still not that necessary. However when I wipe, the blood is bright red/brown and there's a considerable amount. I started charting mid cycle so I'm not sure if it would help. From the little I charted and from symptom spotting I thought I O'd June 9th and therefore AF wasn't due till Sunday-Monday next week. Anyway, from what I describe above, what would you guys put down on FF? spotting or AF?

https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/5bb1b8

Props for the chart!! Why do you think you O'd on June 9th? There is a temperature shift, sorda. But we don't know what the temps were "before" O. You have to have 3 days of elevated temps to confirm ovulation. I say list as AF. You can always go back and change if you get signs otherwise (that it was random spotting).

ljwisniew · June 2015

kgbbsc7 said:
Props for the chart!! Why do you think you O'd on June 9th? There is a temperature shift, sorda. But we don't know what the temps were "before" O. You have to have 3 days of elevated temps to confirm ovulation. I say list as AF. You can always go back and change if you get signs otherwise (that it was random spotting).

I assumed June 9th, from the slight temp shift, CM and a little symptom spotting (major cramping, mood swings etc). And the last 2 months my cycle was longish (close to 35). But again- complete guesses as this was my first cycle charting and with incomplete information.

Anyway, I confirmed AF today in the shower. So my next question is- do I count Monday (spotting) as day 1 or today as day 1?

bsckgb7 · June 2015

You mark light for today and spotting for Monday. FF will automatically set the dates for you.

PrimRoseMama · June 2015

usmcmilso said:
So these last few days I have been bleeding/spotting on and off and I still have just under a week until my predicted period! The blood is brown and clumpy and it has also been a little red sometimes too. It started out as spotting and now is a little heavier but not that bad. Most of the time when I wipe it's clean and there's no blood. The heavy bleeding started right when my husband and I started to get intimate and has been on and off ever since. I have been off the pill since February of this year and my husband and I have been trying to have a baby since and haven't had much luck. My period when I was on the pill was very normal (I've been on it since i was in 4th grade due to hormonal issues) now that I'm off my period has been coming about 2 weeks later than it normally would so I'm thinking I may have a longer cycle naturally. My periods now start as 2 days of spotting and then i get my full blown period for 3-5 days and because of this i don't really know whether or not my period technically starts the days that i start spotting or when i full on start bleeding.... With my last period I started spotting 5/11 and full out bleeding 5/13 and it ended 5/16 with more spotting making my fertile days supposidly 6/2-6/7 and i had spotting 6/4 and 6/5. On 6/13 I started spotting and I started bleeding a little more and more yesterday 6/14 and today.... I don't know if I'm bleeding because of implantation or if it's because of me just being wrong about my cycle.

Symptoms i have been having are bloating, cramps, body aches, my boobs have been killing me and I'm always tired.
I took a pregnancy test today and it was unclear. It was a blue ink test and I guess that they're likely to have false positives and with it being so soon after the bleeding started but i don't know if i should test again yet.
I also track my cycle through the Ovia App but I dont know how accurate it is due to my cycle being a little off.

I vote period.

If you don't need a pad by the weekend then take a pink dye. If you can't decipher those results then get a digital.

ljwisniew · June 2015

@kgbbsc7 and @pocketfullofshells

follow up question. I need to add- I got a

on a CB digital opk on Friday June 5. So now that AF has started (CD2 today) this is how I would interpret my chart- i either got a pos opk reading AFTER my ovulation day (pregnancy??) OR I have a short LP. So... either I had a chemical pregnancy OR I may have fertility issues that I need to watch out for the following cycles? Are there any other explanations to my chart and the positive opk test?

link to chart with +opk reading.

ljwisniew · June 2015

trying again

url=https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/5bb1b8]My Ovulation Chart[/url]

ljwisniew · June 2015

https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/5bb1b8

bsckgb7 · June 2015

ljwisniew said:

@kgbbsc7 and @pocketfullofshells

follow up question. I need to add- I got a on a CB digital opk on Friday June 5. So now that AF has started (CD2 today) this is how I would interpret my chart- i either got a pos opk reading AFTER my ovulation day (pregnancy??) OR I have a short LP. So... either I had a chemical pregnancy OR I may have fertility issues that I need to watch out for the following cycles? Are there any other explanations to my chart and the positive opk test?

link to chart with +opk reading.

Couple of things. It's possible to have multiple LH surges in one cycle (and not ovulate). However, let's assume you did ovulate, that's a 9 day LP. Based on my understanding, it could possibly be a little on the short side. However, I think there are mixed reviews on whether that really causes issues with getting pregnant (or sustaining). A LP defect would have to be diagnosed via a biopsy. Have you had any monitoring done with an RE yet? Some of the meds RE RX for fertility can help lengthen a LP if there is an issue. But with 9 days, I wouldn't immediately default to a "LP defect"

@TheBorg7of9 - did I get all that correct?

bsckgb7 · June 2015

And your link had an extra word in it (it was including the "MY" of my ovulation chart from the first link)

https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/5bb1b8

TheBorg7of9 · June 2015

kgbbsc7 said:

ljwisniew said:

@kgbbsc7 and @pocketfullofshells

follow up question. I need to add- I got a on a CB digital opk on Friday June 5. So now that AF has started (CD2 today) this is how I would interpret my chart- i either got a pos opk reading AFTER my ovulation day (pregnancy??) OR I have a short LP. So... either I had a chemical pregnancy OR I may have fertility issues that I need to watch out for the following cycles? Are there any other explanations to my chart and the positive opk test?

link to chart with +opk reading.

Couple of things. It's possible to have multiple LH surges in one cycle (and not ovulate). However, let's assume you did ovulate, that's a 9 day LP. Based on my understanding, it could possibly be a little on the short side. However, I think there are mixed reviews on whether that really causes issues with getting pregnant (or sustaining). A LP defect would have to be diagnosed via a biopsy. Have you had any monitoring done with an RE yet? Some of the meds RE RX for fertility can help lengthen a LP if there is an issue. But with 9 days, I wouldn't immediately default to a "LP defect"

@TheBorg7of9 - did I get all that correct?

I do agree

TheBorg7of9 · June 2015

ljwisniew said:
@kgbbsc7 and @pocketfullofshells

follow up question. I need to add- I got a

on a CB digital opk on Friday June 5. So now that AF has started (CD2 today) this is how I would interpret my chart- i either got a pos opk reading AFTER my ovulation day (pregnancy??) OR I have a short LP. So... either I had a chemical pregnancy OR I may have fertility issues that I need to watch out for the following cycles? Are there any other explanations to my chart and the positive opk test?

link to chart with +opk reading.

I coundnt get the link to work, but opks won't show positive for pregnancy until AFTER an hpt. So not until after at least 12 dpo or so. So, no I don't think you were pregnant. Also, a 9-10 day LP is ok.

bsckgb7 · June 2015

TheBorg7of9 use the link I posted - her link was broken

ljwisniew · June 2015

thank you all. i was under the impressed i needed to be at least 12 days. cool beans- all is good in the hood again.

[Deleted User] · June 2015

Suggestion to start testing OPK several days before you suspect you might ovulate (I start as early as CD10) and then keep testing, even after you get a positive until you get solid crosshairs on FF. Like PP said, you could get an LH surge without actually ovulating.

ljwisniew · June 2015

And no RE monitoring done- first cycle and first chart so I really have no reason to go yet.

TheBorg7of9 · June 2015

kgbbsc7 said:
TheBorg7of9 use the link I posted - her link was broken

Got it.
I thought she was saying she had a pos opk after ovulation, but I see now.
No, your pos opk on CD 18 does not mean you were pregnant.

Also, if you've just gotten off the pill, your LP might be short at first.

ljwisniew · June 2015

@theborg7of9

TheBorg7of9 said:

TheBorg7of9 use the link I posted - her link was broken
Got it. I thought she was saying she had a pos opk after ovulation, but I see now. No, your pos opk on CD 18 does not mean you were pregnant. Also, if you've just gotten off the pill, your LP might be short at first.

I have no idea when I ovulated (only stated bbt mid cycle) so I had 2 theories. but I guess there's a third- i didn't ovulate at all. been off BCP for since July 2014 so I hope my cycle has regulated since then.... eek.

TheBorg7of9 · June 2015

ljwisniew said:

@theborg7of9

TheBorg7of9 said:

TheBorg7of9 use the link I posted - her link was broken
Got it. I thought she was saying she had a pos opk after ovulation, but I see now. No, your pos opk on CD 18 does not mean you were pregnant. Also, if you've just gotten off the pill, your LP might be short at first.

I have no idea when I ovulated (only stated bbt mid cycle) so I had 2 theories. but I guess there's a third- i didn't ovulate at all. been off BCP for since July 2014 so I hope my cycle has regulated since then.... eek.

Ah, I see.

Well, my LP has always been on the short side. I got pregnant with my second after 3 cycles with short LPs (8 days, 6, days and 7 days).

Also, I have heard that it might not really be a problem to have an LP of 9-10 days. I believe it says so in the Impatient Women's Guide to getting pregnant.

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Help! Implantation bleeding or period?

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