Intro....and Postmenstrual Brown Bleeding Question

josie12367 · July 2015

Hello ladies! I'm not quite at my year mark of actively trying but I'm having a hard time finding ladies with my same issues, so I thought I would try here to find advice...I hope y'all don't mind!

We have an almost 5 year old daughter, and have been trying for a second since September of last year. I was tentatively diagnosed with PCOS with our daughter, and was finally placed on Metformin after 15 months of trying. It sparked an ovulatory cycle after two months, and we had our daughter in August 2010. I began seeing my doctor since the 6 month of trying mark due to us having issues in the past, and i'm so glad that I did. After a series of tests, she has determined that I do not have PCOS, and that it was a misdiagnosis, or it had resolved.(?) The only sign I have left of PCOS is the excess hair on my face, otherwise i'm not insulin resistant, no cysts to be seen, and I'm not overweight....so she didn't want to put me back on Metformin.

I had postmenstrual brown bleeding when trying for my first. I would have a cycle, and then about a week later or so brown spotting would start, and it would last for weeks....and sometimes months. I've been battling it again this time around as well. The longest episode was last cycle, and it lasted for 5 weeks. I was given Provera to induce a cycle which started June 3rd. I started having PMBB about a week after that cycle ended, and it is still going strong right now. I read the book TCOYF and it stated that it could be progesterone issues. We also have strong evidence to support that I am not ovulating, or if I am, it is sporadic. She is suggesting we start clomid after I get an HSG and DH gets a SA done....if they are normal of course. But i'm a little hesitant because i've read that PMBB could be from a uterine lining issue, or progesterone issue. She did do a progesterone draw on day 21 after the Provera....but is that one draw enough to show anything?

Has anyone else experienced PMBB, and what did they do for you? Do y'all have any advice for me as far as questions I should ask at my next appointment? I'm feeling so lost and frustrated....and alone with all my damn panty liners and no one else to talk to about this specific issue

Thanks in advance for any advice....

PS: I would love to start seeing an RE but the military won't refer you out till after 6 cycles of Clomid....which sucks...So right now I'm stuck with our OBGYN

ellebelle2384 · July 2015

No experience or advice here but that sucks about not being able to see a RE yet. Can your OB appeal and say it's medically necessary? GL!

josie12367 · July 2015

ellebelle2384 said:

No experience or advice here but that sucks about not being able to see a RE yet. Can your OB appeal and say it's medically necessary? GL!

I've decided to push the issue on Friday and stress that this constant brown yuck bleeding is my main concern. I really hope I can get the referral in now, so I can figure out what the heck is going on. I mean, there is no way that this much spotting (enough to soak a panty liner every few hours) is normal. I'll update after Friday's appointment....Thank you for the response!

Frenchteachermama · July 2015

I've never heard of this! I had something similar when my c-scar defect was really bad. Did you have a c-section with your first child?

Frenchteachermama · July 2015

Sorry my message posted before I was done. Mine was no where near as bad as that but I would have brown spotting before and after my period because the defect lets fluid collect in your ute.

josie12367 · July 2015

Frenchteachermama said:

Sorry my message posted before I was done. Mine was no where near as bad as that but I would have brown spotting before and after my period because the defect lets fluid collect in your ute.

Hi there! No, I didn't have a c-section. My uterus is anteverted, and my ultrasound stated that everything was normal, including my lining thickness. It measured at 6mm. The only research I've found pretty much states that it is most likely either lining issues, progesterone issues, or an infection. I don't think it's lining or infection issues as it is pretty much a constant thing that happens every single cycle. I'm thinking it's a progesterone thing....we'll see. I'll update on Friday after my appointment

Frenchteachermama · July 2015

They did a biopsy on me too to rule out infection. I also did notice that the spotting stopped when they had me on progesterone. Keep us posted on the appt on Friday!

1983Lindsey2 · July 2015

Welcome!! Anovulatory cycles/irregular periods and excess hair (Which is caused by excess androgens) are enough for a PCOS diagnosis. You do not need Polycystic ovaries as not everyone with PCOS has them. I really hope you can see a RE as OBGYNs just are not nearly as knowledgable as REs. If you do take clomid with your OB, make you get proper monitoring with her like CD3 u/s and at the very least a CD10 u/s. You will also want blood work to make sure that clomid caused a strong enough ovulation. I wish you good luck!!!

josie12367 · July 2015

Hello ladies, just an update after today's appointment. The spotting has finally weaned off....thank goodness! 56 days of it total this time around. Apparently I have almost no progesterone in my body. It was at 0.3 the last time it was drawn which was around day 21-23 after Provera induced period. She went ahead and ordered the SA for the hubby today, and his appointment is Thursday. I had to have an pregnancy test just to make sure drawn, and then i'll start Provera again to get things moving, and get the HSG scheduled.

She said that the brown bleeding was just my body's way of having a long drawn out period, and that as long as I have a cycle every 90 days or so, it doesn't pose any risk to my health. She also said that it's okay that we're not having sex every other day due to the bleeding, because it's a clear sign that I didn't ovulate, and we wouldn't get pregnant anyways with this cycle. The only way to "fix" the spotting issue is to be on a medication that suppresses ovulation (obviously we don't want that!). We also found out that my testosterone is actually LOW now....go figure. She did a full panel for it, so she's sure....though my beard and nice 'stash says otherwise

. I'm not sure how it could be low as it never has been before, but I guess our bodies change over time. So she cannot give me a diagnosis of PCOS, because I only have the aovulatory cycles, sweating issues, and acne.

I do have a severe Vitamin D deficiency as well, so she gave me a prescription for that. So I'll start Provera after she gives me the go-ahead, and I guess we'll go from there

Thank you ladies for the support and advice. I will continue to lurk and learn from you all since we're no where near the IUI/IVF stage yet. I wish you all the best in your journey!

Frenchteachermama · July 2015

WOW! That's a lot to process! Best of luck to you!

ellebelle2384 · August 2015

Wow, that's so much. Wishing you luck in your journey!

babysan25 · August 2015

HI! Thank you for sharing. I too have had that dark blood right before my period and it is so gross. Talk about a mood killer in the bedroom...UGH. I've never been diagnosed with POCS, but I have a fibroid. My husband is in the Navy and I've done 2 rounds of IVF and 4 rounds of Clomid-ALL BFN :-(

It sounds like your dark blood went away? Did you change anything in your diet?

Kindest regards!

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