some may know but for some reason last night i had some cramping and then at night some pinkish CM and spotting (like dot of tiny tiny pieces of blood skin).
i am in my mid cycle opk positive test on friday CD12 and i my ovulation days is usually CD13 so it was Saturday (i had pain as well).
i was so worried about the spotting last night but this what i found

When is Spotting Good or Bad
by Lori Ramsey

Many women experience spotting at some point during their cycle, be in after the major bleeding period, in the middle or days before their period is due. There are times when it’s perfectly normal to spot, and there are times when spotting is an indication of something wrong, be it minor or major.

First, let’s define “spotting”. Spotting is when a bit of blood is passed through the vagina. Normally it doesn’t reach the underwear, but rather is swiped with toilet paper after a bowel movement or urination. The blood can be pink-tinged mucus, rusty brown or bright red. Spotting can be a one-time occurrence, or it can last for several hours or even several days. Spotting does NOT define the first day of menstruation. The first day of menstruation should always be the first day of actual bleeding.

“Normal” Spotting

Normal spotting is what may occur at the very end of your bleeding days. A day or two of spotting after 3 to 5 days of “bleeding” is normal, and just the end of the bleeding period.

Spotting that occurs in the middle of your cycle or spotting that occurs some ten to fourteen days prior to the start of the next cycle is normal too. This spotting may occur during ovulation. Seeing a spot of blood during ovulation is considered an excellent fertility sign. It is thought that mid-cycle spotting occurs for one of two reasons. First reason is possibly that when the egg bursts through the follicle, a little bleeding may occur. This blood will then make its way out and show up as “spotting”. Or, during ovulation, the level of estrogens rise, and this sometimes prompts the uterus to shed a bit of lining, which shows up in the form of “spotting.”
Spotting that occurs about a week before the cycle is due – and only lasts for less than one day – is possibly considered implantation spotting. This happens as a result of the fertilized egg burrowing into the uterine lining. Or another reason for seeing implantation spotting may be due to a slight rise in estrogen and drop in progesterone before the corpus luteum takes over the production of progesterone. The corpus luteum takes over the production when the implanted fertilized egg signals the body that pregnancy has occurred and that the lining must be maintained. Keep in mind that spotting that continues for days is not implantation spotting.

“Abnormal” Spotting

Abnormal spotting shows up at times other than the above mentioned times. Abnormal spotting lasts for days. It’s abnormal to spot days before your menstrual cycle is due. The causes of abnormal spotting vary.

One common cause of spotting several days before the menstrual cycle is due is low progesterone. It’s the hormone progesterone that helps to maintain the uterine lining for pregnancy and when progesterone level drops, the menstrual cycle occurs. In women who are deficient in progesterone, they will see spotting several days to a week before their cycle is due. This can also cause minor infertility and early miscarriage.

Another reason spotting may occur could be uterine fibroids, which are fairly harmless, but need to be kept an eye on. Endometriosis, birth control pills are a few other reasons spotting may occur. The most harmful reasons for spotting are possible sexually transmitted diseases and some cancers.

It is advisable if you have re-occurring spotting each month to have your healthcare provider to exam you, just to rule out possible harmful reasons for it and to help you to deal with and/or cure the reasons behind the spotting.


so whatever it was i take has a good sign

I always spot for 2-4 days before AF and when I mentioned it to my gyno at my last yearly (since that was a new occurence since about August/September last year) and she said it was normal ...why don't doctor's know anything anymore!! It used to be for about 1/2 days now it's 2,3,4 (take your pick randomly each month) before AF officially starts each month . dammit.

all my tests and pap came back normal, no STD's or cervical cancer that I know of, oh lord now I'm worried!!!

well my last doctor told me spotting a week before AF is not normal it mean your hormones are acting up( if it happen every cycle so)so i am having a saliva test done next cycle to see about that ...and she ask me to temp to see if the temp are still up past ovulation for at least 10 days or best 12 days ...means your hormones are fine
nice to see you diva

you too hun! i still temp/chart and my temps do stay up until AF shows (my luteal phase also stays above 10 days, varies between 12,13,14) - my temps usually stay around 98.4 until usually the day before AF or the day of.

I am so glad you posted this, when i go for my yearly this year, I am going to push this on the doc and for testing, to make sure all is OK, and show her all my charts. I'm glad you found this info even though I am still worried lol

good luck for this month!!

thanks diva!! when are you back on full TTC?

Hi girls, I read about this a while ago and it has been in the back of my mind because i have been spotting days before AF - i remember in Jan before i started on here i spotted for up to a week before my AF, then I got PG in feb but had early M/C which started with spotting 3days before. Then last cycle i had spotting for 5 days before AF - now i'm worried about this cycle

i know i hate the spotting business ...for me when the spotting is here i know i am not pregnant ...it's one of my first sign of AF is one her way ...i am having a saliva test next cycle to see if my hormones are causing the early spotting at each cycle...

Oh F**K.

Why didn't my doctor explain this to me? I have had random bleeding on and off for ages. About a year ago I went back to the docs and he put me on progesterone, but he didn't explain why and being a dumbass I didn't think to ask. I was just happy to have a box of pills. I took them for about 3 months and then *forgot* one cycle and my periods were fine anyway, no random spots or bleeds. So I stopped taking them.

Last cycle was the first I have done *properly* with BBT, CP, CM etc and I discovered that I was spotting from three days before AF. I naively thought this might be implantation (I have quite short cycles, it was conceivable (sorry for the pun!). But I didn't know that implantation bleeds don't last more than one day. I also didn't get any spots in my undies - I wouldn't have know had I not been checking my CM, which was pink.

Now it all seems to fit together - I have probably been having these *inside thus invisible* spots all the time that I haven't been taking the progesterone and I also have failed big time with TTC for the last 9 months because I am a complete idiot.

I've been spotting for up to 6 days before AF since setember last year. I told my GP and she said it was nothing to worry about . I had my bloods done and she said hormones were fine. I started to take evening primrose oil this cycle and I had no spotting yet fingers crossed. Lets see if I have normal cycles again, I'm fed up with the spotting because is usually, with the sore boobs, the first sign of coming

Just wanted to add - when I was pg with no.1 I had bleeding at 10 wks and spent a week in hospital trying not to lose her. They put me on progesterone then too.

I just want to curl up and cry now