You’ve started spotting on day 10 of your cycle and you have no idea why. Ack!
It’s a week before your period and suddenly you find blood in your underwear. What?!
Your period was two weeks ago and it’s come again. Nooo!
Spotting or irregular bleeding (known as Abnormal Uterine Bleeding -AUB) causes a lot of distress for women because they feel this isn’t normal and they worry about what it means for the current state of their hormonal health and future fertility.
Plus, it can be downright inconvenient. As if your period isn’t bad enough on it’s own, you’re then saddled with a whole lot of extra hassle each month. This creates a ton of stress that just compounds the underlying problem.
Here are the most common irregular bleeding scenarios:
1. I spot during or around ovulation time.
2. I start spotting sometime after ovulation and it lasts until I get my period.
3. I spot anywhere from 1-7 days before my period.
4. I spot for a couple days after my period.
5. I basically bleed all the darn time!
Why are you spotting?
There are quite a few reasons you might be experiencing bleeding between your periods. You also have to keep in mind that sometimes it’s a totally normal occurrence—sometimes during pregnancy and ovulation spotting are two of those instances.
However, infection, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine polyps, fibroids, thyroid disease, anovulatory cycles (such as is the case with PCOS), and progesterone deficiency are not considered “normal” reasons for irregular bleeding.
Important note: For many of us, our periods begin with spotting. (Please note that spotting is not considered your period, and if you’re tracking your cycle, spotting should not be counted as the beginning of menstruation.)
Here are the main reasons for spotting between your periods:
1. Spotting after ovulation
In most cases, this is considered normal. In fact, this kind of spotting is a sign of fertility when it happens only at ovulation and you’re not spotting at other times in your cycle as well.
True ovulation spotting occurs only with ovulation, and usually lasts for around 1-3 days. It looks like fertile cervical fluid streaked with bright red, light red or pink. Estrogen rises significantly and then drops right before ovulation. This causes a mini estrogen-withdrawal and slight partial shedding of the uterine lining in some cases, because progesterone hasn’t had a chance to kick in (to keep the uterine lining in place).
It’s considered to be perfectly normal and doesn’t need treatment. Interestingly, there is a study that suggests it occurs in women who have a higher estrogen and LH spike at ovulation time, and higher progesterone rise in the second half of the cycle.
Another scenario is that ovulation spotting is caused by the follicle rupturing as the egg is released into the fallopian tube. This would typically happen on the day of ovulation.
If you notice the blood is brown in color, you should get your estradiol tested (the type of estrogen most prevalent in cycling women), and consider getting a full thyroid panel done as well (TSH, free T3, free T4, TPO and TGAB, along with reverse T3). Higher estrogen and low thyroid function (which often is a cause of low progesterone) is typically associated with brown blood spotting.
According to Dr. Lara Briden, author of the Period Repair Manual, “The spotting caused by any of those conditions (listed previously) can occur mid-cycle, so it could masquerade as normal ovulation spotting. However, it would usually be seen at other times as well.”
2. Low progesterone spotting
By far this is the most common cause of spotting or irregular bleeding that happens anytime after ovulation right up to the day before your period. Progesterone keeps your uterine lining intact until your period comes. If your progesterone levels aren’t high enough, you might start spotting after ovulation. Or it might drop prematurely before your period and cause pre-period spotting.
Lots of women ask me if ovulation is the only time that spotting is normal? Or can someone spot the day of or the day before her period and be okay?
Premenstrual spotting for 1 to 2 days before your period begins is no big deal; this blood is often darker red or brown because it’s slow mov- ing or is leftover blood from the previous cycle, which is common with a flexed or tipped uterus.
However, spotting for more than 3 days leading up to your period is not considered normal. In fact, it is often a sign that your progesterone is dropping too quickly and could also indicate a condition such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or hypothyroidism.
You can take this at home Progesterone Test to find out if your levels are normal. Use coupon code Hormones20 to get 20% off all tests at Lets Get Checked.
3. Spotting due to bacterial, yeast infections, or sexually transmitted infections
The other reason I’ve seen (and experienced myself!) for spotting before a period is when there is some kind of bacterial infection or bacterial imbalance in the vagina.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV), the most common vaginal infection in women between 15 and 44, can cause white or grayish vaginal discharge, pain, itching and burning, a fish-like odor, and burning when you pee, but it can also cause spotting. Likewise, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like trichomoniasis causes many of the same symptoms.
Dr. Briden says, “Spotting is a common symptom of bacterial vaginosis, but it doesn’t seem to correlate with hormones. It relates to inflammation of the cervix, so women see red-tinged mucus after the cervix has been bumped, say after sex or a PAP smear.”
If anything seems “off,” no matter how minor you think it is, make your way to the doctor ASAP. If you have an STD, you have an increased risk for getting HIV and other STDs—and your sexual partner should be tested and treated, too.
I’ve personally experienced spotting because of an infection so it is super important that you see a doctor to get diagnosed and treated. Additionally, you might want to try Purefem suppositories or FloraFemme suppositories, Vitanica Yeast Arrest Suppositories and Yeastgard Advanced Suppositories for a more natural treatment. I’ve tried them all and they are very effective.
Important note: Please go see your doctor and get tested to determine what could be going on with you.
4. Spotting due to fibroids, endometriosis or adenomyosis
More serious conditions like these also contribute to spotting and irregular bleeding. I noticed women with these conditions tend to spot for days after their period in the lead up to ovulation. They are often linked to an imbalance in estrogen and progesterone, where estrogen becomes dominant over progesterone and over-stimulates the endometrial lining.
There are other factors that play a role in their development as well, like genetics, inflammation, blood sugar and insulin imbalances, obesity and immune system problems.
5. Spotting caused by hormonal birth control or the Copper IUD
There are a number of hormonal birth control methods that can cause spotting and irregular bleeding. The pill, the shot (depo provera), and the implant (implanon or nexplanon) have all been linked to spotting in between periods. If this is an ongoing problem for you, definitely see your doctor.
The copper IUD known as Paragard commonly causes irregular bleeding. Clients who have had the copper IUD implanted have complained of spotting for up to 10 days before they get their periods, blood clots, and long periods. One study found that women who had the copper IUD inserted continued to have spotting 39 weeks after having it inserted!
On the flip side, many women are super happy with their copper IUD, so as always, you need to make the best—and an informed—decision for yourself.
If you need help coming off hormonal birth control, I’ve created the ultimate step by step protocol to help you transition off hormonal birth control (the pill, patch, IUD, implant, etc.) and take back control of your hormones, your body and your life. Check out my Fix Your Birth Control Protocol here!
6. Spotting due to stress
This ties in with low progesterone. When we’re stressed, we produce stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine. During long periods of stress, our bodies make the executive decision to delay or stop ovulation due to the higher levels of these stress hormones indicating that this is not a safe time to ovulate or get pregnant.
Remember, we need cortisol but we don’t need normal reproductive function to survive, hence the reason our ovaries take a big hit when we experience ongoing psychological stress. If we don’t ovulate consistently, estrogen will continue its job of stimulating the uterine lining and without enough progesterone to slow uterine lining growth, it can get too thick and cause ongoing spotting issues.
7. Spotting can happen during pregnancy
Although missing a period is always a hallmark sign of being pregnant, you could actually have spotting while you’re pregnant. In fact, about 20 percent of women experience spotting during the first trimester.
Spotting can occur during pregnancy because there’s an increase in the amount of blood to the cervix and its surrounding tissue, or because of an “implantation bleed,” when the embryo is implanted into the uterus about 6 to 12 days after the egg was fertilized.
Spotting may also happen simply because you had a hard workout at the gym or an intense romp with your partner.
Of course, you should always take a pregnancy test to confirm. If you are pregnant, light pink or brown spotting are both normal. While bright red or heavy bleeding are not normal, it doesn’t necessarily mean you had a miscarriage—your best bet is to always consult your doctor right away.
What can you do to stop spotting between periods?
There is a lot you can do to address irregular bleeding in between cycles, especially from a root cause perspective. Progesterone should remain high during the luteal phase and if it is prematurely dropping that needs to be addressed.
If you are spotting anytime after ovulation and/or leading up to your period here’s what you should do:
1. Make sure you are actually ovulating.
If you are not ovulating consistently, you are going to be progesterone deficient.
This requires tracking your cycle using an app (see my top 3 fertility trackers here) and even taking your basal body temperature to see if there is a mid-month rise in temps.
Progesterone raises your body temperature so you will see a distinct thermal shift 1-2 days after ovulation occurs. I teach you how to track your temperatures in my Fix Your Birth Control Protocol.
You can also use an OPK (Ovulation Predictor Kit) but keep in mind that it doesn’t tell you that you’ve actually ovulated, it only tells you that there has been a spike in luteinizing hormone which precedes ovulation by about 24-36 hours. So if you happen to have a stressful event during that time, your body might delay ovulation by a day or longer and you could miss your opportunity to get pregnant if that’s what you’re trying to do.
2. Get your progesterone tested.
Ideally you want your progesterone tested on days 19-21 of your cycle or about a week after you have ovulated (mid-luteal phase). If you ovulate later, just count 7 days after ovulation and get your test done then. Your blood serum progesterone level should be 15-25ng/mL.
If it is lower, don’t freak out. Anything over 7ng/mL is an indicator of ovulation.
Grab this at home Progesterone Test to find out if your levels are normal and be sure to use coupon code Hormones20 to get 20% off this test.
3. Increase your progesterone levels. Duh, right? 🙂
There are a number of things you can do to increase your progesterone:
- Start with increasing your intake of magnesium-rich foods like leafy green vegetables (kale, collards and spinach are my faves). I love this cookbook for leafy greens too! You should also incorporate pumpkin, chia and flax seeds to get a good dose of food-based magnesium. Add them to smoothies, salads, or on top of your favorite dishes. Additionally it’s a good idea to add in 200-400mg a day of magnesium glycinate.
- You can try seed-cycling, where you consume certain seeds throughout your monthly cycle that provide the nutrients to maintain proper hormone balance. Get my free guide here.
- Try rhodiola rosea. It’s commonly used for reigning in the bad boy hormone cortisol. This will help reduce the conversion of progesterone to cortisol which will indirectly raise your progesterone. Yay! I recommend 200mg twice a day for 8-12 weeks. Here is the brand I have used and love.
4. See an acupuncturist.
A qualified acupuncturist will look more deeply at your hormonal balance and help you address the specific cause of your spotting with regular acupuncture and herbs. If you can’t get to an acupuncturist or you don’t like needles, check out Aimee Raupp’s free Fertility Enhancing Acupressure Guide. Aimee is the fertility acupuncturist extraordinaire and this guide includes a worksheet and video discussing location, function and the emotional correlation of each acupressure point and is a great way to regulate your hormones and optimize your fertility from the comfort of your own home.
If you are spotting between periods due to a bacterial infection, here is what you should do:
1. See a doctor for a proper diagnosis.
And by doctor, I don’t mean “Dr. Google,” okay? 🙂 It’s best to get tested to see what’s going and make sure it’s nothing serious.
2. Address the root cause of the infection.
In most of the cases I’ve seen (including myself), healing the gut has helped reduce and eliminate any chronic bacterial or yeast infections. Start with something simple like fermented foods like sauerkraut with each meal or a probiotic. I use and highly recommend Megaspore Probiotics. Use code “NJC”.
3. Treat it effectively.
I don’t love the prescription meds for bacterial or yeast infections and don’t find them particularly useful for chronic infections. Just my humble opinion, but obviously you should do what feels best for you. Instead, I have found some other solutions to tackle this issue:
- FloraFemme suppositories – this was the best one I used.
- Ultimate Flora Vaginal Support – really good probiotics.
If you are spotting due to conditions like endometriosis, fibroids, or adenomyosis, here is what you should do:
1. Test your estrogen levels.
You need to make sure that your estrogen levels aren’t too high in relation to your progesterone. You can now test your hormone levels from home. I recommend taking this test from Let’s Get Checked (use coupon code Hormones20 to get 20% off).
If you are estrogen dominant, I recommend following these steps:
- Take a good B complex vitamin. You need sufficient B6, B9 and B12 in order for your liver to efficiently detox estrogen. Try Thorne Research Basic B Complex.
- Consider taking SGS. This is a broccoli extract that effectively supports phase 2 of liver detoxification which tends to get backlogged because there are more detox pathways than in phase 1. Try Thorne Research Crucera SGS. Take 2 capsules every other day for 4 weeks.
2. Include more turmeric in your diet.
I think everyone should include more turmeric in their diet, regardless of estrogen dominance. It is one seriously awesome spice that has many benefits like less pain and inflammation! The best way to consume it is with some form of healthy fat like coconut oil and black pepper. Check out my friend Michelle Lyons’ blog post on how to make this fabulous concoction.
Sources:
Check out my friend Dr. Lara Briden’s excellent book The Period Repair Manual.
49 thoughts on “Help! Why Am I Spotting?”
I’m47. When I was 42 or 43 I began to notice an extra bleed 5 to 7 days after my period ended. Now it’s often 9 days after. It’s not fully red, but more clear and brown or pink, a bit watery. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Did u find any solution for this?
Hello Nicole,
I ve been spotting on and wiped off of a toliet paper red cherry color kool alid color, not full blown period and I tested my estrogen is ok 57 mg pl and Luteal phase is slightly high 12.5 or little bit more
and high FSH at 36 before my period starts and I have two small fibroids and Ovarian cysts.. I noticed hair corse hair grow on my upper lip just a few.. and some on my chin.. and I dont see no egg whites and I dont feel feisy and want no night sweat and no hot flash .. just feeling tired and my hands is cold. and my period is super thin and light and last 3 days early period a week before period starts or come too soon.. IS someting I can treat it I ve tried Vitex and Tried several herbs from Radiant . I ve been taking Vitamn D and Coq 10 200 mg and fish oil 1,000 everyday .. Bad thing I crave for sugars and bread.. my bad .. so How can I get it regulate and make it more regular and healthy period ?
Wow. I so wish I had read
something like this back when I desperately needed it! I had very predictable spotting for a couple of days starting on day 12 of my cycle every time in the middle between my period and ovulation (and my whole cycle lasted about 40 days) for three years. I searched high and low and tried to show several doctors my charts, and hardly anyone would listen. Eventually we decided it was time to get pregnant even though I still couldn’t figure out what was wrong (we were using FAM as birth control) and I got pregnant right away on the first cycle that was like all my other ones. I felt way better my whole pregnancy than I did having my regular cycles and had a beautiful, peaceful, drug-free natural birth. I’m so glad I have a resource like this now so I don’t have to be afraid of my crazy cycles coming back now. If anyone out there is where I was back then, please know that there is hope, and people like Nicole who actually care and don’t think you’re crazy.
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Hi Nicole, I have had this problem now for 22 long years, after coming off the pill (5years on pill) seen loads of drs and gynaecologists, one dr said it was because of the pill, one gynaecologist said I was ‘sensitive’ but no one have ever explained why, I have been on other pills to try to fix it, but obviously that wasn’t going to work.i have had 2 babies so obviously I do ovulate. I had a period 6 weeks after my babies were born! Lucky me! But always have spotting for a week or more before my period e v e r y single month! I’m going to try your recommendations but do you have any more advice? I am 47 next month so in peri menopause also now, though I feel like I have always been in peri menopause. Please please reply. TIA Lindsay
You didn’t mention cervical or endometrial cancer. Important causes people should be aware of and see their doctor to exclude.
What about spotting because you’re in perimenopause? None of these scenarios actually fit me. I do have some estrogen dominance because of peri, but never been diagnosed with endo or any of that.
I gotta tell you, my periods and hormones have gone super nutty the past 3 years or so. I can’t really predict anymore which day I’ll actually start, and some months I get hormonal brown sludge for 3 or 4 days after my period stops. I’ve had periods that were 2 weeks apart and periods that were almost a week late.
And I’m probably in for 10 more years of this crap judging by my mother and sister (sis finally had to have a complete hysterectomy at 53 after having peri symptoms for 15 years).
Spotting and irregular periods in peri are darn common, and we ain’t all 25 anymore. 😉
Everything you mentioned is me! I’m 45 and the spotting and irregular periods are horrible right now. Never knowing when bleeding will happen. Usually always start spotting after ov and on and off up until period starts.
Hi
I’ll be 57 next month..never had children. I’m still having periods although I’m sure I’m in peri. At the beginning of last year I went 65 days with no period and hoped it was a sign of approaching menopause ..but no!
Firstly:… I was diagnosed with fibroids don’t have many now. However sometimes when I get my period my fibroids bleeds and it can go on for weeks. Like now..I came on 29 December 2018 and have been bleeding slightly on and off ever since.
Secondly:. You mention Vitamin D3 being the period vitamin.
Well on January 6 I took 1 combined capsule of vitamin D3/K2/Magnesium and 1 vitamin B5 capsule. About 1.5 hours later I began to bleed/Flood and over the next several hours I would bleed slightly then pass very huge clots (some as big as chicken wings) then fresh bright blood would flow. This continued until I went to bed. My stomach was getting flatter right before mine and my Husband’s eyes.
Personally I feel that although it was a little scary I feel that it was a good thing. Removing old blood.
Finally: My main problem is being light headed/slightly off balance..I was anemic but I feel it’s more related to hormones. I’m a bit confused as to whether I am low on estrogen or low on progesterone …any pointers? I would really appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks.
My cycle have been on average 24 days long with 4-5 days of actual bleeding. 5 months ago I noticed spotting during ovulation. I’ve spoken to my doctor about this several times, and we’ve done an internal sonogram which came back normal. My doctor does not seem concerned nor did she recommend additional testing. This month, i noticed that in addition to the light spotting that occurs around ovulation, i spotted 7 days prior to my next period. This is really throwing me for a loop. We are going to start trying for a baby within the next 6 months so naturally i’m concerned about my fertility. Thoughts? This has consumed me and it’s literally all I think about.
Hi Kristina,
Can I ask if you managed to sort this out? I have the exact same problem!
Hello! Thank you so much for your informative website! I have been on the Mirena for 2 years to help with PMDD and anxiety. It has helped up until recently. I believe I was and probably still am estrogen dominant, but do think my estrogen has dropped recently as I lost all the weight, but in addition to the weight loss I started to not sleep well and had increased anxiety. I would like to get off the birth control, but don’t know how to control my PMDD without some form of BC. Do you have any advice. I am a paleo eater and avoid all sugars except those from fruit. I try to eat as much grass fed and organic meats as possible and lots of veggies. I also take Rhodiola along with magnesium, zinc, turmeric, vitamin d, and fish oil. Prior to the BC I had my cycle pretty regularly and didn’t really get PMDD symptoms until 3 days before my period (Like clockwork), but unfortunately the sleep and anxiety problems at that time were enough to truly disrupt my life. I have read that PMDD can only be cured by BC and antidepressants. I have considered trying yaz but know that it will probably not be the best choice in the long run….thanks for any advice you can offer!
I am 29 years old and spent 10 years on hormonal birth control, 7 of those were with Mirena IUD. I finally got it removed 1 year ago, and I know my body is trying to level out from all those years still, and thankfully I’ve learned a lot from taking a FAM class and tracking my BBT and cervical fluid every month.
When I initially got my Mirena, it seemed my cycles stabilized fairly quickly (for the first 9 months). My challenge lies in the last 3 cycles. I have been having 6-8 day periods with a couple days of spotting afterwards. Then, a few days later I’ll begin spotting again during my follicular phase for many days. The first cycle was 7 days of spotting pre-ovulation, the second was 3 days of spotting pre-ov, and right now I’m on day 5 of spotting pre-ovulation.
The spotting will stop 3 days or so before I ovulate, so I know it isn’t ovulation spotting. I have still confirmed ovulation each month and had a consistent 13 day luteal phase. I do not experience spotting during my luteal phase.
Am I not producing enough estrogen? or is this a progesterone issue? I am very slender and tall, so I know my baseline stores for estrogen are lower, but I’m not spotting during my luteal phase. On blood tests, everything looks “normal” with thyroid and other levels according to my doctor.
I want to supplement, but I know some supplements lower estrogen, and I’m not sure what I need. 🙁 Help, please!
I am so thankful I found this today. I’ve been looking for information like this for many years this could be life changing!
None of these solutions really addressed my issue. I have always had regular cycles in the past after my other pregnancies. I am in my 8th cycle postpartum right now with regular cycles. This time I now have mostly dark brown spotting every cycle that begins a couple days after my period ends and continues for several days during mucous buildup, then stops one or two days before ovulation. Sometimes the spotting is heavier or lighter, but it’s very consistent. My progesterone levels are good, I don’t spot during my luteal phase, only during my follicular phase. Any suggestions? My doctor doesn’t seem very concerned, but I am ttc and worried this is making difficult to conceive and that there’s an underlying issue to address.
Cassandra, did you ever find out what was causing this? After my period ends, a few days later, I will spot during my Follicular Phase. It’s not ovulation spotting as it lasts for days. I do not spot during my Luteal Phase at all. This is the third month in a row the is happening, but I’ve ovulated and my LP is still 13 days each month so even my naturopath is not concerned. Spotting 5 days in a row after my period (with dry days in between) is not normal. 🙁
Did u overcome this spotting?
Hi! I am happy I found this article! I am very regular (25 days cycle). It has been 10 years that I am experiencing light spotting exactly 10 to 12 days before my actual period which lasts around 6 days. I also sometimes have functional cysts. I saw numerous doctors about this but no one seemed to worry or suggest that I test my progesterone/oestrogen levels. I am very worried about my capacity to have kids but doctors do not seem to want to push furter the investigation. Why is that? Could this type of spotting be “normal” in some cases? Thank you!
My husband and I have been TTC for about 7 months, and I have luteal phase spotting every month. I’ve had my day 21 labs done, and my progesterone levels have bee good (27-28) I’ve also had a complete lab work up completed by my RE, and everything looked good/normal other than I had a slightly high AMH result and slightly low hemoglobin ac1 (which I’ve read can be an indicator of anemia). I’m frustrated with the spotting because I feel like it’s hindering our ability to get pregnant (which may or may not be accurate).
The spotting starts at 3-4 dpo.
Lindsey! Have you gotten a handle on your spotting problem or figured out whats causing it? Have you confirmed it is hindering your ability to get pregnant? I’m struggling with the same thing… except my spotting starts sometimes up to 7 days before my next period. But every month I get at least 3/4 days of dark brown discharge. I don’t understand why! I think I’ve gotten very faint line tests before around 7dpo but then a few days after that the spotting always starts and my test lines get lighter and lighter rapidly. Then I’ll have murderous cramps and bleeding the first/second days of my period. My period lasts on average 6 days but only the first 2/3 days are super heavy.
Hello, I am experiencing the same thing! About 1-3 dpo I start spotting. The spotting continues every day until I get my actual period. I’ve had progesterone tested before ovulation and ovulation and everything looks good. We are
Having trouble conceiving as well, did anyone find out any info? We are seeing an RE next month but as of now doctor can’t find any reason why I am consistently spotting after ovulation till period.
Amy, did you ever figure out what the issue was? I have the same problem.
Did anyone figure out the solution to this problem? Ttc 3.5 yrs ago I do fit into her ovulation spotting scenario now but before my spotting was worse ived had a lap to remove endo. And I’ve changed my diet as well much better but spotting still there and I’m still not pregnant
I’m exactly the same! Ttc for 18months with no luck! I’d love to hear if you have had any luck!
Did you ever figure out what the issue was? Were you able to get pregnant? I’m dealing with the same issue.
Hi, I have started to take Estroblock pro (once a day) from last 10 days for my severe adult acne. I haven’t seen any improvement and I have read it takes at-least 3 weeks to show any result. However, after 10 days I started getting brown spotting, which really scares me. I am taking estroblock with Liver supplement (Milk Thistle). I am also getting emotional often and may b acne got worse. Should I continue using it or should I stop it? Thanks
Hello.
My cycle – period day 1-6 then ovulate day 12 then spotting from day 18-24. Any ideas why?
I have two children. I am busy with them but have really slowed my life down since this problem cropped up about 3 years ago!! I eat a lot of vegetables, many fermented foods/drinks and do yoga, meditation and swimming.
I’m very lost as to what is going on and not sure what to do.
TIA
I have been following this blog for a while now and today i felt like i should share my story because i was a victim too. I had endometriosis for 18 years and i never thought i would ever get a cure due to the terrible symptoms i had and this made it impossible for me to get pregnant even after 12 years of marriage and it was a serious issue. I got to know about Priest eka who treated someone and the person shared a story of how she got a cure and let her contact details, i contacted priest eka and he actually confirmed it and i decided to give a try too and use his herbal medicine that was how my burden ended completely. My son will be 2 this december and i am gratetful to God and thankful to him for his medicine too. If you have (Endometriosis, PCOS, Fibroid, Ovarian cyst, Ectopic Pregnancy or any infertility issues) just reach him on (dreka14demons @ gmail. com) he has professional advise and a cure too.
Thanks for sharing this information. Mid-cycling spotting is not good for women health. So if you are suffering from this problem then, you need to take advice from your doctor.
Comment…hi,i have a subserosus fibroid which have to operate.my problem is very slight bleeding passes by continuously.it has no relation with period.it is almost 4 month or more.i m frustrated.help me..
I have put on progesterone 200 mg for 12 days on day 10 I started spotting 2-3 days later itbstoped and still no AF .. I feel light cramping but that’s really it. I have pcos and don’t ovulate so that is why I was put on it. I’m so confused because I was told after finishing the 12 days of this pill my period would come and still nothing..Help please!!!
How do you test your estrogen levels please?
You can easily do it at your doctor. All they will do is take your blood sample and measure the concentration of the hormones.
Hi Nicole! I’m so glad I stumbled into you. We have very like-minds it seems with the holistic outlook, but I’m not knowledgable in the hormone area. I have been spotting on and off the past 3 months to the point where my mind is unrest because of it. I finally made a doc appt. but they can’t see me until next month. Periods are pretty regular, 6 days, painful cramps days 1 and 2… but the spotting is not normal for me (never requires a liner or anything and typically just shows up on toilet paper… sometimes red sometimes brown, sometimes both in the same day; and what scared me today was what looked like tissue fragments) anyways, I’m still about 10 days out from period start date, but this spotting has happened most days this month. I recently bought a house, am in school and have had lots of travels, so I’m wondering if it could be stress, or a deeper underlying issue like endo, polyps, etc (aunt had endo and cervical cancer) I want to have children in the next couple of years, so am nervous about reproductive health… and seeing this doc, I am adamant on not going on any BC / artificial hormones. Does this sound familiar to you, or do you have any advice for me??? I should add that I’ve been vegan for 2 years, vegetarian for 6….. and with the move, my diet and exercise routine have gone a little wacky the past couple months, which might also be contributor? Anyways… I hope to hear from you!!
Hi Katherine – I could have written your post! Its very scary to have spotting that goes on and on, seems to let up then starts again. Did you ever find out what the cause was? Am hoping its just stress and something that will sort itself out. Trouble is the originally stressors are gone and replaced with stressing about health! Would appreciate any updates you might have. Thankyou!
Either of you 2 figure this out? This sounds exactly like me right now.
Hi my name is Lindsey me and my husband have been trying to become pregnant for lil over a year now my periods have been strange the past 1and a half years now my period will be heavy for 3 days then stop then start the next day for about 3 4 days not sure why this month was a lil diff though it went for 3 days heavy then started to lighten up then stopped when it started again it was pinkish mucus for 3 days and today I saw a lil light pink mixed in the music tiny amount I’m not sure what’d going on any ideahs? I’m pretty frustrated at this point
Thank you Nicole for this, your website is like a lifesaving encyclopedia of information! My cycles are a consistent 30-32 days, and for the last 6 months or so I have been spotting (a tiny bit, almost undetectable!) on day 10 or 11 to the dot. I think this is too early for actual ovulation, considering my longer cycle (and with charting I think I ovulate around day 17). Do you think this would be related to ovulation though? Or anything to worry about? I have PCOS with symptoms that come and go over the years but have worsened a little of late.
Sometimes I think when you become hyper-aware of your body it can be a bad thing in a way as you focus on every little change when it might not be a big deal. So I am not sure what to think!
Many thanks!
Did you find out the cause of your spotting? My periods are usually 4-5 days long and then I will have light spotting on days 7-8.
Hi Nicole – this is great information! I’m new to your website, so this might be a stupid question but is it possible to follow these recommendations wile taking the Pill? I’m on the pill to regulate my cycle (irregular due to a progesterone imbalance I believe) and would like to fix my progesterone-estrogen imbalance before going off the pill if possible. Do you recommend the above steps or am I just wasting good money on supplements since I’m still on the Pill? Thank you! Kelly
Hi Kelly, thanks so much for your question, it’s not stupid at all!
So the bad news first – taking the pill does not regulate your cycle and does not help your hormonal imbalance. All it is does is manipulate your real hormones with synthetic hormones. When you get off the pill you will still have the same progesterone/estrogen imbalance and it could be worse because the pill prevents ovulation and thus lowers your progesterone even more.
You can read more here:
https://nicolejardim.com/5-things-must-know-hormonal-birth-control/
https://nicolejardim.com/birthcontrolsideeffects/
Good news – you need to treat the root cause of the problem which is actually pretty easy to do. I recommend getting off the pill and making the changes I suggested in this post and the other posts. They will help your imbalance far more than the pill.
Hopefully this is helpful for you!
xoxo
Nicole
Nicole, I’m in tears reading this. I’ve been struggling with this for so many years and have never been given such clear and easy answers! Thank you so much. I feel like I’ve won the lottery finding your website! P.S. the tears are probably due to my excessive weepiness from the estrogen-progesterone imbalance but I’m still so grateful to have found you 😀
Awww Kelly!! You’re gonna make me cry too 🙂 I am sooo happy I was able to help you out. Yay for finding the right answers. I would also love to invite you to my Know Your Flow Facebook group if you want more support from other awesome ladies. https://www.facebook.com/groups/knowyourflow/
Big hugs!!
This is perfect for me… I experience spotting occasionally from about day 7 to day 15 of my cycles. I think it’s from low estrogen levels… I then end up having these long 50-60 day cycles… Not ideal when you are trying to fall pregnant. We’ve been trying for 4 years and I’ve seen many fantastic natural and medical fertility specialists. I have a low ovarian reserve. We’ll keep trying maybe until the end of the year, but may seriously need to look at other options… Thank-you…
Hi Rachel, thanks so much for your comment. Yes there can be spotting from low estrogen as well, like what I mentioned about estrogen dropping and causing bleeding in the post. I think you have to do what feels good for you.
If you feel you’ve seen many experts and tried everything then taking the next natural steps makes sense. Only you can know what’s right for you. Wishing you all the best on your journey Rachel. Much love.