Abnormal spotting

[bellabean]

Hello everyone!  I am so grateful to have found this site.  Here is my story:  I am 42 1/2 and have been TTC for 5 months.  My past two cycles have been abnormal with short cycle spans and spotting in between. I usually have a 26 day cycle that lasts 4 days. I had a pap test done in Feb that was normal.  On my second last cycle I had intercourse on CD13 which is when I usually ovulate.  10 days later I had light brown spotting for two days that turned into a period that lasted 7 days ( which is longer than usual ).  My first instinct was that there was an egg implantation that didn't take.  I also found out from a CD21 progesterone test that I have very low progesterone levels.  I previously had a FSH test on CD3 with normal results.  I now started spotting again on CD15 of my last cycle that has lasted 4 days now.  My Dr. has put me on a Clomiphene challenge test and I'm not too sure if I should consider these 4 days of spotting as a regular period to take the blood test and start the medication.  I called my Dr. and she hasn't returned my call.  I am under a lot of stress from work and I think I have a hormonal imbalance. Can someone tell me what might be going on with my body??  Thanks!!!!!!!!

[bellabean]

Thanks Heather . . . great advice.  My intuition was telling me the same thing, that's the one thing we can trust as women is our intuition . . . despite all of our Dr's advice.  Thanks for taking the time to respond, us women NEED to stick together!!!!!!!

Carrie :)
p.s. forgive me since I'm new to the site and starting to get a hang of the acronyms, but what does BFP stand for?  I'm sure I'll get up to speed very soon.

[Heather5]

Normally, you would start counting cycle days on the first day of full flow (spotting does not count)...so I would not start anything until you bleed normally. Based on the info you provided (short cycles, low progesterone, spotting), I would guess that your ovulation is not very strong, and if so, there are medications (including clomid) that can help with that. Best of luck with the clomid challenge test! Hopefully you'll get your BFP very soon!