Um, I've had a lot more spotting lately. It went from almost non-existent tinted cm to tan, to brown, to darker brown and a lot more of it to red-brown to heavy spotting and culminated, as I mentioned, in ruined underwear. So fed up, Thursday night, I retrieved the diva cup and put it back in. It was more full that it had been previously with the spotting when I emptied it (yes, this is one of those tmi things I warned you about, feel free to skip ahead) in the morning, but not drastic or anything. When I emptied it yesterday evening, it was very full, like startingly so. At least a half-ounce in there if not more. I sighed in resignation that the bleeding had returned. Frustrating, but not outside the bounds or something to be concerned about yet.
Same thing this morning - over half an ounce in there, but a slightly longer time. And it's totally red. I'm feeling hugely disgruntled and annoyed that I am suddenly and unexpectedly experiencing so much damn bleeding when it occurs to me that, uhm, it's very much like a period. Similar amounts, similar build-up . . . and I have completely broken out and have crazy oily skin, despite the fact I've washed my face twice a day the last couple of days. Which, right, yeah, that happens during a period.
Oh, and my temper tantrums yesterday - and crazy mood swings? Er, yeah, that's 100% normal for me during a period. As is the weird achiness I've had and the kind of random cravings, and the fact that mid-week I was down 3 pounds, only to have them gone again . . . totally normal.
To be fair to me, I haven't had a normal period as part of a normal cycle since July so I think I can be forgiven for not recognizing this more quickly. I had anovulatory bleeding in August, then got pregnant, then miscarried, then got pregnant and had a period, but it wasn't normal, then all the spotting/bleeding and this isn't exactly normal either, though it is almost 5 weeks post shot. This would technically be anovulatory bleeding, not a real menstruation - so what is with the mood swings and other shit?
Well, the totally random and funny thing? I've been getting very faint tests that are clearly positive, but light, and very dark positive opk's (which is different than my other experience with using opk's as hpt's . . . I didn't get a + opk until my hcg was quite high, over 35 at any rate). I didn't think too much about it until I took my temperature this morning and it shot way up. 97.1 . . . not normally post-ovulatory range, but my temps have been far lower recently because we've turned the heating off and the ambient temperature is cool. Everything's averaging 2-3 tenths lower . . . and if this is a clear thermal shift. Too early on one temp to say it's ovulation . . . but it's possible. Oh, and those things - the mood swings, break outs, etc - also happen briefly around ovulation. Rock on, body!
Ovulation and a return to cycling are possible with small trace amounts of hcg still present. And an lh surge with hcg present could very well give you a clearly positive opk and a faintly positive hpt. I will take both again tonight and see what I get. How utterly and completely random would that be? Both ovulate and get my period at the same time? And how fun for me, eh? Another possible period in a week and a half or so. UGH.
And it brings the timeline question back into play. DH and I have discussed it, and we were both 100% ok with 10 weeks post shot. And he's totally ok with 8 weeks post shot, though I'm nervous. So . . . we'll just wait and see what happens next, shall we? This is so bizarre.
2 comments:
I have a question, since you are very knowledgeable...
I haven't had my 'riod yet. My D&C was on January 16th. Should I be concerned?
I had EWCM last week. and a few days before that I had a temp taken at doc with regular thermometer that came out at 100degrees, but I was feeling fine. She thinks maybe I was ovulating. I don't know. I'm concerned. My OBGYN said to come back if I don't get my 'riod after 2 months. Why? What could be the problem?
I'm glad you and hubby agreed on when to try again! I am scared to start thinking about it right now. too many life changes at the moment i guess.
Mrs.MooMoo -
I was just thinking of you the other day, happy to see from your blog you are doing ok!
As for your period - it can take awhile for your body to kick back in gear. First, you generally won't start cycling again until your hcg is at 0 (though it's not unheard of to get an anovulatory period or to ovulate with low levels of hcg). That process can take awhile and it really varies - with Chickadee, I was at 0 within 3 weeks. With the ectopic, it's been nearly 5 weeks and I'm still not at 0 yet. Levels with Chickadee were 28,000, levels with the ectopic peaked at 2500. So, all very different.
Second, once you do hit zero, it can take your body awhile to gear up for ovulation - like, it's thinking about what it wants to do. Most docs say that you should expect your first period 4-8 weeks post miscarriage. If you aren't already charting, then you should consider it - though the fact you know you had EWCM means you probably have some idea about that already!
If you still haven't had a period 8 weeks/60 day post-d&c, call your doctor and see if they want to jumpstart a cycle with Provera. Some do, some prefer to wait 90 days.
When to ttc again is a difficult decision. When I lost Chickadee, I could not imagine ever trying again, and three weeks later, I was knee deep in ovulation tests and my chart. This time,the same eagerness is there - I want to be pregnant again and quickly - but it's tempered by all of the conflicting information about metho-trexate. I think we're both on board, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't considered starting sooner - I just don't want to take any risks that I couldn't later live with. It's hard though!
You will find the right time for you and when it comes, I wish you good luck!
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