Hi, I've just joined the list after doing a general search on womens health after I started spotting - and managed to scare myself to death reading about all the possibilities of what it might be! I'm normally a pretty sane and rational mid-thirties-year old but don't seem to be reacting very well to changes in my period. I was sterilised in June after 6 years of bitter arguing wiht my partner as to who was going to go and my periods seemed to be pretty stable since - short at 22 - 24 days and heavy but nothing inbetween.

This month I have had brownish - pink discharge on and off for a week in the middle of my period, and today a very little fresh blood which I thought was my period come early - but it now seems to have disappeared and reverted to brown discharge. I have irregular cramps which feel like I should start my period (but I am not!) and breast tenderness.

I have had a tumour (abdominal) 8 years ago and I get scared fast!!! Anyone any idea what this could be and maybe help me stop panicking in the short-term?

Is this kind of spotting 'normal'? I have been under massive stress - physical and emotional in last two weeks.

Look forward to hearing from you guys

Hi,

I have been having similar spotting that started 2 days ago and going through the same emotional battle you are. I am 30 and in mid cycle. My periods are always regular. I also had a tubal ligation a little over a year and a half ago. My other symptom is that I am having pains on my lower right side and crampyness. I am scared to death as to what is causing this. Some of the stuff I have read say that spotting could be caused by an ovarian cyst or rupture. What I don't understand is why spotting would occur when my ovarys are no longer attatched to my uterus. I have an APT with my OB on Monday so hopefully he can answer a lot of questions for me and put me at ease. My grandmother died about 11 1/2 years ago from ovarian cancer so that alone is keeping me on my toes.

Your not alone...

Misty

Hi Misty

Hope all goes well on Monday - I saw my GP and was referred to the Consultant who did the sterilisation. He felt that since he'd seen everything close up in detail 6 months ago and it was all healthy he didn't want to intervene with any major exams , he also thought in general I was too healthy for any major problems so he's just left me on a watching kind of brief for another couple of months. He was also of the opinion that emitional stress could very well be the reason, plus normal hormonal changes meaning that even after 38 years wihtout maybe I've started spotting around ovulation, before , during, after - seems like there is endless combinations!!

Wiht that reassurance I started feeling more positve and the spotting has (touch wood) stopped. So maybe it was more mental and emotional and I am just trying to accepting that things may change quite normally.

Really hope it all turns out OK with you - havung a family link always makes it feel worse but doesnt have to mean anything

Good luck and thanks for taking the time to post