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Ok, there is only one way for you to know when your cycle actually really starts, and that is to pinpoint when you ovulate. That is the first thing you need to find out. So get yourself ovulation tests, and test!! As soon as you see you're ovulation soon, then count on 14 days (give or take one day to the 14 days) but around about day 14 your period will start. Chart this really well and then come back here and post your findings, then we can analyze it. But I'm not a doctor, I would advise you to see one first, before you go with the advice some crazy cow gives you on a website! Because crazy I am indeed! Good luck girlie.

Estee P - thanks for your response. I have talked to my mother about this (as a lot of us women do, I guess) and she thinks there just must be something wrong for me to have light bleeding for so long before I actually get the heavy bleeding, which does come on suddenly as my periods used to do. But, I am getting older and our bodies do change. I know I'm ovulating because I do have pain when I ovulate, especially when it's on my right side, which it was last month. But, I guess I'm just scared that this would be considered abnormal, thus requiring medical attention. Maybe I'm just overreacting. But, I am charting my periods and will try to start taking ovulation tests. I should be ovulating in the next day to 3 days, so maybe I'll check into that. Thanks so much for your help!

That sounds just like the problem I have (I'm 28). My periods did used to come on full force, but then I started having the spotting for days before the full force period. I brought it up to my dr (gyn.) and he ran some blood tests to see what was going on. I had a very low progesterone level. It was not low enough for him to say I wasn't ovulating, but he said the chances are low that I am and may just ovulate randomly. So he put me on clomid and this is my first cycle. A week from today I get blood tested to see if that raised the progesterone which would indicate that I did ovulate. I'm honestly doubtful this month as my ovulation tests never said positive. Also, my bbt has not risen. (It did rise before the clomid, so it looked like I was ovulating, even though blood tests said probably not.) Hope this helps!

Renee - thanks for your response. That's kind of scary, as I was hoping that nothing could possibly be preventing me from getting pregnant and that it was all in my head. :) But, I sincerely appreciate your sharing your experience, as it at least gives me something to go on if I do end up having to seek assistance in conceiving. Question though, what exactly does Clomid do????

I also have spotting for 2-3 days before my 'regular period' and it started just a while before I turned 30. Doctors don't have much to say about it, and it worried me in terms of a possible fertility problem. I just found out I am pregnant (yay!), so it doesn't seem to have posed a problem. However, now I am not sure when to think my period started in terms of calculating a due date - from 'spotting' or from more?

Marie ----CONGRATULATIONS---- all the best to you and your baby!! How long have you been ttc??

I am having the same problem also! We have only been TTC for 2 months but I am worried because the spotting before my period started about 6 months ago. My period has also become heavier and I have thyroid nodules (benign) which are causing symptoms of hypertyroidsm. That can be connected to your pituitary gland which influences ovulation and progesterone right? I am 34 and really want to be pregnat NOW. I guess I'll have to buy an ovulation test kit to see if I am actually ovulating? Anyone have any advice?

I thought I was the only one who have spotting as well. However, I dont spot every time before my periods. Just once in a while. Sometimes my periods come with full force and sometimes it spots, and spots and then I start bleeding and then spot at the end too. I am wondering about the same question. God bless and TONS of baby dust your way sweety.

Wow, I'm so releived to hear I'm not the only spotter on the planet! I'm a Canadian living in Scotland with my boyfriend. I'm 30 and we've been trying to get preg for the last 3 months, to no avail. I've been charting my periods, the mucus changes, the ovulation pangs but becuz of this spotting (usually 3-4 days before the full period) I dont know what to calculate by... this spotting is new for me as well & I want to know if i chart from the first spot or the full period? Any idea ladies?

Hi,
My spotting before my af was caused by endometrial polyps. My doc. performed an outpatient surgery to remove them and said I should be able to conceive now. So, as scary as it may seem Shay, I would go see my dr. to make sure. Its not a bad idea to have a check up for ttc anyway just to make sure your in perfect health for carrying a baby :-) I hope this helps and good luck to all ttc...baby dust!

Well, I have been doing tons of research on this subject. Apparently spotting before AF is abnormal and can be caused by any of these symptoms: low progesterone, luteal phase defect, endometriosis or endometrial polyps. I'm not a doctor or anything though so don't take my word for it. I don't know if I will be able to conceive naturally. This will be my 3rd cycle we are TTC. Last month I felt like I didn't ovulate - I usually have pains and CM - so this month I bought an ovulation predictor kit. I also read that you are supposed to start counting from the day of actual flow, not of spotting. Hope that helps someone out there. Good luck!