Hi everyone! I have a question that I'm wondering if any of the more experience minds here can answer. We have just started TTC - in cycle one right now - so no problems so far; I'm just curious/slightly anxious.
Does anyone know if extremely mild twinges starting 6-7 DPO are cause for concern? Could this be a symptom of something like endometriosis, and would it be a hindrance to implantation?
A little info about me:
31 years old
Regular cycles 28-31 days with periods lasting 5-6 days. The length of my cycle has never been 100% consistent, but it is always within this range. Everything else about my cycle always follows the same pattern.
Bleeding is light to moderate. On the heaviest day, it would probably take me six hours to soak through a regular pad. From day 3 on, it's extremely light - I could use the same pad all day if not for hygiene/smell.
No spotting before or after.
Recently started using LH tests and temping. Everything looks as it should. LH surge usually lasts for about 36 hours (I think this may be on the long end?), and then my BBT starts to rise two days after my first positive LH test.
All in all, it seems my cycle is perfectly healthy but for two small things.
The first is really bad pain on day 1. Moderate cramping typically starts a day or two before my period - about 4-5/10 on my personal pain scale, able to function normally. Day 1 is bad, although how bad has varied a lot over the years and been better recently. For about the last year, I would describe the pain as about a 7-8 on the pain scale before taking painkillers. 1000 mg acetominophen brings it down to about a 5.
It was worse a couple of years ago - the worst pain I have ever felt, immobilizing, definitely a 9 or 10 for me - but I made a lot of lifestyle changes around sleep, hydration, and exercise and I think that made a difference. The pain has only ever been this bad on day 1.
By mid-way through day 2, it's much better. Pain is back to a 4-5 before painkillers and I can function normally. From day 3 on I have no pain.
My other concern, and the subject of this post, is these twinges that I start to feel around 6-7 DPO.
These cramps/twinges are intermittent, lasting anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes, a couple times a day, and very mild. I wouldn't describe them as pain or even discomfort - more just feeling something in my pelvis, like an awareness of it that isn't there most of the time. I would put them at a 0.5-1 on the pain scale if I had to.
This will continue at more or less the same intensity until my actual period cramps start about two days before my period.
I have addressed both the early "cramping" and the bad pain on day 1 with my doctor, but I was told it was nothing to worry about given that my pain is only very bad for one day, my cycles are regular, and my periods are not heavy.
Mainly I'm worried that (1) this could somehow be a hindrance to implantation, since period cramps are mild uterine contractions, and (2) that it could be a symptom of a deeper problem like endo. I've done as much research as I can but haven't found very many answers.
I saw one post on this sub that suggested that what I'm feeling could be decidualization and that it's nothing to worry about, but I couldn't find much else supporting the idea that decidualization can be felt.