Spotting before period?

[Bliss]

Hello!

Is it normal to spot before period comes? My day 1 will approximately happen tomorrow (February 21) and I experienced (light brown) spotting today. This started on my last cycle when I noticed a brown discharge (January 23) three days after a sexual activity (no penetration or direct ejaculation). My period came on the afternoon of the 24th

What are the possible reasons why there is a sudden change? Usually I'm only alerted if my period comes with a cramp. Thank you!

[Heather]

I think a lot of people don't realize, and aren't ever told, that menstrual periods and how they go -- when they happen, what flow is like, how long they go on for, what comes along for the ride with them -- are going to change at least several, and often many, times during a lifetime. There won't often be a "usually" with them for more than a few years at a time, if that.

Spotting or brown discharge right before periods begin or after they end is common. The spotting is generally the start of a period (in other words, when you have spotting one day and a period the next, that spotting is actually the start of your period) or the end of one. Brown discharge is also often a period starting or ending, and the contractions of the uterus that come with menstruation are just pushing out some "old" flow from either the time before (when it happens as a period is beginning) or the period that's just ending.

If you've been sexually active and haven't gotten STI testing, that's always something to do regardless, but it's also something to make a priority if brown or other unusual discharges are happening more often and not just around or with a period. Otherwise, this alone doesn't suggest anything is amiss.

[Bliss]

So if the regular flow comes tomorrow I will count when the spotting occurred as Day 1?

And if it didn't (or continued spotting) should I be worried? Thank you!

I'm now trying to start in keeping track of my cycle because I think it messed up when one of my closest relatives recently died and a pregnancy scare (mentioned above) happened to me. It did took a huge toll on me and I'm planning to seek advice from a guidance counselor on how to manage anxiety and panic attacks.

[Heather]

Being worried doesn't do anything except create extra stress: it doesn't make us well, it doesn't fix anything that's wrong with us if and when something is. So, I'm never going to say anyone "should be worried." Not ever, truly.

Yep, if the regular flow starts in the next day or so, this was probably day 1 of your cycle. If it doesn't, and all you have this time around is light brown spotting, that happens sometimes and isn't cause for concern. Even skipping periods for a whole cycle every now and then is a thing that happens sometimes, and also isn't cause for concern.

Like I said, if you've been involved in any genital sex and have never had any STI testing, that's something to do spotting or no spotting, because that's just basic preventative healthcare we all need. And, of course, if you have health concerns about your periods, you can always check in with a healthcare provider about those, whatever they are. Otherwise, there's nothing TO do here but just see what happens.

[Bliss]

Thank you, Heather! Got my period the day after (early in the morning) so I counted the spotting as day one.

For the STI testing, we don't have previous sexual contact with other people therefore we are our first's. What are the possible diseases that I could be getting if this is the case? All I know is that I might get UTI.

[Bliss]

Sorry for double posting! But I just want to clarify and give more details in hoping that I could get the best answer.

For the sexual contact that happened in January, there was no genital-to-genital contact only manual and oral sex happened. It was the only sexual contact/activity from another person that happened to us in our relationship (and our whole life) as of now.

Therefore I would like to ask what STI's I could get in this situation? Thank you very much! This site has been very helpful to me.

[Heather]

Here's a quickie reference list -- for now and the future -- about which STIs certain sexual activities pose risks of: STI Risk Assessment: The Cliff's Notes.

Really, people's sexual history can't give us sound information about their STI status: only testing for STIs can do that.