Welcome to Gaia! ::

This morning, I thought I'd started my period. Awful cramps, aching knees and lower back, and tender breasts, along with that lovely red blotch on the toilet paper. I put on a pad and went about my business, but after about four hours I checked my pad and there were only two small brownish-red blotches. I've never had spotting before, so it kinda startled me. Usually my first day is my heaviest, so I'm a little puzzled. I've had all of my PMS symptoms for the past three days, which is normal enough, but I'm just spotting now? I've never experienced spotting before or during my period before, I've always had a pretty regular flow.

Anyone know if this is normal or not? I've been rather stressed out lately. Could that be causing a change in my period? I haven't had unprotected sex, so I'm sure this isn't implantation bleeding. Any other reasons?

I agree with Fia, spotting is very normal when your period is about to begin or end. My entire first day is usually just spotting.

Our periods may change slightly, often for no apparent reason at all, other times due to stress or diet. So even if you don't usually experience spotting at the beginning of your period, that doesn't mean you will never will or that it's abnormal when you do. Similarly, I usually spot my entire first day, but that doesn't mean there won't be times when my period just starts heavy like yours usually does. 3nodding

So those kinds of slight variations are nothing to worry about. Signs of possible trouble are when your period lasts much longer than usual or is a lot heavier than usual. If you notice those issues, talk to an ob-gyn about it.

So it sounds like you'll probably get your heavy bleeding day within the next day or two. But just a word of caution, implantation bleeding is still possible if you are having sex, even if you use protection. No method of protection is 100% effective even when used exactly as intended. That means pregnancy is always a possibility for sexually active couples.