13 days of spotting, late af

Well this will be technically another update but still no af, after taking licorice root, although it will focus on odd mid cycle/pre af spotting.

It started on cd 24 like mentioned in another post.  I noticed some very light pink spotting.  I assumed it was due to ovulating but i hadn't had a pos opk yet and my temp had increased but not normally how high as it does go.  The light pink spotting susidded on cd 25.

On cd 29 it came back although more of a red color and only when I wipe not enough to use a tampon or pad.  When I reached cd 35 (which would normally be my last day in a cycle although it wasn't) i grew worried that maybe my polyps have returned.  To be honest I'm still worried about this.

Worrying isn't good for ttc or keeping a regular menstrual cycle so I put it in the back of my head.  I've taken hpt between cd 31-37 with "shadow" or faint second lines but to me they were evaps or bfns.  Today is cd 39.  I have had a long cycle once (47 days) where I spotted from cd 40-47.  I had assumed.maybe that's what my body was doing but after calculating my cycle length and days of spotting I have reached 13 days of brown-pink-red spotting.

I nearly thought my af had arrived this am as it seemed to pick up to a light flow but as the day went on and i went to change my tampon, it was brown blood and did not fill the tampon.  I've had cramping on and off for over a week now and I'm really thinking my af is coming but it doesn't come.

I've red articles of "break through bleeding" and have considered this is what it is.  I haven't checked my temperature in well over 3 days as I temp vaginally and keep thinking this is my flow, it's here but it subsides after a few hours.

I've read many articles about multiple days of spotting to light bleeding in early pregnancy but have yet to take another pregnancy test. Honestly I don't think I'm pregnant but there have been bigger surprises.  The spotting today is dark red and is constant.  I have had no other CM in the last 10 days and if the spotting stops for even a moment and I check my cervix, I'm "dry" and my cervix is high and med (not firm or soft).

I have had some sx (symptoms) but who can day if they're real or not...

1. Cramps
2. Lower back aches
3. Muffled hearing (swimmers ear) that lasted a week.
4. Odd taste in mouth
5. Nausea  (bad in late morning)
6. Loss of appetite  (which normally increases when on af).
7. Itchy breasts

I have no idea if these are due to pregnancy, af or in my head?

I'm truly frustrated and sad about my current cycle issue especially since the idea of bd with my dh seems like a distant memory.  I cant seem to find any other post that is similar to my current experience.  I'm praying for all the ladies out there ttc.

Update:

Well after 14 days of spotting it stopped.  I'm pondering if i want to consider the bleeding/spotting af or just wait for the real deal.  The more I read about break through bleeding the more I question if that's what happened and I never ovulated.  I plan to take an opk after a 2 hr urine hold.  I'm either on cd 15 of a new cycle (if considering the spotting af) or I'm on cd 40.

I will post my opk results below... I'm just concerned that I'm not ovulating and in fact I am experiencing breakthrough bleeding and I'm considering it af.  Another thing that really gets me is all this posts, articles and forums of women talking about their experiences but never leaving the end results.  I can say I will not do that.  I will continue this blog long after I get pregnant.