ClearBlue Digital/spotting - help please!

[S1eepflower]

Hello all, I'm really panicking so I'm looking for a little advice/personal experience.

According to the docs I'm about 6 and a half weeks pregnant. For the last 5 days I have been Spotting, brown and a pinky brown mucus (Sorry if too much info!) and the pinky brown is practically every time I wipe, getting worse throughout the day, but nothing at night, it's likes it's just hanging around in there!!

Anyway, went to the docs which was a waste of time, took my blood pressure (?) took a urine sample but didn't check hcg just checked for infections and told me there was no blood in the urine.

I took a clearblue digital test this morning and it is saying I am 2-3 weeks (which would be 4-5 weeks by a doctors diagnosis) It should be saying 3+ on the test by now... but isn't..? Every message board I visit there is never a conclusion as to what happened to anyone.

I also had symptoms last week, nothing now.. not even sore breasts. My first pregnancy and I really don't know what to expect! :( (I don't have my first midwife appointment until next Friday, and won't have a scan until 12weeks)

[TeenageMutantNinjaTurtle]

Oh you poor thing - how worrying. There are lots of reasons that you could be spotting at this stage and the baby still be fine - but it could also be a sign that something is wrong. My experience of GPs is that they do very little in this stage of pregnancy because there is nothing that they can do to alter the outcome one way or another - so they adopt a very "wait and see" approach - which is a nightmare when you're the one going through it

I had an episode of heavy bleeding at 6 weeks and we paid for a private scan at 8 weeks because the NHS wanted me to wait until the 12 week scan. We were genuinely shocked to see the baby was ok because we'd expected the worst - am now 35 weeks and haven't had any further bleeding.

If you can afford it, would you consider a private scan? Although at 6 weeks you might not get a heart beat anyway and the baby could still be ok... so might be better to wait until you're 7 weeks.

If your bleeding gets heavier, contact the GP again.

[S1eepflower]

Thank you for your reply, so glad it all went well for you, you're not far off now! :)

I thought the doctor may have at least offered blood tests? but he wasn't too concerned just told me to call back if it looked like a period. (right now it looks like what I get in the last day or so of a period)

At 6 weeks the idea of a private scan may make it worse.. if I don't see anything definitive? But I don't know if my clearblue test is a sign that things are bad (it not reading me as far gone as I should be) or this is a common mistake by these tests.

All I can think of is begging the Midwife for a scan when I see her next week... but that seems a million miles away.

I haven't seen anything blood red yet, just pink, streaky and dark brown. I haven't had anything close to period cramps, just a weird heavy feeling in my abdomen and a littler lower. It's all very confusing for me... I never thought I'd wish I'd have morning sickness, but I want some kind of sign I am pregnant, because right not it feels like nothing :(

[KitKat1985]

I had a very similar type of spotting to you - once at 5 and a half weeks and once at about 12 weeks. My symptoms in the first few weeks of pregnancy also came and went a lot. Baby is currently absolutely fine (am 23 weeks now). My obstetrician told me that light pinky / brown bleeding is very common in early pregnancy and usually isn't an indicator that anything is wrong, unless accompanied by severe pain. I've seen on a number of threads that the clear-blue tests aren't fantastic at getting dates right, so don't focus too much on what week it says you are.

I was very lucky in that when I had my first bleed at 5 and a half weeks I was referred to the early pregnancy assessment unit (EPAU) where they did an early scan the next day which showed all was well. It may be worth seeing if there is an EPAU in your area? Some want GP referrals and some don't. xx

[S1eepflower]

Glad to see that someone has gone through the same and still had a healthy pregnancy :) glad you're doing well!, all I've read is people having miscarriages. I have pretty nasty period pains most months, and I've had nothing close lately. The spotting seems to happen more when I'm moving.. Its only enough for a panty liner, not a sanitary towel. All night nothing happens, then in the morning I'm fine, by late morning when I wipe its beige pink, there's more mucus inside me if you know what I mean, but no deposit on the sanitary towel... by about lunch after moving around all day, it's dark brown... then just on the tissue by the evening, then starts again the next day! I keep thinking it's going away then my heart sinks when I see it on the liner again. I almost wish I hadn't done my research and just gone into this pregnancy blindly... knowing too much is really sending me potty! :(

I've looked online and there is an early pregnancy unit in my town... not sure if it's worth going to them now, or waiting to see what my midwife says on the 30th?

I'm trying so hard not to buy a bag full of clearblue tests and keep testing myself until I get that 3+!!

[ffallada]

Hi,
I, like you, had days of spotting and unexplained sore stomach at the 6 week mark - your description sounds really similar. After some advice from another message board I went to my local early pregnancy unit and had a scan (be warned, at this early stage its an internal one which left me feeling bruised and a bit used!). Saw a lovely little heartbeat. At your stage its just a ball of cells, not a featus as such.
Fingers crossed for you - it sounds pretty normal.

The mucus may be because your period would normally be due at this time of the month - that's what google says anyway.

The clear blue you've been using is two tests, one part tells you that your pregnant (very dependable), one part tells you how far along your are (not at all dependable). I'd go with what kitkat says, and don't focus on the week thing.

Oh and don't worry about going into pregnancy blindly - I've learned more about my body in three months than I've managed in the previous 32 years. Its a steep learning curve but quite an interesting one.

[S1eepflower]

Thank you ffallada :)

Yes I think asking for a scan at 6 weeks I'll be shooting myself in the foot, they probably can't tell me more than I'm already worrying about.

My period isn't due until about the 8 June (If I was having one) I'm like clockwork! Which is why I was pretty worried.

The clear blue still says I'm pregnant, and still says 2-3, it's not dropped, just hasn't increased.

I'm generally a worrier anyway, and a 12 week scan seems years away nevermind weeks! Just going to have to get a grip aren't I? :)

[arghhelpme]

I had same type of spotting with my first two pregnancies also had left side pain. Both times was sent to EPU for an early scan.

The results of those pregnancies are currently sitting down watching tv whilst bickering at the moment.

You could push for an early scan if you are that worried, make a gp appt and say you have spotting with cramps, they might refer you.

I have only used a clear blue digital once but have heard that they are quite unreliable when it comes to saying how far along you are.

[S1eepflower]

arghhhelpme (nice name) Thank you! Hopefully my story will be the same as yours!!


If it continues as is I think I will wait for my midwife.. (If it increases I'll ring hosp.) by then I will be close to 8 weeks and more likely to see something positive on a scan, (if she refers me)

I'm not cramping, just an odd heavy feeling (and feeling like I've been taking coffee on a drip I need a wee all the time)

Thanks for everyone's reassurance.. seems many people get the same symptoms and have happy pregnancies fingers crossed

[KitKat1985]

Maybe call your local EPAU and see what they say? As ffallada says though bear in mind if they do agree to scan you it will be an internal scan (probe into your vagina) and you won't see a lot, although we were really lucky and got to see a heart-beat (which is just a flicker on the screen at this stage), which was impressive as it was very early days, and even sonographer didn't particularly expect to see it. It may be able to give you reassurance though. xxx

[S1eepflower]

just been for a wee and no brown on my panty liner, usually is by now.. fingers crossed, still there when I wipe though....

[eurochick]

Spotting is very common at this stage - it's the embryo burying itself into the womb lining. It's horribly worrying but doesn't mean the worst!

[S1eepflower]

Thank you Eurochick! I always though that happened much earlier, but it turns out there's a lot of conflicting info on it!

[S1eepflower]

Spoke too soon, it's back!

[cheshirem2b]

I'm about 8 weeks pg now and have just had a week of on & off spotting. Had EPU scan and saw a heartbeat so all is fine but I panicked like crazy! If you are worried get in touch with a midwife or EPU.

[NutellaStraightFromTheJar]

I had brown spotting as you describe in week 7 or so I think. It went away and then came back last week. I went to the GP yesterday and asked to be referred to the EPAU, which he was happy to do because he could see it was really worrying me. They booked me in straight away for a scan this morning (now 10 weeks) and we saw a heartbeat and baby is measuring right on track. From what I hear spotting is fairly common, but if it is worrying you it's definitely worth seeing if you can have a scan for reassurance!

[blamber]

The clearblue is actually not that accurate when it comes to telling you how long you've been pregnant. Hcg levels vary per woman a lot and the stick takes a large margin. I looked it up once, but can't remember the exact figures. So it's possible for your hcg to be rising normally, but the stick still indicating that you are the same number of weeks, because you're still within that large margin.

Also, spotting is common. I had it too. For your reassurance, try contacting an early pregnancy assessment unit if there is one near you. Or go back to the GP to ask for a referral for a scan. I had one GP who I saw for spotting, who said it was common and did nothing. But when it happened again a week later I saw a different GP who sent me for a scan the same day. He said he has every woman checked out who had spotting. Turns out everything was fine for me, I even had one scan at 6 and one at 9 weeks for spotting.

[S1eepflower]

Thank you everyone, I'll ring my EPU tomorrow and see what they can do for me! I have a feeling they will fob me off until I see my midwife next Friday.. nobody seems to want to deal with me! But hopefully I can get some reassurance :)

[Observer78]

Sorry, a bit confused - if period due on 8th June... You've just ovulated? And pregnant?
With the exception of ClearBlue not showing anything, once my symptoms disappeared, so did my pregnancy. The slight spotting came once, I thought that's an implantation bleed. A few days later brown spotting started, continued on / off for a couple of days, until the full blown MC started. For me the disappearing symptoms were the tell tale sign.

BUT! Your pregnancy tests still come up, whereas for me the ClearBlue Digital was "Not Pregnant." So there's still very solid hope.
God I hate miscarriages. Everything about them - the uncertainty, the fear, loss of hopes and dreams, future that was there to be had yet taken away. Which is why I sincerely hope you're OK, and have a great outcome

[mssleepyhead]

I had brown spotting at 7 weeks and after a phone conversation with my GP got an immediate referral to the EPU who scanned me and that revealed a heartbeat : ) it might be worth waiting until you think you'd be 7 weeks, as before that a heartbeat can't always be seen, and then try to get an appointment. I know what you mean about that sinking feeling; the brown spotting stopped and then started again for me at 11 weeks and I ended up paying for a private scan at 12 weeks because I had another week to wait till my NHS one and I just couldn't stand the thought of bad news. I've had spotting on and off since. No explanation. But early in the pregnancy yours could easily be implantation bleeding or just light bleeding from the uterus stretching. Either way I'd recommend trying to get an early scan; if you have a local EPU that's what they're there for. Best of luck.

[ruthsmumkath]

I had this in the summer - it went on for 3-4 weeks and then got heavier - I went for a scan at this point and found out mmc.

I have also had bleeding and spotting in this pregnancy and I'm now over 38 wks.

I so wish I had been for an earlier scan though in the summer pregnancy as it would have saved a lot of heartache!

Fingers crossed all well but please get a scan - even at 6 weeks.

Kath

[S1eepflower]

Hello everyone, just wanted to let you all know the spotting has almost stopped, its gone from dark brown/red to light brown and now today yellow/brown... maybe it was leftover implantation bleeding??

Anyway... I caved in and took another clearblue, still said 2-3 with FMU, but my symptoms only decide to appear at night, and I feel my worst at night, so decided to take another clearblue test just before bed, it came up 3+! :)

I know it doesn't mean I'm free from problems, but it means my hormones are still increasing and its a step in the right direction :)

Still no morning sickness though (lucky me )