Is it normal for an early mc to be lighter than a normal period?

[Ninjacat]

Would someone mind giving me a bit of reassurance?

I had a bfp last Saturday (day 34 of cycle).
On Wednesday I woke up with what seemed like the start of a period.
I was sent to EPU who did a scan but couldn't see a pregnancy (they also did a test which was +).
I was sent home and told they thought I had already miscarried but that as they couldn't see my tubes there was a slight chance of ectopic.
I'm in no pain and feel fine but I haven't been bleeding much since (tmi barely enough to stain a pad but there is blood on wiping)

I work in film and am on a shoot at the moment doing silly hours so it's really hard to get to the dr.

Is it normal for a mc to be lighter than a normal period?

tia

So sorry you are going through this.

My last one at nearly 6 weeks started as a slight bleed (1st morning only 1 wipe rest of day fine) but then got more (heavy period) I had scan after heavy bleed and they didn't find anything!
Sorry I can't help more.
xx

Ninjacat - I am not sure if I can be reassuring for you. I have had early m/c's where the bleeding has been much less than a period, so yes it could be that you have miscarried already.

However I have also had pregnancies where they have scanned me and said " nothing can be seen in the womb, could be ectopic" for them to rescan a day or so later and find the pregnancy sac in the correct place. I have a tilted uterus which is quite common but does make scans look a couple of weeks behind and delays the point at which the sac can be seen in the uterus.

So it could be that you are still pregnant. If you are still pregnant you could have a normal pregnancy despite the bleeding, or you could still miscarry.

You need to be monitored by the doctor unless you get a negative pregnancy test soon. If you get pain (shoulder tip or otherwise), then go to a&e as the risk of ectopic is still there for you.

If after a week you are still getting positive tests, then you need to check what is going on. If in a week you get a negative test, then you know it is all over. The bleeding may stop or may get a bit heavier for a day or so, but the bleeding will not tell you if you have miscarried or not. Sorry that you are going through this rough time.

Ninjacat I had a very early miscarriage at just over 4 weeks and it was lighter than a normal period. However, by the time I was bleeding the pregnancy test had already gone negative again - I only had a positive test for about 3 days and it never got dark at all. Sorry for what you are going through.

Thank you all for your advise.
Unfortunately my HCG levels went down, but not enough, then went up again.
As it stands now I had a laperoscopy (sp?) on Saturday and something was removed from my left tube.
I now have to have further bloods on Thursday.
If I'm honest everything is feeling a bit shit today.