Worried and scared - repeated discharge/bleeding at 6 weeks

[Mrs1989]

Sorry in advance for the long post

I found out I was pregnant on 11 Jan (first pregnancy) and was over the moon as husband and I had only started trying mid-Dec. Then, on 16th Jan, I found brown discharge when wiping after going to the toilet. This has been on and off for the past 4 1/2 days now, and there have been two occasions when it has become heavier - enough to stain a sanitary pad - although it has always been brown in colour (and I gather red blood is more worrying?). I also had period like cramps on the morning of 18th but these settled down quickly with no paracetamol. I went to the EPU at my local hospital on 17th so they could look at my cervix and take swabs to go off for tests (no results back as of yet and they said “no news is good news”). They could see the discharge but said that my cervix was closed, which they said was good, and, at this stage, there was nothing overly concerning them. They were lovely and told me to try to relax. They also said should it get heavier and red, like period blood, and if I get abdominal pain, to call them straight away.

The second bout of heavier bleeding (brown blood) happened yesterday (19th). I burst into tears and got into a state but didn’t ring EPU as they had said to only if it was red. The discharge has continued this morning and it just sets my nerves on edge every time I see it.

I asked my mum if she had experienced this (3 healthy pregnancies) and she hadn’t. I’m a generally anxious person anyway but since this started happening my mind has gone into overdrive. I can’t focus on anything and keep bursting into tears.

We told my mum and sister about the pregnancy soon after taking the test because we were so excited. We are going away with husband’s immediate family soon and we were really looking forward to telling them too. Now I’m not sure if we should, but at the same time I’m panicking that I will have a miscarriage when we’re away with them and that will be the first they know that I was pregnant I’m scared if I don’t tell husband’s family what is happening I will just end up having a breakdown in front of them at some point because I’m not good at holding my emotions in for too long.

I’ve already looked at forums and it seems brown blood can sometimes be harmless and the pregnancy is still healthy, yet sometimes it can be a precursor to red blood and a miscarriage, so I know it’s out of my control. I don’t know what I’m after really in posting this...I just think I needed to get it out. I had no idea before looking into it how common miscarriage is and I’m sad that I’ve gone from excited at being pregnant for the first time to miserable in the space of a week

@Flossie333 have you spoken to 111? They were brilliant with me yesterday and I was speaking to an obstetrician who recommended bed rest pure and simple and literally no exertion whatsoever including walking up or down stairs. She explained that at the stage I was the placenta is just about to take over so needed to give it and the baby the best fighting chance for that transition. If you can, do that and you'll be in a good place for your scan on Friday but do call 111 for advice particular to you.

There was another lady at EPU (I had to have a scan to confirm what had happened) who was very sad while waiting but came out smiling so clearly had good news. There is definitely hope. Fingers and toes crossed for you.

Hi everyone, sorry to jump in half way through. I'm in a similar position at 6 weeks and 3 days today and been having discharge since Saturday with like dark reddy pink. Not a huge amount, but enough to worry me. I'm booked in for an early scan on Friday, the GP referred me but didnt really give me much advice in terms of what to do. So I've taken up not doing too much physical exertion etc. Its so scary waiting till friday to hear what the outcome is. This is my first pregnancy so I have no idea what to expect, so currently preparing for the worst. Good luck to everyone on this thread, I really hope there are positive outcomes xx

@clarewithoutani so sorry to hear your news. It’s so rubbish that women have to go through this. Sending you a big hug and hope you are being looked after.

@Kona84 I am going through similar to you now. Continued with brown discharge today and have noticed over past day or so it has been darker brown. I then had some brown bleeding on a pad after popping to the shops (we keep running out of stuff as my head is a mess) and then when I went to the toilet I wiped and there was red. Husband took me to A&E as he arrived home shortly after and they have referred me to EPU who will call me tomorrow morning. (I also have a reference sheet so I know what symptoms mean I should go to A&E without hesitation - painkillers not working/clots/having to change a pad every hour/faint and dizzy due to pain). I’ve now got proper heavier red period blood, although it doesn’t appear to have clots. I think the next thing that will happen is EPU will offer an internal scan. I know I will really struggle with it (I struggle with smears and can’t bring myself to use tampons) but it seems like it’s the only option for any kind of information/reassurance at this stage. I have also read about how detecting a healthy heartbeat during an early scan means the chances of things going wrong are reduced. Although I think scans around 8 weeks are more promising in this respect and I’m only 6 and a half weeks. I am trying to keep calm and accept that this is out of my control. Last night I also told husband’s family what has been happening because we were meant to be going away with them this weekend (may not happen now) and I thought I would struggle to be normal around them (especially as sister in law is five months pregnant). It did feel like a weight had been lifted sharing the news but at the same time I was very sad that I was having to tell them I’m pregnant through tears and not in the happy way I had imagined (so glad I told my mum and sister straight away before all this started happening). On a positive note, sister in law told me that someone she knows experienced quite a bit of red blood in the early stages and had a few trips to A&E - she’s now expecting a baby this Spring, so sometimes it does work out.

@Flossie333 I hadn’t forgotten about you! Hope you are ok and keep in touch

Sending lots of love to you all and thank you to all who have taken the time to share experiences. The fact that it has worked out fine for some of you is giving me hope xxx

@Mrs1989 thanks for sharing.
I hope your scan goes well. It’s really scary, my blood was heavy last night but has been lighter through the day today. Not even leaving a trace on a pad just when I wipe. I’m going to loo every hour so maybe I’m wiping before it’s got chance.
I was meant to be in work tomorrow so I had to phone them to explain, luckily they are very empathetic.
I keep going through dream scenarios in my head.
To me it just feels so much like a period that I’m finding it hard to think of it as a miscarriage. My midwife said some women do have a period in first trimester. I asked if she meant the first one before a positive and she corrected me that she’d meant after a positive test.
My scan will be about mid day so hopefully I get good news.
I know it’s early on but I’ve already got a stockpile of baby stuff. I was so excited.

Internal scans aren’t nearly as bad as smears. The probe is about half the size of a speculum.

I would avoid internals. I saw my healthy dd at 6 weeks no problem and I had plenty of belly fat getting in the way at the time. If they can't see, as long as your tubes are clear, wait two weeks and go back and if they still can't see it's probably non viable anyway. Last time I had an internal the probe was big

@toomanyleggings do you mean you saw you daughter fine at 6 weeks with an abdominal scan? And only having more belly fat may make this tricky? I am quite petite although I haven’t got a particularly toned tummy. I’ve got a bit of belly fat I guess. I’m just miserable with this hanging over me. It’s only been a week since this all started but it feels much longer.

I bled bright red blood at 11 weeks. It lasted a couple of days. I thought that was it for me. I phoned Gynae who were as helpful as a chocolate teapot. They wouldn't see me because I was still early in my pregnancy and she said bleeding is common and if it is a MC there isn't much we can do.
So, I paid for a private scan that night and saw my little bean kicking around on the screen 🥰.
The sonographer said she can't see why my bleed happened but it can be caused by nothing and you simply just can't bleed. DS is now 6.5 months and as wild as ever ☺️.

My Dsis has bleeding quite a bit through out her pregnancies and she has had multiple MC's so you can imagine her worries but hers was caused by a haematoma.

Good luck

I meant to say. You can simply just bleed and have no reasons for it*

@PixieDustt thanks for your messages.

That is terrible you weren’t offered a scan after bleeding at 11 weeks I am 6 and a half weeks now and was already invited to my hospital’s EPU last Friday (17th) for a cervix check because of brown discharge. Every time I’ve called they’ve been brilliant.

EPU rang me just after 8am after my referral last night. From what the nurse was saying, I think I could well have had a miscarriage last night as the blood was heavy dark red period blood and I had cramps. I am booked in for a scan (unfortunately an internal one) at 8.45am on Monday but they want me to do a pregnancy test beforehand. Obviously if it’s negative I need to cancel the appointment I would do a test now but I think hormones could still give a positive result even if I’ve miscarried. It’s my husband’s birthday today so I’m gutted this is happening now, but at least we won’t find out on his birthday. I’ve been in tears this last week but feel strangely calm about it now. I haven’t had any pregnancy symptoms which is making me think it was a miscarriage last night, but if bleeds just randomly happen for some women, maybe I’ll be surprised on Monday xxx

@mrs1989 do you want me to update my results this afternoon.
It sounds like we are in the exact same boat.
I still haven’t had much cramping but when I went to the loo last night before bed a clump of material appeared about the size of
My palm.
I cried yesterday but I’m prepared for the bad news. I don’t feel calm but I know it’s out of my control.

@Kona84 i would only want you to share what you are comfortable with, so please only share your results if you are ok to. I’ve chosen to share more on here as it helps me to get it out in writing (and, with the exception of my partner, I’m finding it hard to talk face to face with the few people who know), but I appreciate that others may not feel comfortable sharing everything on here.

I’m sorry you’re going through this too and am keeping fingers crossed for you for today xxx

Don't rule anything out yet until Monday.
I have everything crossed for you.
I can't say try not to stress about it because it's almost like you can't switch off.
Please remember even at 6 weeks it can be hard to see little beans on the scan it's better at about 8 weeks x

So I’m back from my appointment.
They did abdominal scan and couldn’t see anything. Did a internal scan and there is a yolk sac and a baby but the yolk sac is irregular. (Looks like it is collapsing).
The fetus measured 6mm and there was no heartbeat and they dated it 6 weeks. This would tie in with conception date but not date of last period.
I don’t know what happens next week if it’s still there and still no heartbeat or growth.
So I’m still in limbo.
Still bleeding, my partner says it’s 50/50 now but I think it’s more 90/10 that we’ve lost it.
Trying to stay positive

@Kona84 bless you, it is horrible being in limbo. Try to stay positive as it may be that it is slightly too early at this stage to see things properly or detect a heartbeat. I read that in the early stages when it is only possible to do internal scans they often have to be done two or three times as the weeks pass in order to measure growth and get a better picture xxx

@Kona84 so sorry to hear you are in limbo. I hope you are resting as much as you can?

@Mrs1989 so sorry to hear what's happening. Why do you have to wait until Monday? I thought you were meant to have a scan tomorrow?

Sending everyone much-needed hugs and positivity. X

I have been very sad these past few days. All the measurements showed I was more 12 weeks. I have to go back to epu next Friday for another internal scan to make sure everything has gone. Crying just writing that last sentence...

So sorry @clarewithoutani .

I’ve lost myself to google this evening. I always say I won’t but then fall down the hole.
I am staying off work until my next scan. I don’t have a physical job but I don’t think I could face people asking if I’m okay.
I’m sure I’d just break down.

@Kona84 - it's hard not to. I hope you are taking sick leave rather than holiday as this is anything but a holiday. Do try to totally rest. It could be the difference.

I've let my boss know what's happened and have been told to take as much time as I need.

@clarewithoutani, I am so sad for you and it’s so hard having to wait to be able to try to move on. I’m at the point where I am prepared for the worst but really just want an answer and to be able to move on. I had thought I might get booked in this week but the nurse on the phone said it would be too early for a scan. I will be 7 weeks from last period on Monday but I’m worried the scan won’t detect anything and I won’t have an answer. They suggested doing a pregnancy test beforehand and cancelling appointment if it’s negative but I’m confused by that because I think hormones mean a test will still say I’m pregnant.

@Kona84, the last thing I checked was the thing about taking another test and the hormones thing. I’ve stopped looking at Google now because I feel it’s pointless trying to second guess how it will turn out. Glad you are staying off work. I’m actually in the middle of a fortnight’s annual leave as needed to use it up before new financial year. Haven’t yet told my manager and closest colleagues as I won’t be back in til 3rd feb but I am going to have to because I wear my heart on my sleeve and they will know something is not right. Husband has explained to his manager what’s happening and he has worked from home today and will be tomorrow, so they have been really understanding.

@Mrs1989 waiting is the hardest. Do you have any private scanners near you? I only discovered that I do this evening 🙁 and that could have been really helpful earlier this week. Push for the NHS appt because there was a woman in with me at EPU who was six weeks and she had good news. A pregnancy test would still show positive if the worst were to happen so that's really crap advice there. I'm like you wearing my heart on my sleeve at work so the return will be difficult. Will have to do my best to keep my emotions in check and use 'women's problems' to stop questions from the men!

Yes I’m on sick leave.
I work with a team of strong women some of which have experienced miscarriage before.
They know I’m pregnant because I was meant to be travelling for work but didn’t fee I wanted to be away from home this early in pregnancy.
If I’d told the men I work with about my pregnancy I would have told them about the miscarriage too. You don’t know how many of them have gone through it too, my partner has been strong for me but I can see he is equally upset maybe even more so because he feels helpless.

Hi all, I had my scan earlier this morning. Although at this point they are saying it’s inconclusive, I think it was obvious to the nurses from my symptoms that I have most probably had a miscarriage. The scan showed no evidence of a pregnancy and the lining of my womb appeared quite thin, whereas they would expect it to be thickening. However, because my urine sample still gives a positive result they have had to take bloods today and may have to do so again on weds to check that my hormone levels are coming down and therefore provide a conclusive result.

The internal scan was not quite as bad as I imagined. Maybe it was just that the sonographer knew how nervous I was and so was very gentle, but it was less painful for me than a smear test.

My family are telling me not to worry and that it will happen next time but I’m honestly so scared to try again now. I don’t want this to happen again (obviously). My sister in law is having her baby shower in a couple of months and then the birth is just the month after, I don’t think I could cope being around for either if this were to happen again. But at the same time I’m 31 in March and the reason we started trying was because we are settled now and feel like we need to get on with it. I can’t help comparing myself to others who started having their children mid-twenties and wondering if I’ve left it too late. My dad told me about his old colleague’s wife having had a miscarriage followed by a healthy baby boy, followed by another two miscarriages, followed by a healthy baby girl. I think he told me this to reassure me that it will all work out well, but honestly I am horrified that this poor lady had to go through so many miscarriages to have her family. I feel stupid and naive but I had no idea it could be like that, perhaps because my mother and those closest to me have been lucky enough not to experience this. Sorry to be so negative, I thought I’d calmed down and accepted this last week but I’ve just got really upset again.

@mrs1989 are they scanning you again?

I know what you mean about feeling you left it too late I’m 35 and been with my partner 16years everyday I think why didn’t we start 10 years ago but can’t dwell too long on that.

Since opening up to friends about what I am going through I have had quite a few positive stories. 1 friend miscarried with her first pregnancy but within 6 months was pregnant again and now has an almost 1 year old.

Another friend had a miscarriage between her two children.
I know it’s not the end of the road.

I am still bleeding but not had any clots since Thursday and nothing like the clot that came out Wednesday. I was so convinced that was it that I was surprised they found a baby. I am not sure how anything can still be hanging in there after that.
This has been the slowest week of my life and Thursday isn’t coming round any sooner.
I’m still off work but plan to return Monday.
If they confirm I’ve miscarried I will go back Monday. If they tell me baby still there and it has progressed I will rest up and get a fit note from doctor.

I hope everyone is okay

@Kona84 they didn’t mention scanning me again, just the blood tests to check if my hormone levels are coming down. I knew before the scan it was bad news anyway because I did a pregnancy test with a weeks indicator this morning and it said I was 1-2 weeks rather than the 3+ weeks it should be according to the last time I checked, so that already showed my hormone levels coming down. I hope your next scan goes well - it’s positive that they were able to see your baby last time, so fingers crossed it is all ok xxx

Thanks @mrs1989 and I’m really sorry for your loss.

I’m hoping by some miracle there will be a heartbeat. But I’m not sure what happens if it’s now 7mm and no heartbeat? By definition that is a non viable pregnancy but it would have grown 1mm.
Hopefully it will all be clear Thursday