5 weeks and brown discharge

14 replies

lisetGuest · 2 months ago

I thought I was 6 to 7 weeks pregnant and have had some light brown discharge for a few days. I was able to come in for an internal ultrasound, and the image showed something that seemed more consistent with a 5-week pregnancy. The gestational sac was visible, and there was a very faint hint of something inside it, but it was still too small to be sure. So now the question is whether I'm just earlier in the pregnancy than I thought (which is possible because my cycle varies a lot), or if growth stopped at 5 weeks and it's a miscarriage. Next week, another scan will show whether there's growth and thus good news, or not. In the meantime, I'm still having brown discharge daily: kind of rust-brown and a bit grainy, a bit more when I'm very active, but also when I wake up in the morning. I keep worrying that it might suddenly turn into a full bleed and miscarriage.

VK says it could still go the right way, but also that we should be prepared for the possibility of a miscarriage. Does anyone have experience with prolonged brown discharge around 5 weeks? When does it become a lot and indicate an impending miscarriage, and when could it just be old blood?

Replies

Lizzy86 2 months ago #2

Hey Liset,

That uncertainty is really tough...
I had a miscarriage at 5.5 weeks. I had pink, brown, and then after a week, red bleeding for a week. It was all light, only once or twice a day when wiping or when urinating. After a week, it started like a period, which lasted another week. It wasn't very heavy, but there were a lot of blood clots. Emotionally, it was very sad. I felt pregnant just a week after conception.

If it turns out to be a miscarriage, there's probably nothing you can do to prevent it. It's often due to a chromosomal error.

Hopefully, it's a harmless cause of mild bleeding, like from constipation or after having sex. I looked up a lot online back then, and there are many women who have mild bleeding and still have completely normal pregnancies. Let me know how the growth looks on the ultrasound!

Wishing you all the best and lots of luck, of course. xxxx
Anonymous Guest 2 months ago #3

Thanks for your reply! I do read such mixed stories. A week can feel really, really long. A few more days to go, fingers crossed for good news!
liset started this 2 months ago #4

Bad news yesterday at the ultrasound, even though the bleeding has completely stopped this week. They did see some growth of the gestational sac, but not as much as expected, and couldn't see anything inside the sac yet. Going to the gynecologist on Monday. They think it's not an intact pregnancy, but can't rule it out completely either. Apparently, sometimes growth just pauses. So we should really prepare ourselves for the worst, but it's hard to completely lose hope. After all, it hasn't progressed to a miscarriage yet, and I still feel pregnant. These are really tough days, and I'm not sure how to prepare myself emotionally. More to come. If anyone has had similar experiences, especially with a happy ending, I'd love to be reassured...
Lizzy86 2 months ago #5

Hey Liset,

What a confusing situation! Unfortunately, there's not much you can do other than wait for your visit to the gynecologist.. :-(
Completely stopping the bleeding doesn't really fit with a miscarriage (which would have started with bleeding).
But the description of the ultrasound does sound concerning.
Could you be completely off with the estimated conception date?

I hope for the, probably smaller chance, that it's okay after all...

xxxx
Lizzy
mama24 2 months ago #6

Hi! I'm currently 22 weeks pregnant and had brown discharge until week 16. Once, around 6.5 weeks, I even had real bleeding, which made me feel super unsure. In my case, it kept going for 2 weeks, then stopped for a bit, and then came back. I had a lot of extra ultrasounds in the first 12 weeks due to the uncertainty.

So brown discharge doesn't necessarily mean anything bad. Good luck next week. I understand your concerns.
Lisette Guest 2 months ago #7

Two weeks ago, it turned out it wasn't going to work out after all. Still a gestational sac with no embryo. Luckily, the miscarriage started spontaneously that evening after a visit to the gynecologist. Kind of 'good news' in a way, because at least there was no need for a D&C or medication. Extremely sad and disappointed, yes. I hadn't really expected this to have such an impact, but well... we hadn't really prepared ourselves for this beforehand anyway. Now, two weeks later, the bleeding has stopped and we're trying again. Medically, there's no reason to wait, we were told. The counting is tricky, and I don't know how my cycle is going, so I have no idea if or when ovulation is happening, so I'm just continuing with the pregnant lifestyle We want it so badly now that we didn't want to wait another cycle first. Now hoping and wishing that it happens quickly!
mama24 2 months ago #8

Oh my, good luck, girl! I hope it turns out positive for you both soon!
Vivian 2 months ago #9

That's so sad, dear Lisette! Why not try some ovulation tests?
Lisette Guest 2 months ago #10

We were hesitating about using ovulation tests because you're already so focused on it, constantly thinking about it. But since every sense of certainty about my cycle is gone after the miscarriage, I took the first ovulation test today, almost 3 weeks after the miscarriage. So according to an average cycle, I should be late, but I think it's positive. The test line is the same color as the control line, but of course I don't have any comparison material from previous days. Well, let's get started, it's not a big deal anyway
Vivian 2 months ago #11

Hihi, hopefully no punishment, right? Did it turn out well?
Anonymous Guest 2 months ago #12

I think the positive test was detected well, lots of 'been busy at it' and now waiting. It's been 1 week since the estimated ovulation and I feel a kind of itching in my belly (feels a bit like having a smear test taken but then heeeeel light) and according to me heeeeeel light brown discharge. I hooooope that this means implantation. At the same time, I try to tell myself that the chance that it will be 1x successful right after MK is not big, so I'm also quite scared of the disappointment of getting my period again. At least 1 week and maybe better 2 weeks to wait until the test, I don't really want to seek out the uncertainty of a negative test if I haven't gotten my period yet but of course I'd really like to know. What a period of doubt, right!
Anne Guest 2 months ago #13

Hi everyone, I’d also like to share my story. After having a miscarriage in May following my first pregnancy, we got pregnant again in July. I had an ultrasound last Wednesday, and the doctor only saw a gestational sac and thought I was about 4-5 weeks along. Since this morning, I’ve had brown discharge when wiping, but no abdominal pain otherwise. I’m so anxious because it started the same way last time???? I’m reading positive stories too, but it’s making me feel so unsure.

Love
Vivian 2 months ago #14

Hi hi! I think you'd best give the VK a call!
patricia1983 2 months ago #15

I had an ultrasound today. They thought I was 8 weeks, but nothing was visible on the scan except a gestational sac and a yolk sac. According to her, it's too early. I have to come back in 13 days. I'm quite worried because I had a miscarriage in April. Have you had a lot of loss?

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