How to differentiate early miscarriage from AF with PCOS

I've had PCOS (officially) for about a year and been on metformin but still very irregular. I have a "bleed" lasting about 24 hours every 4-5 weeks, then mucous like spotting for a couple of days (not needing a pad, sorry TMI). My Dr doesn't call these AF, I've been wanting to see a specialist but this has been the least of my health issues so far.

Anyway to my question, I don't know when or if I ovulated but I have had pregnancy symptoms in the past week, the most obvious being breast related, won't go in to details but this is not normal so I tested with First response 4 days ago - BFN. 3 Days ago a line so faint my dh could not see it, but i swear it's there and i'm sure its not an evap as it came up within 3 mins and is pink not grey, just so very faint. Then became rather manic and tested with other brands the past 2 days including forelife, but all BFN (about 5 of them).

This morning I tested again with First response and BFN.... at the time and now I have a discharge that was literally dripping out (sorry tmi) with tiny red dots in it.... does anyone know what this is? This is NOT the type of discharge I get when i have the spotting and bleed, the whole thing is usually reddish brown tinged.

I also have a dull ache in my abdomen but more on the right side, weird? Not AF style cramps for me.

If I go by the last two "cycles" and I use that loosely because I'm not sure what they have been, then I'd be "due" for some kind of bleed from about tomorrow-saturday approx.

So I guess I'm wondering what you'd make of this?

Could someone with PCOS respond? It's just hard as my cycles and general af experiences are not normal so I wonder if this is my body just being abnormal again. I haven't really come to grips with the PCOS as its changed me so much and I find I lack the understanding I used to have of myself.

Could it have been a burst cyst?

Another thing i would have said was a chemical pregnancy but when i had my two i got BFP and then days later AF returned very heavily and lasted about 10 days each.

Has your Dr tried putting you on the pill to help regulate your cycle?

I didn't think of that, I was actually in hospital about 4 months ago with a ruptured cyst. It was a bit different to this, I had really bad lower back pain prior, then bright red blood that wouldn't stop so they gave me meds to stop it. The cramping was on the right side but was agonising, it was so bad I'd gone to the ER.

That was my only experience with one though, do they differ?

Also I wanted to clarify that with my "pregnancy symptoms", it was my breast increase in size, areola and bizzarely the sensation of what I can only describe as a breastfeeding letdown, all last week, but has lessened and now stopped. (I haven't breastfed in 3 years and milk stopped about a year ago).

Unless you've had a definate confirmed pregnancy and miscarriage, I wouldn't call it one. People can get worked up when there's nothing going on. Your other symptoms sound a concern and I recommend seeing a PCOS specialist.

It is hard to confirm a pg via a POAS test with a feint line as it could be an evap line, like you said. Unless you can get a blood test (HCG) and u/s I'd rule out a pregnancy at this stage.

You really need to get a second opinion/referral for your PCOS b/c your AF or lack of is a concern. Don't be scared to challenge your GP, I've done it many times & by being a little more assertive/vocal I have gotten referred for blood tests and various other things that I might not have if I just went with the flow.

I'm really just after an insight in to the experiences of others.


I haven't wanted to go on the pill as we don't want to prevent pregnancy.

I have PCOS. My AF was always the same. 2-3 days of light bleeding followed by spotting for up to a week. I haven't had AF since DD was born. My cycle was irregular often over 90days. While TTC, I took metformin as prescribed by my dr along with a low GI diet (I wasn't overly strict on that though) and that regulated my to around 35 - 45 days give or take. I never had any reason to suspect that I might be pg as I never POAS prior to AF being due as I never really knew when it was due IYKWIM. I did have one AF that was much heavier while TTC DD & I did wonder if maybe it was a M/C but since I didn't have any reason to consider the possibility of being pg, I chose to believe it was just a random heavy cycle. I never had any pg symptoms early on for either pregnancy.

The ache you described sounds like it could be ovulation. I felt dull pains on one side sometimes and it corresponded with when I "should" have ovulated based on when AF arrived. I have heard that some people can bleed a little as a result of ovulation. It didn't happen to me personally though. What is the discharge like? If it's a similar consistency to egg-white (EWCM) and really stretchy, it can be a sign of ovulation. (Sorry if you know all this already).

HTH

My experience with AF & pg is this (I have PCOS).....

Usually my cycles were 35 days sometimes more, it actually shortened when I lost weight (low GI diet) and exercised regularly. No spotting during my cycle at all. When AF showed it started as brown blood first day then red blood for approx. 3-5 days. I occassionally had dull O type pains, no EWCM. But given I only fell pg three times (without IVF) I highly doubt it was ovulation and also I had blood tests to check for ovulation with both tests coming back negative, so my cycles were often 'annovulatory' (ie no ovulation). When I have fallen pg, I have taken FMU (first morning urine, midstream) tests and they have shown positive lines (ie: pregnant) approx. 1 week after AF should be due (ie: at 42 days). All my m/c's occured in the first trimester with spotting type red blood then heavy bleeding pretty much straight away.

I appreciate the replies,

I woke up early this morning and TIM - wiped once bright red *blood* thin though, if that makes sense. A couple hours later CM with red streaks and twice more, increasing but not enough to need a pad.... Also have slight diarrhoea.

Am going to try to get in with my dr as I can't wait until tomorrow, this is doing my head in.

:-( Keep us posted how you go, I hope you can get some clarity

for me, differentiation after the fact is kinda easy - af, when she arrives, is a constant pain for up to three or four weeks, stop start flow, spotting, flow again. no pain. early miscarriage is heavier bleed, constant, short period of time - and lots of pain. that's how i know

i sometimes wonder if maybe/maybe not - i can never be sure without a positive pee stick - until the bleed. it's just very different.

good luck getting answers