Thick brown discharge...

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
Thick brown discharge...
2
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 3:06am
Hi all, I hope you don't mind my graphic description but I'm afraid I have to be very specific about this. This month when I got my period it had been about 40 days since my last menstration, which is a little abnormal for me. Anyhow, I attribute the lateness to stress about finals and moving. I have had spotting of a thickish dark brown clotty discharge for 2 days but no bright red heavy flow like usual. I have had the brown discharge before but that was always at the very end of a long period and I was told it was just brown because it was old blood. Does that sound right? If so, I am wondering why the dark brown would be at the beginning of my period. I was just suprised this time because usually when my period first starts it is bright red and then eventually darkens in color a few days later.

I am just wondering if this is normal? Is it the darker color just because of the length of time since my last period? Have any of you noticed the brown I was describing? Any help appreciated.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-30-2003
Wed, 05-19-2004 - 10:22am
When I started on the Seasonale BC pill (which I've since stopped) I had thick brown discharge like that at the beginning and then fresh blood at the end. The blood was so thick if I didn't know better I would have thought I'd miscarried an early, early pregnancy. On my regular BC pill (Loestrin) which I stay on for 3months straight (skipping the placebo pills) and then I go off to get my period, I will sometimes all I'll really have is brown stuff. Hope this helped!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 05-21-2004 - 3:41am

Hi sara,


Yep, probably just 'old blood' - the iron in it oxidizes a bit, and causes the dark brown or rust color.

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