DESPERATE!! thought pregnant. then very abnormal period

[krs22]

I thank you very much for taking your time to read this!!!!! PLEASE do not get bored with the length, i really need advise =[[[ i just don't want to leave out any details that could be important.

I'm 22 years old, female, and have been trying to conceive. It hadn't happened yet, but this month I finally noticed symptoms;
my breasts were very very tender, I was having slight unfamiliar stomache cramps, my body temperature was higher than usual to the touch (although I felt fine), I was having slight lower back aches. I didn't get my hopes up until I missed my period. Then I took TWO home pregnancy tests. They both came positive except the vertical line in the "+" sign that appears when it detects the hormone was slightly faint, so i looked in the pamphlet that came with the tests and it read that it didn't matter if one line was lighter or darker, the result was positive, and even gave three images as examples and mine looked just like one of them. i just figured i wasn't far enough along to get a darker reading.
so i decided to wait, then a week later (yesterday, Sept. 25) i got my period. But it was not normal. I have NEVER been late on my period or missed one, i can tell to the HOUR when it will arrive, it literally is like clockwork. But i didn't receive it until late in the afternoon, any other time i get it first off in the morning. My cramps were the same if not a worse actually and when i did finally get it, ( i chose to wear a pad inorder to monitor it better) it was just a little bleeding, it was a brown color then kind of had a pinkish tint, with continued but SLIGHT cramping in my stomache, which also isn't normal because whenever i finally do bleed my cramps stop. I only cramp the first day of my period, but today i am still slightly cramping in my stomach and my flow, was a lot heavier than it has ever been and was very dark and thick. it seemed mucousy and had dark, almost black clots.
i just need advise and a glimpse of hope. i'm tired of getting my hopes up and it's getting to be so emotional for me. is there any hope at all that they could still be results of pregnancy? maybe implantation bleeding???

[Debbie Miller, RN]

Hello,
It is possible you were experiencing implant bleeding and are still pregnant. This is quite common. Miscarriages are also very frequent in the early weeks if things aren't developing properly so I can't guarantee anything here. It's kind of a watch and wait approach. If the baby and placenta are developing the pregnancy will continue but if not there will be nothing you can do to stop a miscarriage. It's nature's way of taking care of things that aren't as they should be physically.

You can repeat the test if you like or you can see a doctor for verification of pregnancy if it will give you peace of mind while waiting.

Best wishes.