Unusual Period..?

[ojh22]

Hello! This may be a little tmi, but I'm honestly just curious. So like I said in my previous post I started birth control, and I have a tracker that says my period should be expected within the next few days. This started yesterday, but I've been discharging a very dark brown paste...? Like, its not tissue, or at least it doesn't look like it. I just want to know what it is, because it comes for about an hour or two, then stops, then starts again. Sorry if this is kinda gross, but I don't know how else to word it haha. Thank you so much!

[Sam W]

Hi ojh22,

In terms of the discharge, the type you're having is covered in this article:
Honorably Discharged: A Guide to Vaginal Secretions

A word about the tracker you're using: if it only counts days and doesn't have you doing things like take your temperature and check cervical mucus, it can't give you an accurate prediction of where you are in your cycle. If you want to learn more about how to track in a way that does, I'd be happy to give you some info on that

[ojh22]

Now I'm confused though, since for two days I had the dark paste like stuff, then for the past two days I've had a light brown discharge, and now nothing... No blood

[Sam W]

Hi ojh22,

That could just be normal variation in your discharge, or a side effect of BC, or something else entirely (we can't diagnose it through the internet). If you've read the article on discharge and are still concerned, then it's time to check in with a healthcare provider. And, just to check, are you up to date on your STI testing?