misscariage or period?

Katey
Hey ladies. I have had a miscarriage before and I remember the awful pain associated with it, but I'm not so sure. I'm supposed to start AF in a week and usually if anything I'm always late never early. I really felt pregnant this month as weird as that sound, but the past two days I've had weird sharp pains in my lower abdomen and lower back. They aren't as bad as when I miscarried last year and they don't last very long. I don't ever have cramps with my period either. Well today I woke up to AFand when I removed my tampon, there was thick clotting in there. Does anyone have clots on their period? When I passed the baby last year I remember the pain and how much there was, but I was much further along. If I was pregnant it would only be a few weeks. Would that make it less painful? Any ideas?