Scared - bled at smear

Cervical screening (smear test)
1

Hi everyone

I just had my six month check up smear (six months on from my last one, which showed up normal but with hpv). For the first time at a smear, I bled. So they couldn't take the sample and I need to go back on March 24th.

The nurse was lovely and very reassuring. She said it's very common for women to bleed and have to go back, and that it could be blood left over from my last period (over a week ago). So they need to do it before my next one.

I'm trying to stay calm but am freaking out a bit. Like I say, I've never bled at a smear. I've not been having any bleeding outside of periods either and sex has been fine.

I gguess I'm looking for some reassurance that this is a normal thing. Because right now I've managed to convince myself of the worst! Logic tells me cc is very is unlikely to have developed but you know what our minds are like!!

Right now I'm feeling panicky, scared and tearful so any reassurance would be gratefully received! 

Thank you xx

2

Hiya please try not to worry I can't speak from experience however my friend bled 

during her smear they still took a sample though, the nurse told her that it was common and not to worry

but like everything when someone tells you not to worry you instantly start to worry, please don't use google neither it's the worst thing invented in my opinion

especially for real health issues

 

xxx

3

Hi Charlotte,

Try not to worry too much - I bled at my recent smear (I haven't bled at any previous) and had some interesting coloured discharge (took me back to LLETZ!) for about 4 days. The nurse said it was probably because of a combination of things: she was trying to get a really good sample to avoid me having to come back through an inadequate result (she must have done about 10 twists!), the fact that despite my best efforts I was ridiculously tense as soon as the speculum went in, and being on the pill, where I was in my cycle etc (last period was a week an a half before the test I think). She said she'd send it off anyway but not to be too worried if it came back inadequate (I assume from blood. eugh.) I also felt achey and crampy for about a week after, and then again before my period (which I don't get normally). I think our cervixes just object to being prodded so much!

I'm sending you lots of positive thoughts x x x x

4

Thank you SO MUCH ladies. Your words have really helped make me step back from a full scale panic.

Becky, I remember you mentioned you bled at your smear. I had the same set of circumstances; took while for the speculum to go in properly, she was wriggling it around for ages cos she couldn’t see my cervix as it was ‘being shy’ (I wonder why?!) and I was of course very tense and nervous. When I arrived, she said she was going to take my blood pressure and I had to ask her to wait cos my heart was pounding!

She also said that about my cycle – my period was about a week and a half ago too so that is massively reassuring that you were in the same boat. Although at the time I couldn’t remember it, she was asking me when it was and how many days I had to go in my cycle and I was like, “er, I’m trying not to cry/panic/hyperventilate here, I couldn’t even tell you what day it is!!”

Also, this surgery is a contrast to my last one. There, the nurses were great – calm, professional and I never had any discomfort. Here, it feels more uncomfortable – OK, so that’s probably because of what has happened and I’m more tense than before (ah, those happy days where I’d never even heard of a LLETZ!). Still, they are a bit clumsy handed and the examination bed is so short – I am 5 “8 and I cannot get comfortable! I had my face practically mashed up the wall and there was no room for her to stand at the end of the bed so she was at the side, it was not a good fit!

I’m trying to stay calm and give myself the following reassurances:

·         When my smear was abnormal, it was mild dysk and low grade CIN was removed (according to my post LLETZ letter).

·         I had a check-up only 6 months ago which was normal.

·         I’ve had no symptoms or discomfort at all.

·         I don’t think I’ve seen a case on here where CC has been diagnosed following a normal smear 6 months ago – unless of course the smears were misread BUT LET’S NOT GO THERE!

Thanks for reading and sorry for the rambling – it helps to type it all out. Still feeling a bit tearful but calming down. It’s not good I have to wait till the 24th but them’s the breaks I guess.

 

xx

5

Hi Charlotte, 

Don't worry - that's exactly the same pep talk I gave myself just after my repeat smear! I won't lie, it did help.... for about a week. Then I went into 'oh god who is calling me from a number I don't know' mode lol. All of things you've said are the logical way to think about it...but we all know logic doesnt really override your own brain lol. 

That's weird about the exam bed! Is it literally just a thin thing smushed up against the wall? Mine was (once I was on a trolley type thing which was much better) but my most recent one looked different, and the nurse had to squidge in at the end, but I'd shuffled up a bit too much, so i had to shuffle down (and everything is always against a wall so you can't really relax your legs down properly - one is always propped up against the wall which makes me feel off balance lol). 

As for your cervix being 'shy'?! I understand the terminology but still... is there any wonder? At least 5 people have seen my cervix since I went for my first smear test. And 6 if you include my mum who saw it on the big screen at LLETZ before it made her feel queasy!) in fact 7 if you include me! that is far too many people! 

Ramble and rant away :) it's what we're here for :) try and stay positive x x x

6

Yes, it was a narrow bed and totally get what you're saying about the awkward leg thing! As I was lying there, there was a knock at the door and a male voice asking if he could come in!! Luckily my nurse was firm in saying no, but I still expected him to burst in! Then, as she's about to do her thing with the speculum, she comes out 'how are your breasts?' Me: 'umm...fine, thanks for asking?!' All of it definitely added to the whole awawkward experience! 

Going to need to rebook my smear as realised I may be coming on by the 24th. Ugh. May be going into April but hoping that won't make a difference? 

Also, had the usual annoying conversation with the boyfriend last night: 'but there's wrong so why are you so worried?' And he wonders why I don't talk to him about it...

7

Oh my god! That sounds awful! I'm impressed you could even attempt to relax! To give them credit all the nurses at my surgery have made a show of locking the door - I've never really thought about it before but can now see why! And what an odd time to ask about your boobs! As far as I'm aware CIN/HPV isn't linked to boobs?! lol. Maybe she was trying to relax you with an off the wall question...

I'd think leaving it till April would be fine :) it might even be better - give more cells a chance to grow back or something? 

Haha sadly I know that conversation! And you're all like 'yes but I don't KNOW there's nothing wrong until the results of the test!!' My boyfriend still hasn't mentioned my test or my results. Consequently (becuase I've decided to be awkward and not tell him, since he wasn't in when I got the results) he doesn't know that everything is fine. But I am a little offended that he hasn't even brought it up. Men are rubbish! lol. x