Panicking over post coital bleeding.....

[DrBeat]

Name changed sorry

I frequently suffer with this. Recently I went to doctors and was told i had an ectropian and needed a smear.
i went for the smear and was told 'the lab will simply return the test' as i was not due a smear .Therefore the nurse outright refused to do one.
Nurse told me - bleeding after sex needed hysteroscopy!?
went back to gp who set 'leave it'
have smear in september when due one
i also seem to have had a couple of bouts of BV something new to me.
I am planning another baby.I am 39. I had hpv virus as a student.
if you are following this then well done. I dont know what i am hoping for just similar stories really as i am worrying and feeling as though i can 'feel' my cervix (kind of imagining it is enlarged or something)
thankyou

[lulumama]

i don;t know what an ectropian is.....and i am surprised the nurse refused to carry out a test the doctor had requested.

bleeding after sex needs checking out and if your GP / practice nurse cannot or will not, i would seek a second opinion, especially if you are wanting to conceive

sorry to not be more help

[DrBeat]

cervical erosion lulamama

the nurse was quite adament that the doctors advice was 'OLD' and that this was not standard now

[lulumama]

i seeeeee....

i don;t think a cervical erosion in itself is a barrier to pregnancy. but it needs to be determined that is the cause of the bleeding and the right tests are done ASAP! if it is not standard now, then what is??

[DrBeat]

hysteroscopy! which seemed a bit much - especially as the gp then veered to saying - we will just leave it!

[SmileysPeople]

Dr.Beat, I have had almost exactly this scenario.
I've been bleeding after sex for about the past year. Went to GP, he sent me to the nurse for a smear.
When I saw her she huffed and puffed and said I couldn't have a smear as it wasn't 3yrs since my last one and lab would send it back.
She called the GP who told her to go ahead and do it anyway.
She huffed and puffed some more and then did smear.
Whilst doing the smear she saw and ectropian on my cervix (said it was more like a polyp?) and concluded that was causing the bleeding and nothing to worry about.
Lab difd the smear and all was OK.

I am paranoid also as I had abnormal smear 6yrs ago and had to have come biopsy on my cervix.

Mine then differs slighty, as my periods have now also gone haywire, bleeding every 18days and loosing clots etc (sorry if TMI) so I've now been referred for a scan.

Was assured though that just an ectropian was nothing to worry about.

[lulumama]

there you go ! someone who knows what they are talking about

[SmileysPeople]

Don't go Lulumama!!

That post was the entire extent of my knowledge on the subject, she might ask something much harder next

[drBeat]

thankyou smileys....that helps me feel better - i need a smear its so annoying -thing is i will end up pg and no nearer a smear - i feel so frustrated...

[lulumama]

if you are due for a smear anyway, can you not just book in for one!?

[franca70]

sorry, (showing my lack of knowledge on how the nhs works), why don't they refer you to a gynechologyst??

[drBeat]

i am not sure >

[franca70]

sorry, didn't mean to worry you, I just don't understand why it's always so difficult to see a specialist, who'd probably reassure you in 2 mins. and why would they refuse to give you a smear test if the doctor thinks you need it? sorry, I'm just cross on your behalf!

[SmileysPeople]

When the nurse saw this ectropian on my cervix, she was convinved that was what was causing the bleeding and assured me that it was nothing to worry about, just like a fleshy tag on the cervix.

I did get the smear though, which was reassuring to me.

I think the labs can't cope with the amount of smears so they're restrictibg them (could be wrong on this).

Do you/we not have the right to demand a smear?

I'd go back to your Dr and explain your concerns, also maybe exaggerate the bleeding a bit. Not ethical I know, but you want to put this worry to rest before you get pregnant.
I'm sure iyt's nothing to worry about, but you don't want it niggling away at you whilst pregnant.

There's quite enough to get paranoid about when preganant without this!

[lulumama]

you should have a smear every 3 years

if you don;t you get reminder letters !


i is really important, IMHO, to rule out any sinister reason for post coital bleeding before falling pregnant. also , cervical erosions can bleed in early pregnancy, which can cause a lot of anxiety, so would be good to know, if that is what you have

a gynae would be the next step if the smear does not show the cause for the bleeding surely?

[SmileysPeople]

They do seem to be reluctant to do smears more frequnetly than evry 3yrs though.
I had to have then every year for a few years after my cone biopsy, and really I'd ike to continue with that just for reassurance, but they (whose they??)won't let me and are restricting it to the 3yrs.

I did get mine done, but the nurse sure didn't want to.

I's push for it somehow DrBeat,you're obviously quite worried, and if a simple procedure could put your mind at rest, surley it's worth it?

[franca70]

it's the lack of flexibility that drives me mad! if the doctor reckons a smear should be done (even if the three yrs haven't expired) then I don't see why refusing it! Sorry, I'm stll learning to navigate the nhs! dr beat, i really hope you manage to get all the answers soon.

[franca70]

for instance, in Italy (where I'm from) smears are done every yr

[majormoo]

can you go back and try to insist on a smear or being referred to a gynae? my friend was sent for a colposcopy recently for the same reason, and everything looked absolutely fine when she was checked, but she was very relieved to get it looked at.
Once you are pregnant you would not be able to have smears done (or if you did, the hormonal changes could affect the result) so it really is best to insist it is looked into first. No idea how expensive it is, but maybe you could go private if they refuse to look into it further at your GP???

[DrBeat]

Thankyou all for words of wisdom!
I did try to insist but they were very adamant that i was not to have one - the nurse even sais ' to be frank - a smear would not show up what we are looking for with bleeding after sex'
????

I dont know - going to ring today and see what they say
Thanks again

[SmileysPeople]

Exaggerate your symptoms a bit DrBeat, if you want it sorted.

I KNOW it's not ethical but maybe this once to put your mind at rest before getting preganant.

for instance, say your bleeding between periods also, or have brown dischareg.
Something that they will have to look into.

Apologies of this suggestion goes against all you stand for...how very dare I

[franca70]

as far as I know a thorough gynaecologic examination should give some anwers (I know, I hate that too).
good luck with your phone call today dr beat

[blackandwhitecat]

Also had post-coital bleeding so went to my GP who referred me immediately to Gynae consultatnt at hospital (in site of negative smear last April. Have annual smears following cone biopsy 3 years ago). Have just been to hospital. Consultant says have cervical erosion which is common after a loop and have to go back in about 6 wks to have it cauterized.

[mumof3teens]

I had slight post coital bleeding about 5 yrs ago. GP said it was probably nothing. Was worried so saw another Dr. Turned out to be 2 cervical polyps, which were removed (fairly) painlessly. No trouble since

[malaleche]

I had this a few years back for a couple of years. Was convinced I had something horrible so did nothing about it, durrr. Eventually went and saw a gyno who said i had an erosioned cervix. Prescribed vitamin E and it cleared up miraclously. (spelling?) While preg some yrs later it happened again, got seen, same thing, gyno (different one) recommended i get a smear 'a week or two' after giving birth, (with those stitches in my private parts? are you crazy? obviously had never given birth herself!)
4.5 mths after giving birth i still haven't got round to it
good luck