Shamelessly here for traffic. Periods and cervix examinations.

[ThornAmongstRoses]

I was referred to gynaecology last week as an urgent referral due to likely ectropian cervix but obviously needing to rule out anything more sinister.

My appointment is tomorrow and as the Law of Sod would have it, my period came last night. And I have really heavy, clotty periods.

I don’t know what to do about tomorrow.

I have tried ringing my GP and the gynaecology department to talk to someone about whether the examination can even be done with such a heavy period taking place but I can’t get hold of anyone.

My appointment is at 08.30am so it’s not like I can try again tomorrow in terms of finding out whether the appointment needs to be rebooked.

Has anyone else been in this situation??

@ThornAmongstRoses

I was referred to gynaecology last week as an urgent referral due to likely ectropian cervix but obviously needing to rule out anything more sinister.

My appointment is tomorrow and as the Law of Sod would have it, my period came last night. And I have really heavy, clotty periods.

I don’t know what to do about tomorrow.

I have tried ringing my GP and the gynaecology department to talk to someone about whether the examination can even be done with such a heavy period taking place but I can’t get hold of anyone.

My appointment is at 08.30am so it’s not like I can try again tomorrow in terms of finding out whether the appointment needs to be rebooked.

Has anyone else been in this situation??

I had an examination booked a couple of weeks ago and I started my period 2 days before. I managed to get through to my doctors and rebooked it. Is there an option to leave a voicemail? I think they will understand and rebook you once you manage to get hold of them x

I personally would still go. If its for a colposcopy the gynaecologist will be able to work around you bleeding.

I've had a cervical examinations whilst on my period as I needed to be seen within 2 weeks of referral and my period happened to start the day of my appointment. (I had a biopsy after dodgy cells were found at a smear)

It’s difficult because it’s a hospital appointment and my appointment is part of the ‘cancer referral pathway’ where I have to be seen within two weeks of the referral.

But my periods are so, so heavy, with such large clots that I just can’t see how they will be able to examine my cervix properly and identify if any of the cells are abnormal. Apparently they have to use some kind of dye to identify between the normal/abnormal cells but surely if my cervix is covered in clots and blood it’s hardly going to be easy to see the dye is it?

Plus, I will be absolutely mortified. My periods are so bad and the thought of a doctor digging around in there and pulling out clots etc makes me want to cry

What I’ve done is put in a fresh tampon before travelling to appointment, and pulled it out directly before the exam, seems the best way to have a relatively clear field of view. Attend, if they can’t work round it so be it. They will see people who are bleeding constantly, they will be used to this there’s no need to be embarrassed

@ThornAmongstRoses

It’s difficult because it’s a hospital appointment and my appointment is part of the ‘cancer referral pathway’ where I have to be seen within two weeks of the referral.

But my periods are so, so heavy, with such large clots that I just can’t see how they will be able to examine my cervix properly and identify if any of the cells are abnormal. Apparently they have to use some kind of dye to identify between the normal/abnormal cells but surely if my cervix is covered in clots and blood it’s hardly going to be easy to see the dye is it?

Plus, I will be absolutely mortified. My periods are so bad and the thought of a doctor digging around in there and pulling out clots etc makes me want to cry

I have had this examination and was actually able to see the procedure on a screen next to me and yes the cervix changes colour with the dye to highlight patches of abnormalities. Don't know if they can do this with bleeding x

Sometimes they can/will do the examination, sometimes they can't - or, more often, the patient refuses it.

If it's not possible, you'll be rebooked. If you cancel, depending upon the particular Gynae department policy, there's a chance that you could be bumped off the list and have to start from scratch at the GP again or have to rebook for sometime in November 2022 at which point you've gone far, far longer than if you attended and got rebooked for three months time as a follow up.

I imagine that as my referral was part of the cancer pathway and I needed to be seen within two weeks of seeing my GP, it wouldn’t be too difficult to get another appointment once my period has gone.

I just can’t bear the thought of it, I am going to feel so uncomfortable. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if it was a female doctor, but the fact it’s a male makes it even worse

I had to have a colonoscopy on my period. I used a tampon (I don’t use them normally) that was fresh before leaving and removed it in the exam room. The doctors were more than happy for this.

During the exam they wash the cervix anyway, they weren’t concerned at all and are used to it. I was so embarrassed but it was important so...

P.a very best of luck xx

Colposcopy!!!

They can do it when on
Period
It’s in the booklet they sent me
Good luck