Smear test question

[PingPongPom]

I had a smear done a couple of weeks ago and have had a letter today saying the laboratory couldn't report the result and saying I'll need a repeat smear in 3 months time.

I suspect the nurse didn't get a good sample, she seemed to struggle to find my cervix so I may have it done at the FP clinic next time.

My question is - is there a reason they say go back in 3 months? Can I get it redone earlier than that? I feels bit angsty about these things after having severe abnormalities removed in 2001. All tests (about 7 of them) have been clear since but I feel a bit anxious about waiting a few more months for results.

Thanks

Maybe it's as simple as that is next slot in clinic.

Have also had 2 lots of treatment to remove cells and been requested to go backing you have. It is common and usually nothing to worry about.

Probably just to let your cervix recover a bit. To do it properly they have to do 5 good swirls if that horrid bottle brush thing, I've seen a few and there's often a bit if bleeding. Don't worry about the delay, changes are very slow to develop so you'll be fine.

Well no because the letter isn't from the GP practice they wouldn't know clinic times and I have to make the appt.

I was thinking more along the lines of there being some medical reason for leaving it 3 months like them needing 3 months between screens tiger a decent sample or something. Would rather get it over & done with but don't want to make an appt next month if they can't get a sample iyswim.

Thanks real - I was thinking along those lines and I thought at the time the nurse was v quick actually doing it after she eventually found my cervix. Thinking about it the actual smear wasn't as uncomfortable as I normally find them so I suspect it wasn't a good enough sample.

Thanks for your reassurance, it's less than 3 years since my last clear result but with having moved to Australia and back I lost track of when I was meant to stop having them annually.

The cervical 'skin' or epithelium generally it's agreed to leave it for 3 months to let the skin regrow completely.
Check with the sample taker to find out if it's because they had problems finding your cervix, if the sample taker indicates that the cervix wasn't completely visualised (and as above the correct number of sweeps done with a brush) then the lab will read the sample in case we can see any abnormal cells and if we can't we will report it as inadequate or unsuitable as it's safer.

Thanks Bela, I think the nurse didn't do it properly, I will go to the FPC next time as this is the second time a nurse has struggled to do it (although the last time the nurse did get an adequate sample).

Will give it 3 months then, and try and forget about it until then!

Have a search on here for previous threads about difficult to locate cervixes. Depending on where your cervix is - they can be quite posterior, deep or even move about then the sample taker needs to use either a different size speculum or get you to lie on your side. If the FPC sample taker does a lot then that might be a good place to try.
If Sidge is about then she could give some idea (I work in a lab and Sidge is a practice nurse IIRC).