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General health

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Original poster

Smear,appointment - tmi alert !

18 replies

LIZS · 13/09/2006 12:34

Finally went for my smear appointment this morning only to find that the nurse was also taking a swab to check some mucus she could see for infection (sorry if tmi)and that this may mean that the smear sample wasn't good enough to test and might need to take another. The swab comes back in a week but the smear result - if it is a result - in 6 - 8 but if there is an infection is it a foregone conclusion that the smear sample won't be adequate ?

Also she cheered me up no end by telling me I'm overweight (BMI 25.9 I think) so could use losing half a stone. At least she found the strings to my Mirena but that'll need changing soon so have lots of poking to look forward to !

OP posts:

liath · 13/09/2006 12:51

You might have a bit more mucus becuase you have a coil & with the new method of putting the smear sample into liquid you should have a good chance of the smear being suitable for analysis.

Cheeky moo commenting about your weight, too!

Original poster

LIZS · 13/09/2006 13:19

Thanks that is reassuring, the thought of waoitng 8 week sna then havign to go through another minimum 6 week wait for a second test is annoying so do hope you are right . The weight thing was based upon my height /weight taken on a previous visit in February so you would have thought the nurse might have mentioned it then ! Have put on another kg since though

OP posts:

anniebear · 13/09/2006 13:49

wish I was told I only needed to lose half a stone!!!!!! lol

2plus2plus1 · 13/09/2006 16:04

I had a smear this morning too. I was told that the new method where they use a brush & put the sample in liquid (as opposed to on a glass slide)is less likely to be spoilt by blood or mucus. Don't know whether the same is true if there is an infection.

In my case I was told there was a lot of mucus obscuring the 'view'. The nurse just brushed it away before taking the sample.

I was told that if the sample was unsuitable they like you to wait 2 months before being retested anyway so I don't think itr really matters that you will have to wait 6-8 weeks before they tell you whether the sample was spoilt.

AT least she didn't tell me that I was overweight (& she could have done). Was a bit gobsmacked that I couldn't tell her the date of my LMP though .

2plus2plus1 · 13/09/2006 16:05

Sorry - just realised that I have repeated what liath has said...

Twiglett · 13/09/2006 16:07

I would lay odds that you are mid-cycle and hence its NATURAL cervical fluid

2plus2plus1 · 13/09/2006 16:15

i agree with twiglett. SInce we are supposed to have them mid cycle.

I have actually had quite a lot of clear mucous since stopping breastfeeding (I put it down to feeling lie a rampant rabbit so I don't think it would matter when it was done.

CarolinaMoon · 13/09/2006 16:21

dunno - the exact same thing happened to me last week, and my cervix bled a little bit which can also muck up the sample.

Original poster

LIZS · 13/09/2006 17:03

Thanks for the replies. She used a slide so guess we'll have to wait and see but I do sometmes have mid cycle dishcarge so that is possible.

OP posts:

sorrell · 13/09/2006 17:07

What a time to tell you to lose weight! How awful!

Twiglett · 14/09/2006 07:58

EVERY woman has mid-cycle 'discharge'

the cervical fluid we produce is natural and important to help conception ... it changes over your cycle

We SHOULD be bloody well taught about this .. I spent decades not knowing and thinking occasionally something was wrong and then putting it out of my mind .. it was only when I was thinking of conceiving at the grand old age of 32 that I found out what was normal

every woman should read Toni Weschler's book How to take charge of your fertility and teach their daughters

CarolinaMoon · 14/09/2006 08:15

I'm pretty sure mine is an infection tbh (swab results not back yet). It's much more watery than it should be (sorry if TMI) and a bit itchy.

Deffo not cervical mucus.

Twiglett · 14/09/2006 08:16

sorry of course infections exist as well .. I've had swabs taken on 3 occasions which ended up being normal though

CarolinaMoon · 14/09/2006 08:24

I like your new thread

Original poster

LIZS · 21/09/2006 17:25

Bum . Rang up for results of swab and got to go in to see dr to discuss - not urgently though. Any ideas ?

OP posts:

Twiglett · 21/09/2006 17:39

probably inconclusive and they need to repeat

Original poster

LIZS · 21/09/2006 17:59

So you think I should go prepared ?

OP posts:

Original poster

LIZS · 25/09/2006 10:29

Sigh of relief - aah . Tests didn't show anything odd but there were some white cells present which could indicate some sort of infection. Smear lab work may clarify what. On balance he's given me AB's but it may just be one of those things that exists harmlessly.

OP posts:

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