I had a smear test today. I received a letter in the post saying it was due. I am not on my period and not expecting to be for another week.
The nurse asked me to tell the start day of my last period. I couldn’t remember exactly and she said that the new NHS guidelines meant she could not give me a smear test unless I knew the exact date.
I explained I had taken time off work to attend and there had been nothing in the letter or any guidance about this. She then agreed to do it but suggested it may come back abnormal and I would need another one.
She then asked me if I could be pregnant. I said I didn’t think so, she asked me what I used for contraception and I said condoms. She then asked me why I wasn’t on the pill, then suggesting I get a coil. She went on to tell me about a 52 year old woman who had recently been in pregnant. She also said she couldn’t give me a smear unless I wasn’t 100% sure I wasn’t pregnant. I told her that I wasn’t as I’d been using condoms.....
Then she did my smear. She held up the brush thing after and told me there was blood. I was quite alarmed as there was quite a lot of blood. She told me I was on my period, which I am not. I asked her why this had happened and she said the new smear brushes were a bit ‘rougher’. The sample was red as there was a fair bit of blood and she said it might not work.
I am not on my period and used a party liner after and there was a bit of blood to cover the pantyliner but there is no longer any bleeding. It wasn’t sure at any point and I don’t normally bleed after sex etc.
So is it normal to bleed like that and any thoughts regarding the general approach of the nurse?