Bleeding During Smear Test

[ShortyShortLegs]

Hi, I had my smear test on Monday.
My cervix is high and tilted, always difficult to see so I have to lay on my side for smears and the nurse always needs to use the big speculum!
Different nurse this time, wouldn't listen, insisted it would be fine, tried and tried with the small speculum and lying on my back.
It really, really hurt...pinching and sharp pains, loads of pressure, the worst most painful smear yet.
Nurse admitted she couldn't get proper view of cervix, said she'd try on my side, got it immediately with no issues.

I am worried because there was lots of blood on the speculum afterwards. I never had that before or any bleeding afterwards.
The nurse said I may bleed that day. I actually bled enough to need a panty liner for four days, cramps, small clots, etc.
Definitely not my period, that finished the week before smear and is ridiculously heavy, this was no where near enough blood.
Now I feel really sore and uncomfortable, I think it's triggered thrush.

Doesn't blood interfere with the results? Or is it different now that they are looking for HPV? I don't fancy having to go through that again in a few weeks just because of a poor sample.

Hello. I have a tilted cervix and also very large from having big babies! So apparently hard to tell what is cervix from surrounding area. Last smear took ages as she couldn't tell what was cervix! Lots of jabbing about and very uncomfortable. I bled for a day afterwards and never had done before. It was quite a lot of blood and had to wear a towel. Was sure test would come back as inconclusive because of the blood but it came back normal so you could be ok.

Thanks for replying! Glad you got good results, hopefully it will be okay.
The nurse did try to blame my 'slack' muscles too, I've had three kids but two by c-section. My cervix has always just been difficult!