I just had a smear test done and afterwards they told me it has been done too early!

[ChiquititaCat]

Need to vent!!

I feel really upset today, I find smear tests really painful and just had one, only to be called by the nurse after saying that they made a mistake and I was called in too early so they have to discard it! Apparently I have to come back next year when I'm 28 because they are every three years.

I asked if there's any way they can just take this one so I don't have to come back but she said no! I'm so upset because I find them very unpleasant. I know it's not their fault because they make mistakes, plus maybe I should have realised as well? Although I must say it would have been helpful for her to have realised before she scraped out my insides, lol! Really don't want it done 2 years in a row!!!

That is awful!! I find smears really distressing, and cry all the way though. I’ve no idea why, and am fine fairly soon afterwards, but if I had gone though that for it to be discarded I would be very upset.

That's batshit that they have to discard it!

That is ridiculous! They have booked you in and completed an invasive test, they bloody well need to process your result. I'd be raising hell with the surgery over it.

Did they say why they couldn't send that off and you go back in another 3 years?

I had the same when ds was younger re a vaccination.

For some reason they registered my ds under the year we were in and not his year of birth when we moved areas. He was 22 months.

He got called at 25 months for a vaccine that was being rolled out to under 2's first. They said they couldn't give it to him and actually binned it in front of me. I understand their reasons because they said it wasn't fair on other under 2's.

And they did look embarrassed when they finished that roll out and 3 weeks later we sat in the same office to have the jab with the same nurses (surname starts with B so called up first!)

I know, I'm really annoyed about it!! Do you think it's worth calling and insisting they test?? or is it futile?

On other over 2's I mean.

If they've discarded it it's futile.

But I'd definitely be talking to the practice manager and be making a formal complaint in writing.

I'd want to know what they are going to do moving forwards to make sure a) with limited appointments they aren't being wasted and b) more importantly how they will prevent patients having invasive tests that are discarded in future.

I just called and the receptionist said the nurse had discarded it!! I've literally spent the whole week being really stressed in anticipation and now it's for nothing :(((

I know it's a little thing but I REALLY hate those tests

sorry OP that's awful

there's a lot of questions about the necessity of these invasive tests

but that aside, are you aware you can buy an HPV test and do it at home? I'm amazed cervical smears (as routine) still go on.

I was in the GP for something else, and they asked when my last smear was. I said vaguely, "it must be coming up soon. We can do it now if you want." But they asked if I'd had a letter yet (no) and checked the date on my record and I was a couple of months or so off, so they wouldn't do it, because the lab will reject it. So I went back a few weeks later when I had the recall. But it does seem a bit daft when you're that close, they can't be more flexible.

@EmmaH2022 what?? That's amazing, where? I hate the tests too, but I think 3 years apart is too long... I used to have 1 every 18 months before I moved to the U.K, and now I worry about not catching things early

im sorry that you had to go through an unnecessary procedure. Unfortunately the lab will not process the specimen if it is not due. This is standard guidance now across England. There is nothing that the nurse or practice can do about that.
hopefully the nurse will reflect upon this and not make the same mistake again. It’s strange that you were booked in if you were not due though. Did you receive an invitation letter?

How were you called for it?
Was it from the NHS Cervical Screening Service?

Yeah even if the nurse sends it, the lab will reject it. Very upsetting for you though

The lab will reject it if more than 3 months before it’s due for a 3 or 5 year recall. Even if your GP thinks there is a good reason to do one early they have to refer you to the hospital as only a consultant can take one and get it tested early.
So sorry that it wasn’t spotted before the procedure.

You can get kits from Superdrug and other places. The NHS are looking for the same things via a smear test. At least this way you administer the test yourself.

I didn't receive an invitation letter, I was called directly by the surgery and they told me I'm due to come in.

Thank you all for the nice messages! I'm still bleeding from today which is so great considering it was a pointless bout of mini torture :P

All samples if HPV negative are discarded now, they only test for HPV, if you are negative they don’t even look at your sample, straight in the bin, I was livid when I was told this via letter after my last smear, it was agony and I went through that for nothing, I can do my own HPV test at home, no way am I going through that again for my sample to end up in the bin.