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Original poster

Bleeding after sex, smear test due

20 replies

jewelcase · 29/03/2025 08:54

I had sex with my regular sexual partner yesterday morning. From the afternoon onwards there was some slight bleeding which has continued this morning. This is the second consecutive occasion that this has happened (we meet every few weeks). I had a normal period in between times.

I have Googled around and suspect that it could be a cervical abrasion of some kind. I will get it checked out. I have a smear booked for next week and wonder if a) this will interfere with that and b) whether I could discuss this issue there and have it looked at rather than making a separate appointment. I don’t want to delay other smears on the day, nor am I sure that they would be able to have the necessary look without prior notice.
Any thoughts?

I hope it doesn’t happen again. I thought the first time was a one off but I’ll be worried next time now. It’s not painful, just annoying.

OP posts:
hby9628 · 29/03/2025 08:59

i had something similar & it was a cervical abrasion which has now been treated. I requested a smear to rule out anything else but was told that the sample might get contaminated by blood so they wouldn’t be able to use it. That might be an issue for you. I would still go for your smear but mention it. With my abrasion it was easy visible so the nurse might be able to see yours.

Screamingabdabz · 29/03/2025 09:05

They use a brush now to sweep your cervix for cells so it won’t matter if you bleed. They pop it in a solution that is able to ‘wash’ the cells from the blood.

GG1986 · 29/03/2025 14:26

I had a cervical ectopian that caused bleeding during and after sex. They can usually see them when doing a smear test. I had mine cauterized and it worked.

Original poster
jewelcase · 30/03/2025 10:43

Thanks everyone. The bleeding seems to have stopped. I will mention it when I have the smear and see what they say. Hopefully nothing to worry about and/or easily sortable. Won’t be having sex for a few weeks now so hopefully will be sorted by then.

OP posts:
Original poster
jewelcase · 02/04/2025 22:21

Hmm. So I had my smear test today. Mentioned the issue and they had a root around. Couldn’t see or detect anything! Very strange. I haven’t had sex again so no recurrence. Will have to wait and see what happens next time.

OP posts:
Original poster
jewelcase · 06/04/2025 20:19

Update on this. And an annoying one!

This morning I masturbated. No penetration at all. Small clitoral vibrator. This is the first sexual activity of any kind I’ve had since 28th March when I had sex with my regular partner.

This afternoon - bleeding again. Same as last time. Still spotting now.

My period isn’t due for almost a week, so I very much doubt it’s that (not as much as the start of a period anyway).

The nurse at the smear saw nothing. Whatever could it be?? Three times in a row now over the course of a month, twice with my friend and once by myself.

OP posts:
SomethingDifferentBloomed · 07/04/2025 08:10

I’d book a GP appointment OP, remember a smear is just a screening test, it’s not designed to be used if you have symptoms. Also there are lots of things it could be and a smear only looks at one cause, so I’d go and get properly checked out if I were you.

ISeeTrees · 07/04/2025 08:28

Have you had the results from your smear yet?
I had this last year and was referred to gynae for further tests.
At first the gynae thought it could be because at the time, I was running 2/3 pill packs back to back and recommended I take the break after each pack.
It turned out I had cin3 and needed cells removing.
I'm still not sure which of the two caused the bleeding (I was fine after the cells were taken out but also switched to the minipill). Hope you're ok OP, it is both annoying and also a bit worrying!

Original poster
jewelcase · 07/04/2025 20:47

Thanks. Yes, I think a GP appt is in order.

I’m not on the pill so it’s not that. God knows what it is. Maybe by the time the GP can see me it will have disappeared of its own accord! Last time there was a three week wait, and I’ll probably have seen my friend again before then so we’ll either be at four in a row or it won’t have happened again.

OP posts:
FamingolosForDays · 07/04/2025 20:50

When was the last time you got checked for STIs? Untreated chlamydia can cause bleeding after sex.

Original poster
jewelcase · 07/04/2025 21:18

FamingolosForDays · 07/04/2025 20:50

When was the last time you got checked for STIs? Untreated chlamydia can cause bleeding after sex.

Years ago. I have an arrangement with one partner, and he’s the only man I’ve slept with since. I am confident that he has no other partners either. No other symptoms so I wouldn’t consider be very surprised if it’s an STI.

OP posts:
TippledPink · 07/04/2025 21:26

I started getting the same after sex, currently a year into investigations but looks like the lining of my womb is very thick and this is causing the bleeding. It started after sex then has got worse , my periods are now 2.5 weeks long. The process is so long to get treated though and the Gynaecologist I went to was really dismissive of the impact on me.

Original poster
jewelcase · 07/04/2025 22:15

TippledPink · 07/04/2025 21:26

I started getting the same after sex, currently a year into investigations but looks like the lining of my womb is very thick and this is causing the bleeding. It started after sex then has got worse , my periods are now 2.5 weeks long. The process is so long to get treated though and the Gynaecologist I went to was really dismissive of the impact on me.

Oh I’m so sorry to hear that. I hope you return to normal soon (and also that I don’t have the same thing!).

OP posts:
sassysaint99 · 07/04/2025 22:19

I have PCOS and occasionally get bleeding after sex and was told that’s normal with that

Original poster
jewelcase · 07/04/2025 22:31

sassysaint99 · 07/04/2025 22:19

I have PCOS and occasionally get bleeding after sex and was told that’s normal with that

I’m sorry to hear that you have PCOS. I will go to the GP and see if she can find an explanation, but I don’t have any other PCOS symptoms. This first occurred around a month ago. I have had one period since which was normal. I had presumed it was perhaps some kind of abrasion which was being irritated by sex, but this time there was no actual sex. The only things in common were arousal and orgasm but I can’t see how these by themselves would lead to bleeding. There was certainly nothing unduly vigorous on any occasion and certainly not this latest time by myself when it was literally just a few minutes.

OP posts:
FamingolosForDays · 08/04/2025 07:26

Go and get tested to be on the safe side. Rates of Chlamydia and Ghonnorea are at their highest that they have been in years. You wouldn't typically have symptoms with chlamydia, but sometimes this can be one.

I was also confident like you, and it turned out I was very very wrong.

Original poster
jewelcase · 17/04/2025 08:53

OK - just by way of update for anyone following this thread (and also to help me keep track of dates etc!)…

Smear has come back fine. I did send off for an STI test and have returned it (no results yet) but as I said before I’d be surprised if it was that.

I got my period as expected on the 11th and it was normal, ending on the 15th (Tuesday). I saw my friend yesterday evening and we had sex, which was fine and after which there has been no bleeding since. Yay!

Last night was my first sex since 28th March and my first orgasm since the 6th April. So that seems positive. I have a GP appt booked for a week on Monday the 28th. I’m not scheduled to see my friend again before then so there will be no sex to see whether last night was a one off or whether it was the previous occasions that were odd. So in a way perhaps last night complicates matters!

A friend said that it could have been caused by a bikini line shaving cut, which seems unlikely but I guess… possible? Would seem odd for that to get irritated though and for me not to feel it (either feeling the cut itself when it happened or feel it being irritated during sex).

Anyway, let’s see what the GP says.

OP posts:
Original poster
jewelcase · 28/04/2025 09:04

Further update, if anyone is interested (and for my own records!).

STI test has come back clear. Saw the GP just now but felt a bit of a fraud really because I had nothing new to report. My last episode of bleeding was after masturbation on the 6th April. I have had sex once (16th) and masturbated once (26th) since then, with no issues. GP asked if I would like a gynae referral but I said no, and just hope it doesn’t reoccur. If it does then we agreed that I could have one at that point.

So hopefully it won’t reoccur and that will be that! It will remain a mystery.

OP posts:
TippledPink · 28/04/2025 19:09

That's good news! Hopefully it continues and you don't need any further investigations.

Original poster
jewelcase · 29/04/2025 07:13

TippledPink · 28/04/2025 19:09

That's good news! Hopefully it continues and you don't need any further investigations.

Thank you. Yes, me too!

OP posts:
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