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Original poster

So, today I went for a long overdue smear, and have left worried!!!

37 replies

lanismum · 22/09/2008 18:15

Today was my first ever smear , I had made an appointment to go in june, but discovered I was pregnant, miscarried in july, so finally went for the test today, the nurse at my surgery did the test, made me bleed quite a bit, normal?
Anyway, after the test she commented on my cervix, and said I had the cervix of a woman who has had a LOT of children I only have 2, 1 of which was delivered by c section, she also said my cervix being so open was why I had the miscarriage, yet when I was seen in A&E whilst pregnant, I was told it was closed and looked fine (obv it later opened as I did lose the baby, but it wasnt the cause iykwim), the nurse said to wait 6 months before getting pregnant again, she also said I would get preg very easily with my cervix being so open......so to take precautions.............has anyone else had their cervix commented on like this? I want to ttc again but am worried if I do a miscarriage will be inevitable?
I thought I would feel better after getting the smear done, but now I just feel worried!

OP posts:

LittleMyDancing · 22/09/2008 18:18

Hmmmmm - not sure she should have been quite so chatty and unprofessional. Is she a fertility/miscarriage expert? I doubt it.

Are you seeing anyone about ttc again, like a consultant? Maybe ask your GP for a referral so you can ask about these questions, as she's put them in your mind you're going to worry if you don't investigate.

But I'm at her being so personal.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 22/09/2008 18:21

Lanismum, I am very glad that you have had your smear test done, so a pat on the back for you.

As LMD says, she cannot really be a fertility expert, so I would take her comments with a pinch of salt. (perhaps she sensed you were nervous and so wittered on a bit ??)

It is normal to bleed a bit after a smear, pop on a pad and it should stop in the next day or so.

If not then off to the doctor.

NorthernLurker · 22/09/2008 18:23

*Hijack to say hi to Littlemy - hope you are doing well )

And to the poor op - Well if somebody has commented so much on the state of my cervix and I was feeling as vulnerable as you are I would probably have clobbered her with her own speculum - so well done for not doing that I think the best thing to do is ask the GP to refer you and be very clear with them why you need the referral - eg because the nurse has scared you. They can they refer you as needed and take it up with the nurse.

Original poster

lanismum · 22/09/2008 18:24

Not as shocked as me! she also presumed I had had an abortion I explained 3 times I had a miscarriage, and that the baby was very much wanted, she also questioned me as to why I wanted another child so soon....?
I was told my miscarriage was just one of those things, bad luck ect and that I could start ttc again right away, which is what we did, nobody from the early preg unit or A&E mentioned anything about waiting 6 months.or my apparently open cervix!

OP posts:

LittleMyDancing · 22/09/2008 18:27

She was definitely speaking out of turn, am more and more at her. If you had had an abortion, you might very well have not wanted to discuss it with anyone, she was being very unprofessional.

I would follow NorthernLurker's advice and ask GP for a referral and explain why.

Original poster

lanismum · 22/09/2008 18:29

Thanks for replies, think I will make an appointment with the dr just to make sure everythings ok, this nurse is known for being a bit away with the fairies, I think I will take my open cervix to the family planning clinic for future smears

OP posts:

NorthernLurker · 22/09/2008 18:29

To the OP - that is apalling tbh. Nobody needs to quiz you on your reproductive history for a smear anyway and it sounds like she was well out of turn!

(LittleMy - new job is great thanks and will think of you and dp tomorrow atyour scan.)

Peachy · 22/09/2008 18:33

Hope the trip to gp goes well- suspect it will. good luch with ttc

I was once told at a smear (gawd I should have name namechanged'

@oh no, what a pain, I'm going to have to go and find an extra big kit as your vagina is abnormally long,

yeah well love so is my dh so thats ok

pmsl

ForeverOptimistic · 22/09/2008 18:36

I was told that mine was very difficult to find and she asked if I had problems locating it before. Why would I be looking?

LittleMyDancing · 22/09/2008 18:37

Goodluck lanismum, am sure you'll be fine!

NorthernLurker - thank you! Will post results on April 09 thread, unless they're bad, in which case you may be able to hear the howls of anguish even up in the North....

Original poster

lanismum · 22/09/2008 18:37

@ peachy, wonder why they feel the need to comment? I would have thought they have seen it all before, unless we are both REALLY odd

OP posts:

Swedes · 22/09/2008 18:38

lanismum - That nurse sounds totally unprofessional and horrible. I would go and see the GP as soon as you possibly can and tell him precisely what she said. I doubt she is an incompetent cervix expert or a fertility expert.

LittleMyDancing · 22/09/2008 18:38

Forever, you mean you don't locate your cervix on a regular basis? In which case, how do you know it's still there?

I got told mine was upside down.

NorthernLurker · 22/09/2008 18:48

D'y'know I've never been told anything about my cervix at all! Feel a bit left out tbh

Original poster

lanismum · 22/09/2008 18:52

Come and get a smear test at my surgery, i'm sure she will find something to mention!

OP posts:

NorthernLurker · 22/09/2008 19:00

Thanks - I'll pass on that for now

Actually in all seriousness if somebody said something 'critical' about any part of my 'undercarriage' as it were I'm not sure I would ever be able to go back! I'm fairly robust about most things but that would upset me - you should definately make a bit of a fuss if you can bear to.

Original poster

lanismum · 22/09/2008 19:24

I'm not sure I can face saying to my gp 'but she said I had a baggy cervix' but I will mention it I think, as I saw the funny side, and I am pretty sure my cervix is ok, it held my 2 dds in just fine, but, it might put somebody else off going for smears, which would not be good.

OP posts:

SpacePuppy · 22/09/2008 19:28

just a thought, don't know where you are in your cycle, but if you are ovulating or near ovulating your cervix will be high and "open"!.

Claire236 · 22/09/2008 19:30

I was told that I was tight & that you'd never guess I'd had a baby when I had a smear once. I suppose that's a compliment but it's just a touch inappropriate.

Swedes · 22/09/2008 19:37

I actually have got an incompetent cervix. It wasn't diagnosed by a practise nurse.

Swedes · 22/09/2008 19:38

Why is it a compliment to have a tight cervix? Why?

Original poster

lanismum · 22/09/2008 19:40

spacepuppy, I am roughly mid cycle, and did mention that could be the reason, and she said yeah it does open a bit, but not that much the shame!

Claire, I prefer your comment to mine

OP posts:

smoggie · 22/09/2008 20:02

I always get told "ooh your cervix is very high". Pre children one practice nurse rather flippantly said "ooh you'll probably have difficulty conceiving"!!! At my last one in Jan. she said "oooh, oooh, do you get pain during sex" ?Eh WTF? "If it becomes problematic come and see the GP".

Lanismum - I think your nurse was v unprofessional. I would get an appt with your GP to seek another opinion and also make it known to him/her the inappropriate comments that were made.

NorthernLurker · 22/09/2008 20:02

lanismum - compliments on your good attitude to this!

Ozziegirly · 23/09/2008 06:49

When I had my last smear the nurse said "you're very tense, are you planning on trying for a family soon?" which made me assume she thought I was this tense with my DH.

I muttered something non committal but felt like saying "I'm not tense with my husband but that's because his nob isn't metal, cold and we don't normally bonk in a draghty room with me in a paper gown, in my lunch hour".

So i think sometimes they just chatter for the sake of it.

I had to ask one nurse not to narrate what she was doing with the speculum.

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