Smear issues

[Mumwarrr]

I went for my smear today.....disaster! I'm hoping someone anyone cab relate. Short story first.......I had a fair amount of trouble beginning of the year with spotting and bleeding the week before my period after I had had a poo, I was referred to a gynecologist who like my doc said she thought it was hormonal and had a good look at my cervix, she said I had a ectropion but it look healthy. I had a transvaginal ultrasound too and all was fine, so hormones it is. I'm not on any contraception and my periods are there normal self, they wouldn't do a smear as mine was due in October (nearly now) and they don't do them early. Anyway I went today for my smear......waited for the nurse who I presume was running late so anxiety is setting in. Get up and tell her about my problems and I have a cervix that hids....hands under my bum and she finds it....has a quick touch and I bleed, she said I'm not sure I've got it and whether the cells will be any good because of blood, she goes off and leaves me for 10 mins to talk to a senior nurse. Comes back and says right she's not sure she actually got any cells and doesn't want me to get a false result so basically I've got to wait 3 months for the cells to regrow and go back!!!! As you can imagine I wasn't impressed. I remember I always bleed but has anyone ever experienced something like this? I'm 40 so bad my share of smears and they always struggle. Now my brain is in over drive with.......cancer!!!!! Going to speak to my doctor tomorrow. Much love x

It's likely the ectropian causing the spotting on the smear. It's frustrating but surely it's much better a repeat sample (and hopefully better sample) is sent so that the screening is more accurate and therefore less likely to need a colposcopy.

Glad you've got a GP appt to discuss but I wouldn't be worried particularly at this point.

If you have cervical erosion you can often bleed during a smear. I did for years. Try not to worry.

I always bleed when I have a smear test.

Do you have health anxiety?

You've been told to book another smear in three months. What are you wanting the GP to do in the meantime?

Afraid I do suffer terribly with health anxiety and terrified of leaving my little man. I think I've always bled too during smears just never had this happen where they don't want to take a sample x

As a practice nurse I'd have sent the sample rather than send you away. Bleeding when sampling is not at all unusual. The result would be 'inadequate' rather than a false result if too much blood, which would be a three monthly repeat anyway. So you'd have been no worse off. And lab techniques are actually very efficient at removing blood and mucous.
I'd have sent swabs too to exclude infection if not already done.

I've just spoken to my doctor and and was annoyed the nurse didn't send the sample like you said, so I'm 24 days into my cycle now, she said wait until this one is over then I will get an appointment with a senior experienced nurse. Feeling deflated that's for sure x

mumwarr You will have to wait three months now for a smear as the cervical cells have been disturbed and need to regenerate. Just like following childbirth. Sorry.