Smear advice

[susanneb1984]

Hiya ladies,
I hope you are all well, and this post is in the right place, if not, sorry! blame the sleepless nights (am going to be in trouble when she's sleeping thru and I am still dizzy lol)
Ok, so I had a smear test done Jan 2004, and it was abnormal, so I had another one which was also abnormal, at which point they said to wait 6 months. Anyway, I changed areas therefore changed doctors, and saw the practise nurse in November who said to make an appointment for a follow up smear in Jan. I fell pregnant in Dec last year and therefore they said it couldn't be done, I had the baby on 1st September and I got a letter this morning asking me to make an appointment for a follow up smear, but I only had the baby 4 weeks ago and I'm not sure I'd like it done yet! I'm still quite tender and the thought doesn't thrill me. What do you think I should do? Should I have it done now (although I think it's a bit too soon, just 4 weeks) or should I wait? But then if there's a problem, what are the other problems with waiting? Help!

[bam02]

Its not an easy one to answer as its personal choice. But I thought you had to wait at least six weeks after birth for a check and if you still sore maybe 12 weeks. Things might be delayed slightly but if you are sore then the test might be contaminated with post pregancy natural blood. if you know what I mean. Its been three years since my daughters birth but I seem to remember bleeding forever!

Maybe you should have aword with the nurse or your health visitor or doctor. Its all added worry though isn't it! Good luck.

Let us know if you feel you can how you get on

A-M

[susanneb1984]

Thanks AM, yeah I think I will wait until my 6 week check and then see what the doctor says, we have to take GJ to get weighed on monday, so might ask HV then. Thanks again hunni.

[yoyo]

Sounds like good ideato me.

It is possible for them to do smear & high vaginal swabs etc right after things. Due to complications etc after my delivery I had to have smear & HVS after just 40 hours. It's really not THAT bad as labour was stil fresh in my mind and I'd not regained my dignity by then either ;-)

[susanneb1984]

Haha yoyo, my first DD is almost three and I still haven't regained my dignity. When I was pregnant with her, I had to put a pillow over my face for internals and stuff because I was soooo embarrassed, with Georgina, I had my trousers off before they could finish talking! lol the thought of anyone poking around up there isn't nice, but I know I can't put it off.

[angel]

obviously it is up to you how long you wait to have the smear done but i just wanted to let you know that it is something important. We all know why we have to have smears and the fact that you have had two abnormal smears means that it is even more important for you to have it done. The fact that you are only four weeks post birth shouldn't really make any difference to the result that you get. I'm not trying to scare you but i just wanted to say that it is important and these things are not done just for the fun of it.

[bam02]

I too believe they are important - but you need to feel ready for it and they can get contaminated and then they would need to do it again. It has happened to me and they do advise you to wait until after a period.

At the six week check advise can be sort. Obviously if urgent things can be done - but advise must be sort medically.

[cheshire]

Hi

I had to have something put in up there a few weeks after the birth and like YoYo said, it seemed like nothing after labour !! And my smear was done no earlier than 6 weeks..
I had an abnormal test result when I was 18 (it can be abnormal just because they've not managed to get a good enough sample I believe) and again at 20 and had to have treatment that time for abnormal cells, but all tests since then have been normal

Hopefulx

[yoyo]

LOL susanne - I know what you mean about whiping your trousers off - i go for acupuncture and this week before he could tell me I didn't need to take my trousers off as he was going to use different acu points they were off ;-)

[cheshire]

LOL that is funny
I think I left my dignity at the door of the maternity ward just before giving birth to my first lol!

[susanneb1984]

Thanks ladies,
I know it's important, but don't want to injure myself in the process or have to go thru it twice. I'm going to talk to the HV tomorrow. I'll let you all know what happens.

[susanneb1984]

Well, the decision has been taken out of my hands! I am due my 6 week check up on wednesday, but I came on yesterday, so they won't be able to do a smear, so will have it after it's gone!

[newwie]

HI
Just to let you know i had three abnormal smears and then was sent to the gyne department at the hospital for them to carry out a smear test.
It came back that i had to go for some lazer treatment wasnt pleasent but no biggy nothing that was classed as cancerous or anything. Dont want to panic you.
But they said that you can get many abnormal smears this doesnt nessecarly mean that there is something wrong it means that they didnt get a clear reading for some reason, this can be that you have been on the pill and this effect the lining around the area were they get the smear from, also just simple things like you are a how can i put this that you produce to much discharge so that the results are again not clear.
I wouldnt worry about it you will be suprised how quickly that you will heal down below and to be honest i had it done just after my daughter was born in my 6-8week check and it was a bit tender when they did the thing but ok afterwards.
I know its not nice but just grit your teeth and go for it.
Newwie

[susanneb1984]

Thanks Newwie,
I know it's probably the thought of having a smear rather than the actual smear! I'll make an appointment once I've stopped bleeding and get it out of the way. I might as well live at the hospital at the moment. With smears, and MRI's and echocardiograms! lol it's a never ending mass of appointments!