*women please help* Pelvic Swab... I'm scared :(

[costagirl]

Hi there,

I'm on the pill cerazette, and have been for a couple of years now. I (thought) I was one of the lucky ones and I ended up only having very light, non-painful periods every three months or so. Up until June this year, where my period returned only a few days after it left. This has happened a couple of times.

Then this last month I have basically been bleeding on and off, sometimes lighter, now quite heavily. I don't know whether this is a problem with the cerazette or something else so I went to the doctor this morning. At first, he seemed keen to try taking me off the pills for 2-3 months to see if they went back to normal, then said he had to check this with his colleague. He then came back and said that what they wanted to do was check it wasn't 'something else' with a pelvic swab...

1) I have never had one of these before and don't know what to expect.
2) I am obviously still bleeding and am worried/embarrassed about how this will affect the swab procedure...
3) has anyone had any similar problems with cerazette? (or know what else it might be?) I know cerazette can cause irregular bleeding, but as I have gone 2 years or so with no problems you can see how I might now be worried!

Please help, I suffer from anxiety and even just going to the doctor's always triggers it quite a lot :(

[CharleneMac]

i went to get one done yesterday and it was no problem whatsoever !! what the nurse will do is insert a plastic instument that looks like a ducks beak. she will use a lubricant so it doesnt hurt in the slightest and wont cause you any discomfort. she will then open up the instrument so that she has a clearer veiw of your cervix. again this is not painfull whatsoever .... she will then get a long cotton bud and wipe it around your cervix, close the plastic thingy and let you get dressed. there is literally no pain at all and you will be surprised at how quickly its all done i got mine because ive been bleeding alot too and all it did was leave a little streak of blood when i wiped so please please please do not worry about this procedure at all !! xx

[costagirl]

Mockingjay, thank you so much for replying with your comforting message! I think the thing I am worried about most is the fact that it might be messy and awkward! I will tell the nurse that I'm bleeding just so she knows anyway... is it normal for them to continue to do the swab? Do you think they are checking for infections/STDs?

[CharleneMac]

yeh she will have seen it a million times so i wouldnt worry in the slightest. they will check for pretty much everything that can cause the bleeding but its nothing to worry about, anything it flares up is really easily treated with antibiotics and things. ive went in twice in the past few weeks to my nurse and she stands and has little convos with me while my legs are akimbo lol ... she really isnt phased by any of it she will probably chat away with u to the point you forget whats going on in the first place ... honestly dont worry about anything thats going to happen !! hey some of them ven have pretty pictures on the ceiling to look at lol ... if only some of my ex's had thought of that i might found things more interesting xx

[costagirl]

Haha you have really cheered me up! Thanks for being so reassuring. I will let you know how it goes! If that's not too much info haha I think really I am more worried about what it might be more than the actual procedure... do you know how long it usually takes for results to come back?