What do "swabs" test for? - Possibly TMI - Maybe just one for the ladies

LadyMorticia

I'm a little embarrassed by this so please bear with me.

I've been having alot of pain when DH and I try to have sex and I tense up quite alot. When he does manage to...um...enter me, I have alot of pain in my pelvis and it feels...well..also like he's bumping into something and I'm doubled up in pain.

Anyway, we really want children so this problem really needs sorting.

I went to my GP just to discuss the problems we've been having and she wanted to do an internal...it was my first one. I'm 24.

Anyway, is was extremely painful and uncomfortable...although I think the pain was because I was tense and couldn't relax and the speculum thing freaked me out a little.:o

She asked about any possible STDs but DH and I are eachothers first sexual partners so really not any risk of that.

She felt my tummy and said she couldn't feel anything untoward but she's going to send me for a pelvic scan anyway.

Anyway, she said that she'll take some swabs anyway.

Does anyone here know what the swabs maybe test for? Would one of them be to test for cervical cancer like the smear does?
She didn't exactly tell me what she was testing for and I'm a bit embarrassed to phone up and ask.:o

She wasn't going to do any swabs I don't think but then decided to.

I'm not asking for medical advice, because I've already been to the doctor and had the tests done. I'm just wondering what the tests maybe were for.

Anyone been in this position before?

Sorry for the TMI.:o

lisawood78

Hmm, possibly thrush or some other infection (that she will check for, not that you have)

Have to say it does sound to me at least that most if not all of the problems are due to you tensing up so much.
Maybe you could speak to your gp about this issue as they may be able to offer advice?

Has it always been this way or has something changed?



Good luck

LadyMorticia

lisawood78 wrote: »

Hmm, possibly thrush or some other infection (that she will check for, not that you have)

Have to say it does sound to me at least that most if not all of the problems are due to you tensing up so much.
Maybe you could speak to your gp about this issue as they may be able to offer advice?

Has it always been this way or has something changed?



Good luck

Thank you for your reply.

We have managed it quite a few times over the past 3 years without much pain at all.
It's more recently that it's become a problem.:o

It's not because I'm not happy with DH, because I really am and I feel comfortable with him so I'm not sure why I tense up so much.:o

lisawood78

I hope the tests give you an answer, if you know what I mean, nothing bad!!
But if they are clear hopefully they will refer you to perhaps have a scan as it doesn't sound right at all.
God luck and hope it all sorts itself out.

peachyprice

LadyMorticia wrote: »

It's not because I'm not happy with DH, because I really am and I feel comfortable with him so I'm not sure why I tense up so much.:o

Because you think it's going to hurt, so you tense in anticipation, so it hurts, so you tense even more. It's a vicious circle.

fannyanna

Do you bleed when you have sex? I would imagine this is a question your doctor would have asked you. If the answer is no then I would imagine it was probably unlikely that she did a smear. I say this as they don't really like to do smears on women aged under 25 unless there are symptoms such as bleeding.

Did you feel any scraping? I've had a smear and swabs done. Didn't really feel the swabs but I did feel the smear as I could feel the doctor scraping my cervix (it didn't hurt was just a little uncomfortable).

She has probably taken swabs to check for chlamydia (even though you're each others firsts) and just a general swab to check for any bacteria.

I would suggest calling the doctor and asking what exactly she is testing for. I can completely understand being embarrassed by things like this. 6 months ago I was lexactly ike you but I've now had so many different tests done recently that I no longer have any dignity . Just think you've done the embarrassing bit by having the examination - a phone call is nothing in comparison x

LadyMorticia

lisawood78 wrote: »

I hope the tests give you an answer, if you know what I mean, nothing bad!!
But if they are clear hopefully they will refer you to perhaps have a scan as it doesn't sound right at all.
God luck and hope it all sorts itself out.

Thank you. She said that she is going to send me for a pelvic scan of my womb and ovaries just to make sure that everything is okay. My doctor is quite thorough.:o

peachyprice wrote: »

Because you think it's going to hurt, so you tense in anticipation, so it hurts, so you tense even more. It's a vicious circle.

An annoying vicious circle.:o

fannyanna wrote: »

Do you bleed when you have sex? I would imagine this is a question your doctor would have asked you. If the answer is no then I would imagine it was probably unlikely that she did a smear. I say this as they don't really like to do smears on women aged under 25 unless there are symptoms such as bleeding.

Did you feel any scraping? I've had a smear and swabs done. Didn't really feel the swabs but I did feel the smear as I could feel the doctor scraping my cervix (it didn't hurt was just a little uncomfortable).

She has probably taken swabs to check for chlamydia (even though you're each others firsts) and just a general swab to check for any bacteria.

I would suggest calling the doctor and asking what exactly she is testing for. I can completely understand being embarrassed by things like this. 6 months ago I was lexactly ike you but I've now had so many different tests done recently that I no longer have any dignity . Just think you've done the embarrassing bit by having the examination - a phone call is nothing in comparison x

I don't know if I bleed because we haven't been able to have sex in so long.
She didn't even ask me if I did bleed to be honest. She just asked me about my periods and what the pain was like and she wanted to do an internal just to have a look. Then she had this weird look on her face and decided to do swabs.:o Although, I'm probably reading too much into the look on her face because I was uneasy as it was.:o

She did feel my tummy and my ovaries (which were tender.:o).

Shall try and phone later to see.:o

Starrystarrynight

I imagine the swab was just taken to test for any general infections. In my last smear test, the nurse used what looked like a brush and said that it was better for picking up the cells that were needed. Prior to that, I think they used a spatula type thing. You could always call the reception and ask for a phone consultation with the doctor, and please don't be embarrassed. I recently had an internal ultrasound. I was mortified and shaking, but I knew that I had to put up with it for just a few minutes so that they could find the cause of my pain.
Hopefully your scan will be very soon and it will help put your mind at ease

fannyanna

LadyMorticia wrote: »

She did feel my tummy and my ovaries (which were tender.:o).

Shall try and phone later to see.:o

Just in case you're worried about the tenderness I think that's very normal. When I had my smear and the doctor did that to me I found it very, very uncomfortable (ok, I mean painful). I had to have a pelvic scan too (internal) and also found that a bit uncomfortable when they went near my ovaries (but no where near as uncomfortable as what the doctor had done).

Even if she has done the smear it's a good thing as you'll have killed two birds with one stone.

money_honey

peachyprice wrote: »

Because you think it's going to hurt, so you tense in anticipation, so it hurts, so you tense even more. It's a vicious circle.

^ What I would say too. I had a very similar sounding problem and I made it so much worse by tensing up every time. Have you tried perineal massage? I found it helped for me, plus using lots of lubricant every time. Anyway I got pregnant and after I'd given birth I never had the problem again - that certainly stretched everything out :eek: and I haven't had a painful smear test since either.

Not sure about the swabs, but it's good that your GP is taking you seriously and at least she'll be able to rule things out by being so thorough.

LadyMorticia

fannyanna wrote: »

Just in case you're worried about the tenderness I think that's very normal. When I had my smear and the doctor did that to me I found it very, very uncomfortable (ok, I mean painful). I had to have a pelvic scan too (internal) and also found that a bit uncomfortable when they went near my ovaries (but no where near as uncomfortable as what the doctor had done).

Even if she has done the smear it's a good thing as you'll have killed two birds with one stone.

That's reassured me a bit.

I have M.E so have a lot of general pain anyway so don't think that helps.

money_honey wrote: »

^ What I would say too. I had a very similar sounding problem and I made it so much worse by tensing up every time. Have you tried perineal massage? I found it helped for me, plus using lots of lubricant every time. Anyway I got pregnant and after I'd given birth I never had the problem again - that certainly stretched everything out :eek: and I haven't had a painful smear test since either.

Not sure about the swabs, but it's good that your GP is taking you seriously and at least she'll be able to rule things out by being so thorough.

I do think that I tense up alot. I find it extremely hard to relax. I have an anxiety disorder and had a difficult childhood so maybe associate sex with being hurt?

But I also have alot of pelvic pain and extremely heavy periods (so heavy that I almost faint. ) so just wanted to check it out, just to be on the safe side.