Do Doctors still do smear tests?

Sensible_Jess

Thanks - I tried this earlier but all ones 'near' me seem to only deal with emergency contraception, free condoms, HIV testing etc. No mention of smears!

Person_one

Sensible_Jess wrote: »

Thanks - I tried this earlier but all ones 'near' me seem to only deal with emergency contraception, free condoms, HIV testing etc. No mention of smears!

Give them a ring, a lot of the time all the advertising is aimed at the younger folk but they do cater for the rest of us too.

If you struggle or its taking too long to get sorted, then I'd say you need to take half a day's leave. I don't want to scare you, but obviously this bleeding is something your doctor is taking seriously, think of it like a breast lump or a suspicious mole, probably nothing sinister but very important to get it checked as soon as you can.

Angry_Bear

Person_one wrote: »

They shouldn't have cancelled your appointment though, I'd want to speak tp somebody about that and hear their explanation, especially as you are having symptoms and time matters in this situation.

^^ This.

It's possible that the person who cancelled your appointment didn't realise that it had been booked because you were having symptoms. I'd be calling back and asking for an explanation, and asking what they suggest you do given that it's impossible for you to make a nurses appointment. They may be able to book you in to the family planning clinic if necessary, and ensure the appointment is reasonably soon given the circumstances.

coolcait

Person_one wrote: »

Give them a ring, a lot of the time all the advertising is aimed at the younger folk but they do cater for the rest of us too.

If you struggle or its taking too long to get sorted, then I'd say you need to take half a day's leave. I don't want to scare you, but obviously this bleeding is something your doctor is taking seriously, think of it like a breast lump or a suspicious mole, probably nothing sinister but very important to get it checked as soon as you can.

^^^ This.

OP, you're not living up to your user name if you just keep putting off the smear test.

For smears, I always go to the local family planning clinic now rather than the GP surgery.

No fuss, no drama. As a friend of mine once put it, perhaps indelicately, "it's their bread and butter after all" :eek:;)

Torry_Quine

Sensible_Jess wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies.
No I can't book an appt for 9am as work is a drive away and appointments have to be made outside work hours. Late is not an option!! The early morning appointments never run to time anyway. I booked an 8am appointment once and was nearly late for work as they were already running late - now I stick to the evenings!

Our appointments system is via the internet. I hadn't thought of the 'family planning' clinic as this isn't family planning - if they run this clinic it isn't shown up on the system or on the website so I'll have to give them a ring one lunchtime (in the car park as I work in an open office )

Annoying that I made the appointment in good time and state the reason clearly and they waited until the morning to cancel it. So much easier at my last doctors!!

I and presumably others don't mean a family planning clinic at your surgery. Family Planning clinics are entirely seperate and often operate in city centres and other places more easily accessible.

shellsuit

My doctor has always done mine. I've never had one done by anyone else.

I have booked for one before with the GP and been told that I should book with the nurse, but I've just refused.

I love my GP, she makes me feel at ease and she does it while I'm lying on my side too so I don't tense up at all.

I'd ring the surgery and query why it was cancelled.

Good Luck, I hope you get it all sorted x

ERICS_MUM

I know you say that you don;t want to "waste" a day's holiday having a smear test, but I wouldn't think of it as a waste, more as an investment in your health and well-being.

I do hope you can get an appt soon, it's so stressful to have something like this. Best Wishes

fluffnutter

Why can't you take time off work for a medical appointment? What do you do?

daisiegg

When you say your appointment system is online, do you mean you went and booked an appointment with the GP on the Internet, and wrote in the explanation of why you needed the appointment that it was for a smear test? In that case I could understand them cancelling, but not if they had booked the appointment for you...

As many others have said, I have only heard of nurses doing smear tests; I don't think this is abnormal. I would echo another poster and say if you can't find somewhere else you could go, take half a day off work and go. It is too important to put off.

fireyfirenze

fluffnutter wrote: »

Why can't you take time off work for a medical appointment? What do you do?

I was going to ask this, most workplaces will allow you to take a bit of time off for a doctors appointment especially when it's important. could you ask to start a little later one day?