Can A Pap Smear Check For Bacterial Vaginosis?
Saturday, November 28th, 2009 at
3:13 pm
I’m going for my second pap smear (last one I had was in 2007). What exactly are they checking for and if I think I have bacterial vaginosis do I say something or will the doctor be able to see that while I’m have the exam?
Thanks.
I’m thinking I have it because I had it before and didn’t know. I thought it was an STD for sure (despite all the protected sex I’d been having), but it wasn’t. It was BV.
Filed under: Bacterial Vaginosis
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it can definitely be diagnosed in the pap smear.
i went for one last year and i didnt even know i had bacterial vaginosis. they just did a swipe, looked at it under the microscope and saw i had an overgrowth of cells. they gave me some meds and i was in ship shape!
its pretty common and they’ll be able to find it. and what makes you think you have it? if there are concerns regarding down there, have them check for STD’s. for the most part, gonorrhea and chlamydia can be diagnosed with a pap smear and you dont have to pay the ridiculous price of the STD test.
yes you are swap for infection ,,,
The cells on the slide are checked for signs that they’re changing from normal to abnormal. Cells go through a series of changes before they turn into cancer. A Pap smear can show if your cells are going through these changes long before you actually have cancer. If caught and treated early, cervical cancer is not life-threatening. This is why getting regular Pap smears is so important. A pap smear will also reveal the presence of BV. But do advise your doctor your suspicions of having BV.
I know that this is gross and embarrassing b/c i just went for my pap and found out that i had it. I didn’t know what it was at all and my gyno dr. said that it’s really common for you to get bacterial vaginosis. I don’t know what all the symptoms are but, mine was stinky pee and a odor. I seemed that i could smell myself like after 15 mins getting out of the shower. it wasn’t a terrible odor (my husband never mentioned it). I also had some discharge of a light yellow color. that’s all normal with this bacteria. I didn’t have any discomfort or pain and no itching either.
So I had to mention my concern to the dr. and she gave me some medicine that day. I was shaped like a tampon and you insert this creme into your vagina, it’s a one dose thing. NO unprotected sex for like a month and your a fixed up. don’t be shy to tell your dr. though. Lots of women may have this and not go to the dr to get the proper meds. It’s not a big deal if you get it taken care of. good luck
I found a site that has great info on bacterial vaginosis. my wife suffered for over 3 years I know loads about it now. Its so much more than a course of antibiotics.