nzgirl20
09-17-2003, 11:44 PM
a few days ago I started getting a sharp pain in my lower abdomen. This went on for a few days and was my only symptom. A couple of days ago (about 4 days after it started) I went to the doctors, where they did a urine test. It came back negative for a bladder infection and also negative on a pregnancy test. Yesterday I got sent to have a blood test done and my ESR came back slightly high. The nurse said it was not significant and not to worry - also the sharp pains I was having have begun to subside. However both today and yesterday I have had a very runny and quite smelly vaginal discharge. When I went to the doctors he asked me about this but at the time that was not occuring. I don't want to go back to that doctor (a creepy guy) but there is a sexual health clinic I can go to. Do you think I need to get a smear done? Does anyone know what this could be. Someone suggested it could be a pelvic infection - which i've heard are usually caused by STDs - so now I'm really scared. I'm 20 years old and have never had a smear yet, so I do need to go anyway - I'm just really worried and kind of embarrassed about going.
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mlgable
09-18-2003, 12:19 PM
You need to see a doc and get this checked out. A pap smear will not check for infections nor STD's. To check for an infection they will take a swab (aka q-tip) of you the discharge and send it to the lab to be cultured. Since you are over 18 though you should be getting your yearly pap/pelvic exams so once you get this infection cleared up you need to get this done. It is not painful at all and only take a couple of minutes. For more info check the archives here for posts on pap smears. You can get checked at a health clinic or by any doc but get it checked out as left untreated some infections can cause pelvic inflammatory disease. Also since you don't care for you normal doc take time to find a doc that you do feel comfortable with so that when your next medical need comes up you are all set with a doc you like and trust.