Cervical test, pain

LegacyUser

First ever pap test this evening. 3 attempts, painful on first, slightly uncomfortable on 3rd. Nurse refused to complete as said should not be at all uncomfortable, & has booked me to see GP for Round 2 on Friday.
Anyone with similar experience/advice/tips, please help!

anniehoo

Yep first one was uncomfortable as i wasnt at all relaxed. Second one was much better as i knew what to expect. Give rescue remedy a shot before the next one.

up for anything

Ask if they will use the plastic/disposable speculum rather than the metal one. In my experience it is much less uncomfortable.

http://vulvalpainsociety.org/uploads/SmearsPatients_20100506.pdf

Nevyn

You have to try and relax, I know it's very hard but other wise you will tense up the muscles an that will hurt and make it a hell of a lot worse.
Personally I will try and use meditation relaxations technques and breathing to try and get myself to relax my pelvic floor which means the speculum can be inserted and opened a lot easier.

Having your body intruded by a speculum is a very strange sensation and one which can feel so alien and wrong to your body that your natural reaction is to tense up and clench to stop it from happening, which make it harder, can make it hurt and in some cases can result in internal bruising.

Also women have different vagina sizes so it could be that the dr may need to change which speculum they are using, and a plastic one is certainly a lot more comfortable.

Elbi

Op Did you go and get the test done yesterday evening or when is it?

I have to get one done this evening and i am kinda worried about it, so would like some feedback
thanks

Denimgirl

I got one done last Tuesday and I was the same my muscles were so tense the nurse asked me was I alright I just started laughing and just said i just have to relax my muscles give me a minute and i was grand,it was over in a few seconds i was always terrified going for one of them and only got my first one sept before last thanks to Jade,but now i wonder why i made it a big deal it's nothing at all.has to be done and thats that.

desper8hsewife

i dunno if its a similiar experience but usually the doctor has to complete my tests as i have an unusually positioned cervix or somethin! its more sloped back than most peoples - i think thats best way to describe it - was v uncomfortable first few times and eventually when I was pregnant with my son they discovered this small fact. nothing wrong with it - just makes accessing it awkward! hence uncomfortable. but now I know, all I have to do is tell them this and usually they manage it no prob! You should find out mayb if its something like that and then you ll know for the future! gud thing is you are doing the tests and dont let somethin like this put you off. all very important to do regularly.

pookie82

visitor987 wrote: »

Nurse refused to complete as said should not be at all uncomfortable

Sorry but this is BS, I've never had an "comfortable" smear!! It's totally normal to tense up and to need time to relax, deep breathe and need a few goes. In my experience I actually found that nurses are better than GPs at it.