Smear tests

mood

I am due my test and am not looking forward to it. I can never relax and it is always sore. Does anyone else find this?

coffee_cake

Fraid not, mine was no problem. Had a chat and giggle with the doc at the time as well, maybe that will help

athtrasna

I find that if a nurse does it rather than a doctor it's less uncomfortable. Same with taking blood, they just get more practice at it.

Princess Peach

mood wrote: »

I am due my test and am not looking forward to it. I can never relax and it is always sore. Does anyone else find this?

Mine was very sore and I bled too, I have a very sensitive cervix. My doctor said it happens some women. But sure it's over fairly fast, better a few minutes of discomfort and have a clear bill of health then.

seenitall

mood wrote: »

I am due my test and am not looking forward to it. I can never relax and it is always sore. Does anyone else find this?

I know this is in the area of telling someone "don't worry" when there is plenty for them to worry about, but really, do your best to completely relax all the muscles down there, it makes such a difference. You can do it consciously. Even if the procedure starts getting a bit sore or painful (which it does sometimes, but even that only lasts mere seconds anyway!), I try to never tense up, instead I distract myself by humming something or chatting with the nurse.

Good luck.

Teyla Emmagan

I always bleed too, and find it very painful. The scrape is awful!! Got a text as well (that you just reminded me I ignored) saying I'm due

Malari

The thought of the "scrape" is always icky to me! :eek: But it's a relatively tiny pain for something so worthwhile for your health. I certainly don't dread it. I am much more likely to put off a cholesterol test! Definitely try to purposefully relax the muscles if you can, it does ease it a lot.

Ambersky

Some women find it easier if they put the speculum in themselves. This is probably because it gives you a better sense of control and you can stop and continue at your own pace.
If you have never had a child you may also benefit from using a small speculum. They come in different sizes and you could ask to start with the smallest one which is sometimes called the virgin/small speculum that is around 2.5mm in diameter. Some women need bigger sizes especially when they have had children because the skin inside the vagina can be a bit looser then and it can fold around a small speculum making it difficult to get at the cervix. Some women find a plastic speculum does not have the natural slipperyness of metal and tends to make the exam more uncomfortabel as the sides of the plastic are more likely to pull and stick.

When I first started putting in my own speculum for pap smears the GP I was with said no one had ever asked to do this before, but it turned out all right and compared to the previous session where it hurt me so much she failed to get a usable swab, that session was a dawdle.

The problem is, much like those skinny jeans, speculums are not one-size-fits-all. The speculum I use for a 16-year-old virgin is a completely different instrument than I would use for a 40-year-old with 3 kids, the 70-year-old who is well into menopause, the 4”10’ woman, or the 6" woman. My choice of speculum is not only dependent on the size of the vaginal opening, but also on variables such as the length of the vagina, the elasticity of the vaginal walls, the position of the uterus, and what I need to accomplish while up there. For example, the amount of exposure I need to swab vaginal discharge is different than what I need to do a Pap test, a uterine sampling or a major procedure.

http://http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/lauren-streicher-md/speculums-are-not-one-size-fits-all
Later when I went to see a very well known Gynecologist in the Coombe Hospital she said that she gets lots of her patients to put in the speculum themselves and that of course it helps women relax.
Since then at least one GP said she was so impressed at how well it was working she would be changing her practice and offering it to patients from now on.
It may also help to ring a surgery before you go and ask to speak to a doctor or nurse and ask them if they have different size speculums available in the practice. If they do they will be prepared as you can ask to have a variety of sizes available to try out or you could go to another practice if they only have one size of disposable plastic ones.


OP this may help with your nervousness and it may not. I am just offering the information as something I have experienced helping me and some others.

Tigger99

Huge plus one for a small speculum.

I find smears v v uncomfortable and this helped hugely.

Tigger99

Oh and rescue remedy helps too! Ridiculous sounding I know, but I recommend it.

Larianne

Doesn't bother me. I know that if I'm nervous and uptight it will make the process worse so I don't let that happen. I just chat away to the nurse or doctor.

It might be painful for some people but I don't think it's bad for everyone. And hearing scary stories puts people off getting them which is bad.

I remember before I ever got a smear, I heard all these horrific stories! My first smear was done by I lovely lady doctor who made sure I was relaxed before doing anything. Was grand.

Get the smear done. It's over in a few seconds. May save your life etc. etc.

Tigger99

Larianne I get what you mean about horror stories putting people off, but think it's useful to hear how women can make smears easier for themselves.

I was relieved when I read about how difficult some* women find smears, because up until then I just put up with them when small changes, like the ones I mentioned above, can make a huge difference. Oh and deep breaths out at the very moment you are tempted to clench in nervousness, is a huge help.

*a minority, absolutely, but still.

Meangadh

I was absolutely DREADING it the first time I went for a smear test- I hate going to the doctor with a passion, and the thoughts of someone fiddling around my bits makes me extremely uncomfortable. I would have been VERY tense before hand even though I knew that that had the potential to make it worse- I just couldn't help it though!

But (and despite the fact that I went to a new doctor who I turned out not to like at all, for other reasons!) it was actually really fine. Was over in a few seconds, and didn't hurt at all. I actually hate the term "scrape" when describing the smear test, because that makes it sound like it's really painful. And most importantly, my results were clear.

Obviously some people have more negative experiences, but thankfully mine was fine, so don't expect the worst, it will probably be absolutely grand.

username123

Its never really bothered me. Ive have had an orthopediac problem most of my life that required my to relax my body otherwise it was more painful (dislocating knee, if you are tense it wont go back in place, you have to be loose to slot it back in) so I am used to mentally telling myself to "go floppy".

I actually find the "go floppy" approach works for a myriad of different painful things, smears being just one of them. I always bleed as well but just a little. Last time I attended the colposcopy clinic in the coombe they had new chairs that rose up high in the air so your cervix was at eye level to the seated medical professional. I didnt like that. I felt a bit nervous and trapped high up.

Larianne

Tigger99 wrote: »

Larianne I get what you mean about horror stories putting people off, but think it's useful to hear how women can make smears easier for themselves.

I was relieved when I read about how difficult some* women find smears, because up until then I just put up with them when small changes, like the ones I mentioned above, can make a huge difference. Oh and deep breaths out at the very moment you are tempted to clench in nervousness, is a huge help.

*a minority, absolutely, but still.

Oh yes, I know. That's really useful information.

I just posted to try balance it out, so people know both sides to it - ie it hurts some people more than others. Ultimately it's over in a few seconds.

mood

Larianne wrote: »

Oh yes, I know. That's really useful information.

I just posted to try balance it out, so people know both sides to it - ie it hurts some people more than others. Ultimately it's over in a few seconds.

The heath benefits are worth any discomfort. I didn't start the thread to put women off but to see if I was the only one who didn't like it. In fact I hate it but still do it just incase. I just wish it was not so unpleasant.

Tigger99

Your post yesterday got me thinking that someone who never went for a smear and read this thread might be put off. So its definitely good to stress that most smears for most people it's grand

Larianne

mood wrote: »

The heath benefits are worth any discomfort. I didn't start the thread to put women off but to see if I was the only one who didn't like it. In fact I hate it but still do it just incase. I just wish it was not so unpleasant.

I understand that and most definitely, a few seconds of uncomfort is worth it at the risk of cervical cancer. I would just worry some people would be scared off getting it done because of horror stories. Kinda like how some men are fearful of getting STD check ups because of the stories attached to them. Ridiculous really.

mood

Tigger99 wrote: »

Your post yesterday got me thinking that someone who never went for a smear and read this thread might be put off. So its definitely good to stress that most smears for most people it's grand

Although I don't like them I definitely see the benefit and have them anyway. Grin and bear it and hope for god results. Surely anyone can realise that.

mood

Larianne wrote: »

I understand that and most definitely, a few seconds of uncomfort is worth it at the risk of cervical cancer. I would just worry some people would be scared off getting it done because of horror stories. Kinda like how some men are fearful of getting STD check ups because of the stories attached to them. Ridiculous really.

I 100% agree. I have given no horror story so don't see how I could be putting people off. In fact advice form other in how to relax etc has made me less concerned about me upcoming appointment. Therefore my thread should help others.

rainbowtrout

Had one yesterday. It was no bother, took less than a minute and wasn't uncomfortable at all. When it's once every three years (assuming no abnormalities) and it's free and it may be of benefit I don't see why not. Nurses and doctors are doing these every day and think nothing of it.

Ambersky

I want to also say I would be a big advocate of women going to get smear tests especially lesbians who can sometimes hear that they dont need them.
I dont want to exagerate how often the test hurts women rather I would like women to have a few ideas about what to do if it does.
For years I was going to my GP and the speculm would be in and out in a flash with me chatting away to the nice doctor. I thought well thats because I am comfortable with my body and sure Ive looked at my own and other womens cervix,s in feminist sexuality workshops, how cool and relaxed can you get. I thought it hurt some women because they werent as relaxed as I was for one reason or another.
Then I went along another time and, Ouch, it hurt. The GP said "Im sorry, it will just be another minute, keep breathing".
She kept telling me to keep breathing in a kind of automatic way which I found more anoying than helpful and she kept pushing as I kept sliding up the bench and away from her. She took a swab but it came back as inadaquate and needed to be done again.
Now that time I was unprepared on how to handle the situation if it hurt, I wasnt expecting it to hurt. I dont know why things changed, maybe my body changed as I got older, maybe it was the one size fits all speculum that was used thatday I dont know. But I do know that when I went back and decided to take matters literally into my own hands and asked for a smaller speculum and inserted it myself we got a successful swab quickly and without any pain at all.
For those women who do find smear tests uncomfortable or painful I hope my experience can be of some help. Those who have no problem with it at all wont need any suggestions and I hope thats the majority of you but if you.
Anyway go and have it done. If you try all the suggestions and it still hurts change health care professional. Gynacologists do smear tests as do Well Woman Centers, find someone who works for you.

Larianne

mood wrote: »

I 100% agree. I have given no horror story so don't see how I could be putting people off. In fact advice form other in how to relax etc has made me less concerned about me upcoming appointment. Therefore my thread should help others.

My first post wasn't trashing you starting this thread.

Wonder could that be a better fix for people, to do the swab yourself?

Meauldsegosha

Another poster mentioned humming, I sing to myself. It certainly helps me relax and not think about it too much.

Good luck with it OP

Ambersky

Wonder could that be a better fix for people, to do the swab yourself?

Im not suggesting doing the swab yourself, the health care practitioner needs to get a view of your cervix and knows where exactly to take the swab from, this is not a thing you can do yourself - I think.
But you can certainly insert a speculum yourself, taking it at your own pace, as slow or as quick as you are comfortable with.
Inserting a speculum is not a difficult medical procedure. The health care practitioner may need to move it around a bit once you have put it in far enough, as the cervix can be lined up in a different direction, but basically you put it in as far as you can. It seems logical to me that a woman would be less nervous when it is within her own control but it may not suit everyone.

athtrasna

Having posted in this thread earlier, got home this afternoon to find my letter waiting. Was wondering what it was because it had my never used anywhere else middle name lol.

Was with the doctor earlier in the week and she asked if my smear was up to date (locum gp) and I told her it was due this summer. She was surprised that I knew exactly how up to date it was. I told her that my friend's sister had cervical cancer at 18 (rare but it happens), had a hysterectomy at 19 and was dead by 30. No matter how nervous I was for my first smear, I had to do it, I didn't want to be another statistic. And it didn't hurt, nor have any subsequent smears. A little discomfort but for a fraction of a second, a small price to pay for peace of mind.

KimmyKims

This month last year i had my first smear test at 26.. i was well overdue for it but i dreaded it. kept putting it off, ridiculous really as ive had two children. Anywho, symptoms made themselves known so in i went to get one done. Honestly it took me longer to get my trousers etc off Was no bother. Unfortunately for me, i didnt have a good result and was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer. i always say to people to not be afraid because a smear test is nothing compared to what i have done regularly. They do save your life. It did for me

Daisy78

Have had 3 in the last 15 months with another one in two weeks. I hate them but then again I have a really low pain threshold. The only thing that gets me through it is humming. I'm sure my nurse thinks I'm being ridiculous but I don't care. At least its over fairly quick.

Any key?

Me too due to go in next week. Dreading it, haven't had one in years and always find it quite painful. I have actually put it off ages

KimmyKims

Well at least your going for one now, thats the main thing.

loveisdivine

I'm usually ok with them but the last time I went the nurse wasnt particularly friendly There was a student in there too, which always makes me a little more nervous plus the table was up against the windows and the blinds were open! Now it was the second floor but I could still see across to the petrol station and stuff and it just made me even more nervous.

Then she started saying that I was too tense and I had to relax more. The she said that I wasn't helping her and really needed to relax. Obviously all that did was make it worse!

Got there in the end though. I wouldn't let it stop me going though. My mother, my aunties and grandmother have all had cervical cancer and although there isn't a proven genetic link yet, I still don't like those odds!