Please can someone talk some sense into me about smear tests?!

[caddywally]

I'm 26 and have had a few reminders to book a smear test, but so far I've ignored them. I know I should book one and there's a little niggle in the back of my mind but so far I haven't done anything about it.

My main reason for not going is embarrassment, which I know is ridiculous. I'm also worried about what will happen if I tense up and the nurse can't get the speculum in (do they even use a speculum?!) Will they just reschedule the appointment for another day?

Please can someone talk some sense into me and put me at ease? I know I should book one but I keep talking myself out of it.

Definitely get it booked, it can be a bit embarrassing the first time but the nurses put you at ease and it's over really quickly. I've never missed one and from one to the next I'd developed really severe pre-cancerous cells which I had to have removed. Im just thankful they were able to remove them and they hadn't developed into cancer.

Please do it, it is a couple of minutes and so worth it. I find them a little uncomfortable due to some previous gynae issues, so was also putting mine off, but then I had to remind myself that they are nowhere near as embarrassing as getting a Brazilian which I do every 4weeks 😂

It only takes about 30 seconds. Tell the nurse you're nervous and they'll be very understanding. No one enjoys going it's just one of those things like going to dentist (I would choose smear any day!). Wear a long top/dress/skirt so you feel more 'dressed' - they should ask you if you're ready behind the curtain so make sure you feel comfy. They put ky jelly on the speculum to help it go in and they do it slowly and carefully and you barely feel the swab going in (they call it scraping cells which makes it sound painful but it's really not). You could ask for a chaperone to the nurse to your hand/talk to you. I always take some wipes with me so I feel clean. Please don't put it it off.

Please go..it could save your life. Its five minutes of embarrassment . The nurse should make you feel comfortable and you can talk about holidays or the weather if it makes you feel more at ease. Honestly, its over with before you know it. The nurse has seen hundreds of 'mudgies' ( thats what my 74 year old mom calls them.🤣) in her job, all different, but she still manages to find what shes looking for ! 😉.honestly, i had assisted conception where there was one doctor and six students stood at the other end looking in...believe me, one nurse in a room with a speculum , a modesty cover and a pleasant manner is nothing to worry about. Please go and get it over and done with xx

I can't remember who said it, but it always stuck with me "don't die of embarrassment"

I'm shy, a bit of a prude, and body conscious, but I've never found a smear that difficult. I think you may be shocked at how 'okay' it is.

That said, my friend gets extremely anxious about them, and her GP prescribed her diazepam to take before, which really helped.

Make the call. All being well, you won't need to do it again for 5 years

I fucking hate them but every time I go, and I do, I wonder what my issue was. If you’re really nervous the doctor can give you a Valium tablet to take before. I used to get one but don’t bother now, because it’s over in seconds. You can put headphones in and listen to music during. Go get one, it’s important. X

I was going to suggest Valium as well , I get mine done by gynaecology due to prior traumatic experiences and surgery but have been offered a variety of diazepam , anaesthetic , gas and air etc to get it done . So even if you did , unlikely , find it as horribly painful as I do , chances are they’d still have a solution that suits you .

Please go and have it done.
The medical staff have seen it all before, all shapes and sizes. They understand that you may feel embarrassed. No matter how many times you have it done, you still feel embarrassed, well I do anyway.
But, a few minutes of embarrassment is worth it when you consider it may just save your life.
For the sake of yourself and your loved ones, please have it done.

I never used to mind going at all, and will continue to go but last time I went, a couple of years ago, I bled a little afterwards and the nurse said, oh you said you weren't on your period, I was like erm no I'm not. I thought it was normal to bleed sometimes, but she sort of made me feel like it was my fault and not normal?
Does anyone know, is it normal?

Do they always use lube? I’ve had two and never used any which wasn’t the most comfortable. Are they supposed too?

None of us enjoys it and most of us find it embarrassing.

Personally, I find that a worthwhile price to pay for being screened for something which could kill me if not detected early.

I've always had lube used. I assumed the all did. Perhaps you could ask next time?

I've had cervical cancer and have now had more internal examinations than I'd care to count.

The trick is to lie there and concentrate on relaxing your shoulders and then the other parts of your body. I think it hurts more if you are tense.

Practice relaxing your body at home. Drop your shoulders, then drop them again and so on.

Oh and for every painful story you hear there are lots more that don't hurt. People are more likely to post if they have an extreme opinion. Either like me as a cancer survivor, or at the other end of the spectrum those where it was painful or anxiety inducing.

Just grit your teeth and do it. I have autism and major sensory issues with contact. I cry hysterically and shake all the way through it even though it only takes seconds and doesn't hurt. But it's worth it as the alternatives don't bear thinking about.

You must do it...it could save your life!

They are definitely much more comfortable if you force yourself to relax and as a Nurse I promise you one fanny looks much the same as another!

@caddywally
Please book one.
I was 28 and had cervical cancer.

It's 2 minutes of embarrassment.
I put off having mine because of embarrassment and I had a child at 21 so really nothing someone hasn't seen before.

They give you a piece of paper to cover yourself with but explain to the nurse that your anxious - she told me I could stop at any time if I felt uncomfortable or it hurt.
It's a speculum with a tiny brush and lasts about 2 minutes all in.
Mine wasn't pleasant but they said that was because of the cancer that was there.
I've since had more tests there and none of them have hurt since.

It's like a STI check (if you've had one of them) it really is something you should do - the nurses are really understanding and set you at ease as much as they can.

OP my tactic is to book first thing Monday morning, shower, go (wearing a skirt or dress so I only have to pull it up rather than undress) then it's done and the rest of the week can happen, by Friday I've forgotten about it.
I have a lot of bleeding during any examination so the nurse always takes a ton of swabs just to check everything is on as well as the smear, just incase you have something similar.
Also, I have a retroverted uterus than makes my cervix tricky to find so the nurse makes me ball my fists and put them under my bum to get in a better position so they deffo have tactics for getting it done incase something doesn't go to plan.
Well worth it for 3 years of no worry. Good luck.

I have terminal cancer as I was too embarrassed to go for my smear. Please, please get it booked. A few minutes of being embarrassed is nothing compared to the treatment of having cancer

Another to echo that it literally takes a few minutes.

I need to have one (was due last year but was pregnant), have never had a problem with any kind of intimate examination before (had a couple of smears, swabs for abnormal bleeding, a coil fitted and removed, and pushed a human out of my nether regions with all the delving around up there that that includes!)

But my delivery (8 weeks ago) was traumatic. I have stitches from my bumholio to god only knows where and I'm not convinced that I don't have a prolapse going on. No one has been near there since the day I gave birth and the thought of someone poking around with a speculum right now actually brings me to tears.

But 5 minutes that could potentially save my life? Absolutely. Will be phoning to book next week for when I'm 12 weeks post partum.

Please book an appointment and go. I hate them and put mine off a few years, and guess what? When I woman-ed up and had the test I got a letter a few days later to say they had found some abnormal cells that would need to be removed and needed to book a colposcopy at hospital within a week.

Boy did I regret putting it off. Colposcopy wasn’t most comfortable thing I’ve ever endured but beats cancer any day.

My next test a year later gladly came back all clear.

Come on OP, get it booked, you know it makes sense!

Please, please go. I had pre cancerous cells at 29 and had a colposcopy. Fortunately all fine after that and have had loads more as I'm now 62 and the next one will be my last. It's so quick and easy and the nurses usually chat away so you are relaxed very quickly. They certainly aren't bothered about what your body is like as they do them day in and sag out so gave seen it all!

My first one was by a male doctor and when he picked up the speculum I gasped. He said "I'm sure this is no bigger than your partner". Totally inappropriate and obviously he wouldn't get away with saying something like that now, but it made me laugh and relaxed me.

You will be fine.

Book it and go, I guarantee you will come out wondering what you were worried about. Ask for a female nurse (my surgery does this automatically, but clarify so it's one less thing to worry about) and explain that you are nervous when you go. They will have heard - and seen! - it all before.

Trust me, the most awkward thing is wondering where to put your knickers. On the chair, under the chair, in your hand?!?!

I had mine done last week OP.

Make sure you are mid cycle, it doesn't really matter nowadays I don't think as they only swab for the HPV virus, not take cells like they used to. But I went a week before I was due on and it was more difficult for the nurse to find my cervix.

Take nurofen before you go. It makes no difference really but anything that has a potential to be uncomfortable I take preventative measures and it makes me feel more relaxed.

Its strange having a non sexual person seeing your minge. It is. And even stranger them fiddling around with it. But it's only strange to you, to them it's the same as dressing a wound, or doing someones blood pressure or giving a vaccination.

Tell them you are nervous and they will absolutely understand. And think how amazing it is that someone can see and swab something like your cervix and help prevent something as horrendous as cervical cancer.

Definitely get yourself booked in OP. I felt the same before my first one and was utterly amazed how quick and easy it was. Was a 'was that it??' moment.

I always wear a loose skirt so I can pull it up and not feel quite so undressed as well, I recommend that