To think gas and air should be made available for smear tests?

[Strawberrytallcake]

or do I just need to man up?

Just got back from my smear FYI and I didn't even feel it!!!! It was a nurse and she was lovely, I told her I was petrified and she was really understanding. It was literally over in 10 seconds and I will never be scared of a smear again in my life, fingers crossed for results!

Oh I and never meant for this thread to put anyone off, it is a necessity regardless of how I feel as simply put it can be the difference between living and dying.

I had been puttin off goin for my first smear, and finally went this year.

It was a bit painful as the nurse couldn't find my cervix (maybe it was hiding in fear...?), so there was some rummaging. G&A would have been lovely(!) but I coped without.

I kept in mind that undetected cancer and my daughter losing a mother would be far far worse (especially given that I'm a lone parent) and forced myself to do it. I felt almost proud afterwards, and it was all clear.

I'll also remember to pre-warn the next nurse that my cervix is prone to a spot of hide-and-seek ^so they can choose the equipment accordingly (and hopefully it'll be less painful).

You don't need to man up. You need to get a better practitioner to do it. One nurse in the surgery where i used to live could do a smear and I pretty much could not feel it at all. She was brilliant. She didn't use a cold metal speculum but a nice warmer plastic disposable and she didn't faff around at all. See if you can get someone else to do it, sometimes going to a family planning clinic rather than the gp might achieve this.

As for coil insertion they should allow morphine for that. Or preferably general anaesthetic.

My womb is so tilted it's practically on backwards and I have to go to a special Gynae in the hospital to have a smear and I nearly need morphine

First time I had a smear it was painful then the last time I felt nothing. Different nurse though. If it is painful then it's down to who is doing it I reckon.

I was on a 6 month recall for smears for a while so they don't bother me in the slightest now. I didn't find a colposcopy very uncomfortable either.

I didn't suffer any pain with smear test but I think they should give you gas and air if you want it!!

So if you can get it in an ambulance, presumably it doesn't need a prescription then? Just the presence of an HCP to supervise it?