Cervical Smear Test

[Norma60]

I have been for my cervical smear test what an ordeal. There must be a way where we don't have to endure this . I wish there was another way of having this done and when I came out of the nurse's room I thought of my daughters and granddaughters when they are older having to go through this ordeal. I actually cried. I understand we need to be tested for cancer, my own mother died of cervical cancer so it is close to my heart but would like to make it my mission to try and find another way to be tested.

Was there a reason you found it so bad? Was it painful? In my experience both before and after having children it was very quick, painless and easy... please don't let your experience put you off.

Yanbu. It would be a good start if they could design a speculum that is not like a medieval torture instrument.

That's great! Do you have any ideas or suggestions on how to make it better?

I have had previously cancerous cells removed and biopsies done after abnormal smear tests. What exactly about it is so bad?

I don't find them an ordeal at all. Less painful and takes less time than giving birth

Was there a particular reason why it was so bad? It's not exactly a pleasant experience by any means but I've honestly had more undignified tests than smear tests. And I say that as someone who's cervix can be difficult to find

I find them painful but it's once every few years and can save your life.

Its the clicking ratchet that sets my teeth on edge.

The nurse had to take a cholesterol blood test first and when I first walked in looked as tough she didn't want to be there and took the blood test then said oh so you are here for your smear test and wasn't very helpful or friendly. Yes I understand they have nervous and all patients are different but she said I wasn't relaxed you try to be relaxed whilst you have this horrible instrument inserted into you. Thank you for concern and am still waiting for the results 4 weeks later. I rang the surgery for advice and they said I should receive them soon.

There is an alternative in Australia:

www.sbs.com.au/topics/life/health/article/2017/12/01/never-had-pap-smear-now-theres-diy-option-you

It is available under Medicare, if you have either never had the test or are more than 2 years overdue.

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience

I’ve never had a problem with it, but I’m sure everyone is different. I agree with previous poster who has said it’s been quick and easy. A bit uncomfortable at times, but I’ve never had a bad experience.

Men have to have prostate exams after a certain age- I don’t like the idea of that.

Ugh August is my birthday month and got the invite letter. The 3 years come round so quick! I too find it extremely painful and an ordeal :( am going to take a couple of diazepam to keep me calm. I'm a wimp though and cry over a blood test. I have birth naturally at 20 so you would think I would find these things easy

Incredibly painful - a 9. It didn't help that all I'd read said 'it can be a little uncomfortable' which I understand is the case for most people but yeah just no.

I have only had one smear test. Due to a combination of being a rape survivor and being autistic it was bloody painful. It took the nurse six attempts just to get the speculum in because it hurt so much and I was crying out.

My next one will be due soon and tbh I'm dreading it. I keep telling myself I need to do it because if I ended up with cervical cancer I would feel terrible about DS growing up without me.

If someone could find a better way of doing it it would be fantastic.

I’ve had two that weren’t great, one I couldn’t relax andbthe nutse got a bit frusrated and a bit forceful trying to get speculum in and I was bleeding. Worst part was I had to go back and there weren’t enough cells.

The other bad one was the dr talking to me like I was a child and then told me off because I told her to stop as she tried to open the speculum. It was extremely painful and I had to actually be quite firm with her that she must stop. She then scolded me like a haughty child ‘well I got the test but couldn’t see your cervix properly to do a visual assessment since you wouldn’t let me open the speculum!’

Saying that i’ve haftwo really excellent practitioners take the test. One I barely noticed from a wonderful nurse at my old practice and another where the female doctor told me to breathe in and as I breathed out slowly she inserted the speculum very easily. That seems to be the trick.

Norma60. Would it help to medicate yourself with something to relax you? The test really should not be that difficult. With your family history you know it needs to be done, but maybe an anti anxiety med would help.

I put the speculum in myself now because they tend to jab around with it and cause unnecessary pain in my already inflamed symphysis pubis bone. I find this helps a lot.

OP, I don't think your experience is typical of most womens'. Smear tests for me have always just been one of those things I'd rather not do, but is always a non event for me. I've had colposcopies too and though unpleasant aren't terrible ( in my opinion).

I’m in Glasgow and they have just opened a clinic for woman who had previously suffered abuse. As someone who has been assaulted an had a tilted cervix I find them so so uncomfortable however my nurse knows my history and she’s amazing. I had a stand in once before and she shouted at me! I would say please be honest with the nurse they don’t want to hurt you, it’s not nice but it’s essential. In Scotland we ate lucky to get them from age 18 and it’s so worth it.

I keep meaning to book mine but it hurt so much last time I put if off. Also even though I've had 3 children I'm painfully shy so hate being exposed to the point I was trying to cover myself while giving birth.

Oh OP, I find them excruciating too. I remember blithely tripping along for my first, having fully believed the 'mild discomfort' line, and just couldn't believe how painful it actually was. The experience has made me pretty distrustful of HCPs, and any reassurance about other medical procedures. Not helpful.

Do you know you can get a private test you do yourself? It's a test for HPV, that you do with a swab, so no speculum, and no scraping of the cervix. I think you may have to have a traditional smear/further investigation if it's positive, but if it's negative, then that's it for a few years. Might be worth considering for next time.

I've had loads of smears and two colposcopies and I never found any of them painful and wondered about people who said they did.

Then the last one I had was excruciating! I don't know what went wrong - the room was FREEZING so that didn't help and she was twisting the speculum around in my body for some reason? I said that she coudln't do that it was really painful.

She eventually found my cervix and then I found the actual removing of cells a bit stingy which I never had before.

I haven't got a clue why just this one hurt and I haven't had another one since but I won't be looking forward to it.

I agree that there must be something to make it better surely?