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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to ask if you’ve ever had a painful smear.

94 replies

Oopsusernamealreadytaken · 27/11/2018 12:19

Resting up feeling a bit sorry for myself after my smear yesterday, sorry if TMI, not really a conversation I can have with my work chums 😂

I’m feeling battered and bruised down there, I think I was caught or grazed by the speculum. On top of that feeling very crampy and bleeding which I know can be normal.

Ugh. Being a woman sucks at times!

OP posts:

VerbeenaBeeks · 27/11/2018 16:04

Oblomov18 · 27/11/2018 16:06

I hate them with a passion. I dread them. I put them off.

I have had many other operations and teeth out etc, nothing else bothers me.

HelenaDove · 27/11/2018 16:13

every one of mine has been excrutiatingly painful. So my last one was four years ago.

DaphneCanDoBetterThanFred · 27/11/2018 16:23

I had one just last week and it was actually fine. A bit of a pinch when she brushed my cervix but no worse than an injection and defiantly less painful than stubbing a toe. I do bleed a lot after. Like a couple of previous posters I seem to have a vascular cervix. Er, woohoo? No pain after, and the bleeding had tailed off by the end of the day. I do seem to get the strangest comments though. I’ve had “what an angry little cervix!” complete with a proper face, “ooh, I won’t need the lubricant as you’ve provided a lovely well lubricated area for us today.” (not envy!) and my favourite, the nurse who sighed and said, “this is worse for me than it is for you.” I think she was trying to make me laugh..

Alonglongnight · 27/11/2018 16:31

Yes! I’ve had maybe 5/6 in total and always found them a tad uncomfortable but nothing more than that. I had one a few months ago and she was scraping for ages, I was left feeling like I was scarred inside! I kept cringing and kind of shivering internally when I thought of it. I think it made my period come early as well as I’m usually fairly regular. But I’m fine now and must have been after a week tops so I think some nurses must just be more heavy-handed. I will be avoiding that nurse next time!

OneStepMoreFun · 27/11/2018 16:38

Yes. The only two I've ever had were incredibly painful so I never went back.

alreadyinchristmasmood · 27/11/2018 16:53

Always painful and v uncomfortable for me too but never to the point that I feel anything AFTER

Wheresmrlion · 28/11/2018 10:05

Gosh, I’m really surprised by the responses, I had no idea so many people found them painful.

No pain at all here, I do feel a bit anxious at having my bits out but close my eyes and take lots of deep breaths to relax and it’s over before I know it.

I wonder if it’s physiology or nurse technique or both that causes issues?

Puggles123 · 28/11/2018 10:26

No, and I have a tilted uterus which means they have to use the really long swabber to reach it, never any bleeding either. If you are anxious let the nurse know and I’m sure they will do what they can to make it as comfortable as possible; but honestly, a few seconds of discomfort (and even bleeding afterwards) is worth it. My aunt avoided smears as she found them painful, and after getting some other symptoms checked out discovered she had cervical cancer (thankfully I say had, but she had to have a major operation and this was more painful than a smear). Please do go, and let them know you found the last one really uncomfortable and are nervous.

FlamingJuno · 28/11/2018 10:27

Didn't know it was possible to have one that wasn't painful .

BloodyDisgrace · 28/11/2018 10:34

I had a discomfort afterwards, but not pain. And I always told the nurse "please use the smallest instrument, and don't let it hang in me while you are going to the other side of the room!"

And in the new place I've had such a fantastic nurse that I didn't even feel anything, it was so wonderful that the previous experiences really stood out in comparison!

Just tell them to use small speculum, use a lot of lube and be insistent that they get everything ready instead of shoving a brick inside you and walking away for a faffle.

FluffyPersian · 28/11/2018 10:38

Mine were never painful - only slightly uncomfortable.

Until June this year when the nurse didn't use ANY lubrication at all as apparently 'They don't use it any more as it can increase the risk of not getting a result'....

Well, I call Bullshit - I think North Hampshire NHS or whoever controls the money are looking to save cash, hence the removal of all lubricants.... it was incredibly painful and I bled.

So.... next time, I'll bring my own and if the nurse refuses to use it, I'll refuse to have a smear and get it done privately.

I'll still have it done, but I'll go somewhere that hasn't gone back to the dark ages in how they treat women.

SaveKevin · 28/11/2018 10:48

My last was absolutely agony. So and for you op. I had to ask her to stop in the end. It was my first with the newer brush speculum.

My first was painful (I was a virgin!) in between they were unpleasant but ok.

I’m overdue mine now. I’ve always been really good at getting them done but I absolutely cannot face it. I know logically the treatment only gets worse if I go unchecked. But it was so awful I can’t imagine being relaxed going in.

Redland12 · 28/11/2018 11:30

Everyone of mine has been excruciating! So I paid privately and had a local anaesthetic. Perfect. I only have one left to go, thank god! I can understand why women put the off. 🌷

TheEndofIt · 28/11/2018 11:46

I'm mid-40's & have always been fine throughout my 20's & 30's. Never am issue.

But my last 2 have been incredibly painful (way beyond uncomfortable). Despite using a smaller speculum, hands under buttocks etc. The speculum going in is ok, but when it's opened up it is agony.

The practice nurse says it is sometimes the case in women who have not had vaginal deliveries (I had 2 emcs without labour).

It was more painful than gallstones; the worst pain I have ever had. And I'm a HCP.

Lellochip · 28/11/2018 11:51

I have also once been fobbed off with the no lube policy... Lay there cursing the man (no doubt) that signed off on that!

What I always wonder, is why on Earth do they not start with the small speculum 😅

MumW · 28/11/2018 11:55

I always take pain killers an hour before and make a concerted effort to to relax. When I was reading up on birth, it suggested that you keep your mouth/lips relaxed as there is, apparently a link between your mouth and down there! There may be some truth in it or it maybe a placebo/distraction but I do find it helps.

GrimDamnFanjo · 28/11/2018 12:43

I have a tilted cervix and find them awful tbh.
But my Grandma died from cervical cancer...

Booksandwine80 · 03/12/2018 17:26

I had one very painful one a few years ago, actually made me cry it was so bad.

They had never bothered me up until this point as they had only ever been a bit uncomfortable.

My last one I was anxious as the previous one had been so awful. It was the lead practice nurse who did it and I swear I never even noticed her take the swab!

Totally depends on who/how it’s done

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