Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be so put off having my smear!

52 replies

ChocolateMonster5 · 28/09/2020 15:58

My first experience with a smear test was when I was 22. I was literally told they couldn’t do it because they couldn’t fit the speculum in. I was then afraid to go back and put it off until I was 28 and had 2 children. I thought it would be easier. It ended up being very painful but I was just pleased it was successful and thankfully, the results were all clear.

Today I went for my routine smear. I explained to the nurse about my past experiences and she was really lovely to me. She said we’ll just take our time with it and do some deep breathing etc.

So the first speculum, she couldn’t get in. It actually literally shot back out when it was partially in. She then said we could try a smaller speculum but there were no guarantees we’d be able to reach my cervix. We used the smaller one and she had to fiddle around with what she called ‘a brush’ to find my cervix. I had to place my hands under my bum and she asked me to bear down whilst she looked for my cervix. I started bleeding but luckily she managed to find my cervix and took a swab.

She then let me know that there is a chance the swab will be rejected due to there being too much blood. If that happens, I will need to return in 12 weeks and have another smear done.

I just don’t understand why I have so much trouble with this when 2 babies have clearly managed to fit through there. I tried to be as relaxed as I could today. I’m actually on antidepressants for anxiety and I thought they really helped me relax, along with some deep breaths but it still wasn’t enough.

I understand the importance of smears and I know how life saving they are but I just find the whole thing such a horrible experience 😢

I always read threads on here with everyone saying how painless they are and I don’t understand why my experiences are so different to everyone else’s 🥺 It really puts me off the whole thing.

OP posts:
MordredsOrrery · 28/09/2020 16:07

YANBU OP. They're painless for some women and extremely painful for others. For some women they're also traumatic because of previous experiences.

Could the nurse offer gas and air next time? I've heard of it being offered before. You've done well to go despite your past experiences, fingers crossed the sample is fine and doesn't need redoing Smile

cptartapp · 28/09/2020 16:12

I'm a practice nurse. Well done for going. It isn't easy for some women and rest assured even with blood you would be unlucky if this masked what they were looking for. The lab processes are excellent.
We don't have gas and air in the surgery, let alone be qualified to administer it. I have never heard this be a thing in general practice or any surgery I've worked in.
Ask for referral to colposcopy if your sample is inadequate.

Simarilion · 28/09/2020 16:14

Might be worth looking into local sexual health clinics- I was referred after GP practice nurse couldn't get an adequate sample. The nurse said my cervix was very anteverted (I think) - I subsequently saw a gynae consultant who had no issue doing the smear and said the nurse was talking nonsense! I'd def go back to a gynae/sexual health clinic if it was difficult for any reason. I was able to self-refer.

MJMG2015 · 28/09/2020 16:23

You're not alone.

I've always had problems with them.

My first one I was 16 (overseas & they start them as soon as you start being sexually active). It was done by the community nurse, a much older lady who treated us young things like we were complete slappers for being sexually actively. She was openly disapproving & I swear she soaked her hands in icy water first. Evil cow

The person doing it does make a difference, but it always hurts & I always get told something different. (You have a tilted oelvus, that's why it's difficult. Next time, ' everyone's pelvis is tilted, that's nonsense). I always have to make fists & use them to lift my bum up. That's getting more difficult each time (age/hip issue/weight).

I didn't have one for years, but a poster on here MrsDeVere convinced me I needed to and after what her young daughter had been through (not related to smears) I figured I just needed to 'woman up' & get on with it.

I was due one in June, but obviously that was postponed & now I can't get one booked in. (I'll try again after posting this!).

I'm 51 & plenty of other things have come & gone - so no idea why this hurts so bloody much! The sooner the test that's done with a wee sample is being used -the better. Though it'll be after I've stopped having them I'm guessing

I've had failed ones before & had to go back for a re-do. Grrrr.

None of this makes it less painful for you, but hopefully you'll stop feeling like it's 'just you'!

Moltenpink · 28/09/2020 16:28

Are you in an area that just checks for hpv? If so you could just have the simpler hpv test or buy a diy swab.

MoreToExplore · 28/09/2020 16:29

My one smear test, along with the similar internal checks I had during labour, were the most pain I’ve ever experienced.

I’m due one now and have been looking up the statistics desperately trying to reach the conclusion it’s not worth getting one, but no they’ve actually gotten more accurate in recent years (fewer false positives/negatives than before) so I really should 😰

LindaEllen · 28/09/2020 16:35

@MJMG2015

You're not alone.

I've always had problems with them.

My first one I was 16 (overseas & they start them as soon as you start being sexually active). It was done by the community nurse, a much older lady who treated us young things like we were complete slappers for being sexually actively. She was openly disapproving & I swear she soaked her hands in icy water first. Evil cow

The person doing it does make a difference, but it always hurts & I always get told something different. (You have a tilted oelvus, that's why it's difficult. Next time, ' everyone's pelvis is tilted, that's nonsense). I always have to make fists & use them to lift my bum up. That's getting more difficult each time (age/hip issue/weight).

I didn't have one for years, but a poster on here MrsDeVere convinced me I needed to and after what her young daughter had been through (not related to smears) I figured I just needed to 'woman up' & get on with it.

I was due one in June, but obviously that was postponed & now I can't get one booked in. (I'll try again after posting this!).

I'm 51 & plenty of other things have come & gone - so no idea why this hurts so bloody much! The sooner the test that's done with a wee sample is being used -the better. Though it'll be after I've stopped having them I'm guessing

I've had failed ones before & had to go back for a re-do. Grrrr.

None of this makes it less painful for you, but hopefully you'll stop feeling like it's 'just you'!

I absolutely cannot wait for when they can do a urine test, and only hope that it happens soon enough for me to benefit.

I have a tilted cervix (or that's what the nurse called it anyway) which meant she had to have me in all kinds of positions and tried several times before she could get a sample, and she even said then that it might come back inadequate because she 'wasn't sure' she'd scraped enough and couldn't reach it again.

Anyway, thank god it came back normal because I wasn't looking forward to going through that again.

The problem is, the 3 years in between seem to go so fast. Now I'm overdue and can't actually get one as my GP isn't doing them and sexual health clinic said I should go to my GP.

Great.

The only thing that keeps me calm about this is a lot of Googling which says that it can take between 10-15 years to develop so having a normal previous smear hopefully means nothing too sinister can happen due to this delay.

BusyBB · 28/09/2020 16:49

I think people talk about how its painless and not so bad because it's so important to get it done and we dont want to put other women off...... in my experience it's always painful.

Unicornflakegirl · 28/09/2020 16:56

Well done for going OP, I hope you don't have to go back in 12 weeks.
Where I live we have annual smear and gynae health check (from about the age of 18 every year) but it's usually done by a gynaecologist so they're doing it very often.

For anyone who is nervous ask them to start with the smallest speculum, by the time they've tried unsuccessfully with a standard one it is probably harder to relax.

SweetTeaInTheSummer · 28/09/2020 17:08

Mine hurt like buggery op. I take painkillers beforehand and have to do the hand under bum, bear down stuff. Even in flipping labour they struggled to find my cervix! It would appear it likes hiding. It's shit and really hurts! I do always go though.

millymollymoomoo · 28/09/2020 17:10

I’m late 40s now and had them 25+ years. I always have to put hands under bum, tilt, cough all sorts- I think I just have an awkward cervix ! They’re not painful as such but uncomfortable. I just grin and bare it as however uncomfortable it is, it’s insignificant to the possibility of cervical cancer

Hope they get better for you

murasaki · 28/09/2020 17:13

I didn't have one for 15 years due to the last one being so awful. Eventually caved in when I accidentally answered the doc's phone call and was so flummoxed I agreed. Just before lockdown - in Feb. It was bad, but not as bad as I expected.

Apparently my cervix runs away. No shit. I don't blame it. Glad I did it though, one less thing to worry about.

HumphreyCobblers · 28/09/2020 17:14

I take Valium And paracetamol before I go in. They really hurt me and the nurse can never find my cervix either. You are not alone in finding them difficult!

Unicornflakegirl · 28/09/2020 17:46

I'm going to add for the benefit of anyone reading this who hasn't had a smear test before that even though I have a 'shy' cervix sometimes I have never actually found it painful, and I am a wuss!

Original poster
ChocolateMonster5 · 28/09/2020 18:08

Thanks so much for all the replies.

Oh I hadn’t heard about the new urine sample test. That will be a game changer for me.

I’m feeling better hearing that it’s not just me who suffers. Although I do wish none of us did. I always try to remember that any discomfort I’m in is nothing by comparison to those who have been unfortunate enough to have cervical cancer.

I just find the whole experience awful from start to finish but I really don’t want this thread to discourage anyone from going for their smears. I do think, however, if there is anyone out there who has been putting it off after a bad experience, it may help them to know they’re not alone and that these things do happen.

Thanks so much for all of the replies. There are some good tips in there for next time - which will hopefully be in 3 years rather than 12 weeks 🤞🏻

OP posts:
Feetupteashot · 28/09/2020 18:11

Fingers crossed the lab will work some magic!

Some people do have a cervix that's more difficult to find so it's really important to tell the nurse about the difficulties you've had before. Then you can start with fists below your hips and other little things that should help shorten the discomfort

Evehaspulled · 28/09/2020 19:48

To my shame, I’ve only ever had one smear. It hurt and I’ve never been back for another. I actually was thinking about having one, but I’m not sure if my surgery are offering them at the moment.

Shufflebumnessie · 28/09/2020 20:02

The first smear I had was so painful I nearly shot off the bed. It took me years to go back for my next one.
Since having children they're not quite as painful but they are definitely still painful (not just uncomfortable, painful!). I now take 2 paracetamol and 2 ibuprofen (recommended by a nurse) about an hour beforehand which seems to help very slightly.
You are definitely not alone.

MayIJustAsk · 28/09/2020 20:05

Hope your next one is better OP. I have a tilted pelvis and have to put my hands clenched under my bum mines always been painless but I have had to have treatment for abnormal cells.

GinWithASplashOfTonic · 28/09/2020 20:19

Yanbu i keep putting mine off. All these people who said it's painless and I'm like Hmm

I too had a traumatic one involving blood and 2 nurses having a go.

Dreaded going since

Vgbeat · 28/09/2020 20:45

As someone who was diagnosed with stage 2b cervical cancer last year, please don't put it off. Yes it can be a little unpleasant but for the sake of 5 mins its worth it instead if being like me and wondering if I'll see my 9 year old grow up and kicking myself for not going.

Vgbeat · 28/09/2020 20:46

@Evehaspulled they are

SheepandCow · 28/09/2020 20:51

I really don't know why we haven't already adopted the urine tests as standard.

www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/urine-test-could-prevent-cervical-cancer/#:~:text=The%20study%2C%20led%20by%20Dr,virus%20that%20causes%20cervical%20cancer.

devuskums · 28/09/2020 23:56

Thanks for posting this op, I have always assumed I am abnormal as I have always found smear tests very uncomfortable and sometimes painful (especially the time my GP trapped my inner lip in the speculum and drew blood...).

InescapableDeath · 29/09/2020 00:01

This happened to me OP. They actually couldn’t get a sample the first time and it was so painful despite having two kids and going through various ivf procedures. I ended up being prescribed a small amount of diazepam to take before a repeat appointment and luckily it worked the second time.