Smear aversion

[mikado1]

I tense up, clench up and twirl my legs together like a pretzel...anyone uber relaxed and unbuffered? Dreading mine this afternoon but won't cancel of course.

No one else?

Wiggle your toes! It helps

I'm in the uber relaxed camp

But then again have gone through IVF so had more than my fair share of things shoved up my Fanny - a bit desensitized

Sorry you struggle with them OP, it's not nice feeling stressed by medical stuff. I'm ok with them as long as it's a female nurse/doctor. But that's not really much help to you! You're not wrong for feeling the way you do.

Is there something specific that you struggle with? Do you find them painful?

Recently had mine, just awaiting results...

Always find them uncomfortable, but a necessary evil. Advice is to always have them late afternoon (or evening if possible) as that is when the cervix is more relaxed. Apparently morning ones can be tricky as the cervix is higher up! (I'm guessing this is all gravity related, but comes from a nurse friend.)

Practice slow breathing and visualise a relaxed, successful smear OP.

Oh thank you all, sitting in waiting room and these have helped. I don't even use tampons, so that will give you an idea. Can't leave legs drop to side etc. I will work on breathing, wiggling toes etc. The slower the nurse goes the worse so I've told this nurse to just get on with it!! I would so love to be uber relaxed!! If I could get a bit of gas and air I'd be thrilled!!

Smear tests always used to be a nightmare for me because of the tilt of my cervix and other issues. however, I found a really sympathetic nurse at the local practice who tried a number of different size speculums and different positions and it was no longer a problem.

I’ve just had a lot of dentistry work done and feel the same about that as you do a smear. I have found it’s true wiggling fingers and toes really helps but silence actually makes me feel more nervous. Put some music on your phone or even radio 4. . Just something to fill the void!!!

I'm also a wriggler, I was even during pregnancy checks. Pinching my arm helped distract when needed, but I just let the person doing it know that I can't lie still.

Hope everything went okay

Mine is overdue. Prior to having 3 babies they were uncomfortable but about bearable due to a tilted cervix but post babies/botched GP coil insertion and termination complications it's now a procedure I can't even bear to think about.

Ooch Sibleycourt , not surprised you hate the thought! Glad I'm not alone. Unfortunately it didn't go well, felt real pain, as if being cut and after numerous attempts, it was stopped :( Big fail, felt dreadful.

Do you ask for the smaller speculum?

Can you take some headphones and listen to music/a gripping podcast while they do it? That’s my plan for next time.

Oh lovely, I completely get it - I’ve never had a good one and while I’ve battled my way through ( tiniest speculum possible and a brush) the direction of everything just makes the whole thing awful - no matter how nice the nurse has tried to be. Colposcopy and six monthly smears working up to three yearly didn’t help either, nor did the time one nurse closed the speculum and caught the lining... It’s a real issue for some of us - not helped by the “it’s a few moments” crowd, it’s really not.

Can you afford to get a home test kit from Superdrug and do it yourself at home? They have brought them out now and I’m seriously considering trying that now rather than putting myself through jt

I'm so sorry, I understand this completely but I'm actually pleased to hear I'm not the only one. The nurse used a smaller speculum for me, she tried a regular but when I winced she said she'd get the smaller one (I wasn't looking) due to pelvic pain in pregnancy I can't lie in the position they want without being in pain either. But it's potentially life saving, if you can book another and ask if there's any suggestions they have to make sure it's comfortable as possible.
I had gas and air for a sweep, i felt like such an idiot. Women were treating it like nothing more than a hair cut and I was writhing in agony.

Ok, the other thing to try is a smaller speculum and this
www.jostrust.org.uk/about-us/news-and-blog/blog/left-lateral-position-–-better-option-patients

I used to always struggle with smears and ended up getting referred to hospital by the gp to have it done there. What helped was they had one of those chairs that hoist you up so were able to help put me into a more comfortable and accessible position as I also struggled with dropping legs to the side and not tensing up.

Oh and also agree to ask them from the outset to use the smallest speculum they have.

I hate them so much, and then the person doing the smear gets irritable with my tilted cervix and barks at me repeatedly to "Relax!!". I am currently dodging my smear reminder actually.

Am sorry it had to be abandoned OP.

I have PTSD from sexual abuse so can completely empathise with your bodies reaction to a smear.
My old gp was wonderful about it, she knew my history, and I have always had gynae issues which meant for a period of time that I had to have annual smear testing. I also have a high, small cervix so it requires a rummage to find. Boy did I win the lottery 😉
For a time I was allowed to take a calming tablet 30 mins prior to the smear, my last 2 smears the GP had me talk about weekend plans, weather, she had me focus on curling my toes and uncurling them, and focussing on trying to move them one at a time.
She has also allowed me to have music on in headphones and focus on singing the song. But never the same song twice!
Another thing is a chaperone. I took my husband, but any friend or relative you trust and who is understanding. Or an understanding chaperone at the practice can hold your hand.
Hope some of that helps 🙂

I'm nearly in tears at your kindness and shared feelings on it. I'm clenching even reading some of these.. she used the smallest speculum but said it was too small... my whole perineum is a really irritable place for me...and it was the pull into that, if that makes sense, that really caused the bother.

Sorry OP, I think you're really brave (I don't mean that to be patronising) still trying to get this done when it is so difficult.

Would it be worth paying to do a HPV test? I'm pretty sure Superdrug do them online? Given that HPV causes the vast majority of cervical cancers, if you could establish whether or not you had HPV it may give you some peace of mind? I think it would basically then just be a swab- no speculums required!

onlinedoctor.superdrug.com/hpv-test.html?gbraid=0AAAAADrzrcc0XUmEdXdNZYl4P4UadgSiC&gbraid=0AAAAADrzrcc0XUmEdXdNZYl4P4UadgSiC&gclid=CjwKCAjw3qGYBhBSEiwAcnTRLgmOhcsi0Fg9KvJf63UomF71Mk0fgi_YBUSekytZIWWiqawZXTfS0xoC3lgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

hopefully that link works to the home test we’re talking about, it would be worth investigating I hope

I did the Superdrug HPV test recently. I find smears painful so was prepared to pay out the £48.

Thanks so much, will definitely look into that.