Smear test - is it normal to find leaves and twigs?

[User748937744]

Ok, clickbait title - for a reason!

I am in my 40s and had my first smear test today. It was so fine and so quick and so painless and so straightforward and I wish I’d been brave enough to go for all the many years I’ve ignored the invitations!

Aibu to tell as many people as I can who might also never have gone to just do it?

I’ll happily go back next time I’m called.

I only went today because I’ve had some symptoms that were concerning.

It was so built up as something embarrassing and possibly painful in my head and it just wasn’t either.

Please, please go. You can always say you’re nervous and would like to be seen by someone really understanding.

Since childbirth, my cervix is very hard to find, so the tests are horrendous, thanks, and that’s why I avoid them.

I usually hate them but have never missed one. Last was completely painless though.

I just do the HPV Superdrug test now.

I’d found a position to make smears less painful, but it was a different nurse the last time I went. I went into the position, she said ‘no just go back to normal for a moment’ and just went ahead and it was incredibly painful. So nope, that’s the end of it for me. It does make me tired when women enthuse about how painless they are, though I appreciate you had good intentions OP and it’s true you probably don’t know how it will be for you if you’ve not been before.

Im 52, have a tilted cervix and had a traumatic birth where i had a major PPH and third degree tear that was both badly managed and badly repaired.

I'm glad your experience was okay, OP, but tbh I find your post a little patronising. For me and alot of women the experience is both painful and traumatic.

Some women do find them painful. They are in the minority and I do worry that these stories put young women off. Waiting until 40 until your first smear is neglecting your health, and I can understand that you may have been apprehensive but this is not good. I think we need better speculums and a better understanding of trauma in the health service. But also I don’t want women to be put off.

Things women I know have found helpful re the pain include paracetamol and ibuprofen beforehand, or in a couple of cases a joint!

I did not know this! Thank you.

My smear tests are very much not fine! As my cervix is very high and very far back so I have to get into ridiculous positions and it hurts like hell. Thankfully I don’t get them anymore as I’ve not been sexually active in over a decade

Same!

Superdrug do them

Have you read the full thread?? There are valid reasons why some women don’t attend.
Some of these women test themselves for HPV too.

Also recommending smoking cannabis ( still an illegal drug) isn’t exactly a positive health move in general either

It didn’t hurt for me. It wasn’t “amazing” but it didn’t hurt at all. It’s a plastic speculum and a brush on your cervix. I have no doubt it’s painful for some people but there was zero pain or discomfort for me.

I’m astounded at the lack of knowledge of women. And we expect men to understand our bodies better.

not having had sex in a decade doesn’t protect you from cancer.

Lucky you, but as you can see by this thread there are many women out there who have really horrible painful experiences with it.

No leaves or twigs here. Plenty of cobwebs though 😆

Let others decide for themselves rather than telling them that YOUR experience was easy and painless.

Apparently this is happening next year.
From early 2026, if you are eligible for cervical screening and have a history of not attending, the NHS will send you a self-sampling kit at home.

So as this is anonymous I will explain that I’m

perimenopausal and have been single for more than 8 years. It was still fine.

Looks like HPV tests will be sent by post to those not attending smears by early 2026. I think this is a good idea. I attended all mine regularly but since finding out they only test for HPV and i’ve always been negative, I am late for my most recent. I might buy a home test actually. Smears aren’t painful for me, just not very pleasant. But I guess neither is cancer.

I know it’s not good that I always ignored the smear requests. That’s why I posted today. I understand completely how daunting it feels the first time. I do have children so I’m not new to people peering at my bits but this felt different somehow.

Because HPV can be dormant for decades. When dormant the viral load is too low to be detected but it can re-activate many years later.

It's not a test for cancer anymore though, it's just a test for HPV.
I appreciate that the gov thinks that HPV is responsible for cervical cancer in the vast majority of cases, but for older women who are HPV negative we're now no longer getting checked for abnormal cells that would be the first indication of cancer in our age range as the new 'cervical screening' is no longer a smear test.
I'd looked briefly into getting it done privately for the proper smear but haven't yet found a provider who does anything aside from the HPV test.

I've been putting mine off for ages. I'm well over due. I've booked in with the nurse now.

It's not that bad pain wise well I didn't find it was just uncomfortable.

I had a horrific experience with an inexperienced nurse some years ago and it stayed with me for a long time. She couldn't find my cervix.

Now, I make sure I see an experienced nurse and tell them about the horrific experience before undressing. They tell me really clearly how to position myself to find my cervix and last time it was OK.

Soon I will be at the age that I dont need smear tests abd I will be rewarded with manograms. The joys of womanhood.

I’m sorry. I’m not trying to patronise.

While it’s unpleasant and painful for some it’s fine for most (it seems) and it’s so important. I just wanted to encourage anyone who has never had one to try.

You do realise they aren’t for anyone else’s benefit don’t you? Don’t have one. No skin off my nose if you develop something