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.

Post-m here and also.long term single - ask them to lube the speculum.

Unfortunately you are fighting a losing battle. Anything about smear tests inevitably brings out the people who find them very traumatic. Their experience is valid but unfortunately they do seem to shout louder than the majority who find them fine and as a result it gives the impression of smears as something to avoid for younger women.

Urgh, I’m at the colposcopy clinic in a weeks time. Smears are incredibly painful for me, so I’m really really not looking forward to it. I have a high risk HPV and also had borderline cell changes last time. I’ve also had uterine bleeding that had to be investigated under general anaesthetic, had polyps and fibroids. If it comes back as anything but clear I think I’m going to ask for a hysterectomy. Do you think that sounds like a good plan or should I just keep getting tested? I would appreciate some advice, sage ones x

Mine have always been fine.

I’m not sure a clickbait title is needed to draw women in to share their experiences!

Where I am, mammograms are routine after 50. I’ve had lumps and bumps, hence the mammograms in my 40s too

I always found them very painful until I mentioned it to a nurse at the local practice, who had a quick look and said yes, it's very narrow up there ... just let me get the speculum we use for teenagers. And lo! It was absolutely fine and she put it in my notes. For the record, I haven't been a virgin for many, many years and she didn't use the word. 😁But I wouldn't have taken offence if she had - I'd probably have laughed.

Mammograms have always been seriously uncomfortable, verging on painful, except once, in Italy. The radiographer was young, male, Italian (this was perhaps unsurprising) and - oh! the horror! - he touched my not terribly impressive breasts, unchaperoned! The oddest thing about it was that this was in the women's area of a hospital, 80% staffed by nuns.

Just because you’ve not been sexually active it doesn’t mean there’s no risk.

Interestingly, the smear test I had after giving birth to my first DC, 3 months postpartum, was the most painful ever.

I had one ten days ago and they’ve seen a growth on my cervix which is now leading to a GP review and then it’ll be referral to gynae, removal and testing apparently. I’m hoping it’s a mushroom, leaf or twig 😆

Your thread title really confused me but then I take things literally.
I am about 18 years over due for one. I had my first one in my late 20s. I felt bullied into it by the GP.
It was very painful and I tried to get off the table with the thing still inside of me. I can not stand people touching me and I really struggle in medical environments.
I think it is sad that some women are being called dumb for not going for a smear. I dont think that happens with any other medical procedure at all.
People who struggle need patience and understanding. Not name calling.

By the way I do not want advice on how to get over my own personal issues with it. I can not switch my sensory issues off.

I like the title OP, it certainly drew me in.

I have never had a bad smear test, I did have to have LLETZ and that was fine too, worst part for me was the smell.

Tbh I wasn’t expecting people to share their experiences (although no problem that they have!)

I never went for smears and had a multitude of reasons over the years. None of them really very good and mainly boiled down to embarrassment and fear after reading scare stories.

Someone mentioned lube - the nurse used loads without me asking. I assumed that was standard.

I literally thought she was raped with a twig with leaves on it

The comments like this are annoying. OPs post isn’t aimed at you. Op hasn’t said it’s easy for everyone. She’s trying to encourage people who have never had one to go and have one, which is a good thing!!

I thought she had maybe been doing some naked gardening and got leaves stuck in her pubic hair.

I self test for HPV every few years instead. Easier and no need to fit in an appointment

I’ve mine in a few weeks and I’m already dreading the thought of the nurse staring at my fanny and pubes. It’s uncomfortable and then gets to the point of being painful and then it’s done, all that left is trying to put pants back on quickly as possible and not think about the nurse who just stared in the abyss that is my minge

Every research done shows that it isn't fine for most and it's ridiculous that pain relief/a relaxant wasn't offered as the norm. It's part of women being under medicated for procedures and pain.

Well I don't have any real problem with smear tests but I have been avoiding mammograms for years!
So thanks for telling us they are not always painful OP.
My DM was in agony after hers and that put me right off, maybe I should go along next time, stop with the head in sand approach.

I'm sure you didn't mean it at all, but that title made me think you had been sexually assaulted. I remember reading one time about a woman who had been raped in a park after being spiked. She had no memory of the assault but there were leaves and bits of soil inside her vagina after she was forensically examined.

Maybe be a bit cautious about your wording next time.

You should always aways always encourage women to go to smear tests. Even if they don’t want to hear it. I am a huge advocate for them. Smear tests save lives.

Do you think that a woman who's got to 40 who hasn't yet been to a smear test has simply not gone because she cant be bothered? Or do you think that you telling them how it was for you would make them forget the possible trauma or whatever it has been that's prevented them from going in the past?

I'm honestly not trying to be a dick about this, and I appreciate what you are trying to do, and the thread title did actually make me smile. But, as one of the women who have been putting off certain medical screenings for reasons far too deep rooted and complex to go into here, someone breezily telling me "oh it's honestly fine, you should do it" just isn't going to change anything.

This might be an odd attitude, but I have had lots of painful procedures done and had two babies. But pain is ok, I can tolerate it, the reassurance or answers are worth any pain. The anxiety and putting off things is a psychologically draining thing.

I also wondered what the point was now they only looked for HPV but it’s also a pelvic exam and we are very rarely doing those in England. As I said earlier, this has meant they’ve spotted cervical changes and I’ll have investigations and I’m told likely it removed / biopsied due to my smear. I’ve had heavier periods and some cervical pain but I just put things down to being 42.

I have found a few uncomfortable but in the last few years I have had to have far worse done to me lady parts including biopsy’s, cameras and surgery. I had my final smear 6 months ago and got the all clear. I no longer have a cervix so no more smears.

I was late getting my last smear, it came back with HPV and some dodgy looking cells on my cervix. Luckily I was already waiting for hysterectomy due to possible cancer (after failed biopsy).

Smear tests are important, yes they are embarrassing and sometimes uncomfortable. As someone who has PTSD from sexual assault I still made myself go and get it done and I’m glad I did. There really are far worse procedures to have, some that you may end up needing if you don’t go to your smear when called up.

Nurse here who does smear tests.
Thanks OP we always appreciate some health promotion !
some people do find them painful- I’m incredibly experience and do hundreds of speculums a week and still have some patients who find it painful no matter how gentle I am/what size speculum I use.
For this self swapping for HPV- this is fine and definitely better than nothing but we also look at the cervix for changes and can refer for changes there too if needed (something like 9% of cervical cancer isn’t HPV related) so I would also choose a proper smear over self swab if you can manage it. For 90% of people takes less than 5 mins and is no big deal.