to wonder why, if a GP, managed to do my smear today ...

[Disenchanted3]

with no pain at all, then how come the nurse that did the smear clinic 6 months ago torture me with a speculum??

Surely if you do smear clinics regularly you should be able to do it without the woman having to do 'birth breathing techniques'?!

She was so so so rough.

But the one I had this morning, I didn't even flinch!

I find smears to be excruciating, the last one I had I was nearly on the ceiling. Is it possible that I have scarring on my cervix from a suture I had to keep dd in? Actually I may post that in general health.
OP YANBU

It really varies and the worst one I ever had was by an older female doc, it made me bleed .
Last one done by nurse at fpc, totally painless. Told her she was brilliant, bet she's not around next time.
Always insist on inserting duck beak myself though, saves clamping pelvic floor muscles whilst climbing up table

you insert it yourself?

how odd, I never thought to ask that

Have done so for years OWO. Only person that argued the toss was a male doc at a clinic, who pissed me off so much with his attitude that I told him about my past assault. He was very embarrassed and contrite.
Hopefully taught him to give women in a vulnerable situation a bit more respect though.
Majority are happy to oblige and some say they will offer it to future patients.

crikey - I thought it was just me who'd discovered that family planning Dr's are pain free and practice nurses (in my experience) aren't!

marriednotdead now that is a very good idea, i've never thought of that. Love your description! During last painful one I thought I was going to hit the ceiling with my pelvic bone LOL.

marriednotdead, what a good idea, il pass it around to my friends i think.