Smear Test - oh the embarrassment (maybe TMI)

[bigbadmum]

Just been for my routine smear test and have now scuttled home redfaced. I have never had any problems with them before, aside from the obvious embarrassment of someone poking around your foo-foo, but it has always been a case of in, out, bob's your uncle .

Today's was sooooo painful though, not the actual insertion bit but when she started to open up the cervix. Was totally relaxed so wasn't tense or anything so I don't know why it was different this time but hey ho. She took it out before taking the swab as I told her it was painful but told me off then when I said to try again as I was prepared that it was going to hurt now as I had told her to take it out in the first place (well, she asked so I said yes). Anyway, she did it again getting me to change position, still hurt like hell but it's done now. After much apologising and feeling like a right cry baby I fleed the surgery and hoping the next three years goes very slowly!!

Hope you are feeling better PurplePeony.

My sister had a biopsy of the cervix and was told that a local anaesthetic would actually hurt more so was asked would she have it without and she said it was horrible.

Smears are no biggy normally. I did get a hacked off Dr once who said I may get bleeding afterwards and yes lo and behold after her smear I did.

Mine didn't used to hurt and I've had to have colposcopy and LEEP back in 2001 (now the local for that hurt like a mutha fuck).

But since having my second I have a lot of erosion and it can hurt quite a bit.

I prefer male docs myself.

I don't embarrass at all having smears as it's their job and they don't think anything of it, so why should I? They always have difficulty with mine as they can't get at it most of the time. They always have to poek around quite a bit with my test, which is uncomfortable. My nurse is always very sensitive about it though, yours sounds a bit mean. They might be used to doing it but patients do find them invasive and embarrassing. She could have been alot kinder to you

Weirdly I find the new plastic speculums more uncomfortable. The metal speculums were smoother and I noticed it less than the plastic.

One of my friends when she had her first smear was so nervous, she couldn't stop laughing and she actually peed on the stick. She was mortified.

The way to think about it is that the nurse probalby does several a week and tbh they don't remember it later on, or care. It's their job. It might be easier for me to adopt that mind set as I am a solicitor. I delve very deeply in my client's backgrounds and they essentially have to air their dirty laundry to me! I don't think anythnig of it as it's my job and it's so routine to me to deal with.

I agree that you should not be embarrassed.

My gynae told me i was the 3rd one that day he had done the investigation on- the other two were under GAs.

It really is their bread and butter doing this sort of thing.

It's just another part of your body. Yes, it has sexual connotations for you some of the time, but for them it's just like your ear!

My male gynae back home is homosexual.

sadly my expereince has been that if you pay to have it done by consultant gynae you hardly feel a thing, worst experience ever was at family planning slinic when hurt a lot and told by the doctor she ould not imagine how I ever managed to have sex at all.

I barely feel a thing when the nurse at my NHS practice does it, nor when I was examined by a NHS gynaecologist.

To suggest that NHS staff are butchers whereas a private consultant will do it better is quite frankly disgraceful.

I used to find it so funny when told to relax. After dd was born I felt more at ease with the gp's so asked how on earth could you relax when you were clenching your cheeks so as not to blow them out of the room with a massive fart. I was told that it wouldn't have been the first time. Just didn't want it to be me.

The last one I had was done a male gynae without a chaperone, the norm in France, and I had to be in stirrups and all the time he was rooting round he was asking me about the house we had bought and the renovation work we had done. I wanted to pretend that I was a million miles away, not engage in polite chit chat. And I bled for 2 days after. And I've got to have another in December as you have to have 2 clear smears 12 months apart before being left in peace for a while.

Sympathies op, the first one I had done after dd1 hurt like buggery. Actually that must mean I am due one soon & just had dd2

LAst time I had a smear the speculum broke and was stuck.

Oh the shame! laying with a speculum stuck up my chuff whilst a red faced nurse tries her best to remove the offending article, it took 2 nurses and 1 doctor and 20 minutes later I was free :)

I was mortified.