How on earth do I talk about this with my GP?

[embarassedone]

I had a bit of a bad experience last week with my smear: HCP did not realise I had a septate hymen, put the instrument the wrong side and didn't stop when I said stop, or owww...so no septate hymen any more.

I had not planned to have anything done as it was very stretchy, and off to one side so it did not get in the way (except for childbirth when I was told it would break).

Trouble is, the remaining length is still bleeding a bit, is sore, and I have cramps.

How can I bring this up without laying blame on the HCP?

Is there any way I can find out what is written on the computer screen that causes nurses' attitudes to change? I think she ignored my 'stop' because of my early life experiences, but I am in my 30s, and had told her myself that it was no issue now

Hmm, seems a wee bit odd. I think all parties would be best in future to have a chaperone present (doesn't have to be the HCP though). To be honest. if you feel the way you do about the HCP I think you may be better off registering elsewhere anyway. Smears etc are embarrassing enough without having to think about all this too.

I still think you need to consider whether this was a deliberate "assault" or whether it was a clumsy and misguided examination (that still needs to be learned from), and make a proper complaint. You are probably more likely to have discomfort than someone without the septate hymen as it would always be a possibility that this could tear during a speculum exam. My issue is less with that, or even that it hurt (not unexpected), but the fact that you told her it was hurting and wanted her to stop and she didn't. That is never appropriate: if she heard you say that, she should have stopped immediately.

Smears and other intimate examinations, although sometimes unavoidably uncomfortable, should never be painful and should never be done without your consent. Something went badly wrong here and I really think that you need to get across to the practice that the issue is not so much the pain or torn hymen but the fact that something was done to you after you had said stop. I would have serious issues with any HCP in my practice (no matter how many years service) if this had happened.

I really think you should write a letter then register elsewhere - you are bound to avoid going back for this sort of thing and that is really not a good thing for the future.