how to make smear test less painful?

[fireflyz]

Any tips? I was so nervous and tense when I went last time the nurse didn't get anything. Now I know I've just got to get on with it and get it done but am still feeling nervous!

Is it true they tighten screws on the speculum so it's opening up inside you? That sounds awful. I probably shouldn't think too much about how it works... or maybe I should so I don't visualise it as being this awful instrument of torture. I suppose I could ask the nurse to show me how the speculum works.

I have to drive there and go to work afterwards so drink and drugs aren't really on the agenda, sigh!!!

This might be a bit TMI and yukky but would it help if I was a bit wet with my own natural lubricant? It's the only thing I can think of really as I'm driving and working! What else is there? Positive visualisation? TENS machine? A blow to the head?

TIA

Well like everyone else I hate them, but the last nurse I saw made it so much easier by a) getting me to cough at the crucial point when she inserted it and b) explaining that my cervix points down as opposed to being horizontal with my body, so it can hurt if the person doing it doesn't realise that and tries to do it straight.
Overall best tip is to talk to the person doing it, explain that you're dreading it (everyone does), tell them if it hurts and get them to help you relax. It's quite quick usually so over before you know it. Good luck

I am such a wimp about this that the doctor tells me I can have a G&T beforehand. It means I have to get someone to drive me in but it's worth it.
Mind you I am still 5 years overdue my smear so I am not really convincing myself

Try and relax and it be less uncomfortable.

Get them to use the clear plastic speculum, made a massive difference to me. Warmer to the touch and they can see what they are doing better

I was always fine until I had children but now I find it agony. I'm due one now but I find it such a traumatic experience that I'm not sure I will be able to go through with it.

take some nurofen (surely thats allowed at work?) I had mine today - I have to have them annually. And though they are uncomfortable and even painful, its last a minute or two. Frankly I'd prefer that to a nagging headache (or cervical cancer!)

and they use a lubricant so can;t imagine being wet yourself would make any difference - though that might be a way of distracting you

If you relax and they are gentle - it should be painfree. Someone is doing something wrong for it to be an horrendous ordeal. My SIL claims it hurts. You do need to relax but if you manage that and they use an appropriate technique, it should be embarrassing but not painful lol.
PS I usually have them done by females but the only time it has been painful was with a male doctor. He just wasn't gentle and wasn't UK trained.

For reasons I won't go into, I hate gynae examinations. However, I found that putting the speculum in myself gave me control and meant I could get the angle right. Do ask to look at it and see how it works- fear is often of the unknown!

My last smear was completely painless. They use a kind of brush to collect the cells now which is much better than those bloody lolly sticks

I think its dependent a lot on the person doing it, and on how relaxed you are. They use lubricant anyway. last time they couldnt see my cervix, she tried to pul it down with the brush, and even that was ok.

I take half a temazepam. .

The nurse gets me to wiggle my toes at the crucial moment, it makes it slide in apparently... (not sure what that says about my fanjo)

I hate them. I hate anyone seeing me naked so I find the whole thing terrible. Mine was due last month. Have yet to pick up the phone to rebook...

My new doc is fab, she told me to make fists and put one under each buttock iyswim then let your knees fall to the side. Opens you up a treat

its not always about how good they are (though obviously some are better than others) I have an erosion and its ALWAYS painful. But only for a few seconds, stubbing my toe hurts more.

Brush??? There is a brush???

Yes Behind kind of medical pastry brush.clueless also.

Strike fail!

Ask for the smallest speculum - this is my plan next time as my last one hurt

Hi, I'm from the London Vulval Pain Support Group. We're a group of women suffering from vulvodynia/chronic vulval pain and we exist to support each other in dealing with our pain. We produce a free downloadable info sheet called 'Smears Without Tears' which gives lots of tips and advice on how to get your smear done with as little pain, embarrassment and/or trauma as possible - something which is particularly important to women who get pain on penetration or just in that area. I can thoroughly recommend it - it helped me relax enough to get a successful smear done after several stressful botched attempts! Much of the physical pain and the psychological stress of smear tests is needless...

You can download the info sheet from the support group's website at sites.google.com/site/londonvpsg/supportandpublications

or from the Vulval Pain Society's website at www.vulvalpainsociety.org/vps/index.php/downloadable-info2