Had a really painful smear test, feeling upset (TMI)

[nothappy1234]

First smear recently. I'm 25 and technically a virgin but done other stuff

The practice nurse was nice enough. I asked her to use a small speculum.

Apparently my cervix was hard to find because of my long vagina- she then went in with the biggest one (with KY jelly). Popping it in was fine but once she cranked it open I gasped in pain and told her to stop, which she did for maybe ten seconds. It wasn't pass-out pain, but getting close.

Anyway it felt like she was moving the speculum around ("can't see your cervix") and pushing it in with such force, I could almost feel it pushing me up the bed!

Bled as soon as I stood up. I felt all shaky and pale afterwards. It was sore around my entrance for 2 days. I went home and cried in bed. Had a look with mirror and bright light- could clearly see the raw edge where she had torn what remained of my hymen

WIBU to complain? I assumed this was totally a normal level of pain until I went home and googled. Fucking hell, surely they don't have to open you up that wide!

Sorry for the essay.

[Celticrose]

I never had any problems with smears but at my last the GP had difficulty getting it done (I am now post menopausal ) and as she was referring me to a gynecologist for something else she also requested that they did the smear. It was done by the gynecologist no bother.

[nothappy1234]

Good to know mountain, I'll try and get referred to someone else next time.

[MountainDweller]

I had a terrible experience at my GP with a nurse who couldn't find my cervix on two occasions. I think I went 4 tines in the end for the 'same' smear because at the third attempt the GP she successfully tracked down my cervix but didn't get an adequate sample.

I've since been diagnosed with endometriosis and had a lot of scar tissue behind my cervix, I've always wondered if that distorted things a bit.

15 years ago I moved abroad and here it's always a gynaecologist who does the smears. They've been almost painless with her and very quick, even though I still have scar tissue behind my cervix (most was removed but the rest would need a hysterectomy). So I think it's worth it to have it done by someone who does smears all the time.

Hope you feel better soon.

[nothappy1234]

Fs why is women's helthcare so shit in general!?!?
It's like decisions are made by clueless male health bosses or something. Oh wait..

[mummymayhem18]

I completely get where you are coming from. I'm the same. Cervix not in the typical place. Since having my daughter 14 years ago I have found them excruciating. I cry out in pain and it brings tears to my eyes. It's normally when they open up the speculum and take the sample I find worse. Because of this and the fact I do suffer with a lot of external pain,repeatedly getting thrush,feeling cut down there which is why I'm overdue my smear by just over a year. I know it's risky but I just can't do it.

[dayslikethese1]

I agree blue, I feel like it should be a choice (they're always trying to get me to have a coil as well which I don't want). I have pain issues and tbh have found HCPs very unsympathetic in the past, get the feeling they think I'm making it up.

[WelshCake2019]

@Gwenhwyfar so sex was enjoyable rather than painful 😕🙄

[bluetongue]

Gwenhwyfar I’ve decided to opt out of smears for a number of reasons. They’re not compulsory you know.

You can bet that if I get the ‘smear lecture’ when trying to get help for another health problem I’ll be mighty pissed off.

[nothappy1234]

That's good gingham, I was wondering if I could do something like that next time.

[ginghamstarfish]

I've had problems too, last time the nurse tried, but couldn't do it, so went to GP who couldn't do it but referred me to a gyny at the hospital. She used a camera to find the right bit (and offered me a look at it), a nurse held my hand throughout, and it was the least horrible one I've ever had. I will be asking for this option next time.

[nothappy1234]

Ps. Thank you for your considerare responses, I got over it pretty quickly and feel better about it all now.

[nothappy1234]

Welshcakes that occurred to me too lol. Silver linings and all that.

frazzled , the nurse said mine is quite far in and to the left. She reckoned it was to do with being tall, which makes sense as I have a long back and abdomen.

I think I could have told her that actually as my vagina does naturally veer slightly to the left, I'm aware of it from tampons etc.

I am honestly not scaremongering here, I just wanted to gauge how common this is.

[frazzledasarock]

I used to get this a lot. Then one HCP very kindly told me I have a retroverted uterus so my cervix points to my back.

After that I tell any HCP who’s looking down there this information.

Has made life a lot easier. And really delighted a student nurse who was sitting in on an examination and doctor in charge discussed what that meant.

Did the HCP say why it took time to find your cervix?

[Chrysanthemum5]

I have had my last three smear tests with the same nurse and they all hurt and were unpleasant. Then my most recent smear was with a new nurse who spoke to me about previous experiences (I've never complained) and said she'd use the small speculum - I didn't even know they came in different sizes. It was a pain free experience and I felt my dignity was respected.

What I'm trying to say is that when it was painful etc I just put up with it because I didn't know it could be better.

[Oblomov19]

Newbies comment was disgusting and uncalled for. I have very very painful smears. I have a tilted cervix and I find them incredibly painful.

Just because others don't, please don't be dismissive of how painful they are for me.

I've had 2 c sections, a steroid injection in the wrist, and bad toothache. All a walk in the park compared to smears.

If you lack the empathy to understand that just because you don't find something very painful, other people might, then there is an issue here! please be respectful re how you post to others.

[Gwenhwyfar]

Georgia - if you're a virgin you mean, not if you're not currently sexually active.
As I mentioned above, the NHS in my area tells us virgins CAN have the test done if they want to, because a small proportion of cervical cancers are not caused by HPV, but they're not necessarily ENCOURAGED to and it can be painful.

[georgialondon]

Pretty sure you don't need a smear if you're not sexually active ( actual sex).

[Gwenhwyfar]

"Given the option I'd have preferred the hymen to be broken like this rather than first time sex..."

Why?

[Gwenhwyfar]

"My bugbear with smears is how GPs like to spend time precious appointment time pushing them on you’re you’re there for something totally unrelated."

I presume they only do that if you're way overdue a smear. The national testing campaign is actually one of the things that I think the NHS does really well and I'm really glad that they go after women encouraging them to get tested.
Almost every other healthcare here, we have to beg for!

[goalpie2]

I'm sorry you went through this. My first smear was my worst, she scrubbed me like using a toilet brush. I've since moved to Australia and they don't scrub here - not sure if that was the nurse or an NHS thing? I also find the speculum really uncomfortable and get shooting pains when they move it. However last time was by a great gyne who gave me control and let me tilt my pelvis instead of her moving the speculum, it meant there was no pain. When you go again please try this as it made such a difference. Feel like I've discovered a secret!

[WelshCake2019]

Hopefully she's been cruel to be kind and your 'first time' won't be as painful. Given the option I'd have preferred the hymen to be broken like this rather than first time sex...

[bluetongue]

I’m sorry OP, that sounds like an awful experience.

My bugbear with smears is how GPs like to spend time precious appointment time pushing them on you’re you’re there for something totally unrelated.

I’ve got a GP appointment in a couple of weeks to try and sort out my migraines and I’ll be pretty cheesed off if smears are brought up. Yes, I will use my well practised line ‘I’m here to discuss my migraines (or whatever medical issue I’m having) can we keep to that’ but I shouldn’t have to go into a medical appointment on the defensive. Women are more than their reproductive parts.

[yellowallpaper]

If the cervix is in an unusual place, min is retroverted, it's hard to find and bloody uncomfortable. It helps to tilt your pelvis back, rather than curling it towards your tummy. Seems counterintuitive but it works

[Gwenhwyfar]

"left the thing open for 45 mins trying to get the bloody thing out. Most of which I was begging her to stop and ignored"

This is awful. I had the opposite experience with an oral surgeon yesterday. Because it was too painful for me, she decided not to go ahead in the end and I will get my extraction under GA. Doctors shouldn't be hurting people like that.

[Gwenhwyfar]

"Also the "every nurse will sympathise". That's a ridiculous thing to say unless the person saying it has witnessed every single nurse conduct one. I've had some truly unsympathetic nurses"

Yes, last nurse was nice, the one before wasn't.