@*@*@*@ Right, who is putting off their smear test? @*@*@*@

[Lulumama]

Have just been for mine

not the funnest way to spend 10 minutes, but hey! don;t need another one for 3 years...

also, here's a tip if the nurse has trouble finding your cervix, mine seemed to have wandered off, lie on your left side..

was over and done with very quickly and with complete and utter sensitivity and discretion.

i know it is a bit yuck, but it is important, and you can always take a friend with for moral support.

so, if you have been meaning to book in for yours, get it booked !

OK. Thanks!

good luck with your results too bodiddly

swedes call your practice on monday and get booked in, you have obviously fallen off the list.

bluecornflower, your are safe to have a smear right now. obviously mention to the nurse you are ttc, but the cervix, the neck of the womb is being gently scraped, not the inside of the womb, where implantation occurs. it is safe to have a smear when pregnant. unless you have placenta previa or other issues like that..

Me. Fucking hate them. And with all clear smears till now and no change of partner, how high-risk am I? Not very I wouldn't think.

Thanks Jodie and Chonky

Duchesse - probably not very high risk no, but I have been with dh for 12 years and all mine were clear until they weren't iyswim. Still important to have it done.

me too, and i had abnormal results and waiting on a second smear result, same partner for 11 years, always had clear results.. until this time

read mrscarrot's story, duchesse.. and it will put 10 mimutes in the nurse;s room into perspective !!

monday bump!

bump

I know it's the D Mail but here

Had mine a couple of weeks ago. I decided to bite the bullet. Went in to have my stitches out and asked to have my smear test done as well.

So that's that done for the next few years.

well done MarsLady

Had mine done last Friday. It was within 3 months of giving birth - but they (there were two of them in the room with me) decided it was close enough to the 3 months to go for it .

and well done too MaskedPoster ! I just bump this thread as it's so important and I know how wibbly I am with the idea of smears

me

do go,charliecat

Me too.

The last one I had was 12 years ago BUT I have booked one for next week-dreading it already!

well done - it'll be over before you know it

bump!

Is this a new clique thread or a health awareness program?

Do we post expreiences or reminders.

Should I be discussing topiary and socks etiquette?

Sigh. I only clicked because I am you know.

Had mine done on Friday (it had been 8 years!!!)

It was MUCH less uncomfortable than last time. My cervix is high so always used to mean rooting about, but now they had a longer speculum (sp?) for people with a high cervix, and they use a brush instead of scraping so I didn't feel anything

The speculum was clear plastic this time too - not that nasty metal contraption

Just keeping fingers crossed for results now

I think that this thread just reminds people whenever it gets bumped or added to and that's a good thing..and it is reassuring too if you are anxious about going.

i'd been putting mine off....it was due when i fell pregant which is just over three years ago. Last time i had one it hurt....not the actual smear but the speculum because despite me telling the GP i am small down there she tried to use the speculum she'd already laid out.....and then i had to wait for ten minutes when she finally admitted defeat and went to get a smaller one.
After a recent scare with a lump in my breast i made an appt with the practice nurse....explained my previous experience and that i had an episiotomy when i gave birth so was very nervous about being fiddled with 'down there'.....she showed me the speculum, a plastic one the same sort as they used to examine me on the labour ward, and then was very gentle with me. Having the actual smear done was a little uncomfortable but it certainly won't put me off going again.
I'd definitely recommend getting in with the practice nurse if you are nervous about it, i think they do them more regularly than the GP and so are better practiced at it.
If you are putting it off because of a previous bad experience then i hope my post can put your mind at ease.....i feel silly for putting it off for so long, but it's done now and know when my next one is due i will just go and get it done instead of stalling

we are a cervical clique, slur.. you can only join if you have a gorrrrrrrgeous cervix!

nah, tis just a reminder and memory jogger, sharer of tips thread really

I'm a practice nurse who takes smears and yes I am about 2 years overdue for mine. But women have told me that now we use disposable plastic speculums and small brushes to get the sample its much less uncomfortable and quicker too. Oh and if they have children with them I just give them a box of plasters to play with ( they have a fantstic time) and mum is left in peace.

I missed my last one. It was at 6.30pm and I was lying in bed at 9.30pm ans suddenly realised I had missed it!!

And I teach medical students how to give patient friendly smears

The metal ones are mass sterilised so plastic ones are more convenient and don't have certain deisn faults those nasty metal ones have, oh and they're less likely to be freezing cold!!!

Last one I had was 8 weeks after I had dd. It was like being reemed out with a hoe. The doctor ignored my 'Ow ow ow ow ow' Bitch.