How do you cope with Smear Tests ?

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I ask because I'm due for one and find the whole thing really anxious making - not so much what might be found but more the process of having the proceedure. How do you deal with it ?

never had one. (new guidelines say 25, i'm 24). but had an internal examination to check prolaspe, and found it best not to trhink too much about it.

I am very late for mine not through choice mind, i just keep forgetting. My uterus is retroverted aswell and no-one can ever find my cervix (maybe i dont have one )

Just try not to think about it and just relax

Lie back and think of England. The anticipation is worse than the actual procedure.

I had an appointment back in August to see if there was a problem with me down below as i was having problems with sex (dont have that problem anymore ) but they asked me if i had had a smear test and if I have had my letter bout my first one (I had just turned 20 btw) so he said he would do it there and then. I completely freaked out but like everyone says its best to try and relax, and it wasnt as bad as i thought it was going to be. Just take deep breathes and you'll be fine.

Has anyone been to a clinic or just to nurses at drs surgery?

I have only had them done at surgery but the nurse I like has left and I was thinking of the family planning clinic what is it like there I have never even been in one.

My way of dealing with it is to fret myself silly for the preceeding 3 days, turn up to the surgery in a sweat, try and chat back to the nurse as she gets on with it, race out of the room asap, and burst into tears in the street. I then go home and have a large gin and tell myself its silly. Am sure you will be much more sinsible about it than I am.

I have to admit i've never had one. I'm 27 now and have been getting letters for years. Apart from the fact I'm not too keen on having it done they dont seem to be too good at doing them!! How many recalls has there been because of mistakes?? Plus my mum works at the docs and you dont want to know what the docs think about doing them!!!

I've had two in the past 3 months and now need another one - they keep coming back unsatisfactory. Not impressed - I also just lie back and think of England. Especially as I am friends with all the nurses at the surgey and they just carry on and chat about DS.

I grin and bear it (or should that be grimace and bear it). Zephrcat - we always hear of mistakes and things going wrong in the news but never the number of people who have had cervical cancer or another problem caught early on and therefore treated in time. I realise it's a personal choice to opt out of screening but had to give the other point of view on a board read by so many women

I got myself in a bit of state but then remembered that it isnt a sexual thing and they really have seen it all before and it isnt a big deal. It doesnt hurt either.

When I had my first one, I lay down and talked for England and she hadnt even started! She then asked if a student nurse could come and watch too! I had verbal diarrhoea and talked and talked and talked, put my knickers on and ran out of the surgery!!

I hate them but do get one every year. I just stare at the ceiling and hope it's over soon! Fairly often I will spot a bit afterwards so I use a pantyliner or tampon afterwards. I also didn't get one when I was pregnant for that reason. It just made me too nervous and was afraid it might cause a problem. Probably silly I know.

Its not so much having them done, I had them yearly at one point because of problems so I have had loads. It is the ringing up for results I hate. I dread it, although last time I got a letter about 3 weeks earlier than usual telling me everything was ok. That was a nice surprise. Now I can totally forget about it for a few years.

I don't like having smear tests done either, but they're a necessary evil I suppose. Don't you just love the way the speculum has always been pre-refrigerated?! The nurse always says "relax" but that's hard to do under the circumstances! I just grit my teeth and get it over with. At least I don't know the nurse socially, like my sister does with hers. Couldn't let anyone I knew do it; how embarrassing is that?!!

top tip for those of us with retroverted uteruses... go for your smear a day or two before your period is due. quite often the cervix has shifted to a less retroverted position. only found this out a couple of years ago, a practice nurse (with a retroverted uterus of her own!) told me. It makes the difference for me between completely tongue-bitingly awful and really quite alright. don't know if it will work for you, but it is worth a go anyway...

Yep you are totally right vict17. I wouldn't try to stop anyone getting one as there are probably women out there who owe their lives to them - its merely my personal preference - even the thought of it makes me shudder!!!

Does anyone know when in cycle they should be done for best result?

Has anyone been to FP Clinic?

It's really not that bad. Honest. Once you've decided on what your treat is going to be afterwards

I was cured of anxiety when the nurse asked me what I did, and I said I was a flute teacher, and she promptly booked me to teach her daughter. It made me realise how it was just an everyday event for her. A little bit of my concern came back last time when the docs had changed to a single use speculum(?) which was plastic - scared it would snap on impact or something.

I think the best time is just before your period, about a couple of days before you are due.
I hate them, lie back, stare at the ceiling and count slowly. The thing is they really are not that bad and only take a few seconds but 'the dread' is horrible.

KangaMummy i have just rescued my appointment letter and facts leaflet from the bin so can tell you when they say is the best time...... doesnt say as much about it as i thought! Only that it cant be durung your period. But I can tell you everything else there is to know about smear tests now! lol

Just think.....a bit embarrassing for about 60 seconds but could save your life! I don't feel half as bad now, as the last time I went the Nurse said that it was a nice change as she had been doing Flu jabs all day!!

Because of where I live I have my smear test done by my gp, who is also a personal friend, so I suppose I'm lucky that I don't get embarrassed! She always warms the whatsit up for me too (don't know what it's called but I am sure you all know what I mean!!). Before I lived here I used to go to the Family Planning Clinic though, simply because they do it loads and are therefore very good at it, and also because I didn't know any of them.

I just had to make an appointment & was told it has to be between days 8 & 16 of your period.
My last one was a year after giving birth & I desperately wanted to know if i was "normal" down there as it all seemed so different, I did ask in a light hearted sort of way but the nurse didn't answer so i wondered if i wasn't supposed to talk. oh well.

i mean of your cycle of course!