Are smear tests supposed to be so rough?

[TheBeesKnee]

I had my second one ever yesterday and I'm feeling a bit violated and upset.

I had about 3 letters reminding me to go but I was reluctant to in the height of the pandemic but finally got around to it.

New GP and nurse as I've moved house since my first one. Firstly the appointment was 15 minutes late, so I was anxious and sweating in the waiting room.

Then the nurse was a bit odd, didn't really tell me what to do properly and I just felt very awkward. I kept having to ask whether I should do this or that. Then the swabbing itself felt very rough: I could feel it swirling around and then in and out?! Then she went in a second time without telling me, which shocked me as I thought it was over. All in all the communication was just poor.

In contrast, the first one I ever had, a few years ago, was a breeze. The nurse was lovely, chatty and gentle and I honestly barely noticed or felt anything.

I left this appointment feeling upset and weird - is it normal to do it twice? Do they take it easy when it's your first time then just expect you to put up with it subsequent times?

I know it's important for health but I am already dreading the next appointment even though I know it's years in the future

Sorry to hear about this.

She could have put you more at ease!

I think from what you have said, that one sample was the smear and the 2nd one was the HPV sample. But she ought to have told you!

Yes, it can hurt a bit as they need to get the brush right into the cervix opening and twiddle it to get enough of a sample.

Hope next time it goes better but you'd be within your rights next time to talk about this experience and say you won't communicated with properly and it was upsetting.

JinglingHellsBells

HPV?! But I've been vaccinated.

I am thinking about moving to a different GP regardless but I was wondering if this was common.

HPV vaccine protects against most, but not all, strains of HPV. They still check for the others. In fact, in England, if they don't detect HPV they don't even look at your smear now.

I find smears pretty grim anyway, but if the nurse made you feel uncomfortable that's not on and I would give feedback to the surgery. My nurse was lovely the last time and very clear on what she was doing at each stage.

I did have an awful one once where she was chatting to someone through the curtain and open door during, and then afterwards snapped 'I'm not sure you'll get a result from that, there's a lot of blood in it, you've got an ectropion'. Like it was my fault. Didn't explain it at all and Dr google convinced me I had cancer. (The smear came back normal)

I apparently have ‘strong’ muscles

I always break the equipment