Painful smears - don't want to go anymore

[Painfulsmears23]

I'm finding smear tests increasingly painful and quite traumatic to be honest. It brings me to tears and I almost yell out in pain. I found my csection and recovery less painful!! I'm on yearly smears and it gets worse every time, probably because I'm getting more and more anxious every time - today the nurse prodded and poked with the speculum for 5 minutes before giving up. I have to go back in two weeks to try again but I already want to cancel it was so bad. The problem is I can't not go - I have recurring HPV and I've had severely abnormal cells in the past and I'm already overdue my smear due to having a baby. The nurse suggested taking painkillers beforehand, to which I told her I already had taken a double dose so that's with the pain relief and the smallest speculum and putting my fists under my bum! I had a private one a few years ago and I didn't have any pain then but that could have just been a one off and I really can't justify paying for it right now on mat leave.
Any advice or anyone similar to me?

I think it would be better to get a referral to the colposcopy clinic as suggested by a PP. I don't think it will be helpful for the nurse to have another try. I had a recent smear (have a stenosed cervix) and the nurse said she would try and she did manage but she had said she would refer me if she couldn't do it successfully.

100% get a Valium on the go beforehand. I feel for you.

I share your pain. I also have a cervix which hides, and seems to be set at a jaunty angle too.

I managed the last one because I was off my face on paramol but I’m also under a gynaecologist for HRT and urology and he will do them under sedation if required, although he reckons he’s very experienced and rarely needs to.

So anyway, there are options; sedation, tranquillisers etc.

A lot of the time it's down to operator error. I have zero pain when I see my gyno who uses a metal speculum. Those little plastic ones the GPs use hurt like hell and they just don't seem to know how to use them in a way that isn't painful as hell, or to be able to drum up any sympathy for the pain one is in. Go private.

Please don't give up going for your smears ladies! My friends wife died from it aged 35. The pain of having cancer would be far worse. That's coming from someone who had yearly ones from age 25 and biopsies due to abnormal cells, I am so glad I caught it when I did.

I agree with @lemonchiffonpie - smears are so different since I started having them done by my gynaecologist!

I'm the same OP, I really struggle with the pain and the rummaging. At my last smear test, the nurse made a very insensitive comment that finished me off. The nurse used the smallest speculum she had, and I still had to ask her to stop. To which she said "how on earth do you have sexual intercourse if you cannot accept the smallest speculum?". Combined with the change in test swab that feels like a cheese grater, I'm done.

I have never got anywhere with asking a GP to prescribe Valium, they have to think it was all their idea or they won’t do it. One whiff of asking for any kind of fun drug gets their radars bleeping.

I hate smears too, they are bloody painful. Particularly pre kids. I’ve been told (by various nurses) that it doesn’t hurt, there are no nerves in the area etc etc. Why they think that’s remotely empathetic or helpful beats me!

I have never got anywhere with asking a GP to prescribe Valium, they have to think it was all their idea or they won’t do it. One whiff of asking for any kind of fun drug gets their radars bleeping.

I hate smears too, they are bloody painful. Particularly pre kids. I’ve been told (by various nurses) that it doesn’t hurt, there are no nerves in the area etc etc. Why they think that’s remotely empathetic or helpful beats me!

Once, when the biggest speculum was too big for me, they got a smaller one.

Long story short but I feel very let down by women's services.
I had no problems before my surgical menopause but now have a bladder prolapse and bad VA despite being on daily vagifem.
When I booked my last smear I asked for the most experienced nurse. The receptionist thanked me for letting them know that I had problems.
Obviously the message didn't get through or was just dismissed.
I had to stop the procedure because it was far too painful and only then was the more experienced nurse called in.
I'm going to ask for my next smear to be done at the sexual health clinic.
I've got a regular prescription of diazapam for my back but my anxiety overrides the effects even if I double the dose. Until I get home and zonk out.
Most definitely standing in solidarity with you @Painfulsmears23

This is scarcely similar to the comment I got at my very first smear. I complained... Next smear different nurse, similar comments and it felt like she basically shoved it in me and rummaged around. I went home and broken down as it felt like I had been violated. I then got a phonecall to say I had to go back as there was not enough cells on the sample to test....

I'm now over due another and I cannot face going back. Think I'm going to order a HPV test and if it's negative that's good enough for me. If it's positive then I'll ask to be referred to somewhere other than the gp

Can you see a gynaecologist or attend a sexual health clinic for your smears (some SH clinics offer smears, the service I work for does) as we examine women all day, every day, whereas most practice nurses do maybe 1 or 2 smear clinics a week so don’t have enough exposure to helping women who might have more challenging anatomy, or access to equipment which might make things more comfortable for you. My practice nurse doesn’t have stirrups on her couch, for example, which for my own smears isn’t an issue as I’m fairly ‘easy’ to do a smear for, but some women really need the stirrups to get into the right position for a smear.

Just a quick update. Finally managed to have it done at the doctor's today. It was uncomfortable but not as painful as the last attempt. I'm thinking being a different point in my cycle helped with position? I also told the nurse to just get it over and done with. Hopefully that's it now for another year, so I celebrated with a glass of a wine this evening

Well done 🙂

Ask fir a referal to a difficult smear clinic at yout local hospital. I get gas and air it's absolutely fine when previously I just could not cope at all.

Yay!! Well done you!

Tho I think you need more than one glass in order to properly celebrate 🎉