Am I over reacting? Feeling violated after smear test

[DearSwan]

I’ve just had my first smear test, and I’m really shaken up, I don’t know if I’m over reacting.

id watched some youtube videos just to get an idea about the process, they were all the typical go behind a curtain, undress from the waist down, small sheet to cover you, lie on the bed with legs in stirrups, exam takes about a minute, done and dusted.

mine was completely different - there was no curtain, so I had to get undressed infront of the doctor as she watched, and climb on the table with my downstairs exposed which I’m sure she’s used to but I already felt super embarrassed. There was no small sheet to cover me which I guess maybe isn’t always a thing anyway, There was no stirrups so just lay on my back and before I knew it she was trying to shove the speculum in, but was somehow completely missing the bullseye, and very forcefully jamming it into all areas of my downstairs barring my actual vagina. I’d say I have a high pain tolerance, broken several bones and hasn’t been that bad, but this was absolutely excruciating, I mean it genuinely felt like she’d gotten a knife and was stabbing me hard, she kept going in and out in and out and at this point I was writhing in pain, she didn’t stop she just kept going, like a stab in the dark literally. I told her to go further down because she was hitting my vulva and the pain was becoming unbearable at this point as she’d been at it for several minutes, but I wanted it over and done with because I knew if I’d gotten up and left then, then i wouldn’t have booked for another try.

when she did eventually get the speculum in it was just a shot in the dark and she shoved it in with such force I felt my entire insides scraped like carpet burn.

i know smear tests are very normal, but I can’t help but feel this wasn’t how it was meant to go, I understand it may not always be easy to find the right spot at first, but at least go slower or be gentle. There was blood on the table and me when she was done, and when I got home I was bleeding still and had bled through my underwear.

am I over reacting? I felt so shaken and light headed, now I just feel dirty and ashamed. It was so rough and agonising, I don’t know how the hell im going to convince myself to get one next time. I have thick skin when it comes to doctors and procedures, needles, surgery, blood you name it and it doesn’t phase me, so I know it was bad enough that it’s actually had an effect on me, but does this sound pretty standard for a first time smear test? Am I just being sensitive?

DearSwan
your experience of having a smear test sounds awful and totally unacceptable. I would see different Doctor next time. I maybe would also ask to see the practice manager and asked who she would recommend for you to see in future. A smear test is uncomfortable, but the doctor is usually very careful and as gent as possible.. it is unnecessary for them to put the instrument deep into the vagina; it’s only needs to go a little way in. It’s only takes a couple of minutes to put the instrument in and take the swab. You have my sympathy.

Had mine last week. Have had about 10'in my life.
I only ever felt violated when it was a doctor. But that's another story.

Nurse did it.
Curtain round.
Pants off. On the bed. Had a sheet to cover me. No stirrups. Just legs together then open. Easy speculum put in and then expanded. Found cervix. Scraped. Bled a bit.
Offered a pad. Reassured that that's normal. All done.
In and out in 5 mins. Nurse chatting away about my job.

Yours sounds horrific. And I would be making a complaint,

Just reading all
Comment, I ALWAYS bleed with a smear. I am HPV negative. And have bled for 10 years. I don't notice it in my pants but the nurse always tells me. It's very normal

I've always had a nurse do it. They usually have a curtain or leave the room whilst you undress and put the paper cloth over you (not sure what the point of it is really!). I've never had syrups, I think this could be American?
As others have said, put your feet together and flop out like a butterfly. They get a light and shine it on the bullseye.
They always put lube on the speculum, this has never been uncomfortable being inserted, just cold. Then take a swap, which is a little scrape, then it's done.
I've never had more than a few spots later in the day.
I'd absolutely complain.

So this female woman with her own vagina and female anatomy was unable to correctly locate yours and was smashing the speculum against your vulva for several minutes, unable to find a hole in which to insert it?

id definitely complain, she has no business doing smears if she can’t locate a vagina!

Reading this made me cringe and writhe in consolidation. I'm disgusted that this happened to you, especially the blood part. A similar thing happened to me when checking the cervix for his dilated I was for my firstborn child. The woman was so rough. I had to close my legs and tell her to stop. She was horrible to me in general so we complained to the hospital and they gave us an apology

I'm so sorry this happened to you. It's totally unacceptable.

I have always undressed behind a curtain, paper to cover me, feet up to my bum, knees flop apart, speculum with lube inserted...

My last smear test was very uncomfortable and I made a complaint there to the practice manager. Got an excellent letter back saying that the nurse would be given extra training and the other nurses would be reminded of best practice for smears. It's definitely worth complaining.

Did you say anything to the nurse, eg 'stop, you're hurting me'? How did she react?

Yeah, my cervix bleeds as soon as you look at it so me too.

Op this is very wrong. Your smear shouldn't be traumatic. Please let your practice know.

Same here ,no pillow ,no sheet to cover with ,no curtains to change behind.

Yes having to remove clothes in front of nurse
Wasn't painful though,I did get a nurse who seemed to know what she was doing

No, that’s not normal. It’s never pleasant, I find it painful and upsetting, but they are usually kind and efficient.

Complain!!I
Mine has a curtain , sheet to cover , she uses lube and talks me through what's happening

I've never had stirrups / curtain / blanket etc, and I wouldn't want them either.

But I also didn't find it painful

GPs do do smears. It can happen if your smear test is due and they are examining you for another condition.
Regardless who does it they shouldn't be stabbing you. They also should be acting like they are not looking at you getting changed.

Likewise GPs, nurse practitioners or nurses can take blood from you at your GPs surgery and not just a phlebotomist, if you need it take and it's before they have their daily collections.

No stirrups and there are different sized speculums. Didn't she use any KY jelly?

When I have mine there’s usually a curtain to undress behind. No stirrups or curtain during the exam - feet together knees out. Lube on and only once (first one post baby) has ever hurt - but for many people it can be quite painful. A nurse has always done mine.
What you’ve described sounds awful.

Stirrups aren't routinely used in the UK.

As they have to be cleaned between each patient. Plus they would have to be set up correctly as not everyone has the same leg to body ratio.

You must be joking? What sort of sick person would even think to do that? This is my first post, I’m not trying to get stories out of women, I had a genuinely awful experience and wanted some advice.

I've never had stirrups but have always had a curtain and something to cover up with. I find smears painful but not that bad and no blood or stabbing about! That account sounds horrifying. I'm so sorry for you!