Failed smear test- any advice?

[IdgieThreadgoodeIsMyHeroine]

I have always found having smear tests INCREDIBLY painful and always end up crying with the pain; however, today was the first time the nurse couldn't actually complete it because I was in so much pain. She seemed to be really struggling to find my cervix (she actually suggested I book with the other nurse next time!) and said that, because I was tensing, it was 'hiding'.

I'm going to get a prescription for a diazepam to take before my next attempt (which I will book with the other nurse), but has anyone else experienced this? Any advice?

Can you take someone with you OP to help keep you calm?

I had a baby 4 months ago and had a bit of a traumatic birth with a lot of intervention, I was due my smear a month ago and although I didn’t feel worried at all about it in the run up to my appointment, when I arrived and was laid on the table I just suddenly had a bit of a panicky breakdown and she could not do it because I was just terrified, a bit of PTSD from my birth that I was never really aware of!

I rebooked for the following week, spent that week researching smear, reassuring myself its not painful, and for my next appointment I took my mum with me as my husband was at work. She was then able to stand at my head and distract me the whole time, chatting away to me and keeping me calm, the whole thing was done in less than a minute and once the speculum was in I genuinely didn’t feel a thing. If it’s the speculum that hurts you, ask them to use extra lube, it really shouldn’t be painful at all if done properly and you are calm x

Do you have a tilted cervix? My smears pre-baby were always painful and often had to do more than one appointment as the nurse 'couldn't find it'. Turns out I had a tilted cervix (didn't even know it was a thing) and now I let them know to use one of the longer swabs, which sounds worse but feels a million times better and it's so much quicker. Of course this might not be it at all and hopefully others will be along with good advice, but maybe worth considering?

Did you know that you can ask for the small speculum?

I can only ever tolerate the small one. The "normal" ones are huge and have only had bad and painful experiences.

Ok so this was me until my GP referred me to the "Difficult smear clinic" at the local Women's Hospital. The lovely clinic Sister there chatted away until I asked when she was going to do it. She already had and I didn't feel a thing. Honestly, it was an absolute revelation and she asked me to spread the word and tell anybody experiencing difficulty with smears to come to her clinic. I don't know where you are but this was Liverpool.

Can you ask for a HPV test instead? It’s just a swab and iirc if your smear sample tests negative for HPV they chuck it in the bin anyway

You can home test kit in some places

Another vote for tilted pelvis - mine were awful until they told me that and the nurses were more careful in how they did them.

This was with the smallest speculum, unfortunately!

Thank you so much for the tilted pelvis/cervix suggestions- I wouldn't be at all surprised if this were the case.

Big thank you to @CraftyNavySeal- I looked into HPV tests and bought one online from Superdrug. If it comes back positive then I will go back for a smear and suggest that I may have a tilted pelvis/cervix and see if that makes it easier!

I really don't think it's psychological- I genuinely find it excruciatingly painful. I went into my first one assuming it would be fine as I'd heard they don't hurt, and was completely shocked by the pain.

Plus, I had my wife there holding my hand and trying to distract me for our IUI and IVF procedures, both of which involved the use of a speculum, and was in just as much pain.

The first time I went for a smear I had been told they didn't hurt. OMG was that wrong. The "medium" speculum was massive and they couldn't get anywhere near a sample. The nurses ended up making me sweet tea to help me recover.

My cervix is tilted to the back and off to one side so smears are uncomfortable depending on the nurse/doctor I was asked to put my fists under my bottom last time and that helped hopefully you will be ok for next time if you find out if it's tilted just tell them before they go rummaging 🤔

One of the nurses told me to put my hands under my bum to sort of lift hips so you could try that too. They are important so that or home test as pp suggested.

How old are you? Could be a perimenopause symptom which you can catch early with local oestrogen

I'm tilted in one way or another so I put my fists under my bum cheeks which makes it easier to get at apparently.

I have a tilted "shy" cervix and the last two or three smears have been excruciating. I had what I pray was my last smear last week (I'm 60) and when she hit the cervix, I swear I thought I was going to be sick.

Give me a colonoscopy any day of the week.

Only 34, and they've been painful since my first one at 25.

The nurse did tell me to put my fists under my bum, but she still wasn't able to get my cervix open. I very much hope the HPV swab comes back clear!

Last time I asked if I could put the speculum in myself. It was much easier.

I was told that I could be referred to the gynaecology department at the hospital to have it done and that was usually much easier.

That is good to know, thanks.