Going to the Gyno.

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The pap smear was a highly traumatic experience for me so I'd never do it again unless I was maybe tranquilized. I'm asexual also so I'm not planning on having sex. The chance of me getting cervical cancer would be very slim.

I'm not having someone stick their hand in me. I'm not a f*****g farm animal.

Aridarr, I felt the same as you, until I started getting abnormal paps...and suddenly I didn't feel quite the same.

It turned out to be related to my disability. Then a friend of mine, who had heavy periods, and was regular, had a VERY abnormal pap. It turned out to be a rare uterine cancer, and she has been on a roller coaster for the past six months.

If one needs to take something for their nerves to get through an exam, do it. My friend had a hysterectomy with lymph nodes and part of the omentum removed, chemotherapy for six weeks, and now five of radation, and then five more weeks after that of brachiotherapy, which is radiation with an inserted device. She has a good chance with an extremely aggressive cancer and because she was regular with her exams.

Lecture done.

Metta, Rjaye.

My first pap was also really traumatic for me, and with a female doc (family doc). That pap came back abnormally and she sent me along to the OBGYN for another one. At this time I was 16 or 17 and my absolute obsession was Pokemon. I mention this because the OBGYN she sent me to asked me what I was interested in before he started the exam. And he talked about Pokemon (his sons were into it) the entire time, interjecting what he was doing here and there. It wasn't pleasant but I can't believe how much easier it made it for me to have him a. Tell me everything he was doing and b. Talk on and on about what I was interested in. (everything from the follow up came up fine)

Fast forward to now and I still have a real hard time with Paps. I don't get them as often as I should and when I do I insist that I be allowed to have who I want to in the room with me (one person).

I didn't read all the replies so I don't know if this was suggested but another possibility is finding a midwife who provides well-woman care. I had my kids with a midwife and it her exams were always 95% easier than the OBGYN's.

there's a new cervical cancer vaccination out now (Gardasil). It's quite expensive but it's supposed to be very effective against the human papilloma virus. It's not intended to completely replace the pap smear, but you shouldn't need one as frequently...

Ha, I said almost the same thing. The first (and only) time I went, I spent most of it wrapped up in a ball on the stupid recliner thing thinking, Don't you dare touch me, don't you dare touch me, don't you dare touch me. And actually, she didn't; she just asked a few questions, said it must be this, and that was essentially it. I was very relieved.

I don't know how people are comfortable in there to begin with, but much less with male doctors. I insisted upon a female, despite the "best" one in the area being male; I simply find that way more creepy.

they don't actually stick their hand in, that would be very uh difficult!

they stick a speculum in which has a sort of 'umbrella' function, it's inserted while closed, then opened and it opens up the womb/ovaries part so they have a look with a light and look for any abnormalities, then take a swab.

i gave up having them, i don't have sex anyway so it's less important.

I've never gone, but it sounds like a necessary evil.

Ditto.

I've never gone for one, I am 16.

Even reading this thread is making me cringe and I think I would probably freak out in the waiting room in the doctors office before the actual exam began.
Just the idea of someone doing that to me makes me feel ill. I feel ill now after reading this thread.

Couple of notes:

1)Gardasil, while a great product, is IIrc now not the only vaccine against HPV on the market

2)I get all of my gyn stuff (what little of it there is - I seem to have to psych myself up for a couple of years to go in and do my 'annual') done at Planned Parenthood because I like their attitude better than that of most OB/GYNs. They seem way more open to working with you and doing what you want rather than setting you up for {sarcasm} THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT OF YOUR LIFE, CHILDBIRTH.{/sarcasm}

Not that I have anything against childbirth or kids, I'm just not sure at all that I want my life defined by my uterus. The people at PP seem to be generally more understanding of that.

I had my first exam at 15 and that was due to a problem. So that was painful. However, when you are healthy, it really is no biggy. It takes some getting used to, but it is over quick. I'm 40 and it still is unpleasant and that is after 2 kids. But it is one of those things that has to be done.

Ugh, sounds like the absolutely horrid woman doc I had last year. It seems she's well-respected in the realm of "holistic medicine", but all that seemed to mean was telling me "I want you to feel pain" and referring me to specialists for problems I didn't have.

When I had my pap done with her, she was completely insensitive and got angry with me when I started crying. Then, I found out later, she drug tested my blood without ever telling me. b***h.

People like that should get complaints filed against them.

Thank you so much for all the info one what they actually do - I've never been for one as here in the UK you don't have to until you're 25, so I have a few years yet, but I am sexually active and back in NZ that means you need one. So I'm a bit confused... it sounds awful but now I know what to expect I'm not actually that worried to be honest.


Just a note on Gardasil - it doesn't protect against ALL strains of HPV, and it doesn't give 100% efficacy, so even with that you should still have smears and not rely on it to protect you. Don't think that just because you've had the jab you won't get cervical cancer because you still could!!

I don't want to preach, but I will.


If you're sexually active or have been in the past



PLEASE








PLEASE







PLEASE





get a pap at least once a year. I recently had a cervical cancer scare, and during my research found out that:
*cervical cancer is caused by HPV, which is an STD
*early-stage cervical cancer can be completely asymptomatic
*the five-year survival rate drops from 80-90% for Stage I to 50-65% for Stage II, 25-35% for Stage III, and 15% or less for Stage IV


This is no joke ladies. Please be safe. No discomfort is worse than cancer.

I dislike going because the room is often cold, and I am very ticklish down there. It's extremely embarrassing to have your legs open and a doctor is poking an object down there, and you laugh