Pain Cervical smear test

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It depends on the skill of the dr doing it. I've had painless ones and agonizing ones. My midwives' practice recently closed so I've got nowhere to go that I feel safe . I'm about 4 months overdue for one.

It is such an important test though, that you should just force yourself .

I try every year. Some of the times it's been okay. But some of the times (like last time) they hit some spot that is really sensitive and just hurts horribly. Then the doctor just stops. I end up getting it run at least every other year, though. I worry that I'll never be able to have sex or children because of it. But then again, I'm not sure I want kids and I'm nowhere near having a man in my life, so I just ignore those thoughts.

Why couldn't you have sex without doing a pap? I've had sex but don't see a gynocologist. Sex for me isn't painful, but at the same time, anything else down there is. I can't wear tampons because they hurt so bad, I feel like crying when I put them in. I think sex isn't painful at all once you're properly turned on, in a position you like, and if you have a nice partner.

Tampons I hate too but I use them if I have to because I'm going swimming or severe flow. I was using the pill to lower my heavy flow but then I've had some hair loss/shedding so figured maybe that was it so took a break(I've had a cut & coterize tubal ligation not that I'm sexually active). I've got sjogrens so that adds to things too but it has its flares and it's not so bad moments.

Ask other women for recommendations. Nobody likes a pap smear, but they range from really painful to merely uncomfortable and embarrassing.

Ask other ladies, a lot of them...not just one or two....who they go to for pap smears and who is gentle and professional, and who to stay away from. And then when you do go, make sure to tell the doctor or midwife that this is your first pap, or that you are so scared, or that you're super sensitive to pain there, or whatever.

I've had bad experiences too, and it makes me sad to read these...especially the girl who had just been raped. It doesn't have to be that bad...and honestly, I am so sensitive that most men lose patience with me.

I think of it as something impersonal & temporary discomfort, sort of like getting a flu shot. There are good medical reasons for it, so if you can at all bring yourself to do it, by all means do. I've only once, over many years, had a male gyn., and I feel much more comfortable with the women. Asking for references is a terrific idea (and that applies to any kind of doc).

I've had abot 3. I've been raped so it always hurts even if they use a small speculum, twice it was by a female Doctor or nurse, no-one has ever offered to warm it up so i haven't tried that. When I cried when the man Dr did it on the same day as I had a nasty big injection for mumps and rubella was the same day I was sent for depression treatment 4 months later, he did it on a sort of bed, I was in so much stress from my male landlord at the time it did not come in time to stop me having a nervous breakdown. once i was put in stirrups in hospital to have it half-naked and that is horrible. They give it gynacologically and don't tell you they are doing it and also for an aids test. Last time a nurse tried and could not do it properly because of the pain, she told me to just tear up the letters, but you still get hassled for it. Now I have signed a form to say I will not have it unless i decide to and it is my own responsibility (I expect it says that it it was the only time i was so eager not to have the pain and hassle i signed a form i had not read through first.)As it is a test for a life-threatening condition i think there should be an alternative, blood or urine testing is a good idea they test blood for so much. I was glad to see they give some women enough consideration to do sedation, warming it up or the other alternative. I was quite happy to sample my cheek DNA with a wooden toothpick and I have eventually got used to tampons even I have to, I would have thought you'd get a perfectly good smear with them like a urine or pregnancy test which you can do in private not like having a stranger stick a knife up you. IItoo only go to Drs if I am really in pain but i am treated like a hypochodriac just because I have been to a mental hospital once and had some treatment for anxiety. They never think i have real pain, and are very rarely interested in single girls who have not had children. Yet a friend who has had children has had pain with it. We should fight for our rights. Thank you , I did not know there was a women's discussion group as it is so far down the page in the forums.

Yea I agree with most of you that you should get the test done, but I'm afraid, I won't go to anybody else besides a guy a doctor, and I have been raped so many times also. I lost my virginity at the age of 15 due to rape, and when I was 7 I was molested, and between then and now, I've been sexually abused so much, seems like I'm always the victim, anyways, I'm afraid because everytime somebody just touches me, and I haven't really hung with them over a couple of months, like some stranger touching me I freak out. I become very violent, and crazy, and start panicking and shaking, and start siezing, its bad. I know I need it, I just don't know how I could ever do it unless I'm put out.

Oh- that reminds me: another thign that does help is to have your boyfriend or husband or lover or whatever come in with you. It's surprising how much easier it is to relax to be handled there if your mate is there holding you (upper body) and talkig to you soothingly.

I think a lot of the problem is the damned speculum! The thing isn't shaped like a penis, it feels very sharp, like a knife, and then they have to crank that sucker open just as wide as they can....they really need to redesign it.

I artificially inseminate goats, and we have to use a speculum for that. Their speculum is smaller in diameter, it is more penis shaped, it has a nice rounded plastic edge, it is possible to sterilize it...and with this tool I have to look through it and manipulate a straw of semen *through* the doe goat's cervix, so I know that it is big enough to just look through and take a little swab. I have been sorely tempted to ask them if I can please bring my own speculum, LOL.

I haven't had one because it is so embarrassing to have someone (girl or guy) sticking things up there. When I was a teen I went to the doc with my mum because of thrush and with mum in the room (although not looking) the man doc looked up there. Since then it has made it even more embarrassing and i think of that everytime I decide I should get one done. BTW I am 27 but not sexually active.

It depends on the doctors who do it. I go against the grain and dislike female doctors. They've all been snotty and the pap is always painful. When I was 10 I had a pap from my pediatrician and that was painful. Then a gynecologist when I was 11 and 13 and 18. ( I had menstrual problems)
My OB/Gyn was fine when I was pregnant. I waited for 7 years for my next and I had pre-cancerous lesions from the HPV virus. I had to have an operation for it to be removed-both the biopsy and surgery were very painful.

Has anyone recieved IV sedation for it?

Um.







Isn't the Pap done during regular pelvic exams?