Pap Smears?

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Hey women of wrong planet. I was just wondering when you guys think it is the right time to get a pap smear? I'm probably way overdue for one and I keep putting it off because the thought of it just grosses me out. I am HPV vaccinated, but it's always best to he safe. Also, how did you handle the gyno appointment without being completely disgusted by it?

I don't get them at all. I don't think that they are necessary, particularly since I never have penis anywhere near my vagina. I was once told by a nurse that having one around age eighteen was enough until the womon becomes sexually active (with men, is what she probably meant).

My doctor told me women who start having sex should have it done every two years. So I started having them after I got married. It would be rather uncomfortable for a virgin.

Here's my story: so I had my first test scheduled two years ago and it was painful to the point where I told my doctor to stop and she recommended that I reschedule it for a few months later. She advised me to start/practice using tampons so it wouldn't be as painful. Needless to say, two years later, I still haven't rescheduled my test and the doctor's office keeps calling every year to remind me. I figured that I'm not sexually active, so there's a pretty slim chance that I'll develop cervical cancer.

To Einfari: even though you're HPV vaccinated, it's still recommended that you get a pap test especially if you're sexually active as the HPV vaccine only protects against a number of HPV strains. From what I can remember, it's recommended that you get tested when you're 21 and every 3 years after that. As for the gyn appointment, it was more awkward than disgusting.

These doctors make me so damned angry. A routine medical procedure should not be this painful. I had the same problem, and I figured out that the doctors use instruments that are too large. It seems like their default speculum is for womyn who regularly have intercourse. ASK FOR THE PEDIATRIC SPECULUM.

Hey starkid.

Thanks for the advice. It never occurred to me that there would be speculums of different sizes. Seems like a better approach would be for doctors to ask their patients before the exam if they have had sex and from there, determine the appropriate size speculum.

As some of the other posters have mentioned, the docs do use speculums that are too large. Do tell them to use the pediatric sized one.

One poster mentioned that as she doesn't have sex, she isn't at risk of cervical cancer. Sorry honey, you're wrong. I never had a husband or boy friend either, so no sex, and I got cancer. I had to have a complete hysterectomy. Fortunately, they caught it in time. All too often cancer down there doesn't have any symptoms until it's too late. I was lucky to have female bleeding problems. I had a D & C procedure to treat it. They biopsied what they cleaned out in that procedure, and found the cancer. I had a few internal radiation treatments after the surgery, and follow up appointments for several years.

I haven't been in several years though, as I hate doc appointments. I will eventually get up the nerve to go again, and will definitely tell them to use the pediatric speculum.

I didn't say that I wasn't at risk for cervical cancer, and I didn't say that I don't have sex. I said that I don't think that I need to be SCREENED for cervical cancer on a regular basis because I don't have vaginal intercourse with males (which is not synonymous with sex), which is the criteria the nurse gave me for getting pap smears regularly.


No need to be a condescending as*hole.

Any gyno appointment is not very pleasant. I make sure I have ladies-only environment and then just tell myself we humans are only animals - and so am I. So it's needed like many other things for mammals. It helps me to think that way.

As for regular smear tests, in the old continent you don't have to do them so often. Anyone over 36 is more at risk of cancer so it's once in 5 years once you get to that age.

As for PAP smears - I have never heard of PAP smears before, only the regular smear tests for cervical cancer. Is PAP smear the same, just american name for it, or is it something different?? Is that where the confusion over 'no-sex-no-need-for-smear' versus 'anyone-gets-cancer-so-intercourse-does-no-count' comes from??

As for cancer, yes, even the purest virgins are at exactly the same risk as the filthiest whores, and cancer does not ask whether you are asexual, lesbian, bi, hetero or … So as far as cervical cancer screening smear tests go, one's inter-vaginal activity or the lack of it is irrelevant.


Oh, and thanks for the tip for the pediatric speculum! Didn't know it exists but if this means less discomfort … It might be worth asking for, then!

If this was directed at me, then please reread my post as I had said that there was a slim chance given my lack of family history and virginity.



You're right in saying that cancer does not discriminate. However, sexual activity plays an important factor, as do genetics and family history. Virgins with no family history of cervical cancer are not at the same risk level as those who are sexually active; rather, they're at a lower risk of developing cervical cancer and as such, pap tests do not need to be done as often.

Yes, they are the same test. They are called "PAP smears" in the USA, and "smear tests" in the UK. Same test, just a different name.

Thank you flying bird! Names can be so confusing….