Hi l ended up in gynaecology oncology for ovarian cysts, the consultant examined me with the speculum and I nearly shot off the table and came out bleeding. I'm over 65 but have never experienced any thing like that before. The trans vaginal ultrasound scans were just the same. I was pleased when my next consultation with the surgeon was over the phone so no examination could take place. 
Fortunatly l had my surgery without any further examinations. I don't think I will have another while I am awake!!!  
Sorry to see that so many of us have had problems roll on the urine tests 

take care 

susie 

Hello

I have never missed my smear tests, had a colposcopy when I was 49 and that wasn't half as bad as my last smear at 53, I had to stop the nurse, all I got was I was almost done, after I got dressed I spoke to the nurse who may I add is new to my practice and doesn't know me telling me this is her job, she does this day in day out and that was the smallest speculum, she said you will need to make another appointment as it needs done, I told her if she checked back my records she will see that I've never missed a smear test. I told her that was extremely sore and that I've never experienced pain like that before, not at all sympathetic. I have made another appointment as I know it needs done but unfortunately it's with her as she told me my doctor who has known me for years and has carried out my smears in the past will not do it.

Will cream for vaginal dryness help in any way?

I am sure this has been resolved already, since you are posting 2 years ago, but for anyone else reading, I will give my 2cents.

I have always hated smear tests, beause they are always if not painful, quite uncomfortable, to the point that I actually avoided having one for years, and kept getting letters from the NHS.

Due to a different gynae issue, I had an appointment, and they seemed to want to do the speculum, even though, suffering from a hypertonic pelvic floor, it would be too painful. When she inserted the speculum it was really intense pain, I thought I couldnt go on, actually, but she didn't remove it, and I hoped it would improve. It did slightly, and she managed to get the sample, but if I could go back, I would have delayed it until I had relaxed the muscles over time with a women's health physio. For any other women out there I would recommend that you work with one to see if you can relax the muscles, that should help somewhat if your pain is due to a tight pelvic floor.

Following my test I have had discomfort lingering from the dreaded speculum, and have been taking a variety of painkillers to try and cope. It has been traumatic though, and I think unnnecessarily so. Partly my fault, as I should have said I wasn't ready for a smear test, but I trusted the medical advice that it should be done. I also didn't want to take painkillers before my appointment as I feared it could mask pain and do me damage, but in hindsight the pain was so intense I wish I had.

Gosh, quite a journey, I wish there was more understanding about women's health and vaginal/vulval pain.

How long did it take your pain to go away after the smear test? I had one done while suffering from vaginimus and it was excruciating. I was crying for two days following it, I am just hoping over time I will put that horrible experience out of my mind. It makes me hesitant about having another one in the futre.

I wish I had given up. It was so painful, but I felt like the worst of the pain was actually putting it in, not the swabbing part, and I held on while they got the sample, in hindsight I wish I had given up and saved myself some of the pain at least. Did you manage in the end to get it done>?

I should have done that, but I was driving and thought I would be too drowsy at the wheel. Sounds like you had a good nurse. I had a gynaecologist do mine. I think she thought I could power on through it but it was really incredibly painful.

Yes, I have decided, on the basis of today's horrendous smear, I won't be going back. I may try a home test and hope for the best. Too much trauma.

How did it go in the end? Did you manage to find a way to make it less painful?

Totally, in fact the speculum could be made much more user friendly, with silicone. Yet they persist with those horrible sharp metal devices. After my smear today I feel compelled to complain. My mistake that I didn't tell them to stop.