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What to do if you find your cervical smear too painful?

MissSG126
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Hi everyone, I was wondering if you could give me some advice. A couple of years ago I went for my first cervical smear but I found it too painful and the nurse couldn't get the sample. A few weeks later I rebooked and tried again but the same thing happened. What should I do? I feel a bit scarred by the whole thing and don't know what to do. Is it even possible to have an anaesthic during the exam? I feel like that is my only option now as the thought of trying again is terrifying. 

  • Offline in reply to saz104

    My friend had the same problem and was then referred to hospital where she had it done and used gas and air . Ask them if you can get referred xx

  • Offline in reply to CRUK Nurse Julia

    I think home screening is a much better idea. It is horrific what women are having to go through, with no good reason. The constant barrage of letters from the NHS also pressurizes women. We should be free to choose.

  • Offline in reply to saz104

    Went for my smear yesterday I'm a mum of 4 so had many of them but this one felt like I was being ripped in two the two nurses or docs where to busy discussing a parking fine one barley spoke to me .put in the speculm with a jelly on very cold and I cried out in pain and she carried on pushing it in and winding it up telling me to put my fists under my bum and said oh that's better then asked if I minded if her student had a loom after she had done this I just nodded she took a look and the main nurse said do you see that her trainee said yes she then took her swabs wich felt like she was brushing my womb with a toothbrush then let it down pulled it out and told me to get dressed and my results will be back k in a week could barley walk out the do tors and was bleeding and can barley walk now hurts to pee and still bleeding not as,much and sore to wipe I've rang and put in a formal complaint and waiting to hear from the manager like that ever happens I wept all the way home and in pain now I told my husband it felt like I was raped all I can see heR and thing is what happened yesterday while all she cared about was paying a,parking fine 

  • Offline

    I had a smear test at the beginning of last week and I'm in agony a week later. The pain from the vaginal tearing subsided after 3 days, until then I could not sit down except for on the edge of the seat on the back of my butt. However, the pain in my cervix has not abated, it wakes me up at night. I think she used too long a speculum and it had battered my cervix, one size does not fit all!! Definitely not enough lubricant. It feels very brutal and traumatic and I am dreading if have to go back sooner than 5 years. 

  • Offline in reply to Scared1980

    I'm so sorry you had that horrible experience, yes it's very traumatic and does feel that though you've been brutalised. Being in such a vulnerable position and then subjected to pain leaves a very deep imprint on the psyche, mind, body and emotions. I hope you can heal and that the surgery take your complaint seriously and that they learn from your experience so don't inflict such cavalier treatment on other women. 

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