Painful smears, tilted cervix

Cervical screening (smear test)
1

Hi everybody, not really sure where to start here or if I’m overthinking but I’m just after some advice. It’s a bit of a long story too, so I do apologise I just don’t know where else to go for support.

I’m 25, I had my first smear 6 months ago, it took the nurse quite a while to find my cervix and I found it very painful. The results came back as showing CIN3, so I had to go for a colposcopy. Again, the consultant had difficulty locating my cervix and I was so upset by the time she found it she wouldn’t continue (which I was very grateful for). She advised me to have my LLETZ procedure under GA. It was written all over my notes though that I couldn’t tolerate the colposcopy which upset me as I think already upset that I needed treatment that phrasing made me feel like I did something wrong, but I found the whole procedure extremely painful and distressing. Anyway, when I woke up from the GA she told me my cervix was very high up and to tell any future nurse to use the longer speculum.

Today I went for my six month check up at the GP. I passed all the information on to her and stupidly I wasn’t even concerned thinking that all the pain was from all the rummaging around and it would be easy this time. Could not have been more wrong! The nurse was still unable to find my cervix easily and kept saying I was really difficult to test (again I know I can’t help it but I found myself apologising over and over again!). She eventually took a sample but said she doesn’t think it will test and I will be recalled.

I can’t explain how much the thought of having to go back again and go through it all is affecting me. I keep reading how smears are ‘uncomfortable’ but for me they are excruciating and so so upsetting. I’ve all but convinced myself I’ll have to go back and they will still have found abnormal cells again. What can I do? Can I be seen by the consultant for something as simple as a smear? I really think if I have to go again I want someone that does it all day every day, and at least at the colposcopy clinic the chairs are designed for easy access.

Jos was such an amazing form of support for me when preparing for my LLETZ I couldn’t have done it without this forum. Just wondering if anyone has any advice now?

Sorry for the rambling message, I know I’m one of the lucky ones who had changes found early and treated.

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All I can say is that I had a severely painful and traumatic smear test and also have a tilted cervix and my last one wasn’t painful at all. 100% not at all. And I was refusing to go back but I’ve been forced to due to symptoms and the fact that I may as well since the last one was so traumatic. Can it really be or get worse I thought? I would just tell them to stop and make sure they did this time.

The fact you keep apologising etc though makes no sense. I would never apologise for something I can’t help and or which is normal. And they’re obviously lying about smears not being painful. They are painful for many people. But if they told us that we wouldn’t go. It’s shameful propaganda that harms women and makes them think something is wrong with them when we seem to be the odd one out.

I had my traumatic test in a special clinic that I asked specifically to go to in the gynaecology department of the hospital because of difficulty and some pain with the one before. It had stirrups and everything… and my painless one was just with the nurse in the GP surgery although not all nurses do them so it’s a pretty common thing for these nurses to do.

I did force myself to physically relax though. I honestly don’t know if we can control it, maybe it’s just luck. It is especially surprising to me that I had this success as amongst other things I just got diagnosed with vaginismus/tight vaginal opening. Sometimes it’s so bad I can’t fit anything in at all. I have all sorts of problems down there right now. Mostly to do with the muscles not behaving correctly.

There are various types of numbing they should be able to use that doesn’t involve GA which seems a bit harsh. I can send you a list if you want.

The only other difference is the nurse told me to make my fists into a ball and sit on them to raise my bottom half up. Your problem seems a bit harder for practical reasons but I’m sure there is a solution.

Are you used to penetration?
You can buy a speculum so you can practice using it on yourself to some extent. Is it the brushing part that hurts or can you tell what it is? Do you feel pain, burning, pinching? Sharp? Dull? Where is the pain?