Hi
I had my routine check up today. They confirmed my last MRI was clear which is good.
Each check up ive been to since my trach has been painful when they use the little brush to collect the cells during the smear. Last time I was so happy as it was much less painful so thought my scar tissue must all be healing. Looks like I was wrong as the one today was the most painful yet! I just winced with pain and started to get all tearful. Normally I see a woman at my check up and today without being told I had a male dr, I must admit this made me feel a little take aback but I was ready to go seen as last time was much less painful. They did ask if it was the thought of the smear and I said no it is genuinely really sore right at the top. He seemed pretty dismissive about the pain but he was nice in general and trying to be jokey and friendly.
I feel like I’m in shock from the pain though i still feel really upset by it.
has anyone else experienced this? I thought I would have healed by now :(
Hi misstel
i had my trach in february 15 and went for my check up in January. Once a year they do the actual smear and although unpleasant and painful it’s normally manageable and that is the same whether it’s a man or woman doing it.
this time I went I had a male doctor which is obviously not ideal but I was ok and just thought get on with it. I told him he would have to use a small speculum but he just ignored me and used a big metal one. It was excruciating and I had tears in my eyes as well and was moving all over the bed but they didn’t care At all and obviously just thought I was being a wimp.
after they did the smear they said there was quite a lot of bleeding - I am not surprised it was sooooo painful!
Anyway results came back - inconclusive they couldn’t get a result no doubt because there was too much blood in the sample. I have to go back next month to be retested.
so what I am trying to say is my last one was very very painful and that was nearly 3 years afterwards. i think it can just take a very long time to heal although my doctor being very rough and using the wrong speculum didn’t help!
I said after the last smear if it had been my first I would have never went back after it however as we know we have to now :(
if it’s the same doc when I go back I won’t be going in and will ask for someone else!
you will be ok and hopefully you will get someone different next time and will be completely different. I’ve had 3 smears since my trach and the last one was the only really bad one so I think it can just be a bit hit and miss x
Hello
oh sorry to hear you had such a negative experience with the dr not listening to you.
thank you for reassurring me I’m not the only one too! I think sometimes I just want an Answer from the medical team I like information so you know if they outright said it is normal to still be in pain etc that would make me feel a little better.
Ive had pain during sex but only in certain positions but it is clear to me that it must be the same area where is is still healing.
I am hoping I get the female dr next time as she was more sympathetic at least. I know they are trying to do their job but that doesn’t make it any less painful. Xx
Yeah fingers crossed.
i get a different person every single time I go and I must have been about 15 times! My last appointment they hadn’t even read my file I think that is why they used the wrong speculum etc and I actually think they didn’t even know I had Had a trachelecromy and that’s why the smear went so wrong.
they asked me twice is I had kids which they would have know I hadn’t if they had read the notes!
i think every patient must be different after the op and a lot of people are not educated about it so they musnt know how to deal with us x
Yeah I think so too sometimes I feel like the only person to have had this surgery when I ask questions they never have answers.
I am lucky I normally see the same dr.
Yeah they asked today when my last period was but I dunno why? I just said I am on the mini pill so I don’t get any x
Yeah they always ask me too.
Thank god for the mini pill that’s all I say haha x
I have just been for my repeat smear today seen as the one in january was inadequate.
i would love to say it went better than january but it was awful again!
I asked the (male yes again!) doctor why its so bad and he said collecting the cells after trach is so difficult because obviously there is no cervix so they just have to guess.
Definately felt like they were guessin today - ouch!
a cry and looked like an idiot but couldnt be helped.
Just have to hope it comes back ok now x
Hello
Aw so sorry to hear it didn't go too well. Did they say there is anything they can do? I am dreading my next follow up appointment!
Hope you don't have to wait too long for results xx
No they were just very apologetic and just said its difficult to guess where the cervix was.
i have had 2 smears before this and cant remember the first one being as horrific as the last 2 so im not sure what the issue is.
Fingers crossed it was adequate and comes back ok as i am not in a hurry to repeat it any time soon! When i get check ups they dont use the brush or take cells just have a feel about and that is normally ok.
its a bit of a mystery x
Aww ok. At least they were nice about it!
Oh they use the brush for mine :(
Do they send it away for testing as well? I get check ups every 6 months now (well aside from the smear that was inadequate) but they only ever test cells once a year :/
the rest of the time they just ‘have a look’
Each one I have seems to be a vault smear x
