Hello. In November I had a smear test which showed that I had mild abnormalities and HPV was inconclusive. The NHS said I had to wait until May 15 to have another test. Due to me being a terrible worrier, I decided to book myself a private smear test, which I had done yesterday. I so wish I hadn't!
I laid on the bed and the doctor started to push the speculum in. I could feel it sticking to my skin so I asked her if she had put any lubrication on it. She said that lube interferes with the test results and that it should never be used for a smear test. She continued to push the speculum, whilst holding my skin taught on the outside. I then felt an awful burning feeling as my skin in the folds between my labia majora and labia minora (I had to look that up on google) split, both sides.
She then removed the speculum and inserted her finger as she could not locate my cervix. As she went to put the speculum back in, I told her I couldn’t go through it again. She then offered to run the speculum under the tap to wet it. As soon as she done that, the speculum went in easily. Unfortunately, the damage was already done.
I am 35 and have had several smear tests, all of which have been pain free, with lubrication used. I am stinging so much today, walking hurts and weeing is complete agony. I am also very sore inside.
Does anyone know if not using lubrication is a new thing?
Anyone reading this, please make sure that your doctor / nurse wets the speculum first if they refuse to use lubrication.
I have had smears, ultrasounds, examinations, samples taken and every time they’ve used lubricants. Ive never heard of it interferring, what a butcher! I hope you feel better soon and get good results xx
Blimey, Vicky! That sounds horrendous. They've always used lubrication with me. If wetting it with water helped, why didn't the doc do that the first time?? It's great that you've posted this warning.
Hope you heal well and your results come quickly and are good. It's the least you deserve after that! :)
oh gosh I feel so sorry for you :( Hope that you heal up soon.
my nurses/doctors have ALWAYS used a lubricant - and I always ask if they can use the smaller size speculum too as I always tense up and it makes it really really difficult for them to do the smear test.
Hello, I am sorry if I'm joining in on another person's thread here, but I just don't know my way around this forum at all! So I am sorry for that. The thing is I just need any advice that anyone would be able to give as I feel stupid, disgusting, terrified, paranoid, guiltyetc etc, you name the negative emotion and I feel it! I am one of those people who has major struggles with any kind of intimate examination, years ago I had a bad experience during a smear test ,due to an inexperienced nurse, this put me off and I missed the next. Finally I went to see a lady doctor and explained my fears, I was also experiencing painful vaginal infections at the time. I was given Diazepam prior to the test, well it didn't help much, I had a massive panic attack, screamed, cried and just found it so painful, luckily the test was completed. I got abnormal results, had to go to the hospital, where I behaved like a very stupid, weak person, again appalling panic ensued as soon as they tried to examine me intimately, I had an asthma attack and fainted, Dr said she had never seen such a thing, made me feel even worse :( I had a colposcopy under anaesthetic and the report said, no abnormality was found, I didn't really understand it (I know, I'm really stupid), so I paid to see a gynaecoligist who told me that basically "nothing" was found and to stop worrying. He also told me that I was extremely low risk due to my husband and I being together since very young, no other partners and due to my intolerance of other contraceptives, we have always used condoms. Since all of this, I have cried, screamed and hyper-ventilated through a couple more tests (normal). I now have what the Dr thought was a recurrence of my vaginal infections, first round of antibiotics just never had a chance, I vomited them straight back, then had another course, kept them down but all that has cleared up is the discharge, the rest has got worse, vaginal discomfort, pelvic pain and bloating. Dr took a swab, I am waiting on results, she won't consider trying a smear until the swab results are back. I feel so helpless and guilty about what I am about to put my friends and family through simply because I am such a pathetic person. I have been treated for anxiety disorder for many years and I feel I almost deserve to have this worst case diagnosis which I am sure is coming because I am neurotic and fail to be proactive. So sorry for this, but I couldn't say this to anyone face to face and I needed to just get it all out. Sorry :(
As far as I can tell there are two things going on here; one is that you are a very, very anxious person, and the other is that you have incredibly low self-esteem. Maybe one feeds off the other, I'm not sure. You say you have been treated for anxiety disorder but I don't believe you have been treated successfully for anxiety disorder. I believe that you may get a great deal of help in coping with all of this if you get some CBT coaching (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy).
Don't worry about joining somebody else's thread, don't worry about not knowing your way around the forum, we are all here to help you and we will find you wherever you post. OK?
