UPDATE:
Well. Went to the local hospital today to the Colposcopy Clinic to get my smear test done…and…this is basically how it went:
Lovely receptionist made me feel welcome
ME: panic, panic, ramble on anxiously, panic, panic, sweat, waffle *went to sit in the waiting room
Colposcopy Nurse: *called me over. “Hi Joanne. How are you?”
Me: panic, panic, ramble on anxiously, panic, panic, waffle on about a load of rubbish, much hand-wringing and profuse sweating, palpitations
Colposcopy Nurse: “Aww, don’t worry. Come on in. We will take good care of you.”
Colposcopy Nurse 2 in the treatment room: “Hiya Joanne! Come on in. Take a seat. Right so you had some problems with the smear test…Tell me…”
Me: *panic, panic, ramble on anxiously, panic, panic, waffle, much hand-wringing, profuse sweating, basically tell everyone my life story, rabbit on about atrophy, hrt, pain, waffled on about my clothes at one stage…apologising for my pop-socks!! More Blah,blah,blah…
Nurses: *Nod, nod, smile, pour bucket loads of empathy all over me.
Nurse 2: “Awww, Let’s get you sorted…”
Got undressed behind a curtain. Left my long socks on and a long baggy t-shirt. Sat on the most comfortable examination chair/bed in the world…
Nurse 1: *chat, chat, smile, nod, chat
Me: *calming down, chat, chat, waffle
Nurse 2: *prepares small, metal speculum
Me: *deep breath…waits for the pain and the awful sound of the speculum opening
Nurse 1 *chat, chat, smile
Me: chat, chat…still waiting for the pain/awful sound to begin…
Nurse 2: Right okey dokey. All done.
Me: Eh?
Nurse 2: Yep. Done.
Me:WHAT!!? Done? All done?
Nurses: Yep! Done done.
DID. NOT. FEEL. A. SINGLE. THING!!!!! Seriously. First time ever.
I will be going back to that clinic to have it done next time. The examination bed/chair made a massive difference. Not like at the GP surgery when they tell you to let your knees fall open when the couch is right next to a wall and then say make your hands into fists then put them under your bum to lift it slightly…and then try to relax….ridiculous.
If you are referred to the colposcopy clinic because of a difficult smear/failed smear honestly - go and don’t worry. Best experience of a smear test I’ve ever had in my entire life. The nurses told me next time to ask the gp to refer me to the clinic as soon as the reminded comes.
Please go for your smear check-ups. Honestly this has thrown a whole new light on the procedure for me. xxxx
Hi everyone,
feeling very down in the dumps. I’m on Vagifem (using it x5 days per week which seems to keep everything under control fine) and Evorel Sequi patches. Went for my smear test today and told the nurse about the V.A beforehand which is under pretty good control at the moment (no itching/pain/tears/not overly dry/ sore areas/no bladder issues) and the nurse got the small speculum in absolutely fine, but then when she started to open it - sheer agony. Tried a medium sized speculum as well just to see if that made a difference, and again - went in fine, but as she started to open it up a couple of times and I had to tell her to stop again. Now she says she’s referring me to the hospital to have it done there, but what can they do differently? Why is it so bad when I’ve not been troubled too much by the V.A. Last time I had it done it was uncomfortable but not unbearable (like being stabbed with a knife!) Could it be something else? Any info/ thoughts appreciated?
J xx