We are talking about Smears though Gunther - I make my comment in response to you saying `bite the bullet and get on with it' quote.
Its not as simple as as that, as my experience shows.
Dee..I am fully aware of what happens with insensitive staff, the doctor wasnt particularly sensitive sticking his finger up my ass when I was 13 and there were nurses and my mother there, the important thing is to get a smear result, hopefully and normally its clear but if it isnt you need to know.
I am not going to read the whole post, Gunther, but I have been in hospital after apendix and had the nurse helping me too just after the operation. With due respect, smear is worse, because I have to deal with it every 11-12 months, for the rest of my life! And with all the discomforts of it, like bleeding and cramping (like menstruation cramps) after it etc.
Btw. I was even younger than you when I had that problem. Started when I was 12 (and I had my first visit to the gynecologist at 12 because of it) and I had the operation at 16, so I know a hell lot about doctors doing lot of things to me and how I feel about it. Or how I feel about them helping me when helpless
Ladies, this isnt a "who has had the worst experience" competition. My wife and daughter have to have smears too. I cant say I have had the same experience but I do know being examined can hurt and is embarrassing. I think personnally women should complain more, half the population are women and for many years they go through it and do little more than talk to friends or post on forums.
TAKE ACTION GIRLS
gunther wrote:
Ladies, this isnt a "who has had the worst experience" competition. My wife and daughter have to have smears too. I cant say I have had the same experience but I do know being examined can hurt and is embarrassing. I think personnally women should complain more, half the population are women and for many years they go through it and do little more than talk to friends or post on forums.
TAKE ACTION GIRLS
Gunther you are the one who wrote almost a page about your bad experience not me, which i hasten to add wasnt smear related.
I am not trying to compete, i am saying that there are reasons why some women refuse or put off going for a smear!!
I was reacting to the fact that you wrote a lenghy story, which sounded like there are worse thing that can happen to us. So I just said I can compare similar situation and as a woman, I think one is worse for me and why.
Secondly, there is nothing much which can be done! The doctor can be gentle as much as he can and I will still be sore afterwards. Simply because inserting something into the vagina which is basically dry is not going to be fun, even if he uses a lube - the vagina is simply not ready to accept something into it. secondly because he is touching the cervix and taking sample from it, it is logical lot of women will bleed afterwards and some can have the spotting for some time. And the cramps are not unheard of either. But I doubt that these can be prevented. I do not get them after sex, but after smear almost every time. My sister does not, my mom does, so this is I guess individual. It is not a pleasant thing, it does not particularly hurt, but it is strange situation, even without having several people watching it.
My wife had a forceps delivery which left permanent damage. I consented to approximately 30 mainly male students to watch the procedure (despite hardly knowing what the procedure was). My wife and daughter survived and I hope by giving consent I may have helped other mothers and babies to survive.
Its quite simple if you dont want a smear dont have one and play roulette. If you do then you have my sympathy for what it entails.
Dee_licious333 wrote:
Abots, I disagree. No disrespect here but you are a male, you have no idea what it feels like.
It was more than discomfort and embarrassment. In fact you are suggesting that i should have just got over it!!
Until you understand how a naive 19 year old girl who is alone feels, perhaps you should reserve judgement!!
Also, you mention you can just say no to having trainees there. Well its not that easy. I was shy, naive .. i think they knew that i was unlikely to refuse.
You are right, I don't know what it feels like. I am going by what I have read in this thread, that seems to suggest pain and discomfort.
I am not suggesting you get over it, at all. I am saying, that these tests are surely worth the (relatively) short amount of pain/discomfort/embarrasment/trauma/whatever... If it saves your life, surely?
I am not a girl, I never will be, you're right, but you must agree with the point I am making. It's rational.
No offense intended.
Gunther, I hope you ask her for permission.It should be the woman giving it. I like the system when she signs the agreement before childbirth whether or not she allows it.
Ork: the comparison with the prostate is appropriate one. Some guys would have huge problem with that being done to them.
And no, you cannot do it at home. The test is then sent to lab for checking.
I have to say I am not sure about the interval of the screening in UK - 3 to 5 years. And starting age at 25. Here it starts after you start your sex life and you are required to do it annually. And even within the year there can be some changes. My friend got some, so she was called after 4 months for another screen, as she had very mild ones, but it was gone by then. But if something happened, it would be far shorter time than the 3 years of the UK screening.
laveilia the three year period is if there's no abnomalities. if there's problems you are called more often than that.
the three to five years thing sucks, so does the fact that the different nhs authorities handle cervical screening differently so it depends on where you live ( as with any medical care on the NHS)
Laveila wrote:
Gunther, I hope you ask her for permission.It should be the woman giving it. I like the system when she signs the agreement before childbirth whether or not she allows it.
With the Gas / Air and pain she wasnt in a fit state to respond.
She cant remember being asked and cant remember anyone else being there. In principle I think it wrong to ask a doctor to save my wife and child but deny the chance for future doctors to learn how to. We spoke about it years later, she didnt mind. I found out later one of the students was actually a male nurse who was told to watch me. Apparently less than half of guys see a forceps delivery to the end they either freak out and hit someone or faint, i must say i felt really dizzy and sick lol
I personally have never experienced an excessive amount of discomfort having it done, but I know some people who have. What I do get a little frustrated about though is friends of mine who have never been and still refuse to go because they've heard horror stories. I just feel that until you go and experience it then you just don't know. They might be like me and find it absolutely fine. And if they do find it horrible then they don't have to do it again next time if they don't want to. I have a friend who's never gone because her mum told her it was incredibly painful. I just think it's worthwhile putting up with if it could potentially save your life, but that's just my opinion!
I once had to go to the gynae clinic at the local hospital because at my first smear I was told I had an erosion on my cervix, which is apparently quite common. At the clinic I had a doctor, several nurses and a male medical student who was about the same age as me all in the room during the examination. Poor guy looked more embarrassed than I was, think he spent most of the time looking at the ceiling! They had to squirt this horrible stain stuff inside me while the doctor peered into me with these fancy magnifying instruments. Was all very interesting but quite uncomfortable and embarrassing compared with a normal smear, hope I don't have to do that again!
I think LH should be involved in the design of equipment to make them more patient friendly, surely they shouldnt hurt
I'm not sure if me posting is going to be helpful or not, but I urge all women to just go and don't put it off. I kept forgetting about mine and eventually my GP collared me about it. I had it done, and no it wasn't the best way to spend 10 minutes but for me it wasn't too bad (I know every women is different and the time of the month may affect it too). The results came back abnormal. I'm awaiting the biopsy results but even if it is the worst case scenario, it is early enough to easily treat it. I'm not trying to scare anybody, but i'd rather go through a smear test than have to fight cervical cancer once it has developed.
gunther wrote:
I think LH should be involved in the design of equipment to make them more patient friendly, surely they shouldnt hurt
Imagine you are trying to push something up completely dry vagina, with just some lube and you start to spread it open inside, to get you open enough. If you are not experienced much and really tight... and then you push something else in and start to take sample from the cervix, which for women who hate their cervix touched under the best circumstances is not going to be fun and can be really painful experience.
And its not like they just touch the cervix and its done, but he runs the thing over it and bit pushes it into it, to get the sample. If he would not... the woman has to go to it again. I had this happening to my mom and friends. They did not take much.
Sorry for being bit graphic. but this is how it is. At least in my experience, but hard to put into words
Ork wrote:
Why not use plenty of lube? It all seems a little bit crazy if there going to just shove it in there like barbarians
I think plenty of lube could be bad, because of the test.
I feel really lucky having read some of the experiences on this thread. I've always had my smear tests carried out my the sister at my doctor's surgery. There has only every been me and her in the room (no spectators) and she's always talked me through it nd been really gentle. I've never experienced any pain, bleeding or other negative side effects. Luckily the results have always been clear, and I never hesitate to book a appointment when I receive the letter telling me my next smear is due.
I had no problems at all with mine. I'm only 21 so I was surprised when the nurse told me I should get one but I study in Wales and I think the age is different here than in England.
I was slightly apprehensive about it but there was nothing to worry about. For me none of it was unpleasant. It was really quick and I could feel it but it was completely comfortable.
kelly_michelle wrote:
I'm not sure if me posting is going to be helpful or not, but I urge all women to just go and don't put it off. I kept forgetting about mine and eventually my GP collared me about it. I had it done, and no it wasn't the best way to spend 10 minutes but for me it wasn't too bad (I know every women is different and the time of the month may affect it too). The results came back abnormal. I'm awaiting the biopsy results but even if it is the worst case scenario, it is early enough to easily treat it. I'm not trying to scare anybody, but i'd rather go through a smear test than have to fight cervical cancer once it has developed.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you Kelly that your biopsy results come back clear, good luck xxx
kelly_michelle wrote:
I'm not sure if me posting is going to be helpful or not, but I urge all women to just go and don't put it off. I kept forgetting about mine and eventually my GP collared me about it. I had it done, and no it wasn't the best way to spend 10 minutes but for me it wasn't too bad (I know every women is different and the time of the month may affect it too). The results came back abnormal. I'm awaiting the biopsy results but even if it is the worst case scenario, it is early enough to easily treat it. I'm not trying to scare anybody, but i'd rather go through a smear test than have to fight cervical cancer once it has developed.
It may be nothing. A friend had that, just a little abnormal and it turned out to be nothing and it disappeared in few months, so it may be nothing. Good luck.