Smear test

If you’re still having serious pain after 2 years I would see a pelvic floor therapist. I say this not to downplay your concern whatsoever, but a lot of my vaginal pain postpartum was perceived and anxiety driven. Once I relaxed a little and went slow and got back into things with no pressure and no expectations it helped a lot. Dont do the smear if you’re still having a lot of serious pain, I would make fixing that the priority instead 🤍

It’s over very quickly, when I had mine she just popped the speculum in and it actually felt ok, just slightly uncomfortable at first, I’d had a tear too so was worried about that part, and then the actual test itself was very quick, maybe 10 seconds if that, I can’t even remember how it felt! I think the worrying beforehand is probably worse than the actual procedure, just make sure you breathe and keep yourself calm and let the nurse doing it know how you’re feeling beforehand :)

I think a lot of my issue is also the anxiety and worry of it. We have tried twice and both times were painful for me but I was really nervous and wasn’t fully into it as I would have been prior to birth. I had a rough labour where lots of people seen me in a vulnerable state and also ended up with a fourth degree tear. However my brother was diagnosed with cancer at 25 so that’s also in the back of my mind

Deffo see a specialist. Shouldn’t be painful now.

I had to have smears yearly at one point and I, too, was having painful sex. They worked with me to get the right size speculum, which I now always request!

Whenever I'm getting a smear, I'm not just walking into doctors asking for a speculum 😂

I would be upfront with the nurse about the tear and anxiety. Experienced nurses can do the test really quickly (1-2 min), so it won't be long and painful. I also used ActiGel to relieve the symptoms of dryness and discomfort for a week before.

Is it lubed please girls?

what’s anti gel x