Aa
My pap tests are usually so painful...how do I deal with it?
Yes, they HURT. Everyone always says they are uncomfortable, but not actually painful. They are either lying, or there's something wrong with me. I am still a virgin...but most people say that they shouldn't hurt even if you're a virgin. I've also heard several people say that virgins don't need them, but others just insist that you can still get cervical cancer regardless, and need to start getting them around age 21 (I'm 23) even if you're still a virgin. So, I'm not even sure how much I need them.
The first one I ever got was the worst. I was only 18 and I had to get one to be able to go on birth control (for painful menstrual cramps). It wasn't my primary care doctor. I did tell her that it was my first pap, but don't think she knew I was a virgin, so she may not have used a small enough speculum or maybe she was just too rough. But that was pretty much the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I was a little nervous/uneasy, but I had been told so many times that it wouldn't actually hurt, so it's not like I had been freaking out before they did it, so I don't think the problem was that I wasn't relaxed enough (because I know having your muscles tensed up can make it hurt). I went in there expecting it to be "uncomfortable but not painful"...but it literally felt like someone was stabbing me down there with a hot knife! It was honestly really traumatic. I know that I really should have spoken up when it started to hurt, but I think I was just frozen in shock, so they went through with the whole thing while I was just in excruciating pain.
The next time (at my physical at my primary care doctor) I almost had a panic attack when they told me they were going to do a pap, and I ended up telling the nurse how bad my first one was. She was very nice, and she made sure the doctor used the smallest speculum and she stayed with me to keep me calm throughout it. Now that one actually didn't really hurt. It was much more along the lines of "uncomfortable but not painful", and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy that one was.
So then, when I was about to get my third one at my next physical, I was pretty relaxed since the last one hadn't been so bad. I really thought that maybe the first one only hurt because it was the very first one I ever had and my body just wasn't used to it, or that doctor who did it was too rough. I was comfortable with my primary care doctor. The nurse wasn't with me keeping me calm this time, but I swear I was relaxed enough. But then I felt that same horrific pain that I felt with the first one when she started! I told her immediately that it was hurting me, and she stopped. Then when she found out I was still a virgin, she decided not to even go through with it because she said I was at very low risk. She just said to call her right away if I became sexually active, and that we would just try again next time.
Well, I am still a virgin, so I haven't needed to go in specifically for a pap, but I was supposed to go to my next physical late last year, and I knew she would probably at least try to do a pap again. I am so terrified that I have just been putting off the appointment. I couldn't bring myself to go through with it again and just cancelled the appointment. I know I need to go in for a physical though...ugh.
Why have two of them hurt so much? Especially the one where I know my doctor knew what she was doing, used a small speculum, and I was relaxed? If most of them are going to be like this, I just don't know how I can go through with it unless I'm put under sedation. I'm really not exaggerating when I say how much those two hurt. And obviously all of my paps have come back normal, so they haven't detected some problem that could be making them hurt more.
And, do I really need these? How much risk am I for cervical cancer? Again, I hear so many differnet things from different people. But my doctor did say she wasn't too worried about it because I was a virgin, and that's why she didn't go through with it when it was hurting me.
I have a phobia of having anything stuck down there now too, after having these paps. I can't use tampons now, an I'm honestly scared to have sex because I'm afraid it will hurt like that. I am with a man who I love very much and we plan to get married in a couple years when we're finished with school. We don't plan on having sex until then...but again, I'm scared, and I really don't want us to have sexual problems down the road because of my post-pap PTSD!
The first one I ever got was the worst. I was only 18 and I had to get one to be able to go on birth control (for painful menstrual cramps). It wasn't my primary care doctor. I did tell her that it was my first pap, but don't think she knew I was a virgin, so she may not have used a small enough speculum or maybe she was just too rough. But that was pretty much the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I was a little nervous/uneasy, but I had been told so many times that it wouldn't actually hurt, so it's not like I had been freaking out before they did it, so I don't think the problem was that I wasn't relaxed enough (because I know having your muscles tensed up can make it hurt). I went in there expecting it to be "uncomfortable but not painful"...but it literally felt like someone was stabbing me down there with a hot knife! It was honestly really traumatic. I know that I really should have spoken up when it started to hurt, but I think I was just frozen in shock, so they went through with the whole thing while I was just in excruciating pain.
The next time (at my physical at my primary care doctor) I almost had a panic attack when they told me they were going to do a pap, and I ended up telling the nurse how bad my first one was. She was very nice, and she made sure the doctor used the smallest speculum and she stayed with me to keep me calm throughout it. Now that one actually didn't really hurt. It was much more along the lines of "uncomfortable but not painful", and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy that one was.
So then, when I was about to get my third one at my next physical, I was pretty relaxed since the last one hadn't been so bad. I really thought that maybe the first one only hurt because it was the very first one I ever had and my body just wasn't used to it, or that doctor who did it was too rough. I was comfortable with my primary care doctor. The nurse wasn't with me keeping me calm this time, but I swear I was relaxed enough. But then I felt that same horrific pain that I felt with the first one when she started! I told her immediately that it was hurting me, and she stopped. Then when she found out I was still a virgin, she decided not to even go through with it because she said I was at very low risk. She just said to call her right away if I became sexually active, and that we would just try again next time.
Well, I am still a virgin, so I haven't needed to go in specifically for a pap, but I was supposed to go to my next physical late last year, and I knew she would probably at least try to do a pap again. I am so terrified that I have just been putting off the appointment. I couldn't bring myself to go through with it again and just cancelled the appointment. I know I need to go in for a physical though...ugh.
Why have two of them hurt so much? Especially the one where I know my doctor knew what she was doing, used a small speculum, and I was relaxed? If most of them are going to be like this, I just don't know how I can go through with it unless I'm put under sedation. I'm really not exaggerating when I say how much those two hurt. And obviously all of my paps have come back normal, so they haven't detected some problem that could be making them hurt more.
And, do I really need these? How much risk am I for cervical cancer? Again, I hear so many differnet things from different people. But my doctor did say she wasn't too worried about it because I was a virgin, and that's why she didn't go through with it when it was hurting me.
I have a phobia of having anything stuck down there now too, after having these paps. I can't use tampons now, an I'm honestly scared to have sex because I'm afraid it will hurt like that. I am with a man who I love very much and we plan to get married in a couple years when we're finished with school. We don't plan on having sex until then...but again, I'm scared, and I really don't want us to have sexual problems down the road because of my post-pap PTSD!
If the insertion & spreading of the speculum hurts ask for the child size everything- it lessens the discomfort and pain.
If the scraping of your cervix is what hurts it is possible you are on the spectrum for Fibro.
However, being a virgin abd not accustomed to the way the speculum opens your vagina- that could be your answer. My recommendation there is buy an average sized dildo to use a few hours before your exam to help loosen your muscles.
If the scraping of your cervix is what hurts it is possible you are on the spectrum for Fibro.
However, being a virgin abd not accustomed to the way the speculum opens your vagina- that could be your answer. My recommendation there is buy an average sized dildo to use a few hours before your exam to help loosen your muscles.
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I don't find pap tests painful. Not lying about it. AND, they are over very quickly. What hurts you--- the speculum as the actual pap test is like a one second swab?
To me it sounds semi psychological. Do you suffer from anxiety??
Take your mom or a friend with you to sit by you. They can drape you. But I've had many pap smears and they take like 3 minutes. It's not a long drawn out procedure.
Once a year is common but if you are not sexually active, you can ask if it is necessary. Is this an ob/gyn appointment or your primary care doc?
To me it sounds semi psychological. Do you suffer from anxiety??
Take your mom or a friend with you to sit by you. They can drape you. But I've had many pap smears and they take like 3 minutes. It's not a long drawn out procedure.
Once a year is common but if you are not sexually active, you can ask if it is necessary. Is this an ob/gyn appointment or your primary care doc?
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