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SlumberKitty
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Help Feb 07, 2023 at 05:51 PM
  #1
I am having severe anxiety and panic attacks about pap smears. I have had two done in two months and both came back as not enough cells on the swab. I find pap smears to be extremely painful. It's not just uncomfortable, it is full on excruciating pain. I also cannot get my body to relax during a pap smear. So the OBGYN office wanted to schedule a third pap smear. I told them no. I contacted my GP through the portal and asked her what to do next. So she said we could discuss at my next visit in March. But I don't want to wait that long because of my severe anxiety and panic attacks that are keeping me up at night and causing me all sorts of physical symptoms. So I got an appointment with my GP for Monday. I don't know what she is going to suggest or offer as the next step...different OBGYN? Different procedure? I don't know. I don't know if it will be more painful than the pap smears which makes me more anxious. I need to get distracted from this for a few days because I am very anxious about it and freaked out. I know the test is important but it causes me so much distress and the thought of a third one in as many months is too much to bear. Any ideas? Thanks Kit

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unaluna
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Default Feb 07, 2023 at 09:34 PM
  #2
Okay, sorry for getting so technical, but the actual smear-taking only lasts a second or two. How is that long enough to be "excruciating pain"? Does it keep hurting after the smear is taken? Or is it the speculum that hurts? Is it cold or does your dr warm it? You dont know how many cold speculums ive experienced! They didnt used to warm them up in the olden days.

Maybe taking ibuprophen before your appt would help with the pain of the smear? And a xanax? Can you get a ride so you dont have to worry about driving? Maybe a pediatric gyno would have some advice.
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Default Feb 09, 2023 at 01:28 PM
  #3
Thanks, unaluna. I think it is the speculum that hurts so much. I've felt the swab before but that didn't hurt so much, although one time it did make me bleed. Not fun. I know it isn't supposed to last that long, so how can it be that much pain? I don't know. All I know is that people don't seem to believe me when I tell them that I am in pain. They tell me it might be uncomfortable, but not pain. I usually just grin and bear it but I couldn't this last time and told the NP that he needed to stop. I asked him if he could use a smaller speculum or something. I don't know what he did but then it didn't hurt so much and then it was done.

I have my GP appointment on Monday. I am not having as many panic attacks. I am still very anxious. I hope she doesn't tell me to go do a third pap smear. I will not be very happy.

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Default Feb 09, 2023 at 03:12 PM
  #4
That makes more sense to me, that its the speculum. Have you ever been diagnosed with vaginismus? I wonder if they would handle things differently then. I also wonder if you would only get so diagnosed if you had a complaint. Its kinda like, my arm hurts when i do this. Well not if you dont do it except for pap time.

One time i had a petite east indian lady dr who used the tiniest clamshell of a speculum on me, i swear it was at most 2 inches long, and the damn thing bit me. It was like those frog clickers. Then she starts going up in size, maybe half inch at a time? After 3 tries i told her to stop. I was pretty mad, and I am usually waaaay over compliant in drs offices.
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