How was your first pap smear experience?

19 comments

1. Totally fine. Brief discomfort and that’s it.

2. It was fine. I went to student health at my college to a nurse practitioner. I could feel some pressure when she did the swab but it wasn’t painful.

3. Not bad! I was terrified so avoided it for years, had one done last year finally and it really wasn’t bad at all. Uncomfortable for a bit but not painful

4. It was scary leading up to it all. I always heard horror stories so I didn’t get one til I was in my late 20s I think. I was relieved when I didn’t see the metal thing and it was plastic, then I was frightened again when I saw a giant q-tip.

   Overall, it was not bad. It’s a cake walk now that I have had a child. Getting your cervix checked by someone who doesn’t do it well, it’s not a good time. I have heard membrane sweeps can be painful. Glad I didn’t get that done.

5. I got my first one at 28. I always heard horror stories so I didn’t want one nor did I need too cause risk is low being non active sexually but she said I was due. I Took a shot of ciroc before going. And it was over. Very uncomfortable being opened that way but discomfort subsided after the following day

6. It was alright. I expected it to be worse than it actually was. The actual swab kinda just felt incredibly weird, but the speculum hurt a lot. It was over very fast though so it was bearable.

7. Quite painful and I bled. I still find them painful.

8. I was scared and anxious. The nurse reassured me that this is a normal procedure. She walked me through each step what she was doing. I felt more comfortable when she was talking with me.

9. Almost kicked my gyno. PTSD causes reflexes lol she was really sweet and named everything she was going to do before doing it because she knew I was super touch-adverse.

   It was uncomfortable but nothing I couldn’t handle. Felt some discomfort for the rest of
   The day but was back to Normal after the fact.

10. It wasn’t bad at all.

11. Extremely uneventful. Mine usually just feel like a small uncomfortable pinch.

    My primary care doctor lets me just look at my phone or play video games whenever she has to do something down there, like the pap or IUD, etc.

12. The same as every pap.. invading, uncomfortable and a tad painful 😩

13. Extremely unpleasant but it doesn’t really “hurt”..its just the whole sitch that’s awkward and uncomfy. “Relax your legs, you’re gonna feel my touch on your leg now, cold hands here, relax your legs, breathe, now pardon this insane contraption that cranks you open. Keep your legs open and keep breathing while I shine this floodlight on your hooha and I’m gonna just stare directly at your cervix for awhile and notice every hair you missed shaving. Also nice butthole”

14. It was invasive. I went in to get tested because I had just had sex for the first time and it was unprotected and with someone I barely knew.

    I went in and the doctor asked me if I had ever douched* before and I was naive back then, that I thought she was referring to masturabating…which I had done regularly since I was very young. And I lied to her and said i only did it once because I thought it was something shameful to do at the time. Afterwards she gave me this long lecture about how douching* is unhealthy for my vagina and how it self cleans itself.

    She asked me if I was securely active and I said yes so that’s when she decided to give me a pap. Once It was time for the procedure. I was so anxious with my legs spread and her having to tell me over and over again to scoot down and adjust my legs wider.

    She goes in with a regular size clamp thingy, I guess assuming I had a larger hole or whatever and then she realizes I need a smaller one. This was before they used the plastic ones. This was a large metal she was trying to use before she used the smaller one. 😭 It felt like the longest process ever. I was overheating and I’m pretty sure I was shaking.

    It hurt and she was not gentle with it at all. It was done in this very gloomy brown and beige room. I wouldn’t say it was a good experience AT ALL.

    It was at a free clinic in LA if that matters.

15. Painful. I’ve always heard people say it shouldn’t be painful “just slight discomfort” but that has never been the experience with me and I wish it was understood that for some women it will be a breeze and for others if will simply never be fun, and will indeed be painful. And no I’m not being dramatic if I say “This hurts” I mean it dammit lol.

16. It was so painful like someone is stretching your gains and is tearing. Burning pain and I was spotting for the next two days. Could barely walk.

    After so many paps, I learnt there were different sizes speculums. I had a good GP who was considerate enough to use the smallest one she could find for me and the difference was huge. Makes me angry that all the other GPs just used any old speculum on me, no wonder it hurt so much.

17. Totally fine. Even “uncomfortable” would be stretching it. Wish I hadn’t let other women freak me out with horror stories.

18. I didn’t relax when she told me to do the speculum came out which really annoyed her. She was getting more tense which made me tense and unable to relax enough to have it done so she walked out of the room and in came a much older lady who was wonderful! She helped me to relax and keep calm, she was gentle so it didn’t hurt too much, I’m very grateful for her 🙂

19. Wasn’t too bad until later when the same nurse came through my register at the supermarket later that day haha