Redgirl

You know, my PP clinic has a warming drawer that they keep all the metal instruments in. So I haven't had a cold speculum in years. Every office should get one of those!

I usually don't feel the scrape, but I had a student nurse one time that got carried away and I spotted for an hour or so afterwards. That one kinda hurt I must say.

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Thought for the day: Men are like fine wine. They start out as grapes, and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

veruca

the worst part of my regular visit is the 2 finger insert...i am very small, and it takes some warmign up to get 2 in there when i want them there, let alone when i don't


but the WORST ...i had to have a coloscopy...where they take 3 samples from your cervix...with a long hollow needle...everyone told me that it would just feel like a bad cramp..they LIED...it was the most unbelievable pain i ahve ever felt....i actually fell halfway off the table the first time she inserted it...after, i sat in the car shaking and crying for an hour until i could drive myself home

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raeanna74

I totally feel for ya hon. I HATE it. They minimize how bad the pain can be. It's like they can't even acknowledge the pain of it. If there's ever a next time they they have to do that you can demand painkillers that you take before you even get there. It's still VERY uncomfortable but somewhat less so with Codine and 4 Ibuprophen in your system.

I've had more than one. Mainly cause I'm always getting BV which causes inflammation and shows up on PAP's as abnormal cells.

Edit: They didn't use a needle on me. They scraped my cervical canal with a sharp spoon and the snipped pieces off my cervix with curved scissors. The sticking things up inside my cervix was the worst part.

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Rubyee

Yuck. I hope I never have to do anything like that.

I had been to one doctor that used the metal speculums in the warming tray, but they were still far from warm.

My recent doctor uses the plastic speculum, and no amount of lube will help get that thing out without feeling like it is taking you with it.

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minyn

<b> they always have cold hands</b>

enough said.

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StickODynomite

Yes, i have to agree, cold hands are a downer. I hate the PAP .. and the lubbed finger insertion thing when they push down on your tummy. I really can't stand their fingers in my anus, but..Overall -- it's not painful, just uncomfy.

I'd rather get a PAP done than getting blood drawn tho. I hate getting that done

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Cedar

I can deal with the fingers up my ass.

I can deal with that thing that looks like a curling iron.

I can deal with them pushing on my ovaries and scraping and muttering and whatnot.

What I cannot deal with is them telling me that because I've never had children, I have to go through counseling and be 35 years old before they'll even consider tying my tubes or giving me the Essure procedure. I am not crazy, nor have I changed my mind about having children in twenty years. I promise not to sue if I change my mind about kids, because I already have so many back problems that I'd rather adopt and not run the risk of damaging my back further by becoming pregnant. I'm fully cognizant of the responsibilities of having a child but because of this, I'm crazy? Don't think so.

THAT is what I hate about going to the gyno.

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ironchefrocks

My N.P. is always very nice and takes her time talking to me, and the exam is usually over rather quickly. However this last time she couldn't find my cervix (!!) so she had to try with the speculum 3 times before deciding to use an 'extra long' one. She said it's more on the upper part of my vagina rather than the back so it was hard to get to. A little embarrassing, but not too bad.

The digital rectal exam is used by some doctors if you tilt that way, so I understand. And I must also agree that the ovary checks are the most uncomfortable part of the exam.

Kitenn Kaboodle

I have several things that sorta tie for the worst part. First off I have panic attacks, you know you get that whole urge to run, but your laying pretty much naked with a paper robe waiting for the doctor to come. It's awful.
Secondly the pushing on the ovaries always brings tears to my eyes, cause there are always one or two cysts there.
Last every time they do the scrape, I bleed all over the doctor and get told I will likely have to do it all again.

This year I am just dreading it, cause I am late for both it and my mammogram. Cancer runs heavy in my family and now I have to let him know half of my mom's side has either had colon cancer or polyps. I thought turning 35 sucked.. Looks like it is just gonna get worse from here lol.

Squishor

Wow it sounds like so many of you have terrible experiences. I used to work at Planned Parenthood (my first regular job, age 17 to 19) and I got comfortable with the whole thing. Plus I had more than my share of problems, so I had tons of exams before I even turned 18, mostly from people who I knew and trusted. I guess I got off easy. That said, I have had my share of unpleasant experiences, largely due to the problems I've had... I remember one doctor who was very rough with me when I had PID and could barely walk I was in so much pain. I never went back though. I'd say if your gynecologist doesn't warm up the speculum or make you fell as comfortable as possible, shop around!

I should take my own advice - I got my tubes tied a over a year ago and haven't been to a gynecologist since.

Oh, and I hate mammograms, even though I've only had one, but I'm small, so it's not like I really have much to fit into the sandwich machine thing they use. It's like, hello, they don't stretch like that!

Jonsgirl

You know, I don't exactly enjoy the expierence, but I don't think it's that bad. It's just one of those things you have to do. Of course, I'm in the medical field, so I have a different perspective on a lot of things like this.
The only problem I really have is when it's one of the doctors that I work with every day. Now, that REALLY sucked.

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thubpt

I feel your pain

My last gyno appointment, however, my doctor was very sympathetic, and almost cried herself when she saw how much pain I was in. Her sympathy didn't make the pain go away, but it definitely made it much more bearable.

As far as the cancer kick goes, hang in there. The wonderful thing about science and medicine is that it's growing by leaps and bounds every year. The things that killed our grandmothers are turning out to be easily managed now. Keep the faith, and stay strong.

- sorry for the mini-jack, and let the gyno appt bashing continue -

Acetylene

My doctor uses all plastic tools so they don't feel very cold. I hate two parts: the swab, which is really more like a frikken pipe cleaner, and when they are feeling around and bump into my g-spot and it feels good that TOTALLY creeps me out!

I've never had a coloscopy but now I am FREAKED OUT! Snipping peices OFF? I can feel my cervix! I'm gonna feel my coloscopy! AUUUGH!

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cali

I agree with all of the responses 100%. But I have often wondered if these procedures were done on men, how many advances with the equiptment to make it more comfortable, would have already been designed?
I have only had one comfortable experience, I got undressed in a private changing room with a small wall heater blowing on me, the room was a medium tone pink with curtains and music playing, there was a pillow on the table, but the nicest part was
I was given the"Mel room", tacked to the ceiling above the bed was a picture on Mel Gibson smiling, so I could pretend that it was him done there and not the doc'. that was pretty cool, that and it was a woman, who had the most softest touch, I wholeheartedly recommend women gyn's over men. sadly, had to move still searching for one similar.

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combatmedicjen

I had several "squamous intraepithelial lesions" (that's fancy talk for sections of abnormal and possibly precancerous cells) on my cervix about a year ago.

After 2 abnormal pap smears they did a biopsy (colposcopy), which they do NOT give you anesthesia for. Just Ibuprofen! And they use silver nitrate to cauterize the wound, so you have black clumps coming out of you for several days. Very strange.

Then I had several layers of my cervix frozen off with cryotherapy. Yes, frozen! For this they stick a speculum up your coochie snorcher that has liquid nitrogen running through it and freeze your cervix for ten minutes. Then you get a rest before they do it again for ten minutes. Then, over the next several days, your cervix "sloughs off." All the meanwhile you have to insert a cream into your vagina to promote healing and ward off infection. The cramps are awful, and you can't have sex!!!!

So, my least favorite part about the pap smear? Every last second of it. From the moment you get in the car to go to your doctor's office to the second you leave, I hate it all!

amonkie

The part where they called me today and said : "I'm sorry, when I said earlier your results were normal, I lied. We need you come back for some more tests."

Apparently I've got the same thing you had Combatmedicjean, so time to schedule my appointment for a day of poking hell.

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thubpt

Yeah, I had that happen to me last week. All of you ladies who've had abnormal paps - how long does the pain last when they try to remove the cells?

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CinnamonGirl

Yeek...I have an appointment with a new doctor in a couple of weeks...not looking forward to it now. (heh, not that I was all excited and giddy before.)

I guess I've lucked out so far...nothing really bad or really painful. I hate stripping down and putting on the paper robe, though; I'm always afraid someone's going to walk in, so I change as fast as humanly possible.

On the "butt thingy", I remember reading a magazine blurb that a lot of docs DON'T do it, and if they don't, you should ask them to.

Yeah...I haven't asked.

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NoLa

When the doctor is sitting at the edge of the table and your wide open right to their eye level.

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ShaniFaye

ok...just got back from mine oh joy of joys, cold speculum, I couldnt avoid the finger up the butt....it just doesnt feel the same as when dave does it during sex hehehe

boobs mashed to hell and back...questions about just why I'd had my nipples pierced

BUT..Dave had come home from work early and cleaned the bathtub for me so that I could come home and soak and try to get all the oozing ky jelly out ahahaha

gosh I love that man...well except for the offer for him to stick his finger in my ass to remind me that I DO sometimes like that hehehe

*edit* I just had to add that he also got me red velvet cake to make me feel better

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StickODynomite

Awwwh, that's so sweet. That's also why I'm still with my man.. he loves to spoil me and I'm not one to complain.

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"The human mind is like a parachute, it works best when open."

jenjen

I had a creepy experience last year, so I will only have women gynecologists from now on. What happened was I was in the room in the stupid paper robe and I overheard a conversation going on the other side of the wall. It was two doctors, one asking the other how his day was going and the other said not bad "I've seen a couple of hot pu**ies this morning so daddy's good". If that wasn't bad enough a couple of moments later, the doctor comes in and it was the SAME one who said that - I recognized his voice right away. I told a friend who talked to a friend who is in med school and heard that the majority of the guys in med school who want to be OBGYN are just perverts who get their jollies from it. So anyway I will never have a man gyno again.

Missy

I've never really had a bad experience, I've only had women OBGYN's. I dated a few med students in my day and can agree with jenjen, most of the male OB's have some serious issues. Icky.

Maleigh99

The part I don't like, is when you are laying there, and they ask you to put your feet up and spread your legs. You feel like you're just letting it all out for everyone to see. Then they say, you need to spread them wider. I'm just thinking, isn't that wide enough! Then I realize my knees are pretty much locked together. Sucks. I have a check up in two weeks!