i havent ever had one of thoughs... i am scared to death to get it.. gulp.. this just freaks me out more.... everyone i have spoken to about the dreaded "PAP" has said they dont hurt... GULP>>>
i went for my first one yesterday.. but yes- it hurt after i got it done. but shadowd dreamer- are you sexually active? because its important to get a pap smear! because...i didnt even know i was getting a pap sear done.. she told me it was going to happen, but i didnt realize it was taken until she said "done".
Sometimes the equipment can leave you a little sore, but it shouldn't be too bad. If it is still bothering you in a day or two, call your doctor and let her know. A lot of young womyn tense up, and this makes the muscles spasm and the speculum harder to insert. It can then leave you a little sore and still spasming. Try to breathe deeply when they put in the speculum, and push a little if it is uncomfortable. If it hurts during the exam let the doctor know. It is normal to bleed a little, as they take a tiny bit of tissue from the cervix and this will bleed for a few hours. Some womyn wake the next day with some brown blood. I always wear a pad to a PAP, just so I don't stain my pants. But let your doctor know if it still hurts tomorrow.
do you mean like cramping afterwards? if you do, then i can definitely relate... pap smears give me cramps. i also find sex painful after having a pap done, though thankfully that doesn't last too long. if you have any pain during the exam, you can ask the doc to use the smaller speculum next time. or you can ask the doc to only use one finger during the bimanual exam instead of two.
