Swabs...help!

[Jade89]

I have to go for some vaginal swabs on Friday and i'm scared

Fair anough ive been through internals and childbirth but that was because I had no choice.

I have no idea what to expect, has anyone else been for swabs or smears or anything?

How do they go about me taking my lower kit off? Do I go behind a curtain and undress or just whip my pants down on the couch?

Help!

 

[M&Ms]

It will be pretty much like when you have a smear test done. They'll use the vaginal speculum and do it that way. Shouldn't be anything to worry about

 

[Jade89]

I have never had a smear...they only do them for over 25's now don't they?

This is why I am so clueless lol

 

[Jaded Diamond]

they normally get you to undress your bottom half and give you a blanket to put over your lap.
Then you have to put your feet together and just let your legs flop like <> (if that makes sense)
When they're doing mine i normally just chat away or read the posters on the wall cos if you tense up it can take a bit longer. They don't hurt though.
Hope that helps xx

 

[purplepants]

I have never had a smear...they only do them for over 25's now don't they?

This is why I am so clueless lol

i cant believe youve never had a smear, i had to have them since i was 19 (after having my first child)

Its nothing to worry about though, they usualy ask you to go behind a curtain, remove your lower clothing & hop onto the examination bed/table thing (sometimes they give you some of that blue paper stuff to cover up with so you dont feel totally exposed )

Good luck

 

[Jade89]

Aww thanks, hopefully they won't be the stuck up nurses

Nope never had a smear, never been asked to. I had my little girl at 17, i'm now 19 and never had an appointment for one.

 

[Potbelijo]

I have never had a smear...they only do them for over 25's now don't they?

This is why I am so clueless lol

Yeah I think that's scandalous to be honest. They were regular things when I was young, and just as well too. I had pre cancerous cells at 23, it was cauht in time and everything is hunkydory. It used to be you started the regular smears as soon as you were sexually active.

Aaanyway they's ask you to go behind the curtain and remove your pants. I usually wear a skirt so I can just hitch it up rather than have to take trousers off. Lie on the couch and get as comfy as possible. They normally ask you to raise your knees with your feet shifted up then drop your knees outwards.

I know it feels undignified and embarrasing but try to keep in mind they do this everyday and they've seen it all. It can little uncomfortable but the more relaxed you are the better.

As M&Ms said they'll use a speculum. It's a long silver device that they use to open you up a little bit. You'll feel them scrap a little bit inside which can make you feel a bit crampy for a few seconds then they remove everything and it's over.

If you tell them you've never had one before they should explain everything for you. They're usually really nice about it.

 

[HollyHobby]

They might just let you do it youself which wont be bad at all. They're just after discharge not cells like a smear, so I cant see why you cant just do it yourself, plus not everyone likes to do an internal when in first tri.
Best of luck

 

[KikoDinoGirl]

I tend to wear a long skirt in order to retain some element of dignity rather then trousers and stripping from waist down. I hope it works out okay

 

[Nikki77]

Hi. I had 2 go into hospital last wk and while there they did a swab. Like everyone else said u take bottom half of clothes off then lay somethin over u. They insert a plastic thing which has gel on so slips in easy then they put somethin like a long cotton bud in, u dont even feel it touchin u then they put it in a plastic container 2 send off. They then take the plastic thing out and give u tissue 2 wipe yourself off down bellow then go other side of curtain while u get dressed. U honestly wont feel any discomfort at all. Good luck.

 

[Jade89]

Thanx everyone

I don't do skirts so it will have to be a long top thats the part I will hate, getting from the screen to the couch with no pants on lol, im so silly I know but im so self conscious!

 

[Frog99]

I wore a skirt when I had my smear cos I couldn't work out the logistics of being embarrassed.
When I had my internal scan, they gave me a blanket to wrap around my waist while I went from changing room to bed.
When i had a chylamidia test a couple of months ago, the doctor gave me a swab and sent me off to the toilets to do it myself - much better than the doctor doing it!

I hate embarrasing stuff like this but to be honest when I had my internal scan, the sonographer was a bloke, and then there was a medical student and a midwife and my OH in the room. I was mortified as I entered the room. Everyone was really nice and put me at lease and I was so concerned with finding out about the baby I didn't really get embarrassed at all!