Anonymous wrote:Who cares if it is overkill, it is super important that OP gets a pelvic exam and a pap smear regularly. Please try whatever you can to get one, whether it is taking medication, changing doctors, biting down and fighting through it. Take care of you.

Signed,
someone who recently was diagnosed with uterine cancer who skipped her pap smears for 2 years because she just didn't like doing it and now has big regrets

I'm so sorry for your diagnosis but i don't think paps diagnose uterine cancer so it may not have helped! Don't beat yourself up! Paps are for cervical cancer screening. Uterine biopsy looks for endometrial cancer. Best wishes to you!!

Ask to insert the speculum yourself. It helps me not tense up

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sedation for an routine pelvic exam is an overkill. Ask your doctor for Ativan or Xanax and take it an hour before your Pap smear.

It might not be if OP has experienced some kind of sexual trauma.

I've never experienced sexual trauma of any kind, my mind and heart are ok with the idea of an exam, my body says "no" for some reason.

I was in your shoes, no history of sexual trauma or abuse of any kind. It was still vaginismus. I used the program, the books + "dilators", which are really just graduated dildos on Vaginismus.com. I used it about 12 years ago to prepare for my first pelvic exam. Prior to that, the I wasn't even able to insert a Q-Tip. I tried to get a pelvic exam before that and it went poorly, to say the least.

Xanax or Ativan won't help you if you have a severe case of v.

I second this. I had the same issue and fixed it the same way.

I third this. I had the same issue and used the same set plus xanax to get through my first exam.

I completely understand wanting to have sedation during a pelvic exam. Nothing is worse than hearing, oh you will just feel some slight presssure just breath, just relax. Just take a muscle relaxer. I have done all that and still feel like someone is splitting me and tearing me when that baby speculum goes in. I suffer from vaginal atrophy and believe me it is not just a little discomfort. I am 64 years old, had a pap smear every year until vaginal atrophy. I am on hormonal cream and OTC replens, please don't tell someone what they feel. Unless I am sedated I will not be having another pelvic exam.

Anyone have any updates for this in 2018? Looking for a gyn in the area that offers pelvic under sedation... it's the only way I managed to get through one so far, and really want to be able to rule out any cancer possibilities!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sedation for an routine pelvic exam is an overkill. Ask your doctor for Ativan or Xanax and take it an hour before your Pap smear.

It might not be if OP has experienced some kind of sexual trauma.

I've never experienced sexual trauma of any kind, my mind and heart are ok with the idea of an exam, my body says "no" for some reason.

I was in your shoes, no history of sexual trauma or abuse of any kind. It was still vaginismus. I used the program, the books + "dilators", which are really just graduated dildos on Vaginismus.com. I used it about 12 years ago to prepare for my first pelvic exam. Prior to that, the I wasn't even able to insert a Q-Tip. I tried to get a pelvic exam before that and it went poorly, to say the least.

Xanax or Ativan won't help you if you have a severe case of v.

I second this. I had the same issue and fixed it the same way.

Anonymous wrote:My Dr. Has difficulty getting enough cells to test for my yearly pap. Says due to my tipped uterus. A regular pap is EXTREMELY painful. I'm left bleeding and still he does not have enough cells! Then I have to have it repeated... sometimes 3 times!!! AND I TAKE A XANAX before I go - it's not me it's the shape of my body that prevents a good sample. I'm sick of the torture. Any suggestions???

If others paps were normal, I would skip it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sedation for an routine pelvic exam is an overkill. Ask your doctor for Ativan or Xanax and take it an hour before your Pap smear.

Why is it overkill for a routine pelvic exam, but not overkill for a dental cleaning? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but since sedation dentistry has taken off I've wondered this.

A pelvic exam is (should be) quick and painless. Nobody is drilling into your vagina.

Are you a man? It always hurt, several providers to date so I can't blame one doctor.

+1

Sounds like a comment by a man who has never been through this. I'm also someone who does not have any sexual trauma history, and getting a pelvic exam feels like drilling into my vagina every time. I don't bleed, but it's *incredibly* painful.

My doctor knows I get anxiety over it and talks her head off about some random subject during the exam to try and distract me. It's thoughtful, but doesn't really help. I just have to remind myself that it'll be over in about 20 Mississippi seconds... 19 long seconds... 18 more super long seconds... etc.

I agree with the previous posters that it always hurt (incredibly painful) and I have had no sexual trauma history. I can now only tolerate a qtip and even that hurt and I had to hold the nurses hand and try to breathe. I felt embarrassed for acting like that but couldn't help it no matter how mentally prepared I tried to be. I am not sure if I have Vaginismus and maybe that is what it is. How do you get diagnosed with Vaginismus? If a person doesn't currently have a sexual partner can you just live with Vaginismus as it only affects pelvic exams or will you get chronic pelvic pain due to the muscle spams. Maybe I have a condition and all along I thought it was me.

Not OP nor do I have issues but I do need a couple of things done and always wonder why they can't be stacked. For example, I need an upper GI Why can't I get my old fillings replaced at the same time?

I obviously know the answer but still, efficient medicine = less expensive and more efficient.