Please help, I'm too scared to go for my smear !

The title says it all!

I'm 36 so have had a few before and they have been painful and on one occasion the slide was broken in transport and I had to go back again........ that was in 2000 and I haven't been since

Can anyone tell me what they are looking for apart from cancer; I haven't had children and have had no gyno problems in the past so I feel I must be up for one and that has made me very very panicy about any check ups.

I've spoken to the nurse and she has said to take a couple of pain killers an hour before but I'm getting myself in a right state

I'm a real ostridge when it comes to illnesses and stupidly would rather not know if anything was wrong

Argh

aww bless you they are only looking for abnormal cells its an easy procedure ive got mine on tuesday have been putting if of but im going deffinately on tuesday yes they can be painful at times just relax when they are doing it and you will be fine

don't know a woman who like them being done BUT its important that it is done
but you already know that hun x

Please make sure you go for it.
Explain to the Nurse you are nervous, as you have been hurt in the past.
Take your time, and ask the nurse to go at your pace

Thank you all for replying.

I know it needs to be done but then I think, "well it's our anniversary, bithdays, christmas, easter............ and we don't need bad news to spoil those events"!!! paranoid on this Moi?

Have things got easier over the last six years? I still remember a contraption being used that was freezing cold and made a noise similar to a car being jacked up

Think they still use the 'duck' thing! But i'm sure it didn't make a noise when I had my smear!
Luckily it didn't hurt me, it was just uncomfortable

i had one done a few months ago ....no it wasn't a cold metal thing it was plastic and didn't hurt at all ...

the gadget thing they use these days is smaller and yes its cold but it only takes a few seconds to do and thats it its all done and out the way

OMG I thought the procedure was fowl

And they use a small brush thingy, and it doesn't hurt at all. It's much better than it was.