[mjl]

This is kind of embarrassing, but I have to ask,
I just started taking birth control pills, and my doctor told me have to get a pap test done before he'll refill my prescription. I have never got one done before, and my friends told me some stories that scared me! I am scared to have anything "up there" I don't even use tampons because just the idea of it grosses me out.
Is it really that bad to get a pap test, and does it hurt? I really need to know to prepare me for it.

[stormey44]

No it don't hurt u can feel a little pressure but it don't hurt

[newgirl77]

No, they don't hurt. They can be uncomfortable but don't hurt. Take deep breaths and ask the doctor to warm everything up first so it isn't so cold. Let the doctors know you haven't had one before so that they explain everying to you. Its not bad and doesn't take too long. Me and my friend schedule ours on the same day and go to lunch somewhere after for a reward. It makes it better to have something to look forward to when its over.

[J_9]

Just to reiterate what everyone has said so far, no they do not hurt, may be a little uncomfortable, but not painful. Most doctors use the plastic speculum now and they are not as cold as the older metal ones.

I am curious though, how you got on the pill WITHOUT a PAP smear. Most doctors will not prescribe any form of birth control, except the obvious over-the-counter methods, without a PAP smear.

[mjl]

The doctor here did. The policy is, they give you the first prescription with no pap test, but inorder to continue and get more to need it done.
This is actually my second refill but he again didn't do a pap test, and said get one before the 3rd refill. I think it was because he was super buisy, and behind on the appoitments.

[shoegal]

Would it hurt if you've never had sex? Just a curiosity question haha

[J_9]

You don't need them if you never had sex, haha

PAP smears are required yearly AFTER a woman becomes sexually active.

[J_9]

I don't agree with you... pap smears are to see if you have any stds mostly... I got one before I was sexual active. You can get crabs from a toilet seat!!

You don't have to agree with me if you don't want, but as a Nursing student going through the Women's Health and Pediatric rotation currently, I can tell you that ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists) recommends that the PAP smear (Papanikolaou test) is recommended yearly AFTER a woman has become sexually active. PAP smears are not to test primarily for STDs, but also for certain cervical cancers.

While you can get crabs from a toilet seat it is EXTREMELY rare. And, if you are a hygenic person to begin with, you don't sit on public toilet seats.

pap smears are to see if you have any stds mostly... I got one before I was sexual active.

If they are used to detect STDs and STDs are sexually transmitted, why on earth would you need one before you are sexually active? This is an oxymoron.

[mjl]

Wow! This went from pap tests to crabs... very funny lol

[J_9]

You can get HIV more ways than just sex.

are "supposed" to get a pap once a year after being sexually active... but alot of people I know including me have gotten an exam done BEFORE we started having sex to check for EVERYTHING. You can get HIV more ways than just sex.

HIV cannot be detected via a PAP smear. It can only be detected with an ELISA test and/or a Western Blot test. Both are blood tests.

[shoegal]

Oh OK. I was just wondering because I saw it on a movie once where they made a reference to how big the utensil was that they use in pap smears, and how it would hurt a virgin. It was years ago though, I don't even remember what it was. I'm married, and I've never had a pap smear, mostly to avoid the humilliation and awkwardness. I'm freaked out, and I absolutely hate the doctor, like even the dentist I freak out. But thanks for answering my question :)

[J_9]

zawatska23 disagrees: this person is a nursing student, not a doctor.

Please review the guidelines for using the comments feature.

Yes, I am a nursing student, not a doctor, but that does not change the factual answers I gave. As a nurse it is my responsibility to double check everything the doctor does and make sure there are no mistakes being made.

Your answers on the other hand were way off base and not at all based on fact but myth and misinformation.

[mjl]

Haha
Well, I'm about 10000% sure that I don't have any of the above but thanks for the info.