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Before my first smear test
The letter inviting me for my first smear arrived last month, although I’m not yet 25, they tend to arrive early and my doctors had the availability for 3 weeks time. With that, it was booked in and then it was just a waiting game. There wasn’t even a part of my mind which thought about not getting it done. Despite being anxious, I knew it was something that NEEDS to be done.
I actually saw a video which Zoe Sugg did of her getting a smear test, with the aim of getting others to get them (and people underestimate influencers!) So seeing and hearing about the process in the video, did ease my nerves when I thought about getting the smear test as I had some kind of idea how it goes.
It wasn’t until the day before, I really started to panic. My anxiety kicked in and the idea of getting one seemed almost impossible. I hardly slept the night before. The fear of the unknown took over, even though I’d seen this video, the nurse was nice. I was worried about the nurse being horrible, the pain and everything in between. I had lots of lovely comments on Twitter about getting a smear test when I stated I was nervous, which helped a lot.
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During the test
Before I knew it, I was walking into the doctors and going to get my smear test. The nurse was so kind and could tell I was nervous, she spoke to me beforehand advising what would happen and also advised what was happening during the test step by step.
One of the best tips I was advised on Twitter was to wear a skirt or a dress, this allowed me to just remove my underwear and leave everything else on. That helped me to feel a lot more comfortable. The nurse told me how much she liked my rabbit tattoos and how she has them too- always good to have a distraction.
The test itself includes a speculum, and a swab to take the sample. They lubricate the speculum and the gel is a bit cold, but once it’s in, taking the sample is a weird feeling, as they have to twist around the swab around to make sure they get enough of the sample. Then that’s it. Was over in 2 minutes.
The nurse advised it would be 3 weeks for the results and I’ll find out the outcome by letter.
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Tips for on the day of the test:
- Make sure you eat
I know when I get nervous I tend to skip meals, however, the sugar helped level me out when I got nervous.
- Wear a skirt or dress
Being able to keep items your main item of clothing on often makes you feel more at ease. Jeans/Leggings aren’t something I’d recommend wearing.
- Take someone with you
If you feel extremely nervous about going, take someone with you. Whether you’re wanting them to come with you for moral support or to come the room with you. Having somebody there made me feel at ease even though they were in the waiting room.
- Treat yourself after
After your test treat yourself to something nice, to reward yourself for being brave. I treated myself to a coffee and cake.
- Ask questions
If you’re not sure about any part of the test or would like further information at any point, your nurse will be happy to tell you how it works. Remember they’ve done tons of them, so it really doesn’t bother them, don’t be embarrassed.
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I hope this post has been helpful and if you’re wondering what the test is like, I’d recommend watching the video which Zoe Sugg made of her own experience.
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