Do you REALLY check yourself...?

stupidusername

ziggy23 wrote: »

Em getting a speculum inserted into your vagina when you are not shall we say lubricated. It's certainly uncomfortable for me

they're meant to lubricate it.

ziggy23

stupidusername wrote: »

they're meant to lubricate it.

Really? I've always found it uncomfortable anyway tend to be sore after but I guess not everyone is. But all I was saying is that some people are afraid to get it done in case it does hurt or they are too embarrasssed which is silly.

Jimoslimos

stupidusername wrote: »

what's uncomfortable about it?

My GF mentions the word 'scraping' - I'd imagine that is uncomfortable.

stupidusername

ziggy23 wrote: »

Really? I've always found it uncomfortable anyway tend to be sore after but I guess not everyone is. But all I was saying is that some people are afraid to get it done in case it does hurt or they are too embarrasssed which is silly.

I haven't had a smear, but have had an STI check which uses a speculum also, and the sore part for me was 'opening' up the speculum. for years my mother always said that getting a smear was 'uncomfortable', and I took this to mean painful, which always put me off. but one day I asked what she meant by uncomfortable, and she said it was just uncomfortable spreading your legs in front of a nurse.

I just think it was worth having that explained. I mean adding a fear to the procedure by saying it's uncomfortable doesn't help. and i don't quite get this embarrassment, I mean how many women spread their legs in front of a man for sex or oral? it's not for the same purpose, but it's the same thing, if not less judgmental.

ziggy23

Jimoslimos wrote: »

My GF mentions the word 'scraping' - I'd imagine that is uncomfortable.

They use like a big cotton bud thing to take away some cells it can be a bit sore. She could be talking about a colposcopy which is done if you have abnormal cells. Now that was bloody painful!

superstoner90

Id check the owl ball bag, but honestly I dont know what im checking for. What size would it be or where exactly should I be checking.

The way I see it, why bother if I have no idea what im checking for. Thats my honest opinion aswell.

token101

Gran Hermano wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu2K4eIqxd4

I've to go check something there, brb.

ziggy23

stupidusername wrote: »

I haven't had a smear, but have had an STI check which uses a speculum also, and the sore part for me was 'opening' up the speculum. for years my mother always said that getting a smear was 'uncomfortable', and I took this to mean painful, which always put me off. but one day I asked what she meant by uncomfortable, and she said it was just uncomfortable spreading your legs in front of a nurse.

I just think it was worth having that explained. I mean adding a fear to the procedure by saying it's uncomfortable doesn't help. and i don't quite get this embarrassment, I mean how many women spread their legs in front of a man for sex or oral? it's not for the same purpose, but it's the same thing, if not less judgmental.

I think if you are tense it's going to be more uncomfortable and I would be quite small down there so that prob doesn't help either:o but it wouldn't be painful at all and definitely get it done it only takes 5 minutes and then you might not need one for another few years.
Oh and I think it depends where you go in my experience some people are more gentle than others like for blood tests etc too!

stupidusername

ziggy23 wrote: »

I think if you are tense it's going to be more uncomfortable and I would be quite small down there so that prob doesn't help either:o but it wouldn't be painful at all and definitely get it done it only takes 5 minutes and then you might not need one for another few years.

I wasn't tense, and I am very small too. I will be getting it done anyway, I just think people talking about the pain or discomfort of these things puts off others from doing them.

superstoner90

A quistion for the lads, To be honest im not sure exactly what im looking for down south. Is it a hard or soft lump ect.?

ziggy23

stupidusername wrote: »

I wasn't tense, and I am very small too. I will be getting it done anyway, I just think people talking about the pain or discomfort of these things puts off others from doing them.

No I think it's more that some people get embarrassed about things like that which is silly. It's not a big deal anyway it's over in 5 minutes.

hollypink

stupidusername wrote: »

I haven't had a smear, but have had an STI check which uses a speculum also, and the sore part for me was 'opening' up the speculum. for years my mother always said that getting a smear was 'uncomfortable', and I took this to mean painful, which always put me off. but one day I asked what she meant by uncomfortable, and she said it was just uncomfortable spreading your legs in front of a nurse.

I just think it was worth having that explained. I mean adding a fear to the procedure by saying it's uncomfortable doesn't help. and i don't quite get this embarrassment, I mean how many women spread their legs in front of a man for sex or oral? it's not for the same purpose, but it's the same thing, if not less judgmental.

My first smear was physically uncomfortable, as in, not excruciatingly painful or anything like that, but a bit sore (I think it was at the opening up of the speculum like you said). I think that's normal enough because there is a natural tendency to tense up. I got some good advice before my next one about breathing and relaxing the muscles and it was absolutely fine. So I don't think when people describe it as 'uncomfortable' they are necessarily talking about embarrassment.

ziggy23

hollypink wrote: »

My first smear was physically uncomfortable, as in, not excruciatingly painful or anything like that, but a bit sore (I think it was at the opening up of the speculum like you said). I think that's normal enough because there is a natural tendency to tense up. I got some good advice before my next one about breathing and relaxing the muscles and it was absolutely fine. So I don't think when people describe it as 'uncomfortable' they are necessarily talking about embarrassment.

Yea some nurses will get you to cough as they are inserting it. I think that helps a bit.

moonshadow

Probably worth a thread on its own..........
"http://www.youtube.com/embed/_4jgUcxMezM"

ziggy23

moonshadow wrote: »

Probably worth a thread on its own..........
"http://www.youtube.com/embed/_4jgUcxMezM"

Was only getting my mam to check the mole on the back of my neck today. She said it looks 'funny' must go and get it looked at. Very easy to forget about moles you can't see.

woodoo

superstoner90 wrote: »

A quistion for the lads, To be honest im not sure exactly what im looking for down south. Is it a hard or soft lump ect.?

http://www.channel4embarrassingillnesses.com/video/how-to-check-yourself/how-to-check-your-testicles/

Rolli

Yes, whilst on Redtube.

Millicent

Larianne wrote: »

I check my breasts every month when its that time of the month.

Isn't it better not to do it then? The last breast check I got the doctor said that your boobs feel different around the time of your periods and may be more swollen or whatever due to hormones, making it difficult to find lumps.

The week after your period begins is the best time to check, all the sites seem to advise.

Larianne

DeVore wrote: »

Got a full blood work-up done last month and a sexual health check done 4 months ago. Good aul rummage every now and then too.

Sure you'd be mad not to?

:cool: Mental image not going away.

Millicent wrote: »

Isn't it better not to do it then? The last breast check I got the doctor said that your boobs feel different around the time of your periods and may be more swollen or whatever due to hormones, making it difficult to find lumps.

The week after your period begins is the best time to check, all the sites seem to advise.

Yeah, probably. Only time I remember. Guess I gotta make a new habit.

Millicent

Larianne wrote: »

Yeah, probably. Only time I remember. Guess I gotta make a new habit.

Celebrate the departure of Aunt Flo with a feel of the auld boobs. :pac:

bfocusd

The embarrassment around the smear tests is I think childish, it's just people winding each other up, you never hear any women talking/complaining about the internal ultrasounds when pregnant, but with something that could save your life, it's sometimes made out to be a joke, I don't understand that attitude to it, I enquired about a smear but I was 22 and my doctor insisted it was unnecessary, I've not had any problems, but I'd still like to be safe than sorry. I will be due one before the winter as I will be 25, I prob will be nervous about results, but in no way would I allow it to shorten my life because of ignorance

I had however a problem with extreme pain in my abdomen over the past year, I insisted something was done and had a full torso ultrasound, external and internal, would that show any abnormal stuff up?

ziggy23

bfocusd wrote: »

The embarrassment around the smear tests is I think childish, it's just people winding each other up, you never hear any women talking/complaining about the internal ultrasounds when pregnant, but with something that could save your life, it's sometimes made out to be a joke, I don't understand that attitude to it, I enquired about a smear but I was 22 and my doctor insisted it was unnecessary, I've not had any problems, but I'd still like to be safe than sorry. I will be due one before the winter as I will be 25, I prob will be nervous about results, but in no way would I allow it to shorten my life because of ignorance

I had however a problem with extreme pain in my abdomen over the past year, I insisted something was done and had a full torso ultrasound, external and internal, would that show any abnormal stuff up?

Hiya I had a similar problem with adominal pain turns out its a dermoid cyst on my ovary am getting it out on Monday. I had to beg for the ultrasound in which they found it. Did anything turn up on yours?

Susie_Q

I found a lump on my breast late last year, after I had just emigrated alone to a country with less-than-quality medical services. To say I was panicked was an understatement.

I got it checked out when I was home for Christmas and had a mixed experience in Beaumount. Got seen quite quickly as they knew I was going back overseas again but the male doctor that examined me was very brusque; had a quick prod and said he couldn't feel any lump and basically told me I was too young to be worried and not to be concerned. Luckily I insisted on getting an ultrasound done where you could clearly see a lump so I knew I wasn't imagining things. Wonderful female doctor did a biopsy there and there and I got the results about 3 weeks later... lucky for me nothing to worry about, just a benign lump.

Very mindful to check myself every now and again, often lumps are nothing to worry about but it's so easy to get it checked so don't put it off.

RachaelVO

WOW, loving the posters who are gonna go and get checked, it's the exact reason I started the thread. Who cares if your doctor thinks you're a fecking nut job, it could be the difference between living to 45 or 85 so just go get bloody well checked out!

The Big Red Button

moonshadow wrote: »

Probably worth a thread on its own..........
"http://www.youtube.com/embed/_4jgUcxMezM"

Great video, really effective.

bfocusd wrote: »

The embarrassment around the smear tests is I think childish, it's just people winding each other up, you never hear any women talking/complaining about the internal ultrasounds when pregnant, but with something that could save your life, it's sometimes made out to be a joke, I don't understand that attitude to it, I enquired about a smear but I was 22 and my doctor insisted it was unnecessary, I've not had any problems, but I'd still like to be safe than sorry. I will be due one before the winter as I will be 25, I prob will be nervous about results, but in no way would I allow it to shorten my life because of ignorance

While most women (like myself) find smear tests to be very quick and easy, I have heard of one or two women who do find them painful.

You do have to bear in mind, though, that aim of the Cervical Check scheme is to identify changes in cells before cancer develops. So, by getting the smear test done regularly when it's due (no matter how uncomfortable it is), you could be saving yourself a whole lot of pain in the long run ... as everyone knows, treatment for cancer is not pleasant!

RachaelVO

chatterpillar wrote: »

you could be saving yourself a whole lot of pain in the long run ... as everyone knows, treatment for cancer is not pleasant!

That's the entire point of the thread! A bit of discomfort to save a whole loada pain, and dying of cancer is probably one of the most excruciating deaths you can suffer!

ziggy23

actually got my letter in the post this morning for my next free smear they must have been reading this thread;)