Speculum without KY

Actually things seem to have changed for smear tests in UK. When I had my first couple back in 80s and 90s the speculum was just run under the hot water tap to bring it to temp and provide some lubrication. For my recent smears a small amount of Comfgel which must be british version of ky is used on the speculum but also it is a brush now not a spatula and the top of brush is snapped off into a pot, something some nurses warn you about as it can be quite a loud snapping noise. Never good to hear that from between your legs.

Lisa

My ex and I went to her gyno early one time because I saw red abrasions in the rear of her vagina near the cervix.... Thinking it could be something wrong, we went in, had the humorous discussion of how I noticed them and she got a 2nd pelvic that year..

Her woman gyno looked inside, I pointed the spots to her and she promptly said "oh.. those are from impact trauma." I don't think my ego has ever been that big.

My doctor inserts the speculum without KY into my vagina.

The original PAP test that was smeared on a slide could be inaccurate if KY lubrication was used and that is why only warm water was used as a lubricant. Now, the thin-prep vials are used that suspend the cells in solution rather than affixed to a microscope slide. KY lubricants do not interfere with the analysis of these specimens so doctors can use it when inserting the speculum.

Wife's last exam was the first time her Gyn lubed the speculum with FemGlide. Her Dr. is following the new standard of only doing a PAP every 3 years. So, she had a lubed speculum for the internal look this time and will again at the 2015 Well Woman Exam. 2016 will be back to a water lubed speculum insertion for the pap test. FemGlide lubricant is used for the bi-manual and the rectal. That said, I have always noticed that there is moisture going down and making a wet spot on the paper by the end of the breast exam.

Here in the UK the introduction of liquid cytology has meant that a little KY can be applied to the speculum when smears are being taken, only water based lubricants should be used however.

The science is plenty and says the same thing. Lube is perfectly fine for Paps. I use Surgilube for all of my exams. I do not do fertility treatment but do know that there are gels that can be used as they are sterile.

My wifes Dr. has been using KY for years. I have been watching them for thirty four years and I can't remember when the Dr started using lube in place of water.

When I had my exams done the doctor would always use lube but if he was a cute doctor then no lube was needed because I would already be wet lol lol lol

My Dr always uses KY - even when it's not necessary. He was training a med student during one of my visits and explained that even though it's not necessary because I was so wet, they always use it. Needless to say, I never went back to that Dr...

KY does not interfere with the newer PAP smear technology. I suspect most older doctors still insert the speculum without K-Y out of habit.

My gynecologist doesn't use KY for the speculum.

At the exams I've been to with my wife, I've always witnesses the examiner using some form of lubricant on the speculum.

I’ve always had lube used, even before testosterone left me much drier there.

In the past few years, for my wife’s pelvic exams, the speculum has been lubricated lightly with KY. Before that, the specula were always lubricated with warm water only. It was explained to us (we are present for each other’s exams) that current guidelines for the method of Pap test used for her exams allows for some lubricant to be used, since it doesn’t interfere with the results. She really appreciates how much more comfortable the insertion of the speculum is compared to the old water lubricant method!

All my exams with speculum are not with KY. It could interfere with the pap.

Yes all the time. Lube interferes with a PAP smear

With modern liquid based cervical screening the use of a water based lube on the speculum is fine.

The last two in the UK that I have observed did use a small amount of water based lubricant. When I saw my first smear test more then 20 years ago there was no lubricant - just warm water - but the the speculum was metal rather than plastic so went in easier!

Yes every single time. i flinch.

My wife all the time. Lib interfere the pap result. Sometimes a little bit of warm water.

My girlfriend has told me that her gyno doesnt use any ky on the speculum when she inserts it but her dr does use ky for the bimanual and the bi rectal exam afterwards lol

I never experienced any pain or discomfort during speculum insertion. I'm sure I would have remembered. I don't remember if any doctors put lube on the speculum. I know I always had plenty of natural lubrication. I wore pantyliners most of the time.

Several knowledgeable people have commented that lubricant may interfere with the Pap smear. I have read recently that the thinking on this has changed. No?

Back before the modern thin paps the only lube was water and a lot of doctors still follow that standard… Honestly never had an issue myself with it.

No lubricant is used when I get the small duck beak up my virgin vagina. I find the test painful and my vagina feels open and sore afterwards.

Very literally never had a doctor try to insert something without lube. Which makes sense, I suppose I never had a smear done prior to the “current” method that isn't affected by lube. I can't imagine it inserted without lube, I don't think it would even be possible. Water provides no assistance and honestly can make things feel even worse.

Real exams - docs will use water but no lube due to interference with the pap smear.

In play I always use water based lube for insertion.

From what I can gather, it sounds like it is highly dependent on the doctor. If the doctor is older, I think the chance he or she will use lubricant is low. However, if they are younger, that seems to be the new trend as the data suggests that the KY does not interfere with the PAP results. Of course, there are reasons other than PAP smears to insert a speculum, so if that is the case, I think the doctor would be more willing to use lubricant in that instance. I wonder if any peer reviewed studies have been done on this?

Speculum insertion can be associated with considerable discomfort during routine pelvic examination. Physiologically, vaginal entry requires lubrication. However, traditional teaching recommends, if anything, warm water only for lubrication, because lubricants are believed to interfere with Pap and infection tests.

There is evidence that modest lubrication of the external surface of the speculum does not impair cytologic and infectious evaluation of the cervix. This should be reflected in contemporary teaching and guidelines.

As mentioned above in several post it was believed that the use of a lubricant would interfere/affect the results from a PAP smear. There are numerous studies which dispels this belief.