First time you experienced a speculum

Ladies,

How old were you the first time a doctor used a speculum on you?

Were you expecting it?

Did you find it uncomfortable?

It was a practice nurse at my first time when I had a speculum. I was 25 and it was my first cervical smear at my GP. Doctors do not do cervical smears it is done by practice nurses. I had my second cervical smear in May this year because it is 3 years later and I am 28. I thought the practice nurses were friendly enough but they were both a bit rough with me when they put the speculums in. When it was in it felt all right and yeah I was expecting the speculums because I knew they are used when cervical smears are done.

But my first speculum with a doctor was in September this year when I had my first full exam with my private gynaecologist. He was a lot more gentle putting the speculum in me and having it there opening me up felt all right and I knew what to expect.

I was 15 and had gone in for my first well woman exam to get birth control. Yes, I was expecting it I had friends that had already had theirs and I knew what a gynecological exam entailed anyway. No I honestly have never found the speculum to be uncomfortable at all.

I was 13 .

He explained exactly what he was doing as he did it .

I was really embarrassed at the time . I was expecting it as the dr told me what it would feel like .

He said something along the lines of ' I'm going to insert the speculum now. It may feel a bit strange as it goes in . When I open it to take a look inside , you may feel like you are being stretched open a bit . Just relax and it will be over with quickly ."

I just lay staring at the ceiling willing it to be over with . It wasn't overly uncomfortable. I've had many , many more since then .

Nikki

I had my first exam with speculum around 2004... So I was 13. I cried. The speculum hurt so terribly. It didn't begin to become tolerable until about 18-19.

I was expecting the exam, but I didn't know what to expect in general. I knew I'd have a speculum exam and a manual exam, but I wasn't expecting the discomfort I experienced.

Now, it's absolutely nothing. I don't mind speculums in real life or play.

Hawky and niknoks,

Was there a specific reason you had exams at 13?

I got sent to a gynaecologist as I started my periods aged 10. From then onwards I had really heavy , painful periods . I'd get such bad cramps that they would make me double over in pain.

From 13 until the age of 16/17 I had an appointment every 6 months with that gynaecologist . He always did a speculum exam at every visit , followed by a internal exam with two fingers .

They never did find a cause . They settled eventually when I went on the pill.

Nikki

I was 17 to get on the pill. yes my sister had told me all about it and the doctor told me what she was going to do as she did it. Yes a little uncomfortable but that might have been because it was my first time.

Bikeo, it was due to starting my period at such a young age. It was also very heavy.

I had some trauma to that area when I was about 5, so they wanted to make sure it hadn't impacted something beyond what they could tell when I was younger.

Wow niknoks, 10 is a little on the young side.

Hopefully everything turned out fine hawky.

For people born in the 1980's and later, menstruating at age 10 is not so unusual.

Whilst I agree that's young I think by today's standards it's at the younger aspect of normal.

I don't think there would be much concern if a ten year old is menstruating so long as normal periods not excessive heavy and anaemic for example.

My eldest started quite young at similar age.

I actually just experienced it for the first time a couple months ago during my first obgyn appointment. My mother had been plaguing me to schedule one, since I was at least 18 considering she thought I was sexual active then ,I wasnt.

I was actually really afraid of having the speculum done. I had friends have it done in high school most of them were sexual active or needed birthcontrol for bad periods. I didn't fall into either of those categories. I was very much expecting it thus why I waited until my 20s because I was afraid it might hurt and I was afraid of being exposed to a stranger.

It wasn't uncomfortable it was just a very strange feeling. I had a practical nurse do it, she was amazing. She was so gentle and talked to me continously to keep my mind off what she was doing. I plan on going back to her and I recommend her to anyone in my part of the city who's looking for an awesome obgyn. She just left me so satisfied with my treatment and she's the most non threatening gentle woman ever.

Agree that ten is no longer on the young side.

I had a bad first time speculum experience. The doctor accidentally pinched me, and I kept bearing down. Luckily, I haven't had a bad experience after that one.

Despite what the rulers of the health care industry say, you know, that 19 year old kid on the phone at your HMO that knows more than your doctor or PA or NP... If a girl is menstruating, there is no reason that age is a factor in a complete GYN exam. Yes, sadly that age has gone down to 10 or 11 and in some cases we have seen as young as 9. Rather frightening in more ways than I care to think about!

I was just turning 18 and admitted to college so I needed my annual exam that summer and saw my doctor, actually for the last time, and received a full exam that included a speculum exam along with all the rest of the probing. I was expecting it as she had told me it would take place following my previous physical. She gave me some literature and by then all of my friends had gone for their "big girl" exams. One needs to trust her doctor and understand that the process is part of maturation and taking care! Still, I do fret some with girls becoming sexually active way to early and not having a clue about birth control or STDs. Yet another story for sure!

I was 15 and it was my first gynecological exam. My mom made the appointment with her male gynecologist and I was taken for my first exam due to menstrual issues. After discussing my history and symptoms he conducted a complete gynecological exam including breast, external, speculum, pap smear, bimanual and recto-vaginal exams.

My wife was 23. She found the speculum very uncomfortable. She felt that the male doctor used one that a too large for her. She reported that he was somewhat rough and never went back to him.

My wife was 23. She found the speculum very uncomfortable. She felt that the male doctor used one that a too large for her. She reported that he was somewhat rough and never went back to him.

@Mike013 I am a bit surprised that he used one that was too big for your wife. He should just be able to tell what the right size is really. My male gynecologist was very gentle with me so I think your wife was unlucky getting a male who was rough.

@Mike013 I am a bit surprised that he used one that was too big for your wife. He should just be able to tell what the right size is really. My male gynecologist was very gentle with me so I think your wife was unlucky getting a male who was rough.

@Amethyst the speculum may have been an appropriate size though her perception was that it was very uncomfortable. She said that she was very nervous being her first exam and the fact that he did not believe her that she was not sexually active at the time just made the experience worse. She will only see a female gyn now.

@molliewhite I have a friend who is a teacher in a primary school (5-11 yrs olds). She has noticed that they are getting more girls starting their periods while at primary school than they used to. This usually happens in the last year of school, when they're 10/11. Sometimes they've been finding it happen in the year before, age 9/10.

Biggest problem for them is when the first period happens at school; and the poor girls have no idea what's happening to them the first time they start to bleed. Trying to reassure them they're OK and "sort them out" can be very hard; then having to ensure that the parent's are aware of what's happening.

@Amethyst the speculum may have been an appropriate size though her perception was that it was very uncomfortable. She said that she was very nervous being her first exam and the fact that he did not believe her that she was not sexually active at the time just made the experience worse. She will only see a female gyn now.

@Mike013 I think he should have treated her like she was not sexually active when that is what she said. I do not know why he thought she was but I think it was arrogant of him to treat her like that and she was very unlucky. But I think a lot of women doctors will be arrogant like that too just because they are other women so I do not think having a female gynecologist is always the answer. My own male gynecologist was really good when I saw him and I would not want to change from him.

@molliewhite I have a friend who is a teacher in a primary school (5-11 yrs olds). She has noticed that they are getting more girls starting their periods while at primary school than they used to. This usually happens in the last year of school, when they're 10/11. Sometimes they've been finding it happen in the year before, age 9/10.

Biggest problem for them is when the first period happens at school; and the poor girls have no idea what's happening to them the first time they start to bleed. Trying to reassure them they're OK and "sort them out" can be very hard; then having to ensure that the parent's are aware of what's happening.

@MCurious I think this means that parents need to tell their daughters about periods a lot younger and sex education needs to be done at the right ages. I think it would be a big shock and frightening too when the first period happens and the girl does not know what it is.

@molliewhite I have a friend who is a teacher in a primary school (5-11 yrs olds). She has noticed that they are getting more girls starting their periods while at primary school than they used to. This usually happens in the last year of school, when they're 10/11. Sometimes they've been finding it happen in the year before, age 9/10.

Biggest problem for them is when the first period happens at school; and the poor girls have no idea what's happening to them the first time they start to bleed. Trying to reassure them they're OK and "sort them out" can be very hard; then having to ensure that the parent's are aware of what's happening.

Well most of the time periods don't just start there tends to be some breast development/ budding and pubic hair growth first etc.

Once changes start then parents should be having "the discussion" about periods.

Shouldn't be a surprise when starts.

At nineteen by my male GP. Remember the clicking sound and feeling the stretching as he opened the speculum.

It was a female GYN, and my first exam. Was about 16, mom took me to her GYN. Was having issues with periods, that was reason for exam. I was expecting a speculum, but wasn't expecting the discomfort. I was still very tight at the time, and the speculum was big, as I remember.

@molliewhite Well most of the time periods don't just start there tends to be some breast development/ budding and pubic hair growth first etc. Once changes start then parents should be having "the discussion" about periods. Shouldn't be a surprise when starts.

I completely agree that parents should be having "the discussion" at appropriate times. Along with other views often expressed in the UK, I think that in some quarters, there is an "un-acceptance" that children are going through puberty at earlier ages - they don't want their child growing up so fast. From my understanding; medical professionals, correct me if I'm wrong; I understand that in girls there is a "trigger weight" which is a key factor in initiating puberty. Unfortunately, with our increasing obesity problem, this weight is being reached at an earlier age.

@amethyst I think this means that parents need to tell their daughters about periods a lot younger and sex education needs to be done at the right ages. I think it would be a big shock and frightening too when the first period happens and the girl does not know what it is.

I completely agree with your comment. Unfortunately, I get the feeling that there is a lot of disagreement on the provision of age-appropriate sex education in primary schools.

I was 16 and in a relationship with an older man (31). I went to Planned Parenthood to be fitted for a diaphragm. I was nervous about the speculum but it really wasn't a big deal.

I was 20 years old, and was dating an older man who was 30. He was not my first sexual partner, but we definitely had sex way more frequently than I ever had before (several times per day, every day). As a consequence, I developed a horrible UTI. I didn't know exactly what it was that was wrong (I never had a UTI before) but I knew it hurt. To stop the burning, I used a cream that contained benzocaine, the active ingredient in orajel and other topical numbing products, to which I am allergic. Well my inner and outer labia swelled and I ended up in the ER. They did blood work, urine sample, and a full pelvic and rectal exam. I had never experienced a speculum before, and the dr definitely did not tell me what to expect. I was so nervous that I was clenching my vagina shut and he couldn't get the speculum in. He tried anyway and it HURT. He told me to relax my muscles, so I did, and he pushed it in. That hurt as well. The whole experience was humiliating and very unpleasant. Thank goodness it was just a UTI.

Going to the gyno is still embarrassing, but I get turned on thinking about it. I love the feeling of being stretched open by the speculum. I even have one of my own at home that I play with.

Rose

Rose, Great post. Thanks for sharing. Do you recall if a nurse was present for the exam? If so was she watching the pelvic ? Thx.