A pap smear should not be a painful procedure. What your friends were probably referring to was the insertion of the speculum. To take the sample, your doctor will put a special instrument called a speculum into your vagina. This helps open your vagina so the sample can be taken. I have felt a little pinch when one was inserted none too gently but you should not feel major pain. You should expect that it will feel ice cold (although I once had a wonderful ob/gyn who warmed it up for me.) Also the doctor will use a little KY Jelly as lubricant for the speculum; that will be icy cold also! Your doctor will gently clean your cervix with a cotton swab and then collect a sample of cells with a small brush, a tiny spatula or a cotton swab. This sample is put on a glass slide and sent to a lab to be checked under a microscope.
It's a procedure that literally takes about two minutes.
Afterward my doctor inserts two fingers and presses on my stomach to check my ovaries. He also does a breast exam which only takes a minute.
I'm trying to lay this all out in detail for you because I was terrified my first time because I didn't know what to expect. If you have a great ob/gyn like mine he/she will tell you everything they're about to do and let you know if you might feel a little pinch/pressure/coldness...
As for your concerns about the result, either way it's a good result. If everything is good, no worries. If the results come back abnormal then you've caught the disease and can make some decisions about treatment rather than going along blissfully unaware. I had abnormal test results last year and my heart dropped into my stomach when I got the call from my doctor's office. I had a colposcopy (which is nearly identical to a pap smear, except they take a larger sample.) Thank God, everything is all right. But I will never put off or refuse to get my annual pap after that scare. I value my health too much.
I hope this information helps to calm your fears.
