I think it's supposed to be every 2 years after the age of 18, or every 2 years after you become sexually active?

I'm in the same boat as you, but really, they don't care. It's what they do every day, they aren't going to care what you look like down there lol they're only there to help. good luck!

Your supposed to have a pap every year, at least once. You start having them when you start having sex and when you go on birth control.

That how I started. I needed to go on BC and they told me I had to have a pap-smear. I did not like that. I hate the exams myself, but it does get easier. I always have a women doctor, that eases a lot of my discomfort, but no matter what its weird to have some stranger lookin at you.

But pick one doctor and keep her/him. I have had the same doc since I was 16 so now my exams are a piece of cake. My trick is when I am on the table I zone out, try not to think too much or think of a happy place or plan your grocery list, think of anything but the moment.

The exams feel uncomfortable but they arent too painful. Its a little scary at first but its ok.

I jus had a pap-smear 3 just over 3 months ago. I had been so nervous for so long about getting one that i got sick to my stomach. To tell you the truth its really not that bad at all. Nothing like i expected. What my dr told me...."if you have had sex or if youuse tampons it will be a breeze". And it was...it just gets a little tight down there when they insert the . Kinda like the same feeling if you were to insert your fingers in your mouth and pull lol or if u were to pull your fingers apart...just the stretching feeling in general. THen when they actual go inside to recieve the cells...all it feels like is well kinda like you have butterflies in your tummy. It a longer stick like thing with what appears and feels like a toothbrush bristles. It's really not that bad. And i'm prettu sure they usually ask you if you want to be tested to STD's while they are down there. And i had my dr do that...all that is, is a long q-tip or two that they take a few swabs with. It's really nothing to worry about. I made my bf go with me...granted that he waited in the wainting room for me and didn't come in still made a difference, but that could be just me also... i just like to know that someone i know is close by! But as the previous person stated...it also make me feel more comfortable with a female dr and it helps to have the same one every time! Hope i helped and good luck hun!

It's not that scary

You need one if you are over 18, or if you are sexually active.

You need one every single year.

Basically, you'll go to the clinic, sign papers etc, and then be given a cup to pee in, if you want a pregnancy test lol. Then, they will take your weight ad blood pressure, and the set you up in a room ad leave you with the paper cloak that is completely huge! Off go the clothes, on goes the giant wrap-around... dressy kind of thing. Cold! I'm always freezing haha!

So, the gyno comes in at last, and does the same-old stuff, going over the multitudes of papers you filled out before hand. Then, it's on to the exam!

Breasts come first, and he or she will moosh them a bit. Then the external pelvic exam, which involves smooshing your stomach and always tickles me. Now, finally, it's the internal exam!

The doctor will lube up a speculum, which really in all honesty looks like a hair curler, except either of plastic or - if you're lucky - it's actually metal, and warmed Mmm, nice. I only got that good of treatment once, at a Planned Parenthood!

The doctor will insert it. As long as you are relatively relaxed and not squeezing your vagina shut like a clam, this should be pretty painless. Just let the doctor do their thing and make funny faces and noises if it hurts. How else will they know, right? lol.

Next, the speculum is opened up. This feels weird, darn weird. But it doesn't hurt. The doctor will peek inside, and then swab your cervix.

If any part of the procedure is going to hurt, this may be it! Some women have very sensitive cervixes, so swabbing it can hurt. It's a very odd feeling anyway; a kind of "internal" feeling. Like someone's touching your liver or something; just not what normally happens!

So, that's over. The speculum is closed and removed, and then the doctor sticks his/her fingers back up there! They moosh everything around again, and press on your stomach again and squish everything to make sure it's there. More tickling, if you're me.

Then s/he's done! They'll exit so you can dress up, and then they come back in and discuss what they saw, which is normally nothing aside from a normal vagina and cervix.

Thats a pretty good description if you ask me!

I always find it weird when people say they are sexually active but not comfortable with someone "down there".

If you're sexually active, having a doc down there is no different! Maybe even easier, because they aren't trying to get anything out of the experience lol. And if you're adult enough to have sex, you better be adult enough to be responsible and get medical care.

I agree with everyone else's descriptions. Your doc can also test you for STD's during a pelvic, but you might have to ask for it. They can also discuss birth control with you. (And probably will if you're young and sexually active)

Only other thing- some doctors will include a rectal portion of the exam to get a better feel of your reproductive organs. They just slide a well-lubed finger up there and with another couple fingers in your vagina, they feel around. Not all docs do this, but it's part of a REALLY thorough exam, lol. Not painful or anything, just weird like the rest. I've only had that done once. And she told me what she was doing and explained it all, talked me through it.

I've always had doctors who talked me through everything, telling me exactly what they were going to do and how it would feel. That really helped me. And I've always requested a woman doc. Just makes me feel better.

When/if they do the part where they put their fingers inside of you its because (or at least what my dr told me) she is feeling for my ovaries to make sure they are both there and that neither are swollen or feel abnormal.