If you have found your last smear to be uncomfortable you may benefit from using some topical vaginal oestrogen a few weeks before your next smear.
You can put a prescription request in for this- stating it is for your smear test. It if you do this around 3-4 weeks before your smear.
Around the perimenopause (years leading up to the menopause) and menopause women’s level of oestrogen goes down in the body.
Lower levels of oestrogen can cause vaginal dryness, soreness and other urinary symptoms. Sometimes women find sex painful and smears.
There is an easy solution to this, by using Vagifem vaginal pessary for 2 weeks prior to your test and then having a break for 5- days before the smear women have found it’s much easier for them. It replaces the natural vaginal oestrogens making the skin softer and less sore.
If you have found that you have benefited from Vagifem you can talk to your GP about continuing to use it long term. Many women have found it reduces the amount of urine infections they get and makes sex less painful.
Click here for more information about the menopause in general .
