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General health

smear test

17 replies

debzmb62 · 18/09/2008 18:38

just got this from a friend maybe you ould help i think its a good idea !
petitions.number10.gov.uk/smeartests/?showall=1

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loopylou6 · 18/09/2008 18:59

have tried but the link doesnt work, maybe theres something missing from it?

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debzmb62 · 18/09/2008 22:14
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debzmb62 · 18/09/2008 22:15

right i,ll try and sort it sorry

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whomovedmychocolate · 18/09/2008 22:15

petitions.number10.gov.uk/smeartests/ Here's the correct link

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whomovedmychocolate · 18/09/2008 22:17

But not sure how this helps. Surely women are starting to have the vaccine which covers most cases - yes I know there are still some - but over the next ten years the cohort of women who will get cervical cancer should start to fall.

I don't know any GPs who would refuse anyway, they just don't actively promote them to the under 25s in terms of sending reminders. If you go for contraceptive advice and have a check up they do offer a smear if you are sexually active at any age - at least round here they do.

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HRHMamazon · 18/09/2008 22:21

you can already book a smear test at any age.
they only start to invite you to smear tests as routine after 25 but you are not refused one at any age.

Actually WMMC i suspect that in teh short term we will see a fall in the number of women who have smear tests because they (wrongly) believe that this new vaccine is a cure/prevention of cervical cancer. it isn't!
its a vaccine against an STD that can cause cacnerous cells on teh cervix. it is responsible for around 70-75% of cervical cancers but not all.

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whomovedmychocolate · 18/09/2008 22:24

I know that it doesn't prevent all of them and I think actually we'll see a massive rise in teen pregnancies as well because girls will think they don't need condoms because they are vaccinated against HPV and so it's fine

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mabanana · 18/09/2008 22:27

There are good reasons why the age was changed - ie the large number of false 'positive' results for younger women ie they have abnormal cells, but in younger women they revert to normal without treatment. If women are given aggressive treatment when they are young, it can be very unpleasant for them and also cause side effects when they come to have kids etc.

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debzmb62 · 18/09/2008 22:30

hi whomovedmychocolte thanks for that !! sadly were i am its 25 i thnk it,ll save more lives if they could be tested at 16 if they are sexually active which sadly now a days alot are

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whomovedmychocolate · 18/09/2008 22:37

debzmb62 - a full screen from a genito-urinary clinic will always include a smear and it's unusual for a GP to refuse to test if directly requested (because they want to cover their arses). So there are ways round it. But stupid policy for your area!

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debzmb62 · 18/09/2008 22:45

i know my next door neighbours daughter was told she could,nt have a smear test at 17 and told she,d be called up when she was 25 !
really bad i think she was having a few problems

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whomovedmychocolate · 18/09/2008 22:51

That's appalling - the poor girl. I do hope she complained?

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iLoveIceCream · 18/09/2008 22:53

My friend requested a smear at our local surgery, she is 23 and she was refused one

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whomovedmychocolate · 18/09/2008 22:57

Perhaps this petition is worth signing then. I asked for one at 17 and was given one and had one every two years after that with no issues whatsoever as part of 'well woman' checks.

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iLoveIceCream · 18/09/2008 23:00

i was invited for my first one at 20 and i had cin1 then, imagine if the age hadnt been changed back then.........

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debzmb62 · 18/09/2008 23:01

just copied this from the site !!at the moment, a lot of doctors surgeries hold the rights to refuse a smear test to women under the age of 25. This NEEDS to change! Cervical Cancer holds no limits to what age it strikes! Smear tests can help save womens lives and if they are not available to women under 25, by the time they are offered smear tests, it could be too late. Women from the age of 16, or when sexually active, should be invited to have smear tests - they save lives!

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debzmb62 · 18/09/2008 23:04

wmmc yes her mum complained big time she,s since had a baby so i,m sure she,d get one surly she;s 21 now ?

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