Smear test - is it normal to find leaves and twigs?

Less than 1% of cervical cancer is non-HPV. If you don’t have HPV your risk of cancer is vanishingly small and you risk doing more damage by having cells removed unnecessarily.

No she kept going back to the doctor and being fobbed off. I think the media wanted a narrative that here was an idiot who hasn’t had smear tests and if only she had, she wouldn’t have died. But she did have them and by the age of 27 when she was diagnosed, she’d had abnormal cells removed several times.

Oh God, I think I know the one you mean. Horrendous.

We should all have both hpv and cell check

I think she kept putting things off, though, so the cancer had time to take hold...

Yes it is outrageous. We should try to get a petition. Of course it will do no good but it's the principle. Women are being ignored for having the audacity to have non HPV cancer.

Agree with all the comments re: overselling the benefits of testing. Also agree with the stories of pain - I had a mixed experience when young; probably operator dependent. I now actually tear with any speculum inserted so it’s not just a case of ‘a few seconds pain’; it’s agony and the blood contaminates the sample rendering it unusable.

I HPV test. I hear lots of references to the smear being a ‘pelvic exam’ too and that being what makes it worthwhile over HPV testing. I find it hard to believe this is an
effective pelvic exam. For one, in the non-pain days they were in and out so fast, unless there was an actual oak tree up there I don’t think they would have noticed. In the pain days, all attention is on gaining access and blood containment. Not a lot of pelvic exam happening there either. For two, without putting down the skills of nurses, does their training and exposure to cases of actual issues really adequately equip them to make medical judgements short of noting an oak growing out of there? Some nurses might do this day in day out, but many certainly don’t or not at a level to ensure exposure to sufficient cases.

@katepilar It’s a metaphor suggesting that it’s so long anyone looked up there that vegetation may have started growing/dead leaves and twigs could have accumulated.

Post menopause they are very painful.

Instead of engaging people with ridiculous titles, we should all be complaining about the limitations of the current smear test! Currently the test only looks at if you are HPV positive, this is NOT the only indicator for cervical cancer and we should go back to the old smear test criteria!

YABU to tell other women they should go. You didn’t find the smear test painful. Lucky you. Smear tests usually make me tear and bleed. They are incredibly painful for me - I’ve had kidney stones in the past and honestly that hurt less than most of the smears I’ve had over the years. I’m asexual, never had intercourse and so am at low risk. I can make my own mind up, whether to put up with that pain again or not - especially now they only test for the HPV virus rather than abnormal cells afaik.

Because in the grand scheme of things it is minimal. Would you rather go through the pain of having to tell your loved ones you are dying all for the sake of a bit of discomfort? Ive had multiple smear tests and yes they were a bit uncomfortable but rather that than have to go through an operation being cut open to remove cancer or chemo/radiation constantly being sick and losing your hair amongst other things. My mum had abnormal cells and eventually had to have a hysterectomy which was a big recovery time but if it wasn't for them "uncomfortable" smear tests they would never have found it and she would have been leaving 2 daughters and grandchildren behind all for the sake of 5 mins of being uncomfortable.

What is the Raffle study? Would like to look into it too. Thanks.

They are abnormal cells, not necessarily cancerous.

It's click bait.

It has no actual meaning at all - just to try and coax people to open yet another thread on how great screening is and how we must all comply

Yes - that was my conclusion too.

In the event I ever get symptoms I will of course get them checked out but I've had my last smear test.

It is minimal though, a few seconds of discomfort and absolutely worth it. I have two friends currently having treatment for cervical cancer picked up by smear tests.

In New Zealand where I am they do just that now for most women. But you have to do it at the GP practice (nurse explains the process and then leaves you in private to carry it out). I think if you’ve had recent symptoms it’s still an actual smear. After decades of smears I’ve found a lot of variation in comfort/discomfort due mainly to the skill of the operator.

Also in case you weren’t aware (why would you be ) there are different sizes of speculum - I always ask for the longer one as it’s way more comfortable for me - years of experience from IVF . I suspect however most people don’t know to ask for different size

Could someone please explaing the leaves and twigs for me? English is not my native language and I just dont get it. Thanks.

Why have you put painful in quotation marks? Is it to minimise it?

Wtf? Where the hell did you get that from?

For those that wont do it because its "painful" it would be 10x worse if you didn't get it done and then died of cancer all for the sake of a "bit of pain and uncomfortableness" yes it can be painful but the alternative is worse and especially if u have kids and family that would miss you if u died.

Yes Clickbait for a reason. You're a TIM. Only women have smears. Hope that helps you, now toddle off.

Over 99% of cervical cancer is caused by HPV. Globally, it’s 99.8%. It’s good that they don’t do a full test anymore because lots of women in the past had unnecessary treatment on so-called abnormal cells which also risked causing damage to them. If you don’t have HPV you have an incredibly small risk of developing cervical cancer. Men get breast cancer but do you see them get invited for mammograms?