Page 4 | Does everyone hate smear tests as much as me?

procrastinatinglemon · 2022-10-20T17:13:42+00:00

I know we all dislike them but I'm trying to work out if I'm being immature and over the top about this. Last one I cried because it hurt but also because I just felt so vulnerable. I experienced some low level sexual abuse as a child and I'm not sure if this is why I hate it so much or if everyone does and I'm normal! I can't relax when they say to, it's impossible.

Kat786 · 21/10/2022 16:06

A few stats for you OP. A woman’s lifetime risk of cervical cancer is just 0.65%, CRUK. There are around 30,000,000 women in the UK of whom around 1000 a year die of this cancer. You have 99% to be ok and never have this cancer anyway
if your really worried, you can source a self test HPV kit from Superdrug UK Online for around £50, it’s a swab on a long stick you insert yourself and detects HPV in vaginal secretions. Is this an option you’d be comfy with? Most people with HPV clear it on their own in around 2 years. Even with high risk strains, you are very unlikely to develop cervical cancer
I opted out of smears in 2015 after refusing them for 15 years.
in no way are you being unreasonable. Your feelings are totally valid.

tuttifruit · 21/10/2022 16:10

Everyone's different. I don't mind them, never had a bad experience with it

Kat786 · 21/10/2022 16:14

Another stat: around 900 women in the UK die in falls each year, do you ever worry about dying in a fall? Cervical cancer is RARE! I really don’t personally understand the hysteria around it, and the way smears are pushed so much… we’ll I do because GP surgeries receive financial incentives if they can persuade enough of their women patients to “accept “ their “invitations “?!
Even severe cell changes can revert to normal by themselves, medics can’t however predict which, which is why everyone is offered treatment. Under the old style test for abnormal cells around 200,000 tests each year came back abnormal. Obviously there weren’t that many cases of cancer, so I’m guessing many were over treated….

LeMoo · 21/10/2022 16:18

I'm usually fine with them but last one the scraping was a bit sore/felt tender...is that normal?

It was over quite quickly though and I won't let it put me off future ones. Fortunately I don't have to overcome trauma to have them and i really feel for those who do.

Girasoli · 21/10/2022 16:59

I think everyone is different, I prefer them to going to the dentist personally.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 21/10/2022 23:10

Girasoli · 21/10/2022 16:59

I think everyone is different, I prefer them to going to the dentist personally.

I think I do too come to think about it. I hate mammograms though, find it really painful.

Moonatics · 21/10/2022 23:16

BEAM123 · 20/10/2022 18:47

No, I also hate them. I am terrified of speculums (because of the way my first ever smear was delivered, which was abusive). I get sweaty palms the minute the invitation letter drops through the door. They give me diazepam which knocks the edge off the fear but even their most experienced staff still don't always manage to find my cervix (it's tilted) without causing so much discomfort e all give up.

There are positioning techniques to make it a bit easier and you can explain to your GP surgery and ask for a longer appointment at the end of the day so the staff have time to take time and make you comfortable.

Just opt out.
I did years ago and the relief is indescribable.

Same for OP, opt out.
If enough women opted out then a new way would be found that wasnt as frankly bloody awful as the current set up.

XenoBitch · 21/10/2022 23:22

If anyone is wondering how to opt out, then you can do it here...

www.csas.nhs.uk/contact-us/screening-cease-info/

That should stop the letters from the NHS.

You will still need to inform your GP too.

Mapleapple · 22/10/2022 08:28

Kat786 · 21/10/2022 16:14

Another stat: around 900 women in the UK die in falls each year, do you ever worry about dying in a fall? Cervical cancer is RARE! I really don’t personally understand the hysteria around it, and the way smears are pushed so much… we’ll I do because GP surgeries receive financial incentives if they can persuade enough of their women patients to “accept “ their “invitations “?!
Even severe cell changes can revert to normal by themselves, medics can’t however predict which, which is why everyone is offered treatment. Under the old style test for abnormal cells around 200,000 tests each year came back abnormal. Obviously there weren’t that many cases of cancer, so I’m guessing many were over treated….

I am not for a second saying women should have a smear if they don’t want one but these statistics are not particularly helpful. 1,000 women may die but how many have cells treated earlier which stops cancer developing? Would that same number be detected by at home testing, if so great, but do we know this yet?

Also comparison to falls is just silly, falls are not a disease that can be caught early and treated. There are lots of things with a higher chance of killing me that I can’t avoid, so I we should try and prevent the things we can!

Kat786 · 24/10/2022 15:56

Mapleapple, you raise an interesting point, how many lives will the new self test save? The speculum exam now tests for HPV in the sample too
But actually, there were NO control trials when the old style test was invented back in the day by Dr Pap! No controls comparing smeared and unsmeared women. The test was just rolled out and inflicted on us!

Calandor · 24/10/2022 16:41

Yes I despise them. I've only had one (age 27) and physically shouted because of how much the speculum hurt. Begged her to stop and she just kept saying 'almost done' but carrying on.

People say it doesn't hurt but it bloody hurt me.

I really don't want to go back tbh.

Mydoggosarethebest · 24/10/2022 16:51

At my smear test the nurse was so rough when she shoved the speculum up there she made me bleed! I then got a letter saying because of the blood they couldn't do the test, and could I go back for a repeat! No thanks.