Do you go for smears?

[Fieldoftrees]

O only ever had one smear test when I was in my 20s. I meant to go back a few years later but I never did. Then it was an appointment that I was meaning to make for a long time but then sometimes my schedule and then where I am in my monthly cycle just quite simply doesn't allow it. I know its excuses but it's genuine. Then it slips my mind and I forget about.

Lately I am getting emails from my gp practice with reminders about the smear. I know its something that I probably should be doing but I am nervous too.

I go every 3 years when I get the letter reminder. Had my last one on Monday and I couldn’t even feel it. Some nurses are better than others as some have been pretty uncomfortable.

Yes, yes, yes. I always go without fail.

Don't view it as a medical intervention. View it as an act of self-care. You are looking out for your longer-term health.

I don't have them now, as I've had a hysterectomy...but had them before this.
I get how important they are, but
the lack of understanding as to how a smear could be so hard or impossible for some women pisses me off.

People need to realise that smears and mammograms are optional cancer screening and should require informed consent.

So much around women’s health, especially screening is extremely paternalistic. Every woman should have the pros and cons explained to them and then be left to make their own mind up and not have it sprung on them while at the GP for a completely unrelated reason.

Always! It’s a survival thing.

I always have done, but since I found out they only test for hpv I don't think I see the point. Only ever slept with one person (and he with me) and even that isn't very frequent! I'm due a smear now actually.

Aren't you more nervous about suffering from cancer because you didn't attend?

There's little dignity in having a smear but there's no dignity in having cancer.

Please go. Do it for you. It's likely the last invasive smear you'll have as new ways of diagnosing gynae cancers are on the horizon.

I'm all for screenings and I 100% understand their necessity and benefit, but when the subject of smears comes up I am always a little disturbed by how strongly women are shamed when they opt out. The outcry is unreal whenever someone dares to say they won't have one. You'd think they are setting the world on fire, not taking on a small personal risk.

I find it disturbing because

• men are never shamed into getting their prostate checked or having regular colonoscopies. Men are actually never pressured or shamed into screenings, even when the nature of such screenings is much less invasive than a smear

• I never see a similar degree of pressure or shaming around any other type of prevention. You can eat yourself into diabetes and high blood pressure and no alnost no one bats an eye. You can go binge drinking every weekend and you're just enjoying life. These are behaviours which are way more likely to lead to poor health outcomes, yet we don't pass half as much judgement on those.

So encourage women to get their smears all you want, but do so with respect for their autonomy and (informed) decision making right as adults and don't resort to shaming and humiliating...

When I was living in Germany and was on the pill I had to have a smear test every 6 months. You get used to them and I would never delay it.

I had one nurse in a previous surgery who handed out chocolate afterwards. I always thought that was a nice gesture.

I've never thought of it like that. It is quite disturbing when you put it like that.

However I think if you've ever lost anyone to cancer or had a health scare yourself you'd want to take all available help to avoid dying from cancer. So personally I go for my smears.

Its not the smear that bothers me but I had my first one..fine. then had to go for a colposopy as they want to check some cells and it was the most horrendous experience. Took the doctor 7 tries to get the cells and the pain was like I was being cut open without anesthetic.

That is what puts me off going cos ill more than likely to be told they have to recheck those cells and I dread that part. I know rationally the right thing is to go but that paina nd experience I had ..just cannot make myself go.

Sorry you had this experience but you’re just using it as an excuse

I only ever went for one
The nurse told me it was 'quite difficult getting a sample from a fat person'

I was mortified & im ashamed to say it put me right off

I had an awful experience last time, doctor didn’t use any lubricant, opened the iron speculum so spectacularly fast that I shrieked from pain and the nurse was staring at me in inappropriate way that felt like sexual harassment after the exam and the doctor had left the room, she only left when she was told to give me some privacy.
I am still angry about the way I was treated there as it felt truly dehumanizing.

Still, I would go back to that place if it was the only option there was to have a smear.
They’re way too important for women’s health.

*stared at me after the exam and the doctor had left the room and I was getting dressed

Sorry you had this experience but you’re just using it as an excuse

And what if she is? It's her choice whether or not to have it done. I'm sick of women being told they have to have a smear and being made to feel guilty if they don't. I can't believe one post saying 'why wouldn't you?' Is it really that hard to show some understanding?

No. I buy the at home test kit from Superdrug and test for HPV myself

There a few reasons why I prefer this. I have concerns that smears have caused women to have parts of the cervix’s removed unnecessarily when cells may have resolved themselves. I might start having them done properly after I’ve finished having babies. When that risk is less of a concern to me.

Also though they only test for HPV which can be done with a much less invasive swab. I really don’t understand why they can’t switch to this universally.

You may not have had HPV detected last time but you may have now. It can lie dormant for years and flare up, so could have been dormant last time.
Always worth someone visually inspecting the cervix too. I've referred many women with possible pre cancerous cervical polyps that had no symptoms.

Good lord, what a rude unprofessional thing to say! And i'm sure also untrue.

I hope you filed a complaint

This!

When was the last time a man was shamed about skipping his colonoscopy?

It's only women we shame and badger into invasive possibly traumatic tests as if they were children with not decision making skills.

Yet another double standard which i hate

The last time I had a smear done at the doctor's surgery the nurse spent the first half of the appointment talking about my weight and telling me how great Slimming World is. Maybe if she'd been more concerned about the actual reason I was there she wouldn't have had to have rushed the smear and would have had time to stop when I was crying in pain.

I put off booking my first one. I wasn’t nervous but I didn’t prioritise it. Anyway, when I went, they found lots of abnormal cells. I was convinced it was cancer and the two week wait was absolutely unbearable. I saw a gynaecologist, he did a LLETZ procedure and sent the cells away. It was not cancer. It was CIN3, high grade dyskariosis. It may have gone on to become cancer, it may not. But it’s gone now and I’m grateful.

The fear that caused me, the regret I felt, makes sure I never miss a smear now. It’s a screening service and it’s free (for us, not sure for you if you’re not in the UK) and for me the slight discomfort of the speculum for one minute is absolutely nothing compared to having that fear.

Men aren’t offered routine colonoscopies throughout life as a screening service. I think, once they get to 60/65, they’re offered a bowel cancer screening by way of pooing in a pot and sending it off. Same goes for a scan for a ‘triple A’ (abdominal aortic aneurysm) and I would advise anyone to take it up. It’s screening. It’s free. It’s potentially life-saving.

I do feel for everyone who has had some horrible experiences but feel I should counter that by saying that I have *always had a positive experience, including the colposcopy when they found some abnormal cells.
I agree that it is a personal choice but on balance, I'd rather the smear than the alternative. But I do know of two people who have had cervical cancer so that also impacted on my decision.

I stopped going when they stopped actually checking the cervical cells in favour of the HPV screen.