SHULLBIT, (and others who are sexually active, with symptoms) Change GP's or get a private smear, your age should absolutely NOT be a reason for you to be denied a smear (as this would be a diagnostic test, not "screening"), if you have worrying symptoms - fair enough for the GP to test for infections first (very common), but referral/investigation should follow swiftly if no resolution.
Bumbbelymummy, if you had been vaccinated, it is very, very unlikely you would have developed those abnormal cells in the first place! That is the whole point of the vaccination program, to prevent cancer, which is much better than catching it early and treating it while it's "pre-cancer" ...... as you know, the treatment at that very early stage is not pleasant and may need to be done again (either cells are missed, or further abnormal areas can develop). My very good friend eventually had a cone biopsy in her 20's and was told it would increase her risk of miscarriage/premature labour......... prevention is surely better than cure.
And this vaccine will prevent almost all cases of Cervical cancer and most cases of a number of other types of cancer (of the penis, anus, Vulva, throat, mouth, tongue) in both males and females in people who get vaccinated (as I said upthread, I paid a lot of money to have my DS's vaccinated with Gardasil last year).
Why do so many people on this thread think that because this vaccine prevents most HPV cancers (saving thousands of lives a year), rather than all of them, it's not a good idea? No vaccine prevents disease 100%! Does that mean we just shouldn't bother?