cancelling smear

[afreshstartplease]

Aibu to be considering cancelling the smear I have booked this week?
It's my first one and I'm nearly 27

Scared

[MrsMaker83]

Really not as unpleasant and terrible and people seem to think. Slight discomfort for a minute or too, that is all.

Had my first at 24 not long after a traumatic birth, and it didn't phase me.

Its nice to find out that you have healthy and normal cervix cells too!

[MagicMojito]

Ffs argy some of your comments are just offensive and unhelpful. Being scared of an intrusive medical procedure is not pathetic

Anyway, Op ywbu to cancel. We are so so lucky to have access to screening. Yes its awkward and physically uncomfortable but its so so necessary.

[LadyPenny]

Please don't cancel. it's not pleasant but will be over in a minute.
I put my last smear off for over a year. When I eventually went I was found to have stage two cervical cancer. Chemo, radiotherapy and brachytherapy were a million times worse than a smear.
Worst of all though was the utterly gut wrenching fear that my children may have to grow up without me.

[Lilmissconcerned]

Don't cancel I was like you and ducked it til I was 30 and i regretted it when it turned out I had pre cancerous cells two ops and about 12 smears later I finally got the all clear. I often wonder if I'd gone earlier if it might have been less involved getting treatment...

It's honestly nothing to be scared of, maybe first time but embarrassing/uncomfortable but they are doing it everyday... And in my experience were very nice xxx

[squirrelnutmeg]

I put mine off and eventually I went for it.
It was painful and involved first nurse pottering off to get other nurse to have a go as first couldn't do it!
So it perhaps describes exactly your worst fears, however despite this I'm glad I went it's such an important test and a bit of discomfort out ways the worry for sure!

[ots]

Please don't cancel. Mine probably saved my life. My first smear at 25, cells were severely abnormal (CIN III, which is the highest before they change to cervical cancer). I dread to think what could have happened had I not gone.

I promise you its not that bad, slightly undignified for a minute or 2 and then its over.

I won't say yabu though as I remember how terrified I was before mine, but its worth it and I'm so glad I did it.

[Belalug0si]

Hmm PicandMinx that's quite unusual, it's usually about 5% of women having cervical screening that are referred. Did you mean 80% of the women who have abnormal results are referred?

[Gem124]

It honestly is no-where as bad as you expect. Definitely wear a dress and leggings, much easier. Relax as much as you can as it hurts less. Please go xx

[moonbabyandthebeast]

I have always attended my smear tests and am currently awaiting results of my lletz treatment I had on Xmas eve for cin3. No one looks forward to their smears and like most things in life u dread, it is highly likely that u will find the fear/anticipation far worse than the procedure itself. I agree with pp that we r extremely lucky to have such a screening programme. In the nicest possible way yabu to cancel the test, yanbu to b anxious but will have to deal with that in watever way works best for u. Looking forward to u coming back to post u have had it done and all was fine.

[PicandMinx]

I meant to say that around 80% of screened women at the surgery where I work are referred (according to the minutes of my last team meeting).

[Belalug0si]

PicandMinx not sure you meant it to read that way but 80% of women being screened do not get referred for colposcopy. Around 90% of results are normal, 2-3% unsuitable for reading, then 2-3% high grade (pre-cancerous changes, these are automatic referrals) and about 6-7% low grade or minor changes. The low grade/minor changes are usually tested for the high risk HPV types and if positive, then you'd be referred. Around 30% of minor and 70% of low grades are HPV positive (it varies a bit across England).

[bette06]

"Pain relief? For what.
Smears aren't painful."

Maybe you didn't intend it that way but I hate it when people present this as a fact, contrary to some women's (extremely painful) experiences. I think what you mean to say is "I am fortunate enough to have never felt any pain from smear tests" but it sounds like you are dismissing other women's very real pain.

Maybe it's due to anatomical differences, maybe it's a reaction to previous abuse etc but some women do experience a great deal of pain. I still go for my smear tests but they have been, without doubt, the most excruciating pain I have ever experienced and I think it would be more helpful to offer advice on pain relief, asking for smaller speculums etc than to disbelieve or belittle the pain some women experience. I think if the health service and/or other women were more willing to offer advice on how to deal with or reduce the pain rather than just insisting that it doesn't exist, more women would come forward for smear tests.

[steff13]

I've had one annually since I was 18. I had my first one at 16. They're not a big deal. It takes a couple of minutes, it doesn't hurt, and it's just a little uncomfortable.

[ScarlettDarling]

Op there are lots of things in life which aren't very pleasant but that you just have to grit your teeth and get on with. Smears are one of these things. No one enjoys it. Its uncomfortable and maybe slightly painful if you are tense, but honestly its nothing too bad and is over in minutes. Im a real prude and even Im not too embarrassed by it! I'll bet once it's done you will wonder why you built it up into such a big thing! It's nothing! Go for it...you owe it to your children to look after your health.

[PicandMinx]

Remember OP, pre-cancerous cells are just that. NOT cancer. Doctors don't know which cells MIGHT become cancer - so everything gets zapped. At our surgery, around 80% of women screened get referred for a colposcopy for an abnormal result. Not one of these women had cancer. Just a few abnormal cells.

Cervical cancer is still a rare cancer. Don't beat yourself up if you decide to cancel your appointment. The Netherlands offer smears to women after the age of 30. So if you were Dutch you wouldn't have to think about it for a few years!

[maitaimojito]

Don't cancel.

I was exactly the same as you when I had my first one this summer and was close to cancelling, but it was over within a couple of minutes and pain free - even though she had a bit of trouble finding my cervix!

Honestly, you'll wonder what you were stressing about once it's over.

[Baddz]

...and you will feel totally empowered and indestructible when you are walking out of the gp :)
Good luck x

[Baddz]

Hmmm.
Smears aren't painful IMHO...but they can be uncomfortable now that they use those tiny brushes to get the cells.
If It's pain that concerns you then perhaps some painkillers just before? And for afterwards?
If it's the actual act of having a smear done, then maybe you could talk to your gp and ask for some diazepam or similar to help calm you?
I have been having smears for 25 years (yes, I am that old :)) and they are much better than they used to be...
They now use a plastic (not metal) speculum. MUCH better!
Also, they should ask if you have given birth as they use a smaller or larger one depending! :) I have the monster size :)
Please don't cancel.
These tests save lives x

[PoppySausage]

I cancelled a smear then re booked 3 years later, pre cancerous cells found, treated but was on the severe end of the scale. Scared me.

[Aridane]

OP - YANBU - and I totally get where you're coming from. The ones I have had hurt badly ('discomfort' - oh, if only) - have unhelpful anatomy for smears. Have memories of nurse trying, unsuccessfully, x3 times, then getting GP in to do it. And it took longer than a few minutes.

BUT

I still get them done. Don't cancel - once you've got it done, it will be over and done with for a few years. And as other posters have pointed out, treatment for conditions which could have been caught earlier will be worse than the worst smear.

Go for it!

[GraysAnalogy]

I had my first internal when I was 17 because I had unusual bleeding. I was scared but a nurse held my hand.

Ever since my mum was diagnosed with cervical cancer it's something I alwahs urge my friends to do. Rude comments on this thread - people are nervous of all sorts of things.