Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To never have another smear test again.

281 replies

Whiskyinajar · 17/02/2021 21:20

Today I went for my first smear test in a decade ....I've never found them easy and today was no exception. In fact today the smear test couldn't be done as I was in so much pain and it was so uncomfortable that the nurse could not even open the speculum. She did say that she could just about visualise my cervix and the visually it looked healthy.

I'm 55 and I've been through several smear tests, I've never found them easy. I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and I have vaginismus hence all smear tests being horrific..

I left the health centre today feeling a failure which I know isn't a logical feeling, I know I am not a failure and that the issue is psychosexual.

However in terms of risk factors I am low risk. I've only ever had two sexual partners and I am a non smoker and always have been.

I'm going to write to my GP and tell her I am opting out of further smear tests.

The nurse today said they would refer me to gynaecology as they may have more success. Tbh I will not allow anyone near me with a speculum ever again unless they sedate me first.

I'm also looking a self testing kits which the NHS don't recommend, however I know in North London there is a current study looking at self testing kits and that these are used successfully in parts of Europe.

Tempted to order one and just share the result with my GP.

Help! Anyone else been in this situation.

OP posts:
Quit4me · 17/02/2021 21:23

Yes me, but without the history of abuse and I am younger.
Do you get Valium from the GP? I do. It helps.

Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 17/02/2021 21:24

Now that they have switched to HPV testing and only proceeding if HPV positive I will be doing a HPV test in future and only getting a smear if it is positive. I am currently negative and happily married so very likely to remain negative. I believe self HPV testing is the plan for the NHS long term so would just be slightly ahead.

Springsnake · 17/02/2021 21:27

So someone who only ever had one partner ,and that partner only had 2 partners
Would the person really need to go for one

Boredsobored · 17/02/2021 21:27

Well it's awful - I'm really sorry you've had to deal with this. But I would say that if you did get cervical cancer the intrusion and impact would be far worse and more intrusive. A friend has just had cervical cancer and the impact on her life is huge. She's in her 30s, fit and healthy and only had a handful of partners. There must be a way a gp can help as I don't think you should be expected to approach this in the same way which causes you distress and they should work with you to see if there are any alternative ways of screening that would work. The risk of you not going for more smears shouldn't be something that worries them into helping. A self test sounds promising but I'd ask for the gynecology referral to speak to them but they should keep their speculums to themselves until YOU are happy with it.

Alb1 · 17/02/2021 21:30

I had one done a few weeks ago and they also tested for the HPV virus which I was negative for and so am lower risk, can they test you for that instead?

Rubyupbeat · 17/02/2021 21:32

You can get sedation, my friend has a strange shaped cervix, plus never given birth, shes coming up to 60 now and has always had sedation, as she finds the pain unbearable. She gets it all done on the nhs too.

Pancake4life · 17/02/2021 21:32

yanbu if you know and accept the risks which do exist... saying this as a lesbian and with no hpv - who had a positive smear. getting additional help to go through the process would be better than avoiding it.

gnashingsalt · 17/02/2021 21:34

I imagine the treatment for cervical cancer would be FAR more invasive and stressful for you

Darbs76 · 17/02/2021 21:35

Yes they now test for the HPV virus and if negative don’t test your smear. So it should be ok to just test for that, or if you’re sure you couldn’t have contracted it since last test then be safe not to have one. That’s the way I see it is now, as they didn’t even test mine, I’m single so can’t catch HPV. I will probably still have my smears though

MarisPiper92 · 17/02/2021 21:35

As a fellow vaginismus sufferer, can I ask how people go about getting sedation? I am always fobbed off with "deep breathing".

colouringindoors · 17/02/2021 21:35

yanbu. There is a way of doing smears, with the woman lying on her side which has been found to be much more comfortable for all women, but especially women with additional factors like yourself (and me). Will try and find it....

Franberry · 17/02/2021 21:44

I also find this very difficult, dread going and have had to give up and go back another day on several occasions. No history of abuse but something about my anatomy makes it painful and I have had a few unfortunate experiences with internal examinations where doctors haven't been very understanding. However, by chance I was having another gynaecological procedure a couple of years ago and was chatting to the nurse about how much I hated smears. She said she could just do the smear there and then for me while I had a local anaesthetic for the other procedure. It was absolutely fine, not nearly as unpleasant. I wonder if local anaesthetic is something that would be possible for you if you do go to the gynaecologist? I also like the sound of Valium, might be worth a try? I will definitely ask GP for this next time.

SnackSizeRaisin · 17/02/2021 21:45

I imagine the treatment for cervical cancer would be FAR more invasive and stressful for you

That's not a helpful comment, is it. The smears don't actually prevent cancer you know. Also, false positive smears lead to unnecessary investigations which is an acknowledged downside of the screening programme.

OP - the screening programme is every 5 years at your age and stops at 64. So if you were to have this one, you would only be called for one more. Or a urine test for HPV could be another option to discuss with the GP (may have to do privately).

Zolrets · 17/02/2021 21:49

There was a similar thread recently and a consultant gynaecologist came on and gave a very good explanation of the NHS test programme. To summarise (badly) NHS procedure is to only look at cells if the sample tests HPV positive. So, if you buy an HPV test and test negative you are in the same place you would be if you had had a smear. If you test positive, you need a smear. What the gynaecologist who posted said as well is that the person doing your smear is highly unlikely to pick up any additional information by what they see during a smear as they are not qualified or experienced enough to recognise abnormalities. The HPV test can be bought from Superdrug online. It is a swab of the vaginal wall so you don’t need to worry about reaching your cervix.

I was referred to gynaecology as I had two failed smears due to tearing. The first consultant actually laughed when I mentioned I was concerned about not getting a smear describing the risk of cervical cancer as minuscule. The second was less gung-ho - he wanted me to get a smear done under general anaesthetic and did not recognise the logic around HPV status and the protocol re: testing the sample. I have decided not to request the additional referral needed for a smear under GA - it just doesn’t make sense to me when I already know I am HPV negative and I do not have sexual partners.

FatAnneTheDealer · 17/02/2021 21:49

@Whiskyinajar it sounds like you are a post menopausal woman. I had a similar experience with a smear test a few years ago. The technician simply couldn't do it. They prescribed Vagifem, which is a topical hormone treatment (a "pill" inserted into the vagina) for two weeks.

It made the test possible for me, but also made a huge difference to my general comfort (and later to my post menopausal sex life) so I can wholly recommend it. I saw the nurse afterwards and asked for an ongoing prescription.

However, I have also decided not to have any more smear tests. I have only one sexual partner; I have never had an unusual result; and I am in my late sixties. So no more for me. I think you can refuse whenever you decide these interventions don't help you.

MarisPiper92 · 17/02/2021 22:06

Thanks @Zolrets , this was my understanding too. I recently had a negative HPV test, and I probably won't go for a smear unless one of the home tests comes back positive.

More broadly (and this may be the wine talking) it makes me furious that these tests cause so much pain for so many, and yet so little effort has been put into making them easier. I feel like it will only get better if we all stop doing as we're told and say "Actually, this isn't good enough". Maybe one day!

wingingit987 · 17/02/2021 22:21

Awh this is such a sad post to read. Maybe you could ask for some sedation of something similar for you to have it done.

I really do feel for you couldn't imagine being in that position, I would speak to the doctor first before ruling out not having one again. My cousin died of cervical cancer it's was heartbreaking to watch so I always am on the better safe than sorry team.

Zolrets · 17/02/2021 22:22

@MarisPiper92 I have to bite my lip when I see Facebook posts about going for smears and Jade Goody etc etc. I think the NHS turns with the speed of an ocean liner. The HPV test is not the authorised route therefore it will not be condoned by a medic as an alternative. Meanwhile women are guilt tripped about smears - it’s an invasive way to get a sample for an HPV test. I can only think it speeds up the process for women who test positive, have their sample looked at further and then need treatment. I would genuinely like to know why the NHS is continuing with this protocol AND haranguing women too... I might be missing something here but I don’t know what.

Plutoh · 17/02/2021 22:27

Sorry you experienced that during your smear OP, it's understandable you are hesitant. Please don't be lulled into a false sense of security though, my aunt has only ever had sex with her DH, has never smoked, never drank, never done drugs, is a healthy weight yet had cervical cancer. She also was unable to have smears as they were so uncomfortable (not due to the cancer, but due to other factors as it had been the case for years), but if she had, perhaps they would have caught it sooner before she needed surgery and radiotherapy.

Not to scare you, but there are things they can offer to make them managable, and if you feel able, would encourage you to. Shamefully it can be hard to access though, but it's worth exploring.

slashlover · 17/02/2021 22:29

You don't need to write to your GP, you can just ignore the letters. I occasionally get asked at an appointment but when I tell them my reason why I don't need one then they're fine.

Bagamoyo1 · 17/02/2021 22:33

@slashlover

You don't need to write to your GP, you can just ignore the letters. I occasionally get asked at an appointment but when I tell them my reason why I don't need one then they're fine.
Why would you allow the NHS to continue spending money on sending you letters, when you could just take 2 minutes out of your day to formally opt out?
Oysterbabe · 17/02/2021 22:34

I came on to say just take an HPV urine test but see it's well covered above. Like many these days, my practice only test for HPV in the first instance.

slashlover · 17/02/2021 22:36

Why would you allow the NHS to continue spending money on sending you letters, when you could just take 2 minutes out of your day to formally opt out?

I tell them at any appointment that I don't need one and will probably never need one, the letter still come. I'll ask at the next appointment.

LunaHeather · 17/02/2021 22:36

OP I don't have them either

But admittedly I am not a person to opt for screening generally

You might want to read Margaret McCarthy on the subject - cervical and screening generally.

Can't you get HPV tests now?