To never have another smear test again.

[Whiskyinajar]

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.

Home HPV tests now being trialled. Hope my GP is taking part but I am only 9 months overdue so I suspect it unlikely. This can’t come soon enough:

news.sky.com/story/home-smear-tests-to-be-trialled-by-thousands-of-women-in-bid-to-detect-cervical-cancer-cases-12227359

Yes, I saw that news story, the bbc version and thought of this thread too. What they skirt around is spelling out that it is an HPV test and that it gets you exactly the same information that the smear test does due to the change in protocol to discard HPV negative samples. I really resent the way that this is not spelt out clearly lest women start to question the current smear programme AND the marketing campaigns that have pushed this for years, high on emotional manipulation, low on facts.

I don’t think this is the first trial either. I’m pretty sure that there have been others that were even documented on the Jo’s Trust website.

Irritating that the BBC are reporting women avoid smears due to ‘embarrassment or cultural concerns.’ How about reporting women avoid it because it fucking hurts and is invasive.

"The HPV test is not the authorised route therefore it will not be condoned by a medic as an alternative."

I was given an HPV test with my last NHS smear.
It was negative so I'm presuming I will not need another smear unless I give up my celibacy.

@flamingomingeo

Irritating that the BBC are reporting women avoid smears due to ‘embarrassment or cultural concerns.’ How about reporting women avoid it because it fucking hurts and is invasive.

Those things are connected though. If you find it embarrassing, you might tense up which could make it more painful. It is invasive of course, but no more so imo than a Covid test that goes so far up your nose you feel like it's going to come out of your mouth.

I had mine on Monday. The nurse was lovely and actually asked what size speculum I'd like. Thanks to this thread I knew to ask for a small one, but it still hurt. I was hoping it would be my last one - I am 60 this year - but nurse seemed to think I'd have one more.

I didn't know you could do a urine test. I've been putting my smear off.
The cervical smear scandal in Ireland doesn't give me confidence, many women had repeatedly been given negative results when they were positive, the court cases are dragged out some don't live long enough for the settlement.

I had a very painful test a couple of weeks ago, which in usual for me- I've previously had no problems at all. Previously I've been asked to put the soles of me feet together an flop me knees right down, which really seems to 'open everything up'. It was impossible to do this army latest test as the trolley was right up to the wall, and the nurse was to the side of my other knee, so I felt very cramped and uncomfortable. She then made a very strange comment to me - saying she knew I hadn't had any children (er, I've got 2), or I must have had them by C-section...(er, nope). Was very bizarre, and a bit unnecessary

"Some people are genuinely terrified of doctors and hospitals, should they be told they should never visit them? I hate getting fillings? Should I just let my teeth rot?"

I've had a GA for teeth extractions whereas many people can get them taken out under a local or even nothing. Treatment should be adapted to the patient.

"The practice nurse actually snapped at the GP and pointed out that a) I’m a virgin and b) having had the surgery I’ve had, my vagina doesn’t stretch easily !

They told me I still absolutely had to undergo a smear however, in case I ended up with cancer, playing to my health anxiety - and gave me a couple of Valium and codeine tablets which meant I slept through ."

What??
The NHS's own literature states that smears are available to virgins if they want them, but they are not particularly encouraged. Only a small number of cervical cancers are not caused by HPV.

"Gynaecology are the same, you have to demonstrate that a procedure is too painful before they stop or offer pain relief or anaesthetic . They’ve even told me the next surgery I have they want me to try without anaesthetic to see how I get on ."

I suppose this is a cost thing and also avoiding the unnecessary risk of GA. I had to try and have my wisdom tooth out with a local before I said it was too much and I got an appointment for a GA. However, the surgeon didn't realise it had been attempted with a local, so there must be people who are able to directly request a GA or have that offered to them.
Sorry to go off on a tangent about teeth...

"With an added touch of slut-shaming: nuns famously don't get it, after all. 😠"

Nuns can sometimes get cervical cancer. Not all of cases are caused by HPV. That doesn't mean it's necessarily recommended for them to have smear tests I suppose.

[quote lawandgin]@JinglingHellsBells from my research it is correct. The virus can lie dormant for years and wouldn't be detected then because it is inactive. Also HPV is not only acquired through sexual contact - it can be transmitted through skin to skin contact...[/quote]
That skin to skin contact would be at genital level so would still come under sexual contact though. It's not transmitted by a handshake is it?

@cptartapp

londt you may have been. Some areas were pilot areas for HPV testing first before rolling it out nationally in 2019.

Yes, but she would have got the result wouldn't she?

So sorry you went through that OP.

Could I ask please about the HPV tests people are talking about - is there a different way to do that? At my last smear, quite recently, they detected HPV. Which was odd as I've been with my partner for years, and definitely don't suspect infidelity. The nurse said it can lie dormant for ages and there's nothing for me to be concerned about, but that I would be called for a follow up in 12 months. Anyway, to my point - the smear test was really painful and I'm not relishing the thought of another one so soon, so am wondering, if they just need to test for HPV again, is there a less invasive way of doing this?

I can't understand why a medically suitable water based lubricant can't be used, which would considerably reduce pain. I had one last year and it was awful. The nurse refused to use any lubricant, despite me asking and then finally ran some water over the speculum as a slightly crap compromise.
I get that certain lubricants can spoil the sample obtained, but surely with the wonders of modern science something could be used that didn't interfere with the sample?
Peri menopausal and menopausal women can struggle with smears-it's already known, so why try and shove a large piece of metal up there and expect it not to hurt - and subsequently put women off having ever them done again

I have just done the home hpv test swab. So much better than a smear test & I had my results in 5 days. I was hpv negative for the high risk strains. If my result would have been positive then I would of got a full smear done. If you are hpv negative then there is no need for a smear because they won't test any further anyway.

@Lemonyfuckit

So sorry you went through that OP.

Could I ask please about the HPV tests people are talking about - is there a different way to do that? At my last smear, quite recently, they detected HPV. Which was odd as I've been with my partner for years, and definitely don't suspect infidelity. The nurse said it can lie dormant for ages and there's nothing for me to be concerned about, but that I would be called for a follow up in 12 months. Anyway, to my point - the smear test was really painful and I'm not relishing the thought of another one so soon, so am wondering, if they just need to test for HPV again, is there a less invasive way of doing this?

If you are hpv positive you need a smear test to check for cell changes, the hpv swab can't do this.

If your last smear test was HPV positive (but no abnormal cells) you are on 12 monthly recall where the smear is repeated.
If you subsequently test HPV negative you return to routine recall.
If it's HPV pos with cell changes its colposcopy referral.
AFter three HPV pos tests (even with no cell changes) is referral to colposcopy.

Gwen yes. She should have the results regardless of whether she was HPV primary tested or not.

I’ve wondered about using lube. First few times they used and no problem. Last two nothing at all and very uncomfortable. They mutter something about it effects the results.

@Gwenhwyfar

It is invasive of course, but no more so imo than a Covid test that goes so far up your nose you feel like it's going to come out of your mouth.

Are you seriously comparing a covid test to a cervical smear?!

They are in NO WAY the same. Not even similar.

I can't believe the amount of clueless comments and lack of emotional intelligence on this thread, (from a few posters,) and the assumption that if a cervical smear was easy for you, then in MUST be easy for everyone else!

Thank GOD for this new HPV test swab. Hope it's available to everyone soon.

Also, when you have a covid test, it doesn't feel like the swab is coming out of your mouth. It goes UP your nose. Is your mouth on the top of your head?

It feels like it's going to come out of your eye. Not out of your mouth.

Have you ever even HAD a covid test?

Irritating that the BBC are reporting women avoid smears due to ‘embarrassment or cultural concerns.’ How about reporting women avoid it because it fucking hurts and is invasive.

I thought exactly the same, and I don't even particularly mind them. It's a humiliating thing to have done and can make you feel violated. Only painful for an unlucky few, but uncomfortable for many.

We are generally also poor at assessing risk. A woman born after 1960 has a 0.5% risk of getting cervical cancer in her lifetime - that's minute.

I wouldn't say that's minute at all. It's 1 in every 200 women. Minute to me would be 1 every 10,000.

Then I'm proving my own point, aren't I?

Am I confusing lifetime risk with lifetime probability?

"Also, when you have a covid test, it doesn't feel like the swab is coming out of your mouth. It goes UP your nose. Is your mouth on the top of your head?

It feels like it's going to come out of your eye. Not out of your mouth.

Have you ever even HAD a covid test? confused"

Yes, I have HAD a Covid test. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made the comparison, would I? And for me, it felt like it was going through my nose and back down to my mouth. For me it was both uncomfortable and felt VERY invasive. In that way, it was similar to a smear test for me.

"I can't believe the amount of clueless comments and lack of emotional intelligence on this thread, (from a few posters,) and the assumption that if a cervical smear was easy for you, then in MUST be easy for everyone else!"

I never said it was easy for me. I said the Covid test felt similarly invasive.
Obviously there are additional complications in the Smear test that make it difficult as you have to expose yourself.
By the way, you know nothing about me, or the problems I've had in that part of the body so you shouldn't make assumptions.