To ask why you’ve missed/delayed/declined cervical screening?

[chickentikkawhatswrong]

I see a lot of the campaigns on Facebook about women not going to smears or putting them off for too long.

However it’s generally stats and doesn’t seem to delve too far into the actual reasons?

If you are reluctant what holds you back from attending?

I've not had one in over 20 years. I'm 50. I've also declined a breast mammogram recently.

If its my time, its my time.

I despise the sensation of someone scraping my cervix.

I put it off until the fear of what could be rowing on it outweighs my fear of getting it done.

Last time a medical professional went near my vagina they assaulted me so I’m not keen until I can go with DP as chaperone and timing that is tricky with our crap GP and organise simultaneous time off work.

Was going to go then got pregnant so cancelled then lost that pregnancy, and TTC adds another layer of timing complexity to the whole thing so I’ll continue to stick my head in the sand.

Because I don't want to and I have the capacity to (not) consent.

Like JustLyra, the lack of flexibility on appointments is the main problem if you’re an irregular bleeder. Walk in appointments would go some way to solving this for those affected. Also, the appointments my surgery offer for this kind of thing are only on weekday mornings after 9, so basically it’s a morning off work unpaid when the cost of living is going up.

And also this isn’t the main reason but I’m just sick of the misogyny in female healthcare. If men had to have such an intrusive and undignified test in the numbers that women do, and for as long as women do, an alternative would have been invented decades ago.

I have PTSD from a traumatic birth experience. I'd really like to have a smear test but I just can't, the very thought brings on flashbacks and panic. The last time I explained to the nurse the reason I haven't had one her reply was to show me a smear test swab/brush and said "It's not bigger than a penis".

Because 95% of the time they don’t check or test anything to do with your cervix, it’s just an invasive hpv test.
Only if you test positive do they bother checking the cells they take.
only a small fraction of specimens collected from smear tests are ever tested so imo its a waste of time.

I know I don’t have hpv so there is no point.
I’d rather pay privately for an actual smear test.

I haven’t been post menopause. The thought of anything going up there fills me with horror now. Added to which, there’s what’s technically described as a “kink” in my cervix and they find it really difficult. Add to that no family history of cervical cancer.

Yes I declined my first mammogram invitation too. I’ve always had a really sensitive breast on one side and when it was investigated in my 20s the procedures were incredibly painful.

Because I don’t want a stranger to touch me there. Nor do I want the pain, discomfort or hideous embarrassment. The more people moan about my choice, the more entrenched in it I become.

For me, I was not happy to go because of a bad experience with a hamfisted nurse and a general dislike of such exams. I didn’t go for a long time until I finally found a female doc I felt happy with.

What really annoys me is chirpy posts (like the one way above) saying how amazing and important it is. Like women don’t know. We’re hectored and reminded at every turn.

What would really help is for women to be able to use a self-administered test for screening rather than have to go to a clinic for an invasive procedure. That would be truly amazing and reach so many women who currently can’t face the testing procedures we have right now.

It’s painful.

They are just horrific aren't they? Why aren't men invited to regular invasive screenings?

Since it's now just an HPV test it seems pretty pointless.

I find it unbelievably painful. As soon as the speculum is in place I can hardly breathe from the pain.

I think my cervix has been scraped enough times TYVM. The last one I had she pulled out the speculum too quickly and I felt the oddest icky sensation and then had complications with numbness for the next few months.

Why do you want to know @chickentikkawhatswrong?

What good will it provide you knowing peoples reasons?

I had one recently which was surprisingly quick and also (I've had painful ones before) I didn't feel it. The bed was against a wall so she asked me to lie on my side with my knees up and it was SO much better

Really hacks me off that they are now only a hpv test. I hate that. I find them incredibly painful and hate them more than I hate anything else.

They won’t guarantee me a female healthcare practitioner and I have way too much trauma to even attempt it with a male bodied person. Nothing against them - I’m sure they’d be nothing but professional but just can’t do it. So haven’t been in 10 years!

I've been raped and I find it painful and traumatic.

Like this
www.jostrust.org.uk/about-us/news-and-blog/blog/left-lateral-position-–-better-option-patients

I've had to cancel twice because I found out I was pregnant after my appointment was booked both times. Then they tell you to wait 4 months after giving birth. Then when I tried to phone before Christmas they told me the January diary wasn't open yet. Then every time you try to call there are at least 80 people in the queue.

I had the HPV jabs at school so that gives me a little bit of reassurance. I'm hoping the doctors call me asking me to book in soon.

Cma1988

Me too. Had a horrendous flashback at smear. Nurse decided to leave the room so I could pull myself together no empathy or help. I staggered out and had to go to friends near by to have a cup of tea and calm down. Never been back since.

On my second from last one, I was burnt on the leg by the light thing she was holding, my last one, I tore and the nurse didn’t give a shit. Decided that was it for me. And the patronising, come on ladies it’s so important crap gets right on my nerves.