to decline cervical screening offer?

[Teacupsandtoast]

Just that really.

Is there a simple process for opting out or is there hoop jumping required? (Which often seems to be the case when it comes to withdrawing consent for anything)

Your reasons are your reasons. No one is entitled to know them. You don't have to justify yourself to anyone.

Screening is a CHOICE. An option for those who want it. We make choices every day about many things that might have gone differently had we made a different choice. Every time something goes wrong, every time we get hurt, every time we get into an accident, we think "I wish I'd done XYZ instead". So, yes, those who end up with cervical cancer after not being screened will likely think "I wish I'd done..." But cancer is not caused by not being screened. Not being screened does not mean someone should be denied treatment in the future. Women should not be berated or shamed for making a choice. Especially choices about their own bodies.

Well said @BadNomad

Just to add I had to go for a colposcopy with a garnea doctor every 6 months for treatment until they were sure all was well. If you think smears are bad they're nothing compared to a colposcopy. I had 3 colposcopys within 18 and then a smear every 6 months over another 18 months. Just to be sure I had no further signs of pre cancerous cells.

Just to answer the question, as posed, you “opt out” simply by ignoring the reminder letters. However, I don’t believe that you can opt out of the letter themselves, as they are automatically generated and the GP could be found negligent, if at a later date you were found to have cervical cancer and you had not been offered the screening. You don’t NEED to do anything about the letters, bar recycle them. I’ve been told just to ignore them myself, because I don’t need to have smear tests anymore, but I still can’t opt out of receiving them.

I don’t know WHY you are choosing to opt out, although I can think of several possible reasons, neither is it any if my business tbh, but I would sincerely encourage you to think carefully about it. You have young children, as do many of us on here, and realistically most of us would do anything in the world to ensure to the best of our ability, that we are here to watch over them as they grow up.

Ive just read someone equating not having a smear to “crossing a road”, tbh, it’s more like crossing a road but wearing ear defenders and a blindfold to do so. We all risk assess the decisions we make, and are ultimately only answerable to ourselves, and to our children, not to people on public forums.

Absolutely!

Your reasons are your reasons. No one is entitled to know them. You don't have to justify yourself to anyone.
Absolutely. Bit bizarre to come onto a forum and ask the question “AIBU to decline cervical screening offer?” and not offer any context. Unless of course you just like causing drama….

Just as an aside, medics refer to a certain group of patients known as VOMITS - Victims of Medical Imaging Technology, ie people who are persuaded to have unnecessary treatment as a result of false screening results (or results that are misinterpreted).
So there are risks in any choice that a person might make about screening, and each of us need to be free to make our own decisions. Even if diagnosed with cancer, some people will opt not to have treatment - that's fine & it's their privilege. And we need to stop with the sentimental nonsense of "how will your family feel?" - just trust a person to make the decision that is right for them.

That made me wince how horrible! I'm small but they manage to grab a little something, the last one I had my period was due and I was sore so it hurt a lot. Nothing like what you went through though 😧

And we need to stop with the sentimental nonsense of "how will your family feel?" - just trust a person to make the decision that is right for them.

Yes. if we entirely ran our lives by "how will your family feel if you die", no-one would ride a bike/motorbike, smoke, drink, eat the wrong things, cross the road, get in a car. It's just emotional blackmail.

I went for one last week and soon it will be an at home swab for HPV, which is all they are testing for now. If you won’t go for your smear then please Google the companies that will send you a swab kit now. I think it’s insane to not go for a smear but if you won’t, you won’t. At least do this just in case.

Thanks for being kind. It was 15 years ago and it was so bad that I still remember it as if it were yesterday!

Sooverthisnow - Hereditary breast cancer only accounts for 5-10% of all breast cancers. There is no history of breast cancer in my family but I was diagnosed with a very aggressive type of breast cancer.

I had my nipple trapped in the scanner - I thought I was the only one!

In my case it was a particular machine where the equipment comes down (fast) and moves over the clear squashing plate, like a scanner/photocopier. It needs some sort of guard to stop anything getting in its path. There is no way I am going back before this has been decommisioned.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat that’s just stingy! I use about 3 😁

Why??

So far no one who has said they would decline a screening test have said what they would do if they were diagnosed with a gynae cancer. Would they rather not have treatment? Do they understand how invasive cancer treatment can be?

I had a very rare (non HPV) gynae cancer. Whilst I was having my routine smear the nurse raised concerns which lead to my diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Treatment was far more invasive and awful than a smear, however I wanted to live. Like a previous poster I now have annual specialist smears outside the usual screening program and will do so for many years to come.

Very sadly during my treatment I spent time in hospital with someone who had not attended any of their cancer appointments. They were dying, it was horrific. The cancer had spread beyond treatment. I will never forget the noise of them struggling to breathe and their family sobbing.

Maybe if the medical profession was more understanding, accepted that it's not just discomfort for many women, took their time rather than rushing, less women would decline.

If the nurse I saw last time hadn't spent half appointment talking about my weight and the virtues of Slimming World then she wouldn't have had to have rushed the smear and she might have realised there was a problem.

They said not sexually active doesn't mean they never have been. There's still a risk and in some cases it can take 15 years for the HPV virus to turn into cancer. Other cases not so long. But it's the reason they stopped on women under 25. A small minority have died because they were refused even though they had symptoms.

Assuming you're replying to me, I think you'll find that I did specify "never".

Sorry for your experience.

But you know, a lot of deaths are pretty horrific. As adults we make our own choices.

What a lovely post. Thank you- that means so much and I will take on board what you have said and try to get further with why.

Personally if I had to have further treatment it would have to be with IV sedation, gad and air or I would need to be put to sleep. They simply wouldn’t be able to hold me still otherwise. I would be having a full blown panic attack and a danger to myself.
i do have good private insurance so would try to go that route if possible for some investigations etc.

Oh please do piss off.
If you had read the replies you might realise that what you have written is callous extremely unfeeling and quite honestly disgraceful

@WindyKnickers

Haven't read all the replies but presumably you won't be expecting NHS treatment if you do develop cervical cancer? But that would be a he'll of a lot more invasive and expensive than a 2 minute screening procedure.

@Pinkpeony2

Oh please do piss off. If you had read the replies you might realise that what you have written is callous extremely unfeeling and quite honestly disgraceful.

What pinkmpeony2 said, disgraceful comment from windyknickers - and others like her. Just DO ONE!

@BeanieTeen