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)

I’d just like to pop onto the thread and say we lost my beloved mum a month ago from cervical cancer. She had never had a smear, and we had a mere six weeks between diagnosis and her passing. She bitterly regretted not having a smear, and I held her hand whilst she cried and berated herself and apologised for not doing so. Please go to your cervical screening. She was only 65 and we miss her desperately.
id have a smear every hour on the hour if it meant I had more time with her.

Please, ladies, educate yourself on this and stop perpetuating the myth that all women 'need' a smear test every 3 years. We really, really don't

Or the myth that you will die from cancer if you don't have a smear.

NHS won't beg you to have one, it's your choice.

I have never seen someone called an idiot for not going through bowel screening. I have never seen a load of stories of death shared when someone admits they have not been to the dentist in 15 years.

How many people do you know in real life in the age bracket for bowel screening? How many do you know of who have refused to do the poo sample? Or have the sigmoidoscopy? Bowels are not so emotive as wombs and boobs. The British don't 'do' bowels. Do you discuss bowel screening with your friends?

How many people have died from not going to the dentist?

I think it's understandable (though not necessarily kind) to criticise someone for refusing a test that could save their life especially if someone has a friend or relative who has died from the disease.

Obviously if you don’t want a smear you don’t have to have one.

It may be difficult to opt out of these things but usually these day it’s just a text so you don’t need to worry about lots of trees being cut down.

I don’t see the need for your question, ignore any notifications.

I've already explained this once but here goes again. I understand what informed consent means.

I just dislike the phrase "my body, my choice". It's been captured by morons who don't understand medical decisions. Such as vaccine deniers and other people who make medically questionable choices.

I misses m'y last smear - not in UK. I was sick of bleeding after them, which never happened in the UK. Was talking to some young women and they didn't know it was possible. Also, last one when thé gynae did the breast exam, she rubbed her unfettered knockers over me (wearing a very thin t-shirt). I was only due 1 more any way. She told me they can do them as in the UK but prefer stirrups - as it's faster. So, even in the French systèm it's a question of money.

Yep. A number of the comments on here are fucking repulsive as well as ignorant. Arguably the ignorance is somewhat understandable, but the attitude isn't.

Why are wombs emotive, and bowels not? Both sexes have a bowel. Why is anyone not getting screened not getting called an idiot, or stupid?
Why just the cervix?

I don't think it is reasonable to criticise anyone for not undergoing any medical procedure. Not your body, not your choice.

Please attend your cervical screenings. They are offered for a reason and could potentially save your life! For the sake of a few minutes of discomfort, it is so important.

It baffles me how women will have their vag out for clinicians during pregnancy and childbirth, or get it out for intimacy but not for a screening that tries to save lives. The doctor doesn't care how ugly or pretty your privates are, they've seen thousands of them!

I think this is very foolish.

Nobody actually likes these procedures but it's just good common sense to get them done!

This. Opt out of screening, then opt out of the nhs.

I had a smear this year under GA, whilst having another procedure. It was negative for HPV so I won't be recalled for another 5 years.
Prior to this I hadn't had one for 25 years. I can assure you this was for reasons other than "my own stupidity".
I probably won't ever have another smear test done unless as before I am having a GA for another procedure anyway.
Nurses and doctors have respected my decisions. We can make informed decisions for ourselves based on our own risk profile, attitude to risk and personal experience. It's wrong to shoehorn all women down the same pathway in my opinion and both rude and ignorant to label women as stupid if they make different choices from our own. Bodily autonomy is really important.

@XenoBitch Your lack of understanding- or at least your way of expressing things- is worrying.

Some friends of mine would have had CIN3 progress had they waited longer than 3 years for their smear. maybe they would have died. Maybe they'd not have. No one knows. That's the point. People respond differently.

Or the myth that you will die from cancer if you don't have a smear.

It is NOT a 'myth' that someone can die from cervical cancer if they never have a smear. Most deaths ARE women who are older and have ignored smear tests for decades.

It IS untrue to assert that someone who has never had a smear WILL die from cervical cancer.

Heart disease is closely linked with oral health. I would argue that the time women are spending on this thread berating other women about a screening that has not changed the ‘numbers saved’ that were recorded pre-screening, but has done a wonderful job at convincing women that removing parts of their cervix equates to ‘being saved from cancer’ when there’s no way to tell whether the abnormal cells will go on to develop cancer, would be better spent petitioning the government for better dentistry.

But that’s not going to happen when we are in a society that socialises girls to shut up and comply to the herd mentality.

You’re far more likely to get a whole host of other cancers than you are cervical. It’s pretty rare. The reasons for someone not wishing to attended are varied and nuanced.

Brow-beating and guilt-tripping are hideous tactics.

As for the comments about ‘well, don’t expect treatment if you do happen to get cancer then’ — how utterly devoid of critical thinking. Screening does not save you. And many women who attend screening go on to develop the cancer they are screened for. How does on intellectually, in good faith, equate an informed individual decision ad to whether to attend screening with treatment for a cancer should one become symptomatic?

Most of the posters here clearly have no idea what screening is, how it works, what the results mean, or why someone may not wish to attend. THAT, in my opinion, is the insanity here.

It's not just a few minutes of discomfort to a lot of women. If it is for you, fine, but your experience is not the only relevant one. It doesn't help to be dismissive of what other people experience.

It's been captured by morons who don't understand medical decisions. Such as vaccine deniers and other people who make medically questionable choices.

Calling people morons really isn't going to make them see your point of view 🙄

Jesus Christ, some of the comments on here are disgusting.

Why are wombs emotive, and bowels not? Both sexes have a bowel. Why is anyone not getting screened not getting called an idiot, or stupid?
Why just the cervix?*

Why don't you answer my questions about your real life experience of asking people about their bowel screening instead of ranting and raving, based on comments on a forum?

Do you know anyone who's refused (not done) the poo test?
What would you advise them?

I think the late Dame Deborah would call them an idiot.

Sorry for your loss @WheresMyAlex

So you have never taken a single calculated risk with your body that could have gone wrong for you, and you would be happy to not to get treatment if you did? Don't be daft.

@Lellochip thank you. I actually went to the sexual health clinic for my smear and the nurse told me she could see cell changes. I'm sure she swabbed my cervix as it felt like she was scraping it.
I got the results and it just said I didn't have hpv. I'm in a bit of a panic now.

You really think that women aren't having smears because they worry what the doctor thinks? If you bothered reading the thread you'd realise that it's not a few minutes of 'discomfort' for many of us, it's a lot worse than that.

Thanks God they moved to every 5 years after 50. I hate them. Find them incredibly painful, and even though I tell them I have an inverted cervix they always struggle.

Yes, ask your GP.

I opted out of reminders for personal reasons. Still got screened but didn’t want the letters. I told my GP when she chased me on it and duly removed me from the reminders.