Page 11 | Smear test - is it normal to find leaves and twigs?

Jumpingthruhoops · 02/10/2025 13:00

GretaGip · 01/10/2025 18:25

it took four HCPs and 3 appointments to get mine done. And incredibly painful all three appointments were too.

so yeah, that’s why I prevaricate about it.

Shocking that not everyone has the same experience.

Same here. I've learned though that this is almost certainly down to the person doing it. Had the worst experience at the hands of two clumsy nurses and was referred to the hospital, where an actual gynaecologist (male, if that's relevant) took the pain-free smear in seconds. Wasn't even aware he'd done it!

That said, that was in 2016 and I haven't had one since they started only checking for HPV. Having been with the same partner for 30 years now, seemed like a lot of unnecessary aggro.

Jumpingthruhoops · 02/10/2025 13:00

Same here. I've learned though that this is almost certainly down to the person doing it. Had the worst experience at the hands of two clumsy nurses and was referred to the hospital, where an actual gynaecologist (male, if that's relevant) took the pain-free smear in seconds. Wasn't even aware he'd done it!

That said, that was in 2016 and I haven't had one since they started only checking for HPV. Having been with the same partner for 30 years now, seemed like a lot of unnecessary aggro.

Jumpingthruhoops · 02/10/2025 13:20

ScorchingEgg · 02/10/2025 01:51

Unfortunately she fails to tell you the other stats, like how the smear test would never be introduced today if it didn’t already exist because it’s statistically ineffective, causes a vast amount of unnecessary procedures and anxiety (as it produces a high level of false positives resulting in further treatment such as punch biopsies which weaken the cervix and can make pregnancy more dangerous), makes women think they are ‘saved’ from cancer when actually cell changes usually go back to normal, and that a nurse performing smears for approx 40 years is likely to only see one to four cases of actual cancer, most of which would already be symptomatic. The lives ‘saved’ since the introduction of the smear test hasn’t actually changed, statistically, from the data pre-screening.

Smears are one of the biggest farces of modern medicine. Try asking your local practice how much extra they are getting as incentives to push you to have smears. I refuse to act like my body is constantly on the edge of being ‘sick’.

Presumably you’re also demanding scans for brain cancer, since you’re more likely to get that than cervical. No? Why not?

If you want more information, Dr McCartney, a GP who refuses smears herself (and as an aside, as was one of the co-founders of JK Rowling’s rape crisis centres) has a lot of great work and data on smears and screenings generally.

In the spirit of your comments, OP, if my comment makes just one woman critically think about her own health and assess her own risks instead of blinding following along, then I’ll be glad. You seem to fail to realise that medical treatment is a personal choice.

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THANK YOU for saying this out loud.

I've long been suspicious of the 'incentives' thing - you do wonder how genuinely 'important' these screenings are when you know someone's pockets are being lined in the process.

And you're right that such screenings can cause more problems than they solve. That's another reason why I stopped going - at my last 'disaster' smear I left the surgery with bleeding and cramping, which obviously wasn't there before my visit.
It occurred to me then that this part of a woman's body is not designed to be, firstly, held open with a plastic clamp, then a plastic 'brush' inserted to literally scrape the very sensitive surface of the cervix. Nope, it's a no from me...

BurntBroccoli · 02/10/2025 13:53

bumbaloo · 01/10/2025 19:30

I’m astounded at the lack of knowledge of women. And we expect men to understand our bodies better.

not having had sex in a decade doesn’t protect you from cancer.

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Having a smear doesn’t protect you from the many other forms of cancer either.

Also it is not known whether cells found would ever go on to become harmful in a woman’s lifetime.

BurntBroccoli · 02/10/2025 14:14

ScorchingEgg · 02/10/2025 01:51

Unfortunately she fails to tell you the other stats, like how the smear test would never be introduced today if it didn’t already exist because it’s statistically ineffective, causes a vast amount of unnecessary procedures and anxiety (as it produces a high level of false positives resulting in further treatment such as punch biopsies which weaken the cervix and can make pregnancy more dangerous), makes women think they are ‘saved’ from cancer when actually cell changes usually go back to normal, and that a nurse performing smears for approx 40 years is likely to only see one to four cases of actual cancer, most of which would already be symptomatic. The lives ‘saved’ since the introduction of the smear test hasn’t actually changed, statistically, from the data pre-screening.

Smears are one of the biggest farces of modern medicine. Try asking your local practice how much extra they are getting as incentives to push you to have smears. I refuse to act like my body is constantly on the edge of being ‘sick’.

Presumably you’re also demanding scans for brain cancer, since you’re more likely to get that than cervical. No? Why not?

If you want more information, Dr McCartney, a GP who refuses smears herself (and as an aside, as was one of the co-founders of JK Rowling’s rape crisis centres) has a lot of great work and data on smears and screenings generally.

In the spirit of your comments, OP, if my comment makes just one woman critically think about her own health and assess her own risks instead of blinding following along, then I’ll be glad. You seem to fail to realise that medical treatment is a personal choice.

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Yes I read her book:
“The Patient Paradox: Why Sexed Up Medicine is Bad for Your Health”

Very enlightening!

Mistyglade · 02/10/2025 14:19

Mines tilted, they use a different instrument now that’s been acknowledged and it’s much easier and comfortable for the nurse and I!

Serpentstooth · 02/10/2025 14:36

When they fund the abandoned Tesco trolley, that's the time to worry.

Curryingfavour · 02/10/2025 17:53

I was always ok with my smear tests until I got older ( I have had children , 3 vaginal births )
One doctor was great, absolutely lovely and she really put me at ease.
Another time was a snippy , sneery young female GP who made me feel absolutely rubbish ( oh what’s all the fuss about , I suppose some women get all worked up about it 🙄 was her attitude)
It was extremely uncomfortable so I haven’t had one since

Aplcdone · 02/10/2025 17:58

Jumpingthruhoops · 02/10/2025 13:00

Same here. I've learned though that this is almost certainly down to the person doing it. Had the worst experience at the hands of two clumsy nurses and was referred to the hospital, where an actual gynaecologist (male, if that's relevant) took the pain-free smear in seconds. Wasn't even aware he'd done it!

That said, that was in 2016 and I haven't had one since they started only checking for HPV. Having been with the same partner for 30 years now, seemed like a lot of unnecessary aggro.

Show quote history

I also thought this, as had been with the same partner for years, and unfortunately hpv can lay dormant in you for years and years and it can be triggered, I was having regular smears once a year as I had hpv, December 2023 I was border line cell changes and by December 2024 I was high grade, only took 12 months to go to cin 2, no symptoms either! So now I’ve been put back to 3 yearly, but I will have a smear done privately every year as they test your cells. X

saffy2 · 02/10/2025 17:59

I’m so so so shocked that anyone can only just be having their first smear test at 40. 😳 completely baffled actually. Like you were prime age for the jade goody effect. That’s crazy.
im so glad you’ve been, please keep going. I had no idea people out there were still avoiding this very simple and life saving procedure!!

LokiDoki75 · 02/10/2025 18:14

My Nan died of embarrassment. She never had a smear because she was too embarrassed to go. Then when she started bleeding again in her late fifties after her periods had stopped when she was forty, she was still too embarrassed to go. It was only after she finally told my Mum, who pretty much frogmarched her into her GP that she was tested and it came back that she had cervical cancer. She made us promise to not make the same mistake she did and, although my smears are horrendous and sometimes have to be done at the hospital, I get them done.

Theresabatinmykitchen · 02/10/2025 18:18

Idontpostmuch · 02/10/2025 11:57

I've had 5 mammograms and all painless, but I go through anguish waiting for the results. Pain seems to be very personal. I have no problem with smears either. However after I broke my leg and had surgery I had to inject myself daily with blood thinning meds. I found it very sore, but other people told me it was no problem, just a little prick. There's no way of knowing if mammograms will hurt you. Hopefully not, but read the leaflet outlining the pros and cons. You might decide you don't want it for other reasons.

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Yes according to the leaflet from the NHS mammography saves 1300 lives per year but 4000 women are diagnosed with “cancer” which would never have harmed them, so that’s mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and long life medication for a cancer that would never have been life threatening, let alone the psychological trauma, so many women will think their lives have been “saved” when they really haven’t, in fact the opposite.

Smear test - is it normal to find leaves and twigs?

Gemlu · 02/10/2025 18:20

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the request of the author.

user1491320660 · 02/10/2025 18:23

User748937744 · 01/10/2025 18:18

Ok, clickbait title - for a reason!

I am in my 40s and had my first smear test today. It was so fine and so quick and so painless and so straightforward and I wish I’d been brave enough to go for all the many years I’ve ignored the invitations!

Aibu to tell as many people as I can who might also never have gone to just do it?

I’ll happily go back next time I’m called.

I only went today because I’ve had some symptoms that were concerning.

It was so built up as something embarrassing and possibly painful in my head and it just wasn’t either.

Please, please go. You can always say you’re nervous and would like to be seen by someone really understanding.

I have been having smear tests since I was 18 and last Monday was the first one that was too painful to be completed. The nurse tried twice but then stopped the test. I am 47 so have quite a few as I have never missed one (my grandmother died of cervical cancer). The nurse thinks it is because I started HRT but needed to stop. I was prescribed a pessary and I will go back in a month.
Over the years some tests have been uncomfortable but one thing that helped was knowing that there are different sizes of speculum.

ChristmasFluff · 02/10/2025 18:24

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 02/10/2025 02:21

I read that screened populations see a 70-80% reduction in incidence and mortality re cervical cancer. Is that not the case after all?

You can check out Japan. They have recently introduced smear testing because of pressure from the WHO. But their cervical cancer death rates were no worse than the UK or other countries that had screening all along.

Lillyprint55 · 02/10/2025 18:26

As a couple of you have said above, I absolutely dreaded mine, i consider myself to have a pretty good pain threshold, yet having this done was by far the most painful thing i have ever experienced. Wouldn't have another one,

LaughingCat · 02/10/2025 18:27

Hate having smears as I’m bloody tight down there and just don’t like having cold, slimy, hard things inserted (yes, I know how that sounds!). I do go for them regularly though and never had a concerning result. The peace of mind is worth it for me. They still do a range of tests at the same time though, so it’s just part of my sexual health regime now.

opencecilgee · 02/10/2025 18:31

I take you have never had a baby

after that, a smear test is easy than an eye test

Henbags · 02/10/2025 18:32

WannabeEDIOfficer · 01/10/2025 19:38

I had a horrific experience with an inexperienced nurse some years ago and it stayed with me for a long time. She couldn't find my cervix.

Now, I make sure I see an experienced nurse and tell them about the horrific experience before undressing. They tell me really clearly how to position myself to find my cervix and last time it was OK.

Soon I will be at the age that I dont need smear tests abd I will be rewarded with manograms. The joys of womanhood.

You are invited for smear tests until you are aged 64 and mammogram invites start between the age of 50-53, so if you’re reaching mammogram age then you will still be invited for smear tests for several more years.

Yourcatisnotsorry · 02/10/2025 18:32

Love your title and I’m glad that for you it was trouble free. Sadly for many it is painful and invasive and triggers previous traumas. So yabu to assume that as it’s alright for you it’s alright for everyone. We need to recognize that for many it is not easy and do better at providing alternatives for women to access healthcare safely and on positive terms.

Glowingup · 02/10/2025 18:32

bumbaloo · 01/10/2025 19:30

I’m astounded at the lack of knowledge of women. And we expect men to understand our bodies better.

not having had sex in a decade doesn’t protect you from cancer.

Show quote history

Fairly negligible chance you will have HPV though and that’s all they test for, not cancer.

Glowingup · 02/10/2025 18:36

saffy2 · 02/10/2025 17:59

I’m so so so shocked that anyone can only just be having their first smear test at 40. 😳 completely baffled actually. Like you were prime age for the jade goody effect. That’s crazy.
im so glad you’ve been, please keep going. I had no idea people out there were still avoiding this very simple and life saving procedure!!

The ironic thing about that is that Jade Goody did have regular smear tests and had abnormal cells removed several times. She still died of cancer.

cinnamongirl123 · 02/10/2025 18:37

Well I’ve been having them regularly since I was first invited, several decades - and they are always excruciatingly painful, I can barely cope. But they’re essential, so I always go. Glad yours was ok OP, but you can’t think that they are painless for everyone.

Original poster

User748937744 · 02/10/2025 18:39

saffy2 · 02/10/2025 17:59

I’m so so so shocked that anyone can only just be having their first smear test at 40. 😳 completely baffled actually. Like you were prime age for the jade goody effect. That’s crazy.
im so glad you’ve been, please keep going. I had no idea people out there were still avoiding this very simple and life saving procedure!!

I know! I didn’t intend to ignore the letters for 25+ years. I just ignored one at a time….. Crazy really. I wish I’d got over the embarrassment a long time ago.

OP posts:

KermitTheToad · 02/10/2025 18:42

My smear test last month was really traumatic. I had had a chat with my DD aged 24 , telling her how they were not painful but just a wee bit uncomfortable. Well all I can say is that if it had been my first test I definitely would have been put off from having another one.Luckliy all my previous ones had been pain free, so I will continue to have them.