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

[User748937744]

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’ve been having mine since late teens, and while I didn’t like them and was uncomfortable they were never really painful… until now! I’m 50 and apparently it’s all a bit less easy to do now.

I have always known about my weirdly tilted cervix so hard to lay under pillows etc, I’ve also had to have more that usual because in my 20s I had the cells and had to have them yearly, then 2 years and now 5, of course this will be the last couple now as they stop them at 60 or 65 ( I can’t remember what nurse said now) but since august it’s been an nightmare. Tried 3 separate times, with 3 different nurses, the nurses been lovely and rather gentle but my insides are having none of it.. they just referred me to the hospital gynaecologist now despite the wonderful semi retired nurse Jo being very determined and never coming across anyone like me in her 50 odd years as a nurse, but even she had to accept defeat 😂

Doesn’t pick up any now. They only test for HPV and do a follow up if that’s positive. Given that not all cancers are caused by HPV this is outrageous. Can’t see them doing a test on a man and not actually testing for the thing they want to know about.

I've read the work of Dr Margaret Mccartney and the results of the Raffle study and I won't have one done ever again as I was very low risk and was never told that. That situation has never changed so I've made an informed choice that I don't have them done.

Makes you want to read it though! I did!...

It's easy to say when they're quick and painless. The fact that little is done to alleviate pain for women or even inform them as to why they find them painful will always be a barrier.

Anyone who has found smear tests painful, did you know you can ask for a smaller speculum? (Is that what it’s called?)
They use the bigger one by default but just let them know you want the size small.

Also, I always get a cake on the way home. I focus on what cake I’m going to have the entire time. Calories don’t count after a smear test - that’s actual science btw. Actual science. 😉🤫

I like your intentions but your thread title reminded me of the horrible rape case in America a few years ago. Won’t go into details but it was really traumatic to read about. So for that reason YABU.

Never had major issues with them prior to menopause, even though have tilted cervix. Had some low grade cell changes which were picked up and treated with brilliant NHS staff at my local hospital.

After menopause, atrophy set in and smears started to get very uncomfortable.

I'm on HRT patches/Estriol cream.

The last attempt was horrendous, nurse attempted three times. Insertion fine, but when she tried to open the speculum - felt like razor blades cutting into me.

She then made an uncomfortable/distressing situation even worse by asking me how I got a large bruise on my thigh, which I explained was result of sporting activity on my holiday the previous week.

I asked her to stop and got the hell out of there. I bought an at home HPV test which came back negative. I will be doing that again in future and will not have a cervical smear again, unless further examination is needed, if HPV is picked up on a test.

I dread getting my reminder letter through. Been having them since my late teens and am now early 40's. I have always found them very uncomfortable/bordering painful and normally have to have at least 3 or 4 repeat visits before they get a sample they can test. They normally come back not enough cells collected. One year after 5 attempts I got sent to the gynecology dept at the hospital to get it done. Apparently they find it very difficult to find my cervix, yeah you don't say while they are repeated poking and prodding me...

Agreed. And it's patronising.

Over 99% of cervical cancer is caused by HPV. Globally, it’s 99.8%. It’s good that they don’t do a full test anymore because lots of women in the past had unnecessary treatment on so-called abnormal cells which also risked causing damage to them. If you don’t have HPV you have an incredibly small risk of developing cervical cancer. Men get breast cancer but do you see them get invited for mammograms?

Yes Clickbait for a reason. You're a TIM. Only women have smears. Hope that helps you, now toddle off.

For those that wont do it because its "painful" it would be 10x worse if you didn't get it done and then died of cancer all for the sake of a "bit of pain and uncomfortableness" yes it can be painful but the alternative is worse and especially if u have kids and family that would miss you if u died.

Wtf? Where the hell did you get that from?

Why have you put painful in quotation marks? Is it to minimise it?

Could someone please explaing the leaves and twigs for me? English is not my native language and I just dont get it. Thanks.

Also in case you weren’t aware (why would you be ) there are different sizes of speculum - I always ask for the longer one as it’s way more comfortable for me - years of experience from IVF . I suspect however most people don’t know to ask for different size

In New Zealand where I am they do just that now for most women. But you have to do it at the GP practice (nurse explains the process and then leaves you in private to carry it out). I think if you’ve had recent symptoms it’s still an actual smear. After decades of smears I’ve found a lot of variation in comfort/discomfort due mainly to the skill of the operator.

It is minimal though, a few seconds of discomfort and absolutely worth it. I have two friends currently having treatment for cervical cancer picked up by smear tests.

Yes - that was my conclusion too.

In the event I ever get symptoms I will of course get them checked out but I've had my last smear test.

It's click bait.

It has no actual meaning at all - just to try and coax people to open yet another thread on how great screening is and how we must all comply

They are abnormal cells, not necessarily cancerous.

What is the Raffle study? Would like to look into it too. Thanks.

Because in the grand scheme of things it is minimal. Would you rather go through the pain of having to tell your loved ones you are dying all for the sake of a bit of discomfort? Ive had multiple smear tests and yes they were a bit uncomfortable but rather that than have to go through an operation being cut open to remove cancer or chemo/radiation constantly being sick and losing your hair amongst other things. My mum had abnormal cells and eventually had to have a hysterectomy which was a big recovery time but if it wasn't for them "uncomfortable" smear tests they would never have found it and she would have been leaving 2 daughters and grandchildren behind all for the sake of 5 mins of being uncomfortable.

YABU to tell other women they should go. You didn’t find the smear test painful. Lucky you. Smear tests usually make me tear and bleed. They are incredibly painful for me - I’ve had kidney stones in the past and honestly that hurt less than most of the smears I’ve had over the years. I’m asexual, never had intercourse and so am at low risk. I can make my own mind up, whether to put up with that pain again or not - especially now they only test for the HPV virus rather than abnormal cells afaik.