I’ve never had a smear test and I don’t want one either

[Seventeenstars]

Controversial I guess, I’m 36.
I don’t think it’s necessary, as I’ve read about my risk factors and I don’t meet the criteria. All the men I’ve slept with (without protection) were virgins and yes I know they were for sure.
I also have no family history of any cancer.
My partner has prostate cancer in both sides of his family, his dad has it currently and he’s not even been offered a screening test for this.
I find this so frustrating and contradictory when women and men are treated so differently and if you refuse smear or breast screening you’re seen as an awful person, and those who do are morally superior.
Men aren’t coerced into invasive internal examinations.
I have an aversion to having things inserted in me internally and feel I have a right to that decision regarding my body.
There are home tests for HPV available, which I have done myself in the past - all clear.
My question is why do they persist with this archaic procedure when there are other options available?

I keep getting phone calls from my GP surgery trying to persuade me to book a test. I don’t understand why they’re always pushing it, but just totally dismiss other medical issues, which has been my experience several times.
Do they get extra commission for this or something?
There are even pop up ‘clinics’ and drop in sessions going ahead near me.

Of course I know I’ll be bombarded with replies saying I’m selfish, stupid and uneducated. I’ve even read other women saying that those who refuse should be denied any medical care!
But I have done my research and I am more than aware of the implications.

I never knew people who refused smear tests were considered bad, that is a new one on me.

If you don't want one, don't have one, they are not compulsory.

I’m very similar to you OP and feel the same. I thought it would be a simple case of unsubscribing from NHS mailings and alerts from my GP but oh no, it wasn’t. I had repeated texts and calls from the nurse practitioner and when I asked to not be contacted again she told me I’d have to put it in writing and hand deliver it to the surgery. Not sure why on earth it had to be hand delivered! But I was made to feel as though I was doing something very shameful, as though I was failing the sisterhood by declining to take part. It was weird!

Your body, your choice. Idiotic choice but your choice. I hope you don't live to regret it.

I have a deep rooted phobia of smear tests. Had one at 26 then the next 10 years later. I ended up having a smear test as I’d been self testing with Superdrug’s tests. The test came back very high risk for HPV. Had a smear and also had cell changes. Was very lucky, I still have the fear of smear tests but go and understand I will get upset and be ill having them. But no longer willing to take the risk.

I realise this is incredibly rare but I had a lovely friend who felt like you, she had an elective c section and no internal exams. She passed away from cervical cancer when her daughter was young. Had she been screened or had allowed routine examinations in pregnancy it might have been different.

It's up to you. As long as you could be at peace with yourself if you get cervical cancer diagnosed at a late stage.

The friend I lost at 32 to cervical cancer had no risk factors either, and no symptoms till it was stage 4.

I am in my 40s and can’t have smear tests due to horrific injuries I suffered having my DD. They weren’t enjoyable when I could have them, but I bloody miss them now.

It’s your health and you will be the one who dies if you get it.’Low risk doesn’t mean never. It’s your choice.

Of course not 'secret knowledge', but not quite commission.

So you've made an informed choice and don't want it? You are an adult with capacity and you are entitled to do so. Not sure why you've made a post about it. Lots of women don't go for smear tests for lots of reasons. Irl, I've never heard anyone judge anyone for that, outside of 'oh you really should go, it's better than cancer' or whatever.

Personally, unless you have a history of trauma/or if you have a physical condition or mental illness/learning disability, etc, that makes it intolerable, I don't see why you wouldn't attend. But everyone is different, and whilst I may disagree, you are entitled to your view.

Oh, there's been some absolute corker threads on the issue over the years!

I wasn't claiming it was controversial; op was.

Im so sorry. Ive also heard some really scary stories. I struggled with them so much I would be a sobbing mess. But now Ive got children I cant miss them. I cant do that to them. My biggest fear is dying and leaving them behind. :(

Your body your choice.
However when you shun away preventative medicine that’s designed to save lives before it’s too late you should be denied NHS treatment. People in poor countries would do anything to have access to preventative medicine. The irony.

You body your choice but I have absolutely no idea why you would refuse a test that could save your life.

if you did get it, treatment would be more complex and at risk of getting flamed more costly for the NHS. Yet this could have been avoid by you getting tested

I do agree in a way.

I just went for a smear test after about 15 years (I've got really heavy periods, and it was one of the hurdles to jump to get treatment)

But the lady doing it explained that they'll first test for HPV, and if I'm negative, then they won't even look at the smear test itself.

At which point, I'm wondering why they aren't saving the hassle and sending out home HPV tests - of the kind I did with my eldest when i was pregnant with him in Canada 16 years ago.

Why did I have to go through the indignity (thank god, not pain these days, although my first couple were when I was younger), when they're not even actually going to look at it (I know I'm HPV negative because I've independently had tests when pregnant, and when cheating ex was discovered)

If you want to roll that dice then you do you.

@Seventeenstars https://csas.nhs.uk/forms/screening-cease-opt-out-patient/

So don't have one then. It's your body so do what you want.

This is what so many people are ignoring, no matter how many posters point it out! They are NOT routinely looking at cells anymore. Home HPV tests are available.

Your cervical screening results - NHS

I am now thinking this is a pisstake because the reality is women's health issues have for years been brushed over.

If it isn't then I am unsure why we need an announcement about some random choosing not to have one.

I do go for mine however think it's not great. It's a snapshot of point in time.
I've heard HPV can clear itself up, so what if you didn't have HPV at that point of time but did already have the cancer from it

You don’t really know your risk factors though do you ?
could be genetic.
They are unpleasant but for me I’d rather have reassurance and if anything is there caught early.

I've had smear tests up until now (50) but I'm stopping OP. I haven't had sex in 4 years and won't be again. Before that had sex with the same person for 25 years. It's so difficult to get an appointment now, they only have appointments several weeks ahead and my periods are all over the place so it's a nigtmare.

I'm not going to go for mammograms either, the risk of being wrongly diagnosed when you don't have a cancer that would develop into anything puts me off:

Estimates suggest that between 15% and 30% of breast cancers detected by mammography screening are cases of overdiagnosis, meaning they would not have developed into a problem during a woman's lifetime. The specific percentage can vary widely depending on the study, the methods used, and the age of the women screened.

In the UK, it is estimated that around 4,000 women each year are overdiagnosed with breast cancer through mammogram screening, meaning they receive treatment for a cancer that would never have become life-threatening.

Cervical cancers are also over diagnosed so I'll take my chances now there's no chance of me getting newly infected with HPV.

The flipside to that is that if OP has a smear test, she may be advised to have further investigations or treatment for something that would never have progressed to cancer anyway. Some people who opt out of cervical smears will be saving the NHS money, some who participate will cost it more than they would if they'd opted out.

I personally wouldn't make the cost argument, but if you're going to do so then there's more than one permutation.