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Original poster

please don't yell at me

85 replies

warthog · 22/03/2007 12:02

but i haven't been for a smear test for a looong time and i don't want to go. i want to know what the risks of not going are. i know about cervical cancer but i don't know how high the risks are. please don't jump on me, i just really hate getting pushy post from the government and hate having to spread my legs for insensitive people i don't know. i hate hate hate the whole system.

OP posts:

lulumama · 22/03/2007 13:09

NIP!!!

well done warthog !! good for you ! twill be over and done with before you know it !

anorak · 22/03/2007 13:17

Please let us know the outcome - no chance to chicken out if you know we're waiting!

AnAngelWithin · 22/03/2007 13:18

im the same. have never had one yet

Original poster

warthog · 22/03/2007 13:41

will do anorak

so, lullabyloo, hillary, wannabe, anangel, shall we do this together?

OP posts:

RosieMac · 22/03/2007 13:48

You don't need smears if you've only ever had one sexual partner. (Dad is a consultant histopatholgist). Nuns don't get cervical cancer.
Rx

Original poster

warthog · 22/03/2007 13:51

REALLY???!?!?!

oh well, i still need to get one

OP posts:

RoundTheBend · 22/03/2007 14:05

I used to go regularly for smears, every five years as recommended. I worked for a very large national company and they, off their own back, instigated a "well woman clinic" and we were all encouraged to go along. I had only had a smear 2 years prior but went along anyway. Turns out I was CIN 3. My GP told me that had I waited another 3 years like I was supposed to, I would not have been there to have it done. I had treatment on the NHS with a cone biopsy and laser treatment. The NHS pulled out all the stops and from getting the results to having all the treatment was 6 weeks. I am very glad to be alive today. I am now 44 and have yearly smears.

LittleMamaT · 22/03/2007 14:21

Do you have to go privately for yearly smears or can you get them done on the NHS? Other countries such as the USA do recommend annual smear tests - don't know why it's 3-5 years here.

franca70 · 22/03/2007 14:33

well done warthog .
Littlemama, I'm not sure why. It's once a year in Italy.

nickytwotimes · 22/03/2007 14:36

i had my first one in 7 years recently and it was fine. i must admit, i had a bit of a bee in my bonnet about being summond (spelling?!) for them, but in the end thought it was a good idea and after childbirth....well...don't have any dignity left, really!!!

DumbledoresGirl · 22/03/2007 15:50

RosieMac - do nuns have one sexual partner then?

bozza · 22/03/2007 16:02

Rosiemac doesn't that assume that your sexual partner has also only had one sexual partner? Because otherwise he could have contracted the virus?

I am at how many of you have never had one. warthog, in your position - nervous, first time - I would try to avoid taking DD, have a glass of wine beforehand and be prepared for the instrument to be cold. HTH

Dottydot · 22/03/2007 16:06

I haven't had one for 20 years...

Mercy · 22/03/2007 16:17

I had a smear test done about 4 months ago - my first since having children, so the last one was about 6 years ago.

I was in and out in about 5 minutes and it didn't hurt a bit, although I remember them being pretty uncomfortable pre-kids.

If you are nervous it might help if you go to a specialist clinic rather than your GP. The nurses do them all the time and are very experienced (my GP has a nurse once a week just for this purpose anyway).

HTH

bobsmum · 22/03/2007 16:22

I've had 2 but refused them until I was sexually active. GP didn't believe me until I insisted and had my first at 24. But I've only had one partner and I know for a fact that so has dh - do I still need to go? I've ignored the last 4/5 letters and I've not had a letter now for a year or so.

tribpot · 22/03/2007 16:24

Please do it. My friend was diagnosed with cervical cancer five weeks after her wedding. She's still with us but she's lost the chance to ever have a baby.

DumbledoresGirl · 22/03/2007 17:29

I am a bit surprised by this one partner bit. I knew that virgins did not need a smear, but is it really true that women who have only had one sexual partner who themselves have only had one sexual partner are not at risk of cervical cancer?

LesleyR · 22/03/2007 17:49

I would implore anyone who is sexually active to go for a smear when summoned (active is active regardless of the number of partners).
One of my oldest and closest friends is in the end stages of cervical cancer. She is 32 married, but childless and it's heartbreaking to see what she's going through and to know that soon we will lose her.
The test can be uncomfortable and undignified, but if it saves lives/pain then it will be worth it.

KerryMum · 22/03/2007 18:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Twiglett · 22/03/2007 18:09

oh FFS .. grow up

I have to have smears every 6 months

.. 1 in 12 smears result in an abnormal result .. most of which are nothing .. some of which need treatment

its like refusing to blow your nose when you have a cold

bloody hell is this a parenting site and have you had a child?

Original poster

warthog · 23/03/2007 06:41

looking at your posts in the last day, you think discussing the minutae of your ds's extra-mural activities is a more worth-while discussion?

when i started this thread i was 50/50 not going to have a smear test. i'm clearly not alone. thanks to posts like anorak's and melrose's, i'm having one next thursday. perhaps this thread will persuade others to go too.

i'm very glad that you're not deciding what people talk about on here.

OP posts:

mymama · 23/03/2007 06:52

I knew a girl once who had never had a smear test. Another friend pushed her into having one and she had cervical cancer ! She had to have a hysterectomy and treatment. She was only 28.

GO SOON!

happystory · 23/03/2007 06:55

My cousin is a practice nurse and she does smear tests for nuns- so there!

Original poster

warthog · 23/03/2007 07:17

so glad i started this thread because i honestly didn't realise how serious it was. yes, we should go, and i'm ashamed and embarrassed that i haven't gone for the last 5 years. that's why i titled the thread as i did...

OP posts:

q7 · 23/03/2007 07:26

There was another thread about this quite recently. I personally haven't had a smear test for 8 years, and don't plan to have another one ever. You're always going to get people who tell you you 'should' go, but you really don't have to! If you tell your surgery you aren't interested, they stop sending you the reminder letters for 5 years.

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