My smear was due in early April and my GP surgery via the regional cervical screening unit sent me a letter to ask me to make an appointment.
Unfortunately I was unable to as was too ill to go to the GP surgery for the appointment, (the irony) which I originally booked for April 26th and spoke to the GP several days before who does the clinic who agreed I should put it on hold until I could mobilise and was well enough to get there and move onto the exam bed etc which meant that the appointment was freed up for someone else, these are 30 min appointments and also allow time to cover some other things if needed.
A couple of weeks later I was sent out a reminder via the regional screening service to remind me to get it done if I hadn't already, a pro forma letter.
On May 7th I ended up in hospital from one of my other conditions and was released on the 16th. I was put into bed by the paramedics on transit ambulance who took me home and I'm still here.
Turns out the referral for physio to help me mobilize went to the wrong team and so it was rejected thro the system but no one realized. I'm still in bed and its only today we have sorted out what has happened I now need to be referred for physio again and that could be weeks.
I have been completely off my feet since May 7th bar a very short "walk" with 3 physios where I almost fell twice in under 5 metres on the 14th May. I'm home from hospital 6 weeks tomorrow. I have been off my feet for approx 50 days now.
The GP has said don't worry they will do smear as soon as I am able. Its recommendations and guidelines but life doesn't always fit neatly into them.
I started on new medication while in the hospital which I was supposed to have an ECG done 2/3 weeks after starting I cant get it done either. The GP is aware of side effects I am having from the medication but we cant get the ECG as the only way I could get it done would be to move me to the hospital via ambulance and home again but we have agreed to hold on and only do that if absolutely no alternative. The GP has also said the 2/3 week was really a recommendation, not a strict timeline although that isn't generally said as otherwise, some patients may never follow thru.
In the past I have had abnormal cells so I would totally advocate for getting smears done I ended up having retests every 3 months for about 2 years, then went to 6 months for about 3 years, then another 3 years at 1 year intervals until I finally made it back to "normal" recalls of 3 years. My last 3 smears have been fine.
However, as long as they are not put off indefinitely and as long as you otherwise have no pain in that region or any problems which could possibly be answered with the smear. The menopausal symptoms have taken their toll on you and dragged your mental health down, summer fun would be a great boost to it.
I would say to put it in your diary to make an appointment come September and have a great summer " have a holiday abroad and a few trips around the country to see and stay with family and some lovely days out planned", that sounds lovely,
Deffo make an appt for Sept and have fun but make sure to follow thru on appointment.
Note - I'm not a medic this is only from my own experience