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Original poster

@*@*@*@ Right, who is putting off their smear test? @*@*@*@

677 replies

Lulumama · 15/10/2007 17:03

Have just been for mine

not the funnest way to spend 10 minutes, but hey! don;t need another one for 3 years...

also, here's a tip if the nurse has trouble finding your cervix, mine seemed to have wandered off, lie on your left side..

was over and done with very quickly and with complete and utter sensitivity and discretion.

i know it is a bit yuck, but it is important, and you can always take a friend with for moral support.

so, if you have been meaning to book in for yours, get it booked !

OP posts:
BoysAreLikeDogs · 07/11/2008 14:52

SBB I am sorry to hear that your smear test was so horrid.

christMAScomesbutonceayear · 04/12/2008 10:46

*

deckthegirlandboywithholly · 04/12/2008 10:52

Had one last month and results are clear.

Large picture of the England football team taped to the ceiling in the nurses room! We are meant to lie back and think of England!

christMAScomesbutonceayear · 04/12/2008 10:59

arf ! what a good idea ! my dentist has a map of the world on the ceiling above the chair but it's too wee to read all the places Glad yours was ok deckthegirlandboy

Lemontart · 04/12/2008 11:05

y I have ignored 2 reminders now - the second personally signed by my GP
I know, I know...

Been having dodgy abdomen pains in my left side too along with other symptoms. Cannot bear the thought that it is more than mild stomach bug or perhaps mild IBS..
I am the ultimate wimp and would rather worry a little every day than just go in and deal with it all.

I need a deep breath, a big double appointment and get a total body MOT to stop me freaking and getting morbid thoughts at every dodgy symptom
Why oh why I am so bad at this? I never used to be and quit happily had smear tests up to about 4 yrs ago. Just getting older and more aware of how mortal I feel. Stupid cow that I am.

SantasNuttySTaff · 04/12/2008 11:12

smears are soo sooo v important had my first at 21 found abnormal cells and had to have them removed with Lettz and again when i was 24 was on 6 monthly smears and now on yearly

its not fun granted but so much better than getting cervical cancer and other nasties

please dont put it off

Guadalupe · 04/12/2008 11:15

Six months since my hysterectomy now, and I am due a vaginal smear. Nice. At least after that there's one at 18 months and then I never have to have a smear again. You have to try and see the perks.

Anyone else wavering, please go. I always had mine and that's why it was caught at stage 1.

clayre · 14/12/2008 20:17

just a gentle bump to remind people, cant believe mine was on the 14th dec 07, where has a year gone?????

janeite · 14/12/2008 20:26

I had one last week, after putting it off for several years. And you know what? It was nowhere near as bad as they used to be, even though she had to faff about a bit and change speculums. My cervix seems to have gone walkabout a bit- she said I had a titled uterus but I don't think it can mean much as it's never been mentioned before. The plastic speculum was so much easier to deal with than the old metal ones, which felt and looked like instruments of torture.

Guadalupe · 14/12/2008 20:29

Lol, janite, a titled uterus, is that lady, or countess maybe?

Mine is on Friday, not looking forward to it much but I agree, the plastic speculums are much better.

janeite · 15/12/2008 17:48

Oops! Oh yes, my uterus is very special indeed!

Hope all goes well on Friday.

JustKeepSingingCarols · 15/12/2008 17:51

Just had mine today and...it was fine!
So much better than i remembered/had built it up to be.
My last one was 2004 - but have been busy having 2 DCs in between .

The nurse did say they are using better equipment now & that she does hundreds (swapped the other nurse for all the ear syringing!) so is quick and gentle.

Go, don't put it off any longer

Siriusmewandtinseltoo · 15/12/2008 17:54

I put mine off for afes. Then I went for the depo injection and they got me then. Both in one day?! Gutted!

Worryingwart · 26/01/2009 13:03

Just found this thread. Have got one tonight and am climbing the effing walls just thinking about it. I always find them SO painful But agree it must not be put off! Does it really make it easier if you relax your muscles - I've heard the opposite, that bearing down makes it easier? Anyway, how the hell are you supposed to relax - it's like saying "I'm going to hit you over the head with a hammer - but just relax".

asteamedpoater · 26/01/2009 13:44

Worryingwart - make sure whoever is doing your smear is trained to do a manual examination, first. Smears shouldn't be really painful if the person doing them knows where your cervix is before they insert the speculum and therefore aim it in the right direction. If they do this, it takes seconds to get the speculum in the right place and doesn't hurt, provided you let your muscles stay relaxed. If they just shove the speculum right in in the hope your cervix is easy to find and it isn't, this can result in wasted time and huge discomfort as they ask you to cough and then fiddle around pushing the damn thing in and out, trying to find your cervix, and then crank the speculum open really wide in the hope your cervix won't disappear again... And yes, I've had extremely painful smears where I've been mauled about like this, with the nurse complaining how difficult my cervix is to find (despite the fact she's been banging the speculum into it for the last 20 minutes), and I've had pain-free smears by the nice doctor or properly trained nurse (OK, it's always been a doctor) who has checked the position of my cervix before he or she inserted the speculum, so I know this makes a colossal difference and that a pain-free smear is entirely possible - even if your cervix is in a slightly odd position, as mine apparently is!

Worryingwart · 27/01/2009 06:30

You were so right, asteamed! It was one of our top gynae docs who did it (she runs the local fp clinic) so I assumed she must know what she's doing, but she couldn't find my cervix at first (apparently my uterus is tilted) so she then found it with a finger so she "knew where to aim for" and then it was definitely a little easier - why the hell didn't she just do that the first time?! I will make sure in future that I ask them to do this first.

MaryAnnSingleton · 27/01/2009 10:09

well done worryingwart !

Joolyjoolyjoo · 05/02/2009 23:57

Can I just bumo this thread? I started a thread a few weeks ago after my smear, wondering why some women were too scared/ embarrassed to have smears. I have been diligent with my smears (every 4 yrs here) and have never been too bothered about going (apart from one time, where I had removed all my pubes for a bet and forgotten I was due a smear!!)

Just got the result back today, and it was abnormal. I have to go for a colposcopy. According to the letter I got, this is not the first time I have had abnormal cells (first I have heard of it, though, and no instructions to go for more frequent smears). I am naturally anxious about the result, and the wait is on for the letter from the colposcopy clinic . However, everything I have read has reiterated that women who go for routine smears generally have a better chance of being at an early enough stage to be treated, if that is necessary.

I am trying to be positive, and it's hard not to worry, but it has reinforced to me how glad I am that I went for those smears. So I would urge anyone else to do the same.

MaryAnnSingleton · 06/02/2009 10:22

Really hope everything will be ok for you Joolyjoolyjool

Original poster
Lulumama · 07/02/2009 17:16

yes, i also hope all is well, will keep fingers crossed for you

it is over a year since i started this thread, and i think now, based on what is happening to Jade Goody, there has never been a better time to encourage women to go for their smears.. a few minutes of embarassment or uncomfortableness every 3 years is surely far better than the alternative, whihc is cervical cancer..

anyone who lives near me and is nervous , i will happily go along with you

OP posts:
Guadalupe · 07/02/2009 17:22

It is worring isn't it, Joolyjool. Try and remember that getting called in for colposcopy is very common and it may check and see there is no problem. Much better to check though.

If there is a problem it can be treated easily and quickly and usually that's the end of it. Good luck.

BellaLasagne · 07/02/2009 17:33

Can I add another plea please?

While you're all in this positive frame of mind, please, please check your boobs too.

I'm between chemo and radiotherapy after being diagnosed with breast cancer in August 08, and I discovered it after checking myself. I didn't find a lump, but I noticed a change in the shape of my breast and went to my GP. Yes, I was scared sh*tless, but so glad I did because they've caught it just in time and have been able to treat it and I should be fine now. I'm now looking forward to some good times with my family, and dread to think what might have been if I hadn't made that call to my GP's surgery to book an appointment.

Please, be brave, for yourselves and for your families.

For further info on how to check yourself, look at the TCC website

Bella xx

LackaDAISYcal · 07/02/2009 17:39

I had mine done on Wednesday.....five years since my last one but two mcs and 2 pregnancies kind of held it up.

I'm quite worried as I've had an abnormal result before and was on six monthly frequency for a couple of years, then yearly for a few as well and had only got back to a normal three yearly routine.

It's going to be an anxious wait for the results.

and it blooming well hurt and she had to get a smaller speculum which made it uncomfortable rather than painful, but I'm only 13 weeks post natal after a forceps delivery.

MaryAnnSweetheart · 08/02/2009 08:39

well done for starting this lulumama !

Original poster
Lulumama · 08/02/2009 14:05

thansk

as i posted earlier, i had all my smears, then got borderline results ... and then another smear came back normal.. was a bit of a but shows it is important to go for them

bella, really good point re the breast checking too

OP posts: