Reasons you're avoiding your smear test

[loulousilver1]

Hi all.

While I know I am asking for personal reasons as to why women are still missing/not booking/ avoiding their smear tests there is a reason. I am interested as I work as a social prescriber and would like to use my job role ways to speak to women about having this done.

I recently had a smear test after avoiding it for nearly 10 years, this has now resulted in me attending hospital appointments with the world and its wife looking at my fuff!

I thank you in advance for your responses.

@WilliamMorrisdancer

So tell us, OP, what is a social prescriber?

You can google it

Yes, you can google it, but surely it benefits you and is polite to explain what the job title means when you're asking women to share their experiences with you?

@WilliamMorrisdancer

So tell us, OP, what is a social prescriber?

It might surprise you to learn that there are some weirdos out there who ‘enjoy’ a smear test thread. @JamieFrasersAuntie is warning posters not to share details so as not to encourage. Post and run is usually a sign.

Apologies I Quoted the wrong person
Meant to quote the OP.

still missing/not booking/ avoiding.

This! And also not listening to the women saying a drop in service would work best, that they have trouble booking an appointment that suits their schedules but it's far easier to blame, guilt and shame them than actually provide for their needs.

Rude

Because last time I had one the nurse didn’t lock door and a random male patient came in the room just as shed inserted the speculum then stood up and moved away from me because she realised she’d left the rest of the kit out of reach. The bed was opposite the door so he got a full view.
The thought of having another one freaks me out now

@loulousilver1 I was a total smear avoider admittedly, I ignored the letters and just thought I don’t have the time to book in (emergency services / shift worker) I used any excuse.
It was until the birth of my my DS at 29 and credit to my doctors surgery practically harassed me until I booked one in.

I am very thankful for them constantly ringing me and leaving me voicemails, as like you it resulted in numerous people then examining me! I had CIN3 removed, and a large chunk of my cervix. This resulted with my 2nd needing progesterone pessaries to prevent pre term labour as my cervix was weak and shortening.

But I am so thankful for the persistence of my GP surgery, as realistically I would most likely have cervical cancer now

I'm nearly 3 years over due, finally worked up to booking an appointment last summer, then my period turned up a week early on the day of the appoint. I know I need to re-book, but there's always a reason not to (child care / lockdown).

For me it's not the smear, I'm just shit at self care. I'm also 2 years over due an eye test, with glasses that are missing an arm. And I've had toothache since October (suspect I'll need extraction).

'You can google it' what a rude response.

Presumably you can therefore google why women don't want to attend smear tests.

Personally I found them very uncomfortable and at my last one the nurse started asking questions about my sex life, I have never been so humiliated, at least have the courtesy to wait until the procedure has finished, lying there with legs akimbo being asked about your sex life is horrendous.

I never had another one .. I am over the age when they are deemed necessary now and whenever I went to the GP I could see in red letters "cervical testing overdue" but although I got the reminder letters - and responded saying remove me from the lists - I still got the letters.

[quote Forevernamechange12333333]@loulousilver1 I was a total smear avoider admittedly, I ignored the letters and just thought I don’t have the time to book in (emergency services / shift worker) I used any excuse.
It was until the birth of my my DS at 29 and credit to my doctors surgery practically harassed me until I booked one in.

I am very thankful for them constantly ringing me and leaving me voicemails, as like you it resulted in numerous people then examining me! I had CIN3 removed, and a large chunk of my cervix. This resulted with my 2nd needing progesterone pessaries to prevent pre term labour as my cervix was weak and shortening.

But I am so thankful for the persistence of my GP surgery, as realistically I would most likely have cervical cancer now[/quote]
Right. So if a woman is not attending cervical screening because she has severe PTSD following a sexual assault, do you think that being harassed by healthcare professionals attempting to coerce her into an invasive procedure is a useful and positive course of action for her that will make her feel more able to tolerate that traumatic procedure?

Or might that actually reduce the accessibility of any medical care to that patient?

I can't believe people are actually advocating for coercion in healthcare.

@Eaumyword

Because shoving a large metal or hard plastic implement into a vagina without any lubrication is bound to be painful. Add doing this to a peri or menopausal woman and you have your answer. I don't know WHY there isn't a suitable lubricant on the market specifically for this purpose.

When I had mine done the nurse used KY jelly and it wasn't painful at all.

@rawalpindithelabrador

still missing/not booking/ avoiding.

This! And also not listening to the women saying a drop in service would work best, that they have trouble booking an appointment that suits their schedules but it's far easier to blame, guilt and shame them than actually provide for their needs.

I completely agree that a drop in service would work better for those women who would like to have a smear test.

If you do not wish to comment on this post then you do not have to.
The post was not put up to shame women in anyway, it was to understand. To learn. To be educated.
Some of the posts and messages I have had have been unbelievable.
I am in no way wanting to convince people to have it if they do not wish to do so.

I agree with you that no woman should do what they do not wish to do.

Again, this post is not about convincing women to have a smear test.

I'm honestly surprised how many find them so painful.

Not avoiding but maybe they could improve its image by changing the name to something less negative.

Why not call it cervical cancer screening?

@loulousilver1

If you do not wish to comment on this post then you do not have to. The post was not put up to shame women in anyway, it was to understand. To learn. To be educated. Some of the posts and messages I have had have been unbelievable. I am in no way wanting to convince people to have it if they do not wish to do so.

Wow, you're astonishingly rude. Between this and the 'Google it' comment, now you're scolding the very people you asked to respond to you. Good luck in your career working with people with that piss poor attitude.

@Perfect28 why?

Jesus OP what a way to promote the service of a social prescriber. The very nature of the role is compassion and understanding as the very forefront, it’s doesn’t scream that from your post. I hope your more respectful of your patients views and opinions. Telling people the google the role is really not helping to push the service forward, your should be encouraging education of the relatively new role not being rude!

@rawalpindithelabrador

You may think I am being rude and you’re entitled to your opinion.
I didn’t realise there would be such negativity but at least I am being open and trying to learn.

They removed the option to have a smear test at the drop in family planning clinic which makes it much, much harder to get a test.

@Kgrzghtechh but I don’t have severe PTSD.... however if I had been in this situation the PTAD diagnosis would have come from my GP surgery - or at least they would be aware. Then realistically they wouldn’t contact me as I would have made them aware why I was declining during the initial diagnosis?

@Kgrzghtechh and for me, I could have cervical cancer now... so yes I will advocate the approach they took ,as without it I wouldn’t have gone for a smear .

[quote loulousilver1]@rawalpindithelabrador

You may think I am being rude and you’re entitled to your opinion.
I didn’t realise there would be such negativity but at least I am being open and trying to learn.[/quote]
You're doing nothing of the sort. You're being condescending and sneering. What a disgusting attitude! I see I'm far from alone in this sentiment, since you're so open and trying to learn.