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.

If this thread highlights the madness of our current smear test system, then OP, you have done a good thing.

I hate them but most recent one saved my life.

I'm not avoiding the next smear test. I am simply not having it and shall be very happy to explain why. I shall not be engaging with any reductive social prescribers public health nurses who refer to Fooffs. At a push, I may have a discussion with a gynaecologist if I decide I want a smear test and shall pay to do so.

I hope this pilot I heard in the news where you do them in the comfort of your own home gets rolled out nationally

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/health-55663186

boph: yes, I'll refuse investigative scheduled mammograms, too. I check my breasts, they seem fine. I also check my lymph nodes, too. If I ever find a lump, puckering, orange peel type skin, nipple changes, inversion, discharge, swelling, obvious heat in breast, anything like that, then I'll ask for referrals.

Yes, I am quite healthy. Touch wood I stay that way. Hence why I'm so cavalier, I suppose.

I'm not overdue for one but may put it off when it comes up. I always had my smears at my old surgery and never had any issues. Since I moved to my current surgery I've had one and it was an awful experience. I can't stand the practice nurse for starters, she also made a comment about my anatomy to her assistant nurse which was awkward, plus she really hurt me when carrying out the procedure. Although it may have hurt because I got tense after the comment about my foof! I dread seeing her for anything now, even if it's for my daughter's routine vaccinations.

You are not being straight.

You said you wanted to talk to women who "Avoid/ don't book" the screening test.

Once a women has declined there is really nothing to talk about. It's not up for discussion and attempts to do so are coercive.

Are you medically qualified to have these conversations?

@JamieFrasersAuntie

You are not being straight.

You said you wanted to talk to women who "Avoid/ don't book" the screening test.

Once a women has declined there is really nothing to talk about. It's not up for discussion and attempts to do so are coercive.

Are you medically qualified to have these conversations?

I'm fairly sure social prescribers don't usually get asked for any medical qualifications.

Not saying they should...but no need to pay for all this shit.

Tony Blair's nanny state didn't leave when he did...i'm only just realising that.

OP can you describe why having a smear has caused several hospital appointments where 'the world and his wife' were looking at your 'fuff'.
What did these appointments consist of and why were they necessary?
Thankyou.

How rude OP. Firstly you use language that belittles exactly what happens during intimate examinations and then you insult people that respond to you by suggesting people 'spending all day on social media'.

How about instead of suggesting we Google it you give people who are bothering to respond to you a bit of respect and explain what you do and what you wish to gain from this post?

I get really anxious about going as I have significant "white coat syndrome" and anxiety.
However I know I have to fight those feelings for the sake of my young children. I tell myself well how could I come to terms with not going and then finding out that I had a cancer that could have potentially been prevented? My kids need me. Even the 13 year-old!!
My mum was diagnosed with womb cancer three years ago. I know this isn't a cancer they can screen for but she is a nurse herself and when she started bleeding well after the menopause she knew something wasn't right. She went to her GP time and time again but they insisted she was over-reacting and nothing was wrong. She eventually demanded investigation after again being told all was OK. It turned out she had Stage 3 cancer and needed an urgent hysterectomy, chemo and radiotherapy. She lost all of her hair. She was only 62 and incredibly fit and healthy.
She is three years on now has regular check ups and every day we have her is precious. I'm 40 and I still can't imagine life without her.
It brings it home.

My husband and I have been faithful to each other for 31 years so no need. I had them for a few years after we were married in case anything was lurking, and then stopped. It would be a waste of healthcare resources and my time.

@wishes1111

I honestly think it's every woman's personal choice.

I have had all of mine done as soon as I'm due as cervical cancer is rarely picked up by symptoms alone.

After many internals (including by men drs or gynaes) and multiple miscarriages, I've genuinely been accustomed to being looked at down there which surprisingly I don't find embarrassing, I always shower before etc and just tell myself they look at 100s of them a year.

I've never found them painful either, just a bit uncomfortable for 20 seconds.

I'd rather have that done than deal with a possibility of cancer or incurable cancer.

This!

I see it as an opportunity to nip any abnormalities in the bud. I've had 4 or 5 now and never been more than uncomfortable. No pain and lasts 10 - 20 seconds max. That's with a tilted uterus and cervix opening in a dodgy place that they have to find!

I actually think this is an irresponsible post and people already nervous about the smear will see and be out off further.

It's SO so important. Get checked.

when she started bleeding well after the menopause she knew something wasn't right. She went to her GP time and time again but they insisted she was over-reacting and nothing was wrong. She eventually demanded investigation after again being told all was OK. It turned out she had Stage 3 cancer

Your mum probably has a case against her GP for medical negligence. NICE guidelines are clear: any woman presenting with postmenopausal bleeding should be referred under the two week cancer pathway.

It's SO so important. Get checked

Don't tell women what to do. Let them make an informed choice.

@WilliamMorrisdancer Most definitely but she doesn't feel mentally strong enough to challenge it. It wouldn't make her cancer any less serious sadly. The damage has been done.

I got a letter this week so had mine today. Ever crossed my. O d not too - i did not feel a thing. The nurse made me laugh by saying ... "show me ya Pom Pom". We were having a very relaxed chat and it was said in good humour and we both laughed.

While in there another nurse messaged her asking if I wanted to come In tomorrow for my covid jab. They have spares so we're looking for willing patients. Walked out of their so happy.

The nurse made me laugh by saying ... "show me ya Pom Pom"

Jesus wept.

@WilliamMorrisdancer

It's SO so important. Get checked

Don't tell women what to do. Let them make an informed choice.

I actually agree with original poster @Rosecottage888

As a woman I am all about women doing what they feel is best for them however if your fear of getting a smear test done is due to trauma such as sexual abuse etc I completely understand.

However, in my personal opinion I think we should be grateful that we get these tests for free, potentially saving your life in the meantime. No smear lasts more than 20 seconds.

If I'm every lucky enough to have daughters, I will encourage them to have any tests that could save their life for a tiny bit of discomfort or pain.

Luckily for me, I haven't had any other sexual partners other than my husband and he hasn't either but it still doesn't make it impossible to get cervical cancer, it just means your at less risk for it.

Having no family history of female cancers (thank goodness) my chances of having it also rapidly decline however, I'm not willing to take the risk because I don't like somebody who's looked at hundreds of vaginas to look at mine or because it's uncomfortable for 20 seconds.

“ No smear lasts more than 20 seconds. ” is so far from the truth. You mean no smear that you have ever had.
Last two I went for took twenty minutes each and I was dismissed in pain with no sample taken.
I’m not going into the detail but it was humiliating and I’m not going back. (Now in my 50s - there is a theme on this thread)

Hi OP, I’m afraid it does seem off that you’re asking women to share personal information to help you do your job more effectively, but aren’t willing when asked to even explain more about what that job is. It just needs a little more sensitivity when barrelling in to an emotive topic like smear tests.

@SunnySomer

“ No smear lasts more than 20 seconds. ” is so far from the truth. You mean no smear that you have ever had. Last two I went for took twenty minutes each and I was dismissed in pain with no sample taken. I’m not going into the detail but it was humiliating and I’m not going back. (Now in my 50s - there is a theme on this thread)

I get very cross at those saying ‘it only takes 20 seconds or ‘a tiny bit of discomfort or pain’. Mine takes ages, it’s like a torture, it’s agonising, I cry/shake and am incredibly distressed by it for the rest of the day. It’s nowt to do with not being relaxed, it’s the position of my cervix.

Having lived abroad for some years where you need medical.insursnce for any procedures and have to pay upfront and weigh what you can afford, I feel so utterly grateful to be entitled to all these checks to monitor be and detect potential cancer cells early enough to get treatment hopefully survived without having to do wonder how to pay for it.

I get the anxiety. I was the sane, also with dentist but told myself that the anxiety of a 10mns appointment is nothing co.pare to the anxiety of dealing with a diagnosis of cancer.

Because a smear isn’t a smear test anymore.

It’s just an extremely invasive, often traumatic for many, hpv test.

Hpv can be tested for with a simple, quick vaginal swab, you don’t need a speculum, you can even do it yourself.

The nhs cut it down to just a hpv test to save money, they don’t check the cells if it’s hpv negative, which is negligent IMO.

I also think it’s laughable that GPs are paid ‘incentives’ for every woman they harass into booking a test, but they cut back the smear to a invasive hpv test to ‘save money’.

I think it’s ridiculous and I will not be having one.