during covid I had a post menopausal bleed or it may have been an end of menstrual career event BUT since both my brilliant GP and my GP (ret'd) Mum were jumping up and down, well.
I havent had cervical screening (they are not a "smear" any more so why would we call them something so negative when they want women to DO them). I spent the 1980s & 90s telling lesbians to contradict the NHS and their GPs when they said "lesbians dont need cervical screening" but having been needlessly medically re-traumatised by the rape insensitivity of medics....not gonna get into that just now but HELL so..I hadnt had a cervical screening in 11 years...
I am a lesbian no "sexual intercourse" nor any sex (ie with consent) with men so fairly low risk but my GP said "Look you are low risk for the cervical but higher for the other womb, no pregnancy so the cervical screening is optional but the internal scanning at hospital I would be much happier for you to have IDEALLY.
I felt pretty sick and I havent been able to use my front door in daylight due to section 67 sexual offender next door who has spent 25 years intimidating me.... so it was all a bit complicated...
so I said "OK how about the cervical screening with people I know who really do understand me and then graduate to a complete flippin stranger at the hospital digging around inside.
I also asked her for objective figures of lesbian cervices no/little HPV contact actually becoming cancerous.
BY chance I saw LEFT LATERAL ie lying on your left side face away from clinician who I would far rather NOT see
when I was raped i remember the moment of "truth" was knowing he could see "me" and that is intrinsically traumatising and shaming.
NO its not about me "pulling myself together" and frakly th NHS/PHE approach is disgusting especially as I have been writing to them directly for FIVE YEARS about "How about you talk to rape survivors/victims and behave like there is an actual medical problem here and not delinquent women recklessly no showing up.
I asked my GP Mum (retred I am so bloody proud of her) and said "Any reason for left not right and she said "Well only the handedness of the clinician RH cervical sample taker is Leftlateral and LH cervical sample taker is Right lateral which made me laugh.
SO I taught my GP practice how to do me and I could tell they were thinking DAMN no wonder women dont show, who have we hurt without meaning to...it was excruciating stating my specific needs as it relates to knowedge about what happened (but dont feel sorry for me because aged 18 I did actually teach a man consent while he was raping me 30 yrs before discussion of consent. Autism 101 Sex rape consent he doesnt have it. then I had to figure out how to decline consent when the judges said no meant yes and I did.
www.jostrust.org.uk/about-us/news-and-blog/blog/left-lateral-position-%E2%80%93-better-option-patients#:~:text=For%20my%20patients%20who%20had,bottom%2C%20rather%20than%20the%20pubis.
the nurses were great and even put a print out on the wall
and we DID IT
then my GP talked to hospital and the sonographer was cvool and called me in advance and we decided it was better for me to get the bloody thing IN. Now this the lateral position wasnt possible but it was kind of OK becauee I have a special sarong I always use for maximal coverage. and she sent me photos of the room and we spoke by phone and email for any questions so I would just say to anyone OUT THERE...
DONT BE STUCK
and if you really cant talk to your GP or someone come and talk to ME and I can ask my Mum on the QT while she hasnt kicked the bucket and we can figure it out because...
after 11 yrs of gently worrying it was really GREAT to know it was ALL GOOD.
Even my GP and the nurse specialist said "70% preference that is really something! And I tell you what WHY DIDNT I think of that! I am fdefo having that way MYSELF next time!