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Women's health

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Original poster

Missing smear tests

112 replies

Georgiemack · 08/04/2023 13:37

There are so many 25s to 35s ignoring the invite letter for a cervical smear test. I had mine on Thursday, and the nurse commented on the current uptakes. Im 49, and have had countless smears, us 45 plus group seem to attend. Its not pleasant as we know, but its not the end of the world either. I thought id write this just hoping it might encourage others if they have had an invite, to make the call.

OP posts:
wheresmymojo · 09/04/2023 16:28

StrawberryPi · 08/04/2023 15:42

Also, a male nurse is going to be just as highly trained and professional as a female one.

And the HPV vaccine only protects against the most common strains, and does not have 100% efficacy, so that is no reason to skip your screening.

Honestly, I find it flabbergasting that other women don't consider that women who have been sexually assaulted or raped may not want a male performing such an intimate examination.

It's not a big stretch of imagination required to think why a woman may not want a male nurse...

Then there are religious reasons that might come into play for other women.

wheresmymojo · 09/04/2023 16:33

dietcokelime · 08/04/2023 16:17

@kenadams86

I'm in the UK! I was told they only test for HPV, on the NHS website it says they check for high risk types of HPV and if none are found there's no further tests. I can't catch HPV as I'm negative, my husband is negative and there's no way for me to get it.

What's the point of attending every 3 years if I'm vaccinated, don't have HPV and that's what they're testing for? Not trying to be odd about it, but it seems the advice I was given is correct unless they missed something off?

Let's hope no-one's husbands ever have affairs then...oh...

I'm in the same situation. Mine hurt like hell. In theory it shouldn't be possible for me to have HPV since I'm in a monogamous marriage.

But what a fucker it would be to find out he hadn't been faithful and it was killing me via cervical cancer and I hadn't caught it in time because I'd assumed he never would...

dietcokelime · 09/04/2023 16:36

@wheresmymojo

What a lovely afternoon thought! I'm 100% secure in my marriage and my husband would never cheat, so we're all good on that one 😊

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 09/04/2023 16:40

HPV can lay dormant for years in men as well.

EvelynKatie · 09/04/2023 18:08

dietcokelime · 09/04/2023 16:36

@wheresmymojo

What a lovely afternoon thought! I'm 100% secure in my marriage and my husband would never cheat, so we're all good on that one 😊

😂 Yeah also been there and said that before…

landsharkr · 09/04/2023 19:26

@ReadersD1gest "If the sample tested clear of HPV they wouldn't have tested for anything further. That's the point."

The sample was clear of HPV. I didn't have HPV just abnormal cells. Although I am based in Wales so it might be different here, where I am they don't disregard a negative HPV sample. I didn't even realise that was the case until this thread, it's pretty shocking and can understand why people don't attend because of it!

Theunamedcat · 09/04/2023 19:31

Georgiemack · 08/04/2023 14:51

@Motnight

Does it matter if it is a female or male?
Back in the nineties it was mostly male doctors that did the smears, i cant see any difference tbh

It matters to the person having the test obviously

cptartapp · 09/04/2023 19:32

dietcokelime "I can't catch HPV as I'm negative."
You were only negative at the precise time of your last smear. Doesn't mean you're not positive right now or had been previously. It could be lying dormant as we speak. You wouldn't have a clue.

Oblomov23 · 09/04/2023 19:36

I'm always attended. Find them incredibly painful. Now MN has taught me what a waste of time it now is, HPV only, I'm not sure I'll bother again. Cost cutting. Disgusting. They should go back to the old style of testing. Utterly disgraceful.

SushiSuave · 09/04/2023 19:47

I had a horrendous birth with my son, third degree tear and left with a lot of scarring and pain. I HATE having smear tests now as they are really very painful, albeit relatively quick. But I will still go for my test as I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something was diagnosed that could have been caught sooner, for my sons sake.

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 09/04/2023 19:52

Oblomov23 · 09/04/2023 19:36

I'm always attended. Find them incredibly painful. Now MN has taught me what a waste of time it now is, HPV only, I'm not sure I'll bother again. Cost cutting. Disgusting. They should go back to the old style of testing. Utterly disgraceful.

It’s interesting how many people are taking the HPV bit from here, but completely ignoring the multiple posters who had things spotted on the visual check…

SharonEllis · 09/04/2023 19:55

Georgiemack · 08/04/2023 14:51

@Motnight

Does it matter if it is a female or male?
Back in the nineties it was mostly male doctors that did the smears, i cant see any difference tbh

It mattered to her and that's what matters. Women & girls should always have the right to have female (sex) only care.

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