To not have my smears ever again?

[smearfears]

Just for context. Am 36, husband 37. We have been together since we were 17 & 18 and have only ever been together, only kissed eachother and no sexual contact or sex itself with anyone else either.

I was more than willing to go for my smear tests when they checked for abnormal cells. But now they only check for HPV I'm thinking it is pointless. My risk of having HPV is non existent seeing as it is passed on through sexual contact.

I've always found smear tests awful. Painful, difficult to get samples. I need double appointments and even then they can't always get the sample and I have to go back. I spend the time in the run up to the appointment feeling panicky and sick and then the rest of the day after the appointment with awful abdominal pain and nausea.

I see all these comments about "it's life saving, just get on with it" or "it doesn't hurt that much just crack on" but in my case, yes it really does hurt that much. And no, it doesn't seem to me that in my case it would save my life as it won't check my cells, just if I have HPV which I'm not going to have due to sexual history.

Does anyone have any insight into whether I'm ok to not go? Does anyone else not go?

Thank you

Hi so do they not check the actual cells for abnormalities anymore? I’ve not been recently ( not due one) but I always thought that’s the point?

www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/why-its-important/

Entirely your own choice, but make it from an informed position.

My friend has only had one partner but had treatment recently for abnormal cells which would have turned to cancer. Please do go

No, they only check for abnormal smears if you are HPV positive.

Which seems pointless to me

There’s a similar recent thread to this already here. I first had an abnormal smear test result aged 38 for abnormal cells, had I not attended my smear test who knows if the cells would have turned cancerous. After that I had yearly smear tests at the hospital. The woman that performed these was fantastic, she was in her 60’s and extremely well trained for every different scenario. I hardly felt a thing, once my 5 years were up I had to go back to my GP practice to have them every 3 years.

That's awful for her, I do hope she is well following her treatment?

But they don't check for abnormal cells now unless you are HPV positive? And my risk of having HPV is pretty non existent as no contact with anyone else and neither has husband?

They also have a really good look up there and visibly check for abnormalities. I'd just go

Hpv can lay dormant for decades then reawaken in times of stress or just because. Just because you're hpv negative this year, doesn't mean you will be next year. Please have your smears x

As above.
It must be let's try and convince women not to have smears day.

But here's an idea, OP.
You don't think you need to go for smears. Fine. Don't go. As the saying goes, you do you.
But while you do you, have a thought about that woman, who may have been in two minds whether to "bother" or not, who reads your post (and the other one today) and so believes that they aren't necessary. Because you think they aren't.
Do you get it yet?
This isn't a dentist check up. A dodgy tooth isn't going to kill you. A missed smear just might.

I think you should go. It’s actually not just about the whole hpv / cancer thing. I went for one and the nurse found an internal polyp which I wouldn’t have known was there at all - very high up and I couldn’t have felt it myself. I was referred and checked out and it was harmless but the point is it might not have been. So many women make the mistake of just thinking it’s about the whole hpv thing but actually having a smear is a proper check up of your whole vaginal and vulval area and the nurse will tell you if anything is odd.

You can buy a self swab for HPV from Superdrug and get the same result you would get from a smear without the invasive procedure. This should be available everywhere on the NHS and probably will be in the future.

If you can tolerate a smear there are other benefits (a visual check for signs of infection or polyps or atrophy etc), but if you really struggle with the smear it may not be worth it in the off-chance.

Btw I would still do the self HPV test If skipping the smear. You have NO IDEA how many women in monogamous long term relationship are surprised to find they have HPV.

I will ALWAYS advocate going for smears, I would willingly have one in the middle of primark if it encourages more women to have them.
As women we have a duty to look after ourselves and this to me is as important as a dental visit.

My mother died horrifically of cervical cancer at 39 leaving me aged 11 with nobody.
I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy but you know what? She was to blame, she didn’t go for her smear tests either- she thought she’d know if something was wrong, so horrendous back pain, periods that were thick blood that never stopped flowing and sitting in a bath tub that ended up filled with clots would tell me that things weren’t right - and then when they discovered she had cervical cancer (in the 80s) the conventional treatment didn’t work but so desperate to stay alive she opted to partake in radical
experimental treatment that burned and stuck all her insides together and still the cancer ate her away.

a vagina and a womb is the same as a throat and tonsils all women have them
and a smear test is 5 minutes of awkwardness 3 minutes of that is folding and hiding your knickers !!!

Honest question - why? Because they picked it up with a previous partner? Because they were cheated on? Or can HPV be transmitted non sexually and then transferred to the genital area eg on dirty hands?

"A dodgy tooth isn't going to kill you?" but oral cancer might! 🤦🏽‍♀️ oral cancer screening is part of the reason you go!

This is the second thread on MN today. Is smear test attendance becoming the new vaccine debate?

It can also be transmitted skin to skin through non sexual contact. So you are still at risk. Up to you if you still don’t want to be screened, but you should be fully aware of the risks before you make that decision.

That's horrific.

If ever there is a cautionary tale it's this. So sorry.

I suffered childbirth trauma which, along with the physical consequences, gave me a fear of medical professionals. I spoke to my gp practice and they do everything they can to make the experience tolerable. I fear it. I hate it. I do it. Please do it, op.

OP - If you’re genuinely sure you and your husband have only ever had sex with each other then ok. Fair enough. I guess for you the smears are not worth it.

However your situation is extremely almost vanishingly rare. Most people have had sexual contact with more than one person in their entire life. And as PP say it doesn’t matter how long ago, it can be dormant and you test negative then for no obvious reason become active.

I’m the same. But honestly, there is still always a risk.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33101476/

Worth reading.

I've read the other thread too.

And nobody seems to have an answer to "why are the only checking for cell changes if HPV positive?"

It can only be a money issue, and it seems that women are being badly let down here.

I wonder if there is any type of movement against this? I very much think cells should be analysed regardless of HPV presence and would support this being proposed to the government / NHS.