I'm 28 and I've never had a smear test. I had my first child at 20 and was offered one then and feeling guilty

[ajsi]

I haven't been to one ever and was offered one at 20 years old. I feel guilty I've not been and worried about it and results of it

Just book one and go for it, it takes a few minutes and then you can move on with your life

Definitely just book one in! I had my first ever smear test in my mid-30s and they were completely non-judgemental about it and it was a relief to have it done.

There are some things in life you just have to do! This is one of them. Just go. It's a tiny bit uncomfortable but reassuring to get a clear result.

I had my first at 29 after my oldest DC was born. I was so nervous, I would say just be upfront when you go about how you are feeling, the nurse who did mine was so lovely about it. It will be a relief when it's over and done with.

Are you in the uk?
If so the test is only initially to detect HPV
You can buy these tests to do at home yourself if you really can't bring yourself to go for a free one at the doctors

Just book one now op

One of our family friends never booked a smear as she was embarrassed as well as anxious about the procedure.

She developed cervical cancer, had to have some really horrible treatment WAY worse than a smear.

Despite all that she died from it, leaving behind two young children.

Just book it, OP.

I have always had one. Booked the same day the letter comes. But this time I have yet to do it. Mainly because of threads on here saying they have now changed? And not worth doing. I fully intend on doing it when I get back from holiday but reading the comments I wonder what is different nowadays

Just book one in. They only take a couple of minutes whilst they are just a little uncomfortable, they are well worth the piece of mind.

OP it doesn't hurt. And as you've had a child presumably you are used to doing legs akimbo for a medical professional.

Why are you so worried?

I've never understood why people who have had children are too worried to have a smear. A smear is absolutely nothing compared to all the poking and prodding you get when having a baby. Honestly, it only takes a few seconds and they are doing them all day, they've seen it all before.

Have you had HPV vaccine?

just ring your GP surgery and ask them about a smear and see what they say

Did you have vaginal examinations during birth, op? Because a smear test isn't much worse than those.

Personally I could not endure either, they were like torture for me. But I'll do a test if it's one of those self-administered swabs, which I've heard you can do now.

Instead of cancer cells they now look for HPV which change the cells and eventually can lead to them turning cancerous. Majority of cervical cancers is caused by HPV so it's better to look for that and keep an eye on the cells and remove them if they turn pre cancerous than the process of leaving the cells and using the smears to look for cancerous cells which all could have been prevented if they looked for hpv and pre cancerous cells initially

It's pretty much just using the smear to spot things earlier and prevent cancer but people don't seem to understand

Of course there is a very minimal amount of cervical cancer that is not caused by hpv but apparently there is not sufficient screening for that

You really do need to have them, it's important. They're not that bad. If you've had kids a smear test is nothing.

Please do book a test for yourself. Takes a few minutes. The practice nurse has to get the teeeeeeniest speculum for me as I get panicky but we have it sussed each appointment now. I get very nervous but always book it as soon as my invitation comes through the post.

Book it💪

My first smear was late 30’s. I didn’t have children and barely been sexually active so I figured for a large part I didn’t count.

Unsure how much I believe in the hpv frenzy as I’d got this by smear no. 2 and it cleared a year later, it didn’t stop a nurse claiming this happened only through sexual activity.

Only at 42 for something else completely unrelated to a smear was someone actually bothered in asking have you had a bad experience.

I’ll do the first breast mammogram on time in the 50’s and that’s it.
If I could turn off the nhs proghanda on these subjects I would.

I had my first smear around this time last year. At age 34. I have 2 kids and ignored every invitation going. They found high grade cells and its been a whirlwind ever since. I had one lot of treatment to remove the cells which didn't work and have another procedure booked for a few weeks time. I won't lie, it hasn't been overly pleasant. But I am so glad I'm on NHS radar and being treated. If I'd have left it much later, this could be a full blown cervical cancer diagnosis. Get your smear done. If they find anything at this stage, at least they can treat it. Stop cancer before it starts!

My SIL died because she didn't want to have one. It's vital to keep on top of screening. Make the appointment

Exactly. We call cervical screening a "smear" because that's what it used to be - they collected a sample of cells from your cervix and smeared them on a microscope slide. They don't look at the cells any more, they just test for HPV.
Hopefully the NHS will move on to swabs that you take yourself. The actual cervical smear is only needed if you test positive for HPV.

Echoing pp, just do the at-home hpv swab (can buy from Superdrug), v easy, totally painless, at-home and self administered.

@Theolittle yes I had the jags when I was at school

I was 26 when I had my first concerning results and 27 when I had my first op. I wouldn't be sitting here typing this, If I hadn't had a smear test, I would probably be dead.

It's 10 mins of your life. Just do it.

@LetMeGoogleThat this is why I'm scared, I'm worried what the results will be and it won't be good. My appointment is the 17th

I have got one next week (my first one for 5 years - few miscarriages then full term pregnancy so I skipped a smear) anyway got round to booking in - reading these comments though it sounds as if it’s changed.

is it still the same - the speculum and the plastic scrapey thing?