Smear test

You might ask the doctor or practice nurse for some estrogen cream to use a couple of times before the test if you do have to have it again. I put off my last smear test for ages because I knew how painful it would be.

I think it must be an age thing, my last few were horrible although they all came back negative.

Tegan I can't use hormone cream or pessaries - I get a brownish/bloodstained discharge if I do, which scares me. My mother had cervical cancer in her 60s so I'm getting more jittery about cancer and my brother, who is a doctor, told me to avoid using anything hormonal. I wish I could though, because it would help the atrophy/soreness generally.
harrigran - it's actually reassuring to know that!

Maybe its more something about the person carrying out the test? I had a horrible experience the previous time by a very rough nurse who I didn't think really knew what she was doing. The most recent time was much better although I had been dreading it.

I'm sure I read that, if you've had lots of smear tests that have comeback normal there is little chance of developing cervical cancer [I would assume that your mother wasn't having regular smear tests back then]. Which doesn't mean to say not have them. I absolutely dread having my next one.

The lovely nurse at our practice (sadly now retired) told me once that I should ask for a small instrument to be used as I'd had painful smears in the past. When she did it I hardly felt a thing.

I haven't been called for a smear test for a couple of years now and I assume I will be past the age when they call you as I'm now 66, anyone know if I can request a test to be done even though I am over the age of the normal range to be called?

Usually the upper limit is 65 tanith but you could try asking at your local health centre and explain that you have not been called for a while. Here in Northern Ireland one of the major cancer charities - Action Cancer - have mobile units which people can go to for breast screening and smear tests - do you have anything similar local to you. They also provide screening services for men.

Lapwing we have mobile units for the breast screening but my doctor does the smear tests... I have been reading up on why they have age limits to the tests.. apparently if you have had many 'clear' tests over the years then by the time you are mid 60's its very very unlikely that you would develop cervical cancer..
I will ask my practice nurse about it next time I have my BP checvked

Well, I intend to ask for another smear in a few years' time.
My mother had post menopausal bleeding back in the mid 80s. She went for a smear which apparently came back clear and despite pleas from her and my father, the NHS refused to investigate further though she was still bleeding, so eventually she had to go private. Luckily my father had health insurance then. She was found to be in the early stages of cancer and had a hysterectomy. They were so sure it had been caught early that she wasn't offered radiotherapy but within a couple of years, the cancer had recurred in the abdominal cavity, though at first she was diagnosed with diverticular disease. She died three months later.

I don't know why her investigative smear hadn't picked up any abnormalities but maybe things weren't as accurate back then. I am sure that these days no one would be left uninvestigated and untreated if they were still having symptoms. I am intending to insist on another smear, given my mother's experience, and if refused I will pay for one.
I'd also like a scan - I was diagnosed with a fibroid a few years ago and I'd like reassurance that nothing untoward is happening there.

In any case, if you are concerned about any untoward symptom you can request a smear test. That's what I was told anyway.

My Mil was 66 when she developed cervical cancer. She was dead by 68. Mind you, she never ever attended test requests! I attended all tests, and when I was 43 developed pre-cancerous cells. Tho' that in itself is no indication to go on and develope cervical cancer. Dd2 was having problems when she turned 30. I told her to mention the family connection to this type of cancer, and she was told that cervical cancer is not inherited. But research analysis from the human genome project indicates that cell weaknesses are inherited.