5 minutes that could save your life!

Grandmattie, you are so right. My DH eventually went to see the GP because of too many trips to the loo in the night. He had a blood test and then a biopsy and was found to have early signs of Prostrate cancer. He is on a watch system and has regular check-ups and biopsies and is doing well. He is chairperson of the local Prostate Cancer Group and spends a lot of time trying to get the message over to others to have the blood test without delay if they have any worries. He has also warned the younger male members of the family to get themselves checked as it does affect younger men unfortunately and can be devastating as it can very aggressive in younger men. The survival rate if it is caught early is quite high. Pass on the message if you can - it saves lives and families!

The number of women turning up for smear tests is falling. The blame is being squarely placed on lazy/busy women but there's are two sides to this. Here I'm seeing quite a few complaints about painful tests (it shouldn't be painful) and while my own GP is great, I have quite a few friends elsewhere who have been treated with less than good manners and inconsiderate roughness or thoughtless comments. Just imagine for a moment how frightening a smear test might be for a sixty year old single woman who has never been sexually active, and is expected to speedily throw her lower clothes off and spread her legs as if it's of no importance. I don't think enough thought goes into this in many surgeries.

I can't remember when I last had a smear test - I think it's a few years ago though. I don't know how often they do them here. I've always found it painful due to a backward tilting cervix (apparently) and one time the doctor had to come in and try. On another preventative test my husband received his 2nd bowel screening test yesterday having just passed 62. He told me he didn't do the first one as he thought it was disgusting!!! I guess mine will be arriving next month when I hit 62 - I did do my first one though. I think it's really good that they do all these tests - mammograms included. I'm sure they must have saved more lives than not.

Having had two lots of treatment (laser and loop ) for precancerous cells in my 40's there's not a lot left of the neck of my womb and I alwaysask to be referred to the colposcopy clinic where the camera helps it to be less hit and miss! It's still agonising but over far quicker than at my GPs. It was curious that i was working in the print industry both times I had the abnormal cells - with a gap of 3 or 4 years in between -and my gynaecologist said that anecdotally testicular cancer was higher amongst male printers ..wonder if there's anything in it?

Every single one of my smear tests has been painful. All have come back clear. Years ago, when they used metal speculums, and after long-lasting and incredibly painful ferreting about in my insides, it was decided I had a backward-sloping womb, and a sensible nurse found a differently shaped speculum which did the trick and got a sample very quickly.

That relief didn't last long. Last time I had a test, disposable plastic speculums were used and it was obvious that one size should fit all. The last smear test a few years ago was so difficult, painful and long-lasting that I vowed I would never have another one done. The nurse tried over ten times to get a sample, and her orders to "relax and let my knees flop" eventually dried up as it was apparent all her digging around inside was causing me pain, anxiety and certainly not hitting the spot. She was becoming flustered too. She apologised after the tenth attempt....and I asked if they had a bolster or pillow so I could raise and tilt my hips from the bed. There wasn't one, so with much difficulty I held my hips and raised my bottom off the bed, at an angle, and the speculum was delivered to the cervix.

What a painful and humiliating palava.

I have since learned the doctor/practice gets a financial bung if tests of various sorts are carried out.

I see the nurse regularly for various procedures and each time I am told a smear test is due. I am almost scolded for not taking up the offer there and then and making an appointment. I really am getting fed up with all the insistance that I should have one. Whatever happened to the freedom to choose? I know the nurses are only following orders but on nights out with my girlfriends we discussed this, and I was relieved that my friends, three of whom work in medical fields, also resented the insistence, for financial purposes, that they should have regular tests when previous ones had come back clear.

We've all had our 60th birthdays, we don't sleep around, we aren't nymphomaniacs and we've all suffered painful (or bodged) smear tests. We are all agreed that we will not have another one, no matter how much we are pestered at the various clinics we attend.

I’m very glad this has got everyone talking about cervical screening. The final age for cervical screening in England is 64yrs and if you are told otherwise and you feel you should have one then argue! Regarding HPV, I believe that there is HPV testing along cervical screening in some areas and some cervical screening, that comes back abnormal will be checked for HPV. HPV is a very common virus and four out of 5 people will be infected at some point in their lives. From that first intimate fumble behind the bike sheds! It’s a skin to skin transmitted virus and normally healthy bodies will usually deal with it. However high risk HPV can cause changes to the cells of the cervix and if left untreated can become severe and could develop into cancer. There can be little or no symptoms so by saying that cervical screening might be an unwarranted health test could be dangerous. Thankfully the HPV vaccination remains high but a lot more needs to be done to make sure those eligible do take the full course and encourage their peers to do the same. Cervical screening is unpleasant but again its that 10mins that could save immeasurable unpleasantness in the long run!

Hello,
Re Badenkate's comment... Here's an article about WHY one female GP is wary of screening and (mostly) chooses not to have screening tests herself.

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/why-im-saying-no-to-a-smear-7577967.html

She says:
A study from Bristol in 2003 found that 1,000 women have to be screened for 35 years to prevent one death from cervical cancer; and to prevent that death, 80 women have to have further investigation, with 50 women having treatment to their cervices. Four out of five women found at screening to have "high-grade" changes in their cervix did not go on to develop invasive cancer.

I think it isn't such a clear cut issue as it appears at first glance. We should be able to weigh up the actual evidence for ourselves and make our own decisions about what is right for us.

I've just had an abnormal smear result with borderline changes and evidence of the HPV virus. I am now really worried and don't know what to do. Apparently the next step is for a colposcopy?

The article mentioned was posted in 2012 and over the last three years there is an amazing amount of knowledge been gained about cervical cancer now. I totally agree that there is evidence of some cancers that testing can cause more harm than good and that it is totally a personal choice whether to be screened or not. However, if you are one of the undecided do make sure that you have all the facts. Visit Jo’s Cervical Cancer website, www.jostrust.org as that is the only dedicated website for the most up-to-date information on exactly where we are today with this disease. What with the progress of the HPV vaccine and more awareness being created cervical cancer, potentially could one day be eradicated!

Glammy P good advice indeed yes smears are uncomfortable but just for a few minutes that's all... never ignore anything that worries you is my motto ....

Re the article mentioned earlier - Dr Margaret McCartney was on the radio just before Christmas reiterating and updating... But as you say, it's a choice - and we should all actively make a choice, not just follow what's expected. We should have the screening that we feel we need - not just fall into "norms".

hello Tiredoldwoman
You said that the last smear test is when you turn 60 do you live in the uk also have they stopped sending out letters

Regrettably I put off my later smear tests, always a reason not to go. During Covid I had done post menopausal bleeding which was investigated - dismissed as a hormone surge. The. Clinician’s ‘smear’ badge had expired and reminded me I should book one. I didn’t. Fast forward to now… at a pre-op fur knee replacement I was told my blood infection markers were raised and couldn’t be explained. In between I had a phone call from surgery to ask me to book a cervical smear and as I was 60 it would be my last one. So I did few weeks ago. It was over in minutes. Howe er yesterday I had a letter fast tracking me for a colposcopy as my smear showed the presence of active HPV (had prob been dormant for years) and high grade abnormal cells (the last stage of 3). So now I’m beside myself with fear and worry that it’s going to be the worst prognosis. Seems like my knees are the least of my worries. At 60 and pretty much being redundant‘down there’ I can’t believe this is happening.

Does anyone have any experience of their last smear being problematic?

Sorry no advice or information, but sympathy and good luck with your colposcopy. I hope it's done soon so that you have a result quickly.

HappyAlly55. This is an old thread dating back to 2017. You may do better with replies if you open a new thread