Do it yourself at home smear test

I’m too old for a smear test - they reckon it’s too difficult to get a decent swab with the changes that occur after menopause? So a diy job wouldn’t work. Last one I had there were three of them having a go - I apparently have a crooked cervix. Never had any complaints.

Did you watch Rhod Gilbert? Apparently HPV causes cervical cancer in woman but neck and head cancer in men, hence the HPV vaccine being given to girls and boys

Re mammograms for older ladies.

Yes, you are not called up after a certain age, but you can still have a test, you just have to ring up and make the appointment yourself.

At my last mammogram, the nurse informed me I wouldn’t get a letter anymore, but gave me a card with all the info about asking for one myself in the future.

I made a appointment for a smear test, but I forgot due to my age, 67, I could not have one, I was told even if one was done they would not look at it. If I had problem I had to be reffered to gynae.
The nurse was OK, due was doing her job, but she did take a swab though.

Agreed. It’s probably not as good as ‘the real thing’ but it’s better than the nothing that many women get, whether because of unsympathetic staff or the numerous other reasons we don’t get them done in the surgery.

My only concern about the DIY smear test is something could be missed. My last smear showed a large polyp on the cervix, the nurse said she couldn’t do the smear & was referred to a gynaecologist, where it was removed at a later date, under general. Just had the thing removed again five years later. It would not have been spotted if I had done it myself.

Not really possible as breast cancer cells are not on the surface of an organ. Whereas altered cervical cells are accessible from the vagina.

I’ve found smear tests much more uncomfortable post-menopause. One before last was so painful. Almost skipped most recent one. But went in the end and told nurse I’d stop if it was too much. She was great. Gentle and patient. Success! Home test sounds a great stop forward.

The description of the refrigerated mammogram has fair made my day. Laughing out loud and wondering how to share it with friends.
But then how do I get a mammogram?
On a more serious note I took myself to the nurse about 18 months ago having made an online appointment for a smear test and they said We don't do them for women your age (currently almost 73) and she wouldn't do it. I bet they don't intend to send them to older women. Same with mammograms it seems. Certainly with breast cancer we are more likely to get it than younger women but are written off?

About time too!

In Denmark, our nhs has sent them to women between the ages of 18 and 65 since the 1980s!

I'd do one of these if offered. I haven't had a smear for years, as I find them traumatic, but I'm pretty sure I could do the home test with no problems.

tictacnana Yeah, too small, indeed! Some nurses are A/holes. I swear mine has shut up shop at my age and still they ram the thingummy in with absolutely no empathy. Last year a locum was visiting and she was AMAZINGLY gently - didn't have to push the speculum all the way in - she said it's not necessary. She's been doing the job for 40 years and her experience shows. I need to move house so I can go to her practice! Self-smears have been done in Australia for a while now and we DON'T have to push the swab up very far, it seems. And BTW - those speculums come in different sizes! One kind nurse in the past used to have a small one specially for me. This new nurse is a torturer.

Oh, I see, thanks Grannynannywanny

My understanding, from what I’ve read about these home DIY smear tests, is that they’re not actually cervical smears as we know them. The smear tests we all know and hate involve the use of a speculum to open the vagina to give a clear view of the cervix. Some surface cells are then scraped/brushed accurately from the cervix.

The home kits don’t involve reaching the cervix . It’s more of a high vaginal swab. Think a long cotton bud similar to to Covid test kits. No need to reach the cervix. Just insertion of the swab stick for a sweep around.

It doesn’t detect cancer cells. It’s to check for the virus HPV which can cause cell changes and lead to cervical cancer. If HPV is detected on the swab test there will be further medical follow up.

MissAdventure

I expect you all know, and hope you've all been offered the option, of having the smear done whilst you lay on your side.

It's infinitely better than the usual way.

No, haven't had one done for years.

The last one was by a locum GP and not pleasant at all. In fact the practice nurse was in the room too (I knew her outside work too) and she said to me after he'd left the practice that she always tried to be in the room at the same time as he had a reputation of being quite rough and and patients had complained.

Is it just a smear test or do they have to take more than that, more of a scraping?
It's not like a buccal swab.

No I didnt missadventure and its never been offered to me. Thankyou.

I always do all tests offered to me . But since having a total hysterectomy aged 38 where they took my cervix along with everything else haven't need one since.

My brother knows someone who deals with the bowel tests and said they only get 40% of all the tests they send out returned. I don't understand why it's a simple test now. When I had the first one . It was a cardboard piece with cardboard strips and you had to poo on a piece of toilet paper and using the stripes take 2 pieces from different parts of your sample . You had to do this for 3 poos . Before sending it off. It's so simple now it's a little bottle with a top with stick attached with grooves and you just need to roll the groove's in one poo it's a tiny amount. I always tape the lid on as I can't tighten it very tight so make sure the top doesn't come off. Then post.

Smears aren't very comfortable but hopefully more woman will do the home test . I imagine it will have an applicator like a tampon. But hollow to pass the swab threw the middle and get it as far as you can and give it a good wipe around.

I hope it will be available from aged 16 and not stop until aged 80. Then it will still be available if women what to do it.

I can't wait for this to happen with the cervical. Smear tests at home. Like the other lady who said how uncomfortable it was having it done at the Dr's surgery. I have experience nurses /doctors being rude and having no patience excuse the pun.

I expect you all know, and hope you've all been offered the option, of having the smear done whilst you lay on your side.

It's infinitely better than the usual way.

Some of the comments above are so funny!-thanks everyone. However, I’m with Labrador’s in that I couldn’t be confident -like the Covid tests-that I had done the necessary correctly to be sure of a true result. Tictacnana….same here but in my opinion both the clumsiness and rudeness is down to the person doing the test 😡

I hope they get started with this (though I think I read they will be trialling it in one area first)

I have the gp practice on my case about the dreaded smear.

That’s good news. The last smear I had was very painful and caused me to bleed which was followed by a nasty bought of cystitis. The nurse said that it MY fault for being too small “down there.” Well pardon me ? This new development willl encourage more women to be tested - including those who might find it painful.

I'd do it, because I'm petrified of having a smear at the GPS.

I'm about ten years overdue for one

Great news if people can be bothered to do it.

Grannynannywanny 🤣🤣🤣.

I have a problem with the colour of my breasts every part of them is the same colour so have to be manhandled to find my nipple . I do ask every time I have mammogram do they need a finders fee. Luckily I am not big breast . When I lie on my back they disappear 🤦😱. 😁