Ladies - how fussy are you when it comes to getting a smear done?

euronorris

Angelic wrote: »

I've never had one even though i'm in and out of clinics/hospitals quite a bit over the last couple of years and received some slightly threatening letters about having one last year. I hope to have one this year but it's really difficult for me and I keep finding excuses not to have one:o:(

Come on Angelic, you can do it and there really is no excuse not to get yourself checked.

Focus on the afterwards. You will feel so much better for having had it done.

Imagine how upset/angry you would be if there was something wrong and it had progressed because you didn't go earlier? You'd have to have a lot more tests etc then. Best to avoid that by getting checked asap.

Take a friend for moral support if needs be. Let the doc/nurse know your fears and talk it through with them beforehand if that helps. Or go to a FPA and ask for a female to perform it, if it makes you feel more comfortable.

Come on, you can do it!

x

iloveboots

To all you ladies out there who are so scared to get their smears done, please go and get it done, it can save your life.

I had never missed a smear, but 3 years ago was diagnosed with cervical cancer, it was only 1 year after my previous clear test. Bit unfortunate i know.
Anyway after chemo/radiation and lots of embarrasing procedures and loss of my fertillity I am still here to tell the tale and 2 years in remission.

I know it's not nice but neither is having cancer, please go and get your tests done.

euronorris

andrealm wrote: »

I thought smear tests could detect abnormal cells while they were still at the pre cancerous stage, which means they can be removed before cancer develops. This saves women from having to undergo more invasive treatments. The cells have to be analysed by trained medical professionals. You could not possibly self test for this, or for prostate cancer. The only checks you can do at home is checking your breasts or testicles for changes.

According to the link euro posted, the tests they use to detect prostate cancer aren't always reliable. Men should be aware of the possible symptoms and Go to see their GP if they have any concerns.

They do. That is what they found with my friend. Pre-cancerous cells which, thankfully, have been removed and all is well for the time being.

You can self examine for prostate cancer, but, like you said, it isn't always reliable. But, better than nothing.

To be fair, I don't see why men couldn't ask their GP to perform a prostate exam each year, and then onto the proper screening if needs be.

System

I've never had one, i asked about it and got told i was too young (despite being sexually active since 16) but I'm 25 this year so i'll be getting my first one done not long after

euronorris

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

I've never had one, i asked about it and got told i was too young (despite being sexually active since 16) but I'm 25 this year so i'll be getting my first one done not long after

Yeah, I heard they had changed the starting age from 21 to 25.

Good luck, I'm sure it'll all be fine.

spugzbunny

Gavin83 - Are you actually aware of what a smear test involves? The cervix is the entrance to the womb and it is about 3 to 5 inches up at the very top of the vaginal canal. The speculum holds the cervix open so that a small brush like instrument can be pushed into the womb and wiped around the kneck of the cervix to take a sample. This sample is then cultured and any abnormal cells are then addressed.

If I were to try and look at my cervix, not only would I need a mirror and a speculum but also extremely good vision and a large industrial torch I imagine!

I suspect the reason men don't have a prostate exam is because no test has been developed that is non-surgical and produces effective results. If you go to the british prostate org website you will probably see that there are a lot of other early signs of prostate cancer other than teh finger up the botbot. I think one involves peeing.

Right here you go:
from www.prostate-cancer.org.uk
Q. Why is there no screening programme for prostate cancer?–Screening men for prostate cancer would involve measuring the PSA level of all men in the 'at risk' age group (over 50 years) without any symptoms of prostate cancer.
The most important part of a screening programme is a simple and reliable test. Unfortunately there is not a single reliable test for diagnosing prostate cancer. There remains is a great deal of medical debate over the value of the PSA test as a screening test.
All men have some PSA in their blood and the level can be affected by several factors including the size of the prostate, age, infection and inflammation. The PSA test alone can not diagnose prostate cancer but it can indicate a problem with the prostate. A normal result does not rule out prostate cancer and similarly a high result does not always mean you have prostate cancer.
Unlike most cancers, prostate cancer can be present for years. Most prostate cancers are slow growing and a large number of men who have prostate cancer will go through life without any symptoms or shortening of their life span. On the other hand some prostate cancers are more aggressive and may spread. Currently there is no reliable way of knowing which prostate cancers will cause symptoms or be life threatening.
Treatment for prostate cancer may cause unpleasant side effects such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence. Most specialists feel screening could lead to a large number of men having worse effects from their treatment than they would have had from their disease. However for some, with more aggressive prostate cancer, early diagnosis may be essential.
Although there is no screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK any man over the age of 50 is entitled to ask his GP for a PSA test. The doctor should give information on the advantages and disadvantages of the test to help a man decide if he wants to go ahead with the test.
Men over the age of 50 who have symptoms of prostate cancer will be offered the PSA test as a routine part of their investigations.
For further information, please read our page on the PSA test.


You should be vigilant of early symptoms it would seem such as problems peeing. My Pop had prostate cancer and I remember this as being he first symptom that triggerred him to go to the GP

spugzbunny

As for my thoughts on smear tests. They don't really bother me. There's always that point when it opens up and you sort of go 'ooop thats wierd' but it's always over so fast. I also have a tilted cervix and I find teh further I skoosh my legs up and arch my !!! up the better.

I once had a student come in, so there was a doctor, a nurse and a student doctor. Best bit was we were all ginger! I remember him saying that I had a text book Uterus which was nice!

missbishi

A cold speculum is far preferable to a cold grave.....

juliethemuse

wasnt there a lady on the tv prog 'This Morning ' have a smear test done live on air a few years ago? if she could do that then i sure as heck could go to the docs for a smear with just the nurse present.
i worried myself sick and kept putting it off, but last year eventually plucked up the courage to go,it was all done in about a minute, and afterwards felt a huge sense of relief, i cant believe i spent all that time worrying over nothing, glad you made the appointment OP.

toniq

I used to have the fear factor of *oh no! I don't think so* but ended up with treatment for a very serious condition which thankfully i'm all clear from now, I might not be here now if I hadn't had those smears.

Now i'm doing ivf a typical Ivf consisits of at least 6 to 8 vaginal examinations, my consultant is an older middle easter doctor, he has seen it all in his career so i have no qualms xxx

Tell the person u r nervous and they will go easy and try to distract u xxx