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

faithcecilia

I must admit I have never had one. In the past few years I have been at a number of GP practises and they have all had different policies on erm, 'out of use' nethers!!!:o:cool::p In my case I think it is at least in part due to some problems I had in my late teens which, after months of being prodded and poked about, turned out to be severe adhesions from my appendectomy. Now I am happier just leaving my bits as they are, I figure the more they are messed with, the higher the risk of infections etc. And as the gps even within one practise have different opinions I'll make my own decision.

building_with_lego

tattycath wrote: »

I had my first smear when i was 19. x

I had my first then, and another after 3 years. I then moved to another area where they only did them every five years and what with having children in between it gets a bit difficult to keep track, frankly. (I am up to date though )They keep changing the start date too; now that we have the HPV jab it shouldn't be too bad but that won't kick in for a few years.

The thing I do wonder about is (and another poster has mentioned it already) if you do get cancerous cells just after a clear smear result you have a window of several years before they would pick it up...:( In order to be really effective I think it would have to be yearly if not every six months, as this type of cancer is particulatly nasty.

Oh, and why the hell do they say: "put your heels together and relax"? Relax? With my vajayjay on display? I do not think so!

Fizzpop

Dont much like having smears done, who does, but i have 3 soon to be 4 kiddies that i want to see grow up so i dont much care who does mine or how its done as long as someone does it.

viktory

I've not had a smear test in years.

madbird_2

The last smear I had it was a plastic speculum rather than a metal one, was more comfortable. Mind you she asked if I wanted to insert it as some women do, but without lube. I declined, didn't want to fumble and drop it! Then she got down to business and gave me a running commentary on what she was doing which I found funny and better than silence. Then she said that I had a fab healthy looking cervix so I said thanks, what else could I say!

eleanora_

I had my first smear last year. The nurse was very down-to-earth, chatty and friendly, and really put me at ease - she also used a plastic speculum as opposed to a metal one - it was all over quickly and far less unpleasant than I'd imagined!

laddujaddu

It's always unpleasant for me and painful, but I just grin and bear it:D.Somehow it was always a female nurse who did my smear, but honestly I don't mind a male doctor;) as I think that doctors are doctors, sexless at work.

fishingcinema

GemJar wrote: »

Better to know than to face the consiquences of not finding out xx

I know, i really should just bite the bullet and get it over and done with,
I am in the doctors next week to have my moles removed so will pluck up the courage to book another appointment x

fishingcinema

twi1ight wrote: »

Fishingcinema, please phone your gp surgery and book one. It sounds like you have a bit of a mental block on the matter which is understandable. The chances are, it'll be clear and you can spend 3 years being completely free of the worry of the results.

I think you are right, and i need to pluck up the courage to go and have one done, i know they can do alot more the earlier its caught, tbh i have kind of already told myself that its probably the c word that will end my life when ever it may be, i know that sounds ansolutly stupid and over the top, but seeing how it has already affected people within my family including my mother and her parents just seems to me that it will happen to me.

When i receive the letters from the doctors asking me to book an appointment i usualy tuck them somewhere out of eye sight and try to forgett about it, so i think you are right i block it out and try to carry on as normal and i know that it is selfish of me as i have two little people that depend on me as there mother, so really i need to face my fear.

Hopefuly i am wrong and i will live a long and happy life :0)

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

A few moments of anxiety and discomfort, or a slow agonising, lingering death where no drug can take away the pain, screeching like a banshee interspersed with whimpering like an animal and, in rare moments of clarity, wishing I could hold my children one more time.


This was the reality of refusing tests, as brought home to me working in a cancer hospital.

I got over my aversion to the process rather quickly.