Delete thread please!

SingleSue

bumbledore wrote: »

Just want a vent. In Scotland cervical screening starts at age 20, unlike England's age of 25 despite evidence showing that the risk to young woman like myself of having cancerous cells is low.

I have had a few letter ordering me to book a screening, all ignored. I did not appreciate how the letter did not make me aware that such a screening was optional and feel that for the health service to treat Women in such a way is a disgrace. How such an invasive procedure is meant to be tolerated without question and decent information provided.

Mass cervical screenings have not produced positive results where over one thousand woman would have to be screened over the period of thirty-five years in order to prevent one death.

Does anyone else share such opinions about the smear test programme or is this still a controversial opinion?

I ignored a few reminders to go for my smear test but then read an article in a magazine which prompted me to go up for it.

They found cancerous cells which were treated, then more which were again treated, then some more.

I ended up having a total hysterectomy at age 31.

I now look back and wonder what would have happened if I had not read that article my attitude was so cavalier.

claire16c

After reading some of the stories on here tonight I definitely won't be forgetting my test in a couple of months. I find even if they don't find anything - which of course you don't want them to, it really puts your mind at rest.

rjhammond91

I had my first smear at 20 (living in wales at the time), it came back abnormal. Luckily the 2nd one was normal, but if it wasn't I never would've known, had I not been able to have the smear at 20 - (I don't think this makes sense but I'm sure you'll understand what I'm trying to say).

If you don't want a smear then don't, but its a quick check which could save your life.

Valli

How on earth have we NOT shown compassion. So many who have posted on both threads know someone, or have themselves been affected.
And deleting your posts - well!

It was a discussion OP. Which you started.

Methinks we touched a nerve, somewhwere.

patanne

I look on a smear test in the same way as mammograms, house & contents insurance and car insurance. It is something that you get and hope to goodness you never need. I can't see any reason for not having them although I do have a friend who has breast cancer in the family and will NOT go for a mammogram. They did find 2 breast cysts once which just required draining (something & nothing) but it just reinforced my opinion. Why wouldn't someone take out insurance, especially if it is free.

pigpen

Valli wrote: »

How on earth have we NOT shown compassion. So many who have posted on both threads know someone, or have themselves been affected.
And deleting your posts - well!

It was a discussion OP. Which you started.

Methinks we touched a nerve, somewhere.

Nothing like a Sunday evening troll in the park... sorry Stroll Funny how no one agreed with the OP though.. wonder why that would come across as lack of compassion :rotfl:maybe we all like being alive.

The nerve won't be on the cervix will it

Feel free to remind me to go about October/November time please!

I've had a good old giggle over parts of this thread this evening and my bit of compassion for the day.. sending hugs to those who have suffered or lost a loved one due to this evil disease. xx

neverdespairgirl

I also think the OP is perfectly entitled not to have a smear if she so chooses, but can't for a moment understand why she's getting so worked up about it.

I got a letter yesterday about mine, which also "invites" me to make an appointment. It doesn't imply that, should I fail to do so, someone will be kicking down my front door at dawn and dragging me off for one in handcuffs.

For anyone who hasn't had one yet, it's really not a big deal - neither painful nor upsetting, and the nurses who do them are good at it, they do lots!

[Deleted User]

I think there's a much bigger issue here that is being ignored and that is why is half of the population not being educated about the need for cervical screening?

There is the potential for tens of millions of the British population to have cervical cancer and have no idea about it, just because the NHS doesn't think that they are a priority. I pay my taxes and national insurance just like any woman, yet just because I'm a man the NHS doesn't care about my cervix! How dare they pro-actively provide information and support that could potentially save many female lives.

As a male I support bumbledores fight against the oppressive NHS, albeit for different reasons. You should start a petition bumbledore, I'll sign it. Down with the establishment!

lol

fluffnutter

patchwork_cat wrote: »

The NHS does treat you as if you are on a conveyor belt and demands compliance.

A national health service necessarily caters for an enormous number of people. It's difficult to deliver a service that feels individual when there are 70 million people to consider. Hence for some people, in some areas of health, not doubt it can feel like a conveyor belt. Routine screenings, vaccinations etc. are obviously an area where a one-size fits all approach is most likely.

In terms of compliance, simply presenting things as a fait accompli is often the easiest way of achieving the desired result. There's a balance between stressing your civil liberties (no one takes up the screenings on offer) and coercing people (unethical).

But compliance is to be desired - these tests aren't offered arbitrarily. Time, effort and money is spent looking at all aspects of public health and programmes aren't designed and implemented unless there are clear benefits to the nation. And those benefits are ultimately financial.

Put simply, if we don't have compliance, each and every one of us will have to pay more to support the health service. Is that what people want?

However, it's an absolute tenet of medicine - no one is treated against their will (provided they're judged to be able to make that decision of course). You can always refuse.

fluffnutter

citricsquid wrote: »

I think there's a much bigger issue here that is being ignored and that is why is half of the population not being educated about the need for cervical screening?

There is the potential for tens of millions of the British population to have cervical cancer and have no idea about it, just because the NHS doesn't think that they are a priority. I pay my taxes and national insurance just like any woman, yet just because I'm a man the NHS doesn't care about my cervix! How dare they pro-actively provide information and support that could potentially save many female lives.

As a male I support bumbledores fight against the oppressive NHS, albeit for different reasons. You should start a petition bumbledore, I'll sign it. Down with the establishment!

lol

On a related issue, there's a school of thought that promotes vaccinating not just teenage girls against HPV, but the boys too. If you achieve 'herd immunity' then the disease effectively becomes eradicated or dormant at least. To do this you need to be doing the boys as well. An increase in money and effort in the first instance would probably kill off HPV for good.