Friendly reminder to all! Updated pg6 :'(

[tootyfruity]

OP so sorry about your friend... such sad news!!

I was not offered a smear until i was 25, i was told that before that age you can't get an accurate result, or something similar (i may be wrong though). i have my 2nd smear next week, its a horrible experience for me as i suffer with involuntary muscle spasms (vaginismus) and i almost fainted the first time, as i did when i had examinations during labour but i WILL have it done because its not worth the risk. Hoping its will be easier now i've given birth though!!

 

[PipPlus3]

To the OP, I'm so sorry to hear of your friend's passing. I think what you have done here is amazing though and you may well save some lives! Mine is due in October... and as usual, I will be attending!

To the PP, it does get a little easier after children imo, just try not to think it over too much before it happens. It's one of those things that is always made out to be a thousand times worse than it really is!

 

[Kage76]

I'm 23 now and have been getting letters to go for 3 years and still haven't... I'm way too scared to know if something's wrong! I really ought to though

Hey love the earlier you catch it (ie abnormal cells) the easier it is to fix- its not like they are testing you for cancer- they are looking for the warning signs that lead to cancer- its like getting a mole looked at.

My step mum had an abnormal test come up- she needed a small operation and she was fine. No cancer because it wasn't allowed to get to that stage.

As I have said previously- if you can put up with a dilation check and 50 people looking up your foof- then the pap smear is a walk in the park. It doesn't hurt, the speculum is cold and a little uncomfortable but nothing to write home about. The actual sample taking doesn't hurt at all- it feels like she is poking your cervix with a paddle pop stick not scraping inches of it.

And just for reference over here they recommend pap smears to any woman who has become sexually active every two years.

I urge all of those who are two scared to have it done to do so- we have all given birth and have proven that we are strong women- we just have to continue to take some of that strength we found at birth so that we can be mums to our babies for as long as possible.

 

[taylor197878]

im really sorry about ur freind passing away cancer really sucks it took my mum at 50 with skin cancer

im glad i had mine done i maybe waited 15 years to long but i done it people really should listen it can save a life ur life.

 

[Camlet]

I wish I could have one done! I'm 22 now & the nurse actually refused to do one when I asked & she even went to ask a doctor for advise after I told her the hospital recommended I get it done & he also refused! I will definatly be having it done when I turn 25 though! I'm so sorry to hear about your friend xx

 

[pinksapphire]

To the original OP so sorry for your friends loss.

The reason why England don't offer it earlier is because of too many false positives in the under 25s. I think this is a stupid reason as even if one persons life is saved its worth it. Having worked in cancer nursing for the past 8 years I can safely say a few minutes of being uncomfortable is worth it. I will be going for my overdue smear as soon as im 3months post partum which I had forgotten about so thank you for reminding me.

 

[Fascination]

I'm very sorry about your friend x

 

[Ruth 1980]

I'm so sorry
I was diagnosed with full blown cervical cancer when I was only a year older than your friend and my youngest was the same age as her son - a tumour on my cervix that was visible to the naked eye and which was picked up (thank God) at a routine smear ... it wasn't even overdue

I had to have a radical hysterectomy ... cervix, womb, groin lymph nodes and ovaries. It wasn't nice but I'm still here and I got to see my children grow up and to enjoy my Grandbabies.
If I hadn't gone for that smear test then I would have died - so please ladies, listen to the OP and go for that test

Oh tattiesmum, I'm sorry to hear you had to have all that surgery so young, but how amazing that you are alive and well, and enjoying your grandbabies! Wonderful! You are a positive story about how a routine smear can actually SAVE YOUR LIFE!! thank you x

 

[mrs_tickle]

So sorry to hear about your friend passing away. Sending you hugs!

Thanks for posting this, I was due mine just before i got pregnant, will book it for next week. I'm not too worried about having it dont now after going through labour!

 

[Ruth 1980]

OP so sorry about your friend... such sad news!!

I was not offered a smear until i was 25, i was told that before that age you can't get an accurate result, or something similar (i may be wrong though). i have my 2nd smear next week, its a horrible experience for me as i suffer with involuntary muscle spasms (vaginismus) and i almost fainted the first time, as i did when i had examinations during labour but i WILL have it done because its not worth the risk. Hoping its will be easier now i've given birth though!!

Good luck next week, I'm sure you will be fine Can you ask them to apply a little anesthetic gel first as you have vaginismus? x

 

[Kristin52]

so sorry for your loss xx

 

[Rockell8788]

Sorry to hear this, you have reminded me I'm due a smear test I'm off to book it now

 

[booda]

If you're under 25, you don't qualify to get one. I was offered a chlamydia test (based solely on my age) after LO was born though

We get them in scotland from 21 I've had numerous reminders through my dr to book appointments, all of which i have ignored

That was before i got pregnant and had LO.
I do need to bite the bullet and just book the appointment. (just so people don't think im uneducated and ignorant, there are issues surrounding my reasons for never booking one)

 

[RoxyRoo]

I am so sorry to hear about your friend

I'm in Wales so have been having regular smears since I was 18. I have had a few abnormal results which means I have them done 6 monthly rather than 3 yearly. I went for one a month or so ago and it came back normal which was a big relief. I can't believe the age is still 25 in England, they really should lower it. I'd had over 10 smears by the time I turned 25.

To all of you who are worried, they are honestly fine. Slightly uncomfortable but if you relax they shouldn't be painful. It is do worth a few seconds worth of discomfort to potentially save your life

 

[RoxyRoo]

metal contraption inside my vagina while someone scrapes my cells off
LOL ill pass

I am disgusted by this reply. Did you not read the original post? The lady's friend was dying and has now passed away. What a heartless and disrespectful thing to say

 

[Ruth 1980]

If you're under 25, you don't qualify to get one. I was offered a chlamydia test (based solely on my age) after LO was born though

We get them in scotland from 21 I've had numerous reminders through my dr to book appointments, all of which i have ignored

That was before i got pregnant and had LO.
I do need to bite the bullet and just book the appointment. (just so people don't think im uneducated and ignorant, there are issues surrounding my reasons for never booking one)

Hi booda, maybe you can buddy-up with one of the other girls on here who needs to get it done too? That way you can check on each other, pm each other to help get it done &dusted etc. You can buddy with me either if you like, even tho I had mine done last week, I'll check up on you! x

 

[Bec27]

Just wanted to say this is a great thread- thank you to the OP. I had an abnormal smear when I was 21 which was diagnosed as moderate dyskarysis. I had to have a colposcopy and part of my cervix was removed by loop diapthermy. After that a smear is a walk in the park. I have to say that if you relax it doesn't hurt at all and you barely feel it. It is the embarassment I suppose that puts people off. But they can save your life. I have HPV- which is what caused my cell changes and I have to have yearly smear tests...I don't mind at all, would much rather that than ending up with cervial cancer.

So sorry about your friend Ruth 1980- so good that you're using it for good though. I am going to ask my Dr if I can have my next test early as they won't do them once you're pregnant or until 12 weeks after the birth. This meant I was late having mine last time when I had my son and it made me nervous not having my check. We will be TTC #2 in June so hoping they'll let me have it then even though I'm not due till November (hope to be pg by then!)

To be honest I wonder whether I would still be here sometimes as I was lucky enough to have my smear at 21 only months before the law changed...if I had had to wait another 4 years I suspect my moderate dyskarysis would have escalated to cancer...very worrying.

So to reiterate- ladies- have your smear tests!!

 

[LuSmith]

Sorry for your loss Ruth

I'm currently under the gynaecologist, but had a colposcopy (fasttracked by self-referring myself) as I was constantly bleeding since having LO (been 6 months now continuously). Turned out my colposcopy was normal thankfully! The bleeding is ongoing but probably hormonal as I had a laparoscopy as well

I would suggest strongly that any lady have their smear test - I wish that the UK was annually instead, I know it would ease my mind! But as it is I have been told I have scar tissue inside my vagina which will make sex hurt alot for me so am not looking forward to the next smear test (I screamed the place down when they tried to give me a vaginal ultrasound) xx

 

[Sideways 8]

So sorry for your loss Ruth

I'm honestly surprised that cervical checks aren't done yearly like they are in the US. I went to have a pap a few years ago, they found I had mild dysplasia... and it progressed to severe dysplasia within 6 month's time (follow-up appointment). If that 6-month time frame occurred in between the 2-year frequency like you guys have, I would have had cancer at the next checkup. Had to have a cone biopsy and thank goodness I don't have to worry anymore. I am still going to get mine done every year from now on. And have been since I was 18 years old.

 

[Emma&Freya]

I am so sorry to hear about your friend.

My sister is now 18 and is battling cervical cancer. Its a horrible situation