Smear Tests

i'm jumping aboard the bandwagon too

smear tests are so important and for a few minutes of discomfort/embarrassment isn't your life worth it in the long run! i had a lovely lady i worked with who died of cervical cancer, which could have been very easily prevented and she left two very young children for her hubby to raise without her.

as for the normal versus the thin prep - i always do the thin prep as my cervix hates being swabbed so tends to spot/bleed (yeah i know TMI) so if i have the normal it comes back inconclusive with the thinprep it can cope with some blood so i don't have to have them repeated - and yes I have to have them yearly

as for who to have it done by - have had both male and female drs - and personally find the male drs are gentler and more respectful as the female drs were not into distractive small talk and had the attitute of 'suck it up princess'

so please please get your smear done. if not for yourself, for your kids!

foxxy_one wrote: wow I have had them every year for 8 years and never ever been told to go just after AF:) lol.. the things you learn..it seriously doesn't bother me.. and I wish I only had to go 3 yearly!:) still it's the same nurse and we just talk about holidays and stuff .. results take 6 weeks atm though:( ! my doc said anytime after 6 weeks after having him so I had one done mid march(had him 1st feb) Baileyand Astin- funny you should worry what they say mine always says ;looks good..weird position though? ' cracks me up!:)

6 weeks!? Are you sure? My mum just had hers done a few weeks ago and they told her 1 week.
6 weeks is a hell of a long to time to wait for something as important as this?!

but not sure if i said this before it is super important ! I know people who don't go and prefer to ignore it but it's a very treatable cancer if found early on..I'm high risk and it used to bother me but not anymore i just go get done and then go about the rest of the year knowing if they find something it will be caught early.. my nurse just does it too but I definitely have to pay for getting it done..

Oh mine is already booked in for wednesday at 8.30am. I plucked up the courage lol.

I was doing to reading about smears and Im not so scared now as I know that abnormal cells doesnt mean cancer but that those cells can possibly turn into cancer later down the track if not treated or kept an eye on etc.

i will just be glad to have it over and done with for now! Its more the actual prodding around im scared about lol

Edited by Sheza

well done Sheena..good on you.. !!

Yep you will just have to go back for another one if they come back abmornal (my sister is just going through this so is asking me so many questions about what will happen).

I went through it about 7 years ago (having smears 6 monthly), then I had Andrew and they are fine but still on yearly due to my history.

Its the one for cervical cancer. It checks for any abnormal cells, that can turn into cancer.

I'm going to jump on the bandwagon with Emma & others - I can't urge enough how important it really is to get cervical smears done regularly.

I've had 6 abnormal smears to date and have (for the most part) been on 6 -monthly checks but thankfully my last came back normal (YAY) so I'm now up to yearly checks.

I had a Colposcopy (biopsy of the cervix) in last Nov and it wasn't the most pleasant of experiences, I had severe cramping for days after and bled quite heavily afterwards ...hoping like hell I never have to do that again!

I have HPV so am more at risk of getting cervical cancer later down the track, that AND the fact that it is in our family history. My Aunty has just had a hysterectomy (28th Oct) as a precautionary measure after being diagnosed with AND treated for Cervical Cancer in September.It has knocked her around quite a bit - especially since she is on her own with no dependants or partner to really turn to . She has her extended family, but I guess it's not the same ...

Anyway enough rambling - If you haven't been in a while OR at all - I strongly recommend that you do, you never know what curve balls life is going to throw at you - and cervical cancer is just ONE of them ...

Edited by BuzzyBee

yay! Mine is at 8.30am, eek lol

Good luck for tomorrow!

My smear came back normal this time but I have just returned from the gynaeocologist this afternoon and had a colopscopy while I was there. I have a dodgy area, but she is 99% sure it is fine, but just wants to get it checked out!

I can honestly say after having the biopsy today, child birth was by FAR a million times worse than the biopsy!! I barely even felt it, and then she said I might get severe cramping and even contraction feeling pain this afternoon, but so far I am feeling quite normal

It'll be a walk in the park