General Chat

i had to have my last smear every couple of months,i was worried but the nurse said i had cell changes (something like that)and that it is very common,it soon went back to normal as she assured me it would.....
i just let her get on with it as she told me if you move or get tensed up (easy i know when your nervous) it can affect the test,so i always try to stay calm
i urge you all to get regular checks

Good news glad you went. xx

Had my smear (3 years late) this morning. Didnt hurt, and was over in about 2 mins flat. Its worth it.

Catherine you may have to wait until the end of Sept but at least you made the call. xxx

I have been very naughty in this dept not had one for a longtime like years-even though they sent for me 2 yrs ago-but on reading this I booked one this morning not till the end of sept though

many thanks-so glad your ok

catherine
xx

Yvette, so glad to hear you got the all clear, what a great story lets hope we can get every woman to go for the Smear and Mammograms etc.xx

Thanks Liz, hadn't thought of thr FP clinic, i will call Gem tonight and give her a talking to :-)

Especially after reading Claire's post about her daughter.

In my case i always had regular tests, and they were always clear, but 1 year after having one i started having abnormal bleeding, so went to the Dr's, they said it was nothing to worry about but did another test ''just to be on the safe side'' I didn't get a letter with my results, the Dr came to my home!!

Mal and I had only been married 2 months, so it hit him very hard when they told him i had to undergo further tests as a matter of urgency...the very next day.

I was at CIN3 and they wanted me in for a radical cone biopsy within 4 weeks of the colposcopy. As it was the day of my son's 9th birthday and we were due a housefull of children i refused to go in, i know it sounds silly now, but they were very good with me and re-booked for a week later.

I had lots of health problems following the surgery as they found a tumour and had to take away far more than they expected, as a result they told me i wouldn't be able to increase my family and if things didn't go well a hysterectomy was the only next stage of treatment.

As i was 29 and newly married it wasn't the best of news, however i am a tough nut when i want to be and after a traumatic miscarriage the following year and lots of trying i finally managed a successful 7 month pregnancy. Adam is now 9 and i can't tell you what a delight he is to both of us.

I would have liked more children, but the Dr's told me my body couldn't sustain another pregnancy and birth (there were complications due to the previous surgery) so i had to be sensible and count my blessings.

I went from 3 monthly, to 6 monthly, then yearly checkups, each one was nervre racking, but they finally gave me the all clear in 2004 and told me i could go to 3 yearly checkups like normal, that was the day i stopped worrying :-)

Please if you are reading this thread and not sure whether to go for your next test....listen to the comments on this thread and Cara's result, get your test done, it really can save your life. Cervical cancer is the easiest to cure when caught in time.

My daughter was 21 when she started having abnormal bleeding, Her GP said that she was ok,,'too young to have cervical problem' and not to worry about it,,,But she did worry about it and after no help from GP, she eventually decided to go to the STD clinic where they have a good look with the morcroscope,
She was referred very quickly to a consultant gynocologist and was diagnosed with CIN3.
Thankfully its all been sorted out now but she has to have smears every 6 months,

Yvette, tell your daughter to contact the Family Planning clinic, in Grove road, and they might do a smear test for her. I always go there as my doctor, a woman, is useless at doing the tests and I went there years ago for mine anyway. After I lost my daughter, I had an abnormal smear and after a couple of checks, had a cone biopsy, as they didn't do laser treatment then. The doctor told me it was like coring an apple lol, just cutting away the dodgy cells. I had to have frequent and regular checks but the time between increased and I finally got an all clear. Needless to say I make sure I have them regularly now. I tried for several years to get pregnant again after losing Zoe but with no luck, but just a year after the cone biopsy, I fell pregnant in the first week of trying!

I had one of those bowel cancer test kits recently as I had become 60, and got the all clear back from that yesterday so feeling happy.

Liz

I had an abnormal smear 23 years ago after I had my Son. It was eventually treated and have been fine ever since.
I turned 50 in April and the week after I was invited for a mamogram. Unfortunately I had a recall and spent a very anxious few days until the appointment. It turned out to be cysts which they say are quite normal and just have to go next time they call.
I attended a mobile unit and my Neighbour who is 52 went about the same time for her first so I think it goes in two year cycles. You should ask at your Doctors.
Jen

I can`t believe that Scotland and England differ so much. The recommendation is over 20 and sexually active but if you did smears on 100 nuns you would get 1 or 2 positives.
Ros xxx

Glad you are ok Cara

Well done for putting this thread up

No-one likes having it done, but this shows we all should

Jan x

What has really baffled me is that they have changed the system. I was called for one when I was twenty but my mum said, you don't need to - you're not sexually active. That was early 2005. The NHS then decided to up the age to 25.

As I understood it, they call you every three years which means I should get a letter in early 2008 about it. But at the doctor's the other day, he asked if I was sexually active. I said no and asked about the smear test and he said they now call you from 25 onwards.

But I thought I was on the "old" system, so I am now totally confused. In America I believe they say you should have the first done no later than 18, but I think they have more private healthcare over there anyway.

i had my 1st one when i was 19 after i had my son
my family planning clinic advises women to start having them as soon as they become sexualy active

In Scotlands --it`s age 20 -60 for a smear every 3 years, 50 -60 for mammogram , but if you are older you can request one.The reason the smear isn`t younger is that the cells are not mature enough so you get a false positive.
Ros xx

Thanks for putting this up Cara - I had an abnormal smear and had to go for a colposcopy....and the treatment was successful......I am glad they picked it up in time and 18 years later I am still healthy......I was dreading going for my breast screening tomorrow, but after reading your thread, remember why it is a good idea to attend these sessions.......we are lucky in this country to have them......

Hi Romany, as she has just moved i am hoping her new surgery will do a test, if not she is happy to wait.

I would have paid for her to go private but we are still paying off BUPA fees for serious tests she had last year and have no hope of affording more yet.

Luckily she is not having any problems yet so i try not to think about it too much, but guess what she is getting for her 25th birthday present, lol

You can't get a smear test in my area until you're 25. Will nag my daughter to go when she's old enough (another year).

Could she not join a different surgery Yvette, or pay for a private smear - although I know she shouldnt have to. I was offered one when I turned 20, although I was living in Oxfordshire, so its a postcode lottery.

Cara, i agree 100%, a smear test saved my life just over 10 years ago. A small test for such an important result.

Sorry you have had to have such a tough op, but it's great to hear you are all clear now.

I am now on 3 yearly check-ups after 6 monthly, then yearly, for 7 years, such a great feeling.

My daughter is 22 and i have nagged her to go for a smear, when she finally agreed the dr refused to do one until she turns 25!! despite the fact there have been three cases of cervical cancer in my family.......i was not happy but they won't budge on the age policy.