I dont think some medical professionals understand the a...
Posted , 11 users are following.
I dont think some medical professionals understand the anxiety and trauma that some women undergo when having a cervical smear test. I myself was abused as a teenager and having to lie back and bare all for someone that you hardly know is a terrifying ordeal. Afterwards reverting back to disturbed behaviour and having flasbacks. The whole issue surrounding smear tests push me into a long period of depression and obsessive behavour
I have just been called to have my routine smear and the anxiety levels that I have at this moment are giving me panick attacks
[i:f9958fc153]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:f9958fc153]
0 likes, 27 replies
SCW
Posted
It was during my travelling year in Australia.
I went to the doctors to seek advice on some migranes I had been having and was bullied into having a smear test by the male doctor. The practice was completely different to what I had previously had in the Uk and I left feeling confused and helpless. The longer I thought about it the more upset I got as the doctor had been completely unprofessional in his approach and invasive. I was even more confused when I tried to contact the doctor for my results and the practice hadnt got them on file. When I left the doctor messages for me to contact me back, he never did. My visa expired not long after and I returned home, never finding out my results.
I still think about this experience regularly and it makes me feel sick, I have never known what to do about it. I have had smears since but this is always in the back of my mind.
I definately appreciate the importance of the screening but can completely emphasise with women who fine it a traumatic experience because I do.
eliz52
Posted
Do you still have the doctor's details? If so, please make a formal complaint. Our doctors receive target payments for pap tests, a potential conflict of interest that is never disclosed to women. There is no respect here for informed consent and even consent itself is violated if women are bullied or misled into a pap test. (you need one for the Pill - not true)
Also, because opportunistic screening is encouraged here it means predatory doctors can easily take advantage of women they find attractive.
It is YOUR decision if or when you have a pap test and who carries out the test. Also, note this conduct is IMO, more likely with a doctor unknown to you, as a tourist you were an easy target.
I don't have pap tests, an informed decision. Those interested or worried about this rare cancer, consider the new Dutch program, the best in the world for those who wish to test, it will protect all women, the small number at risk (those aged 30 or older and HPV+) and the vast majority who are not at risk and cannot benefit from a pap test. (those HPV- and aged 30+) We should not be testing those under 30 with pap or HPV testing, it doesn't change a thing, these very rare deaths still occur and young women produce the most false positives which can lead to some ugly places. (biopsies etc.) So it's risk for no benefit.
The new Dutch program offers 5 HPV primary or self-tests at ages 30,35,40,50 and 60 and ONLY the roughly 5% who are HPV+ will be offered a 5 yearly pap test until they clear the virus. Most women cannot benefit from pap testing. As a UK woman you could contact the Dutch Health Council for more information, a self-test kit could be mailed to you. (assuming you wish to test again)
So please, report that doctor, he had no right to pressure you into a pap test. Our doctors so often get away with treating women disrespectfully and badly, even IMO, abusively, we shouldn't let them get away with it. I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience at the hands of one of our doctors, but sadly, I suspect this happens quite a bit. The screening rate is falling here, I believe more women are getting to the evidence and making informed decisions about testing so some doctors are desperate to reach their target and collect their payments and also, Papscreen focus on coverage and IMO, have no respect for women, they treat women like targets or ignorant sheep. This is the shameful side of our medical system - no informed consent in women's cancer screening and often, no consent at all...and no one gives a damn.
banana5 Guest
Posted
I wanted to post because most of the internet says they're just uncomfortable and unpleasant. They're way more than that to so many women, and yes, it also depends on the women for the emotional part of it, and physical, actually, women are not all the same size. Some women do feel humiliated by this. It's a private area that is generally used for pleasure and intimacy, none of which you get with a doctor.
I'm not saying anything bad about my obgyn because I actually do love her. I'd never switch to another one, but when I got my papsmear, my first and only so far, I was 24 and it was after giving birth, I figured since she was down there anyway, might as well, anyway, it was not only uncomfortable, but extremely painful for me. My son's father was with me and he could see that it was painful from my expression and informed my doctor, but there's nothing she could do about it being painful, it's the procedure.
I also wanted to add, I'm 28, over due for my 3 year pap, and I scheduled one because I'm afraid I'll lose my birth control, but I've been sitting here for at least an hour thinking about the procedure and crying over it. I'm calling tomorrow to cancel it.
emmy33675 banana5
Posted
Hey banana5, is everything okay now, did you end up going or canceling?
For what its worth, I'm 30 and I have never been for a smear test, I don't want one ever, simply because I just don't want the discomfort although I am happy with anyone being around my vagina for medical reasons or otherwise :p I'm not too fussed really! But I don't want to go for a smear, so I don't. I kinda have that outlook in life generally, if I don't want to do something I won't do it. Whenever I go to the Drs and they ask about a smear test, I just tell them "oh yeah, I keep forgetting to do that. I shall book an appointment with the receptionist on my way out" and I just leave. I must have said this 5 or 6 times now...it always works, if you're worried about your medication being withheld (and I doubt that it would be but still it IS a concern) just claim ignorance/busy life...it should be enough. My parents are nurses and they have always told me that I should never accept being in discomfort or pain and that it is my right as a human being to chose whats right for my body, as long as I have fully researched my options.
I'm not sure if they would agree with my choice about not going for a smear test but they would agree with me for making an informed personal decision. So never feel bullied into doing anything that you don't want to do, be that a smear test or in life.
banana5 emmy33675
Posted
I did cancel it and I didn't opt to reschedule. I did get another birth control shot anyway. My obgyn's office is actually oddly pressure free and that's partly why I'd never switch to another doctor. My primary doctor was the one that was trying to pressure me into getting a papsmear in the first place.
If I had something wrong, I'd definitely get checked out and tested, but until then, I'm not getting another one.. unless I get pregnant again and they have to do a 6 week check anyway. I'll handle it if they're down there anyway, but if there's no reason to go down there, then they can leave me be.
stephanie_22448 Guest
Posted
Athene0110 Guest
Posted
Thank you everyone who posted here. You have really helped me make the decision not to carry on having cervical screening tests. I went along dutifully last time I was called but the nurse who did it was really hopeless and struggled to find my cervix (weird - never had that before!). It was jolly uncomfortable, borderline painful and took her ages to do. To crown it all I then got a letter saying the cells had been damaged and the lab could not analyse the sample. I suspect she was not very experienced - not her fault but the surgery should be employing people who can't do the job properly. The letter I got said I would need to wait three months before a new test could be done in order for the cells to regrow. That scared me a bit - what exactly do they do that scrapes off so much tissue it takes three months to recover? I thought that mucous membranes repaired themselves very rapidly! Anyway the whole experience has put me off and reading all the letters here confirmed to me that there are risks as well as benefits to screening. So I'm out. Not saying this is the right decision for anyone else but it's made me feel a lot happier. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories.
jo79607 Athene0110
Posted
I'm sat at home several hours after my smear at local sexual health clinic. I feel traumatised, my abdomen is very swollen and feels bloated, feel violated, I'm not in pain but feel physically uncomfortable as if I still have instruments deep inside me. I feel very emotional, I cried before, during and and I'm still very tearful this evening. I've never experienced sexual abuse of any sort and the nurse was really nice, I just felt that I hadn't had this test for many years(I had one when I was about 19) I'm now 54. I've been ignoring reminders for years. Having looked on here I wish I'd never gone today, I'm scared I'll have a negative test result as I now realise results may nit be accurate. I'll never go again. I feel there's something wrong with be as i can't understand why I feel this way when others tell me it's no big deal... but I just feel violated.
eliz52 jo79607
Posted
Hi Jo
Too often women are dismissed when they express negative emotions and reactions to this test, that's wrong, your feelings are valid. At 19 you should not have been tested, long standing evidence shows that testing before 30 doesn't prevent these rare early cases, but leads to lots of worry and harm. Countries that follow the evidence like The Netherlands and Finland have never tested before age 30.
The evidence has moved on and it's been known for some time now that only about 5% of women aged 30 to 60 have a small chance of benefiting from a 5 yearly Pap test (or smear test, same thing) - those women who test HPV+
There is no need for a speculum exam, you can test yourself for HPV easily and reliably, there are a few products online. There's a 95% chance you'll be HPV- and you then have a couple of options, HPV- and no longer sexually active or confidently monogamous - no more HPV or smear/Pap tests or if you don't fall into those categories or would like the reassurance, you could selftest for HPV again at age 60.
The Dutch program is HPV testing or HPV self-testing at ages 30,35,40,50 and 60, this saves more lives, takes most women out of testing and greatly reduces the number of false positives, colposcopies.biopsies and potentially harmful over-treatment.
I can certainly understand how you feel, I thought the test was so invasive I went looking for real information when I was a young woman, what risk was I taking be dealing the test?Now this was pre-internet, I went to the Medical Library and spoke to some of the academics, I was shocked, and made an informed decision not to test. I soon found out our right to decline this elective test was not respected, we were expected to silently accept the test. The Pill was linked to testing back then to force women into the program so I was never able to use the Pill - you can get it online now.
I wasn't prepared to argue about testing at every consult so found a GP who'd accept my decision, she's still my GP all these years later.
I've found doctors tend to back off when you're informed, I think that's why they've always locked away the evidence, keeping women in the dark made is easier to mislead, scare, coerce, pressure and manipulate us.
I think women have been treated in a shocking way. It's time informed consent and our right to choose was respected - and all women who wish to test should be given the option of reliable HPV self-testing.
Informed consent is a legal right and an ethical requirement, screening tests are our decision, to accept or decline as we see fit and we don't need to justify that decision to anyone.
All the best...by the way, I'm 59 and have never had a smear test and never will, HPV- women cannot benefit but can be harmed, no deal!
jo79607 eliz52
Posted
Thanks Eliz. I spoke with an acquaintance tonight, told her I'd never undergo a smear test again and asked re the home kits. She is a nurse practitioner. She said The procedure for a smear is different from taking a swab. It involves getting the cervix to come into view which can be tricky and uncomfortable especially if the position of the cervix is awkward. Cells then have to be take from a specific area of the cervix known as the transformation zone. A good view and light is needed. The swab has to then be agitated in the solution in a specific way immediately before they set on the brush. She wasn't sure how accurate those hpv testing kits are. So this puts me off home tests but I still feel the sane, I won't gave a smear test again. In addition the quality of our sexual health clinics are disgraceful with worn buildings, poor facilitators, embarrassing sitting in a waiting room that's shoddy. Today I had to ask the nurse whilst I sat with a paper towel covering my naked lower half if the mirrored window overlooking the examination bed I was sat on ready for examination/procedure was definitely not a two way screen! She said it was an office next door and assured me it wasn't a two way mirror, no one could see. It's about 7 hours later, I still feel as I described in my earlier post. These clinics (in my experience) are a disgrace, makes me (so assume makes all women) feel like second class citizens. But all that said, some women have no issue with the procedure so I can't understand why I'm so traumatised and it's not recognised.
eliz52 jo79607
Posted
Hi Jo
Your friend is talking about a self-smear test, not HPV testing.
HPV testing is a superior test to smear tests, that's why most countries will move to it sooner or later.
I'll send you a PM with a link to HPV self testing information, many of my friends, in life and online, have now used the HPV self testers with no drama at all.
Your friend is talking about a self-smear test, a different thing, I do know a couple of women who use a self smear test but I think the HPV test is a better first step (for those who wish to screen) - it will identify you as HPV- or HPV+ - about 95% of women aged 30 to 60 will be HPV- and not at risk of cc and cannot benefit from a smear test - the 5% aged 30 to 60 who test HPV+, they have a small chance of benefiting from a 5 yearly smear (until they test HPV-...most women clear the HPV virus in a couple of years)
The UK has been slow to take up the HPV test, but I understand it will be introduced in 2020, of course, they'll only offer HPV SELF testing to women who decline the invasive HPV test. Typical - why put women through a speculum exam when there is an alternative?
Also, older women often find the speculum exam very painful, it can leave them bleeding and sore.
Australia will move to HPV testing in December this year, the Dutch are already using it, so your friend should read up, it's more reliable than smear testing. I don't think this site permits links so I'll PM them to you.
jo79607 Guest
Posted
I'm sat at home several hours after my smear at local sexual health clinic. I feel traumatised, my abdomen is very swollen and feels bloated, feel violated, I'm not in pain but feel physically uncomfortable as if I still have instruments deep inside me. I feel very emotional, I cried before, during and and I'm still very tearful this evening. I've never experienced sexual abuse of any sort and the nurse was really nice, I just felt that I hadn't had this test for many years(I had one when I was about 19) I'm now 54. I've been ignoring reminders for years. Having looked on here I wish I'd never gone today, I'm scared I'll have a negative test result as I now realise results may nit be accurate. I'll never go again. I feel there's something wrong with be as i can't understand why I feel this way when others tell me it's no big deal... but I just feel violated.