Worried

Hi cakie, I think I have experienced same pains during and after sex. Bloody spots all the time back then . Made me hate the whole thing really. 17 years with one partner, had smears every January however, changed mate and ten years on, it's pleasure all through. Check with another doctor, very likely same as mine.

You're not a silly cow, all cancer screening is elective, a choice, every woman should weigh up the pros and cons and make an informed decision. I've never had a smear test, I was content with my near zero risk of cervical cancer rather than accept the 77% lifetime risk of colposocpy/biopsy under the Australian program. (and huge numbers go on to be over-treated: false positives are an issue with smear tests, made worse by early screening and over-screening) The risks with our program were too high for me.

Now I understand that HPV- women cannot benefit from smears, that's most women, about 95% of women aged 30 to 60.

Some countries don't even do smears before age 30, not one country has shown a benefit doing smears before age 30. Now evidence based programs will concentrate on the small number of women at risk (HPV+ and aged 30 to 60) and minimize the risk for everyone else.

The nurse simply wants to tick you off her list, GPs get target payments for smear testing. (and I imagine a bonus payment for bagging someone who has never been screened, that's certainly the case here)

NOTE: smear tests, mammograms, bowel screening are screening tests, for people with NO symptoms. You're symptomatic which means you need a proper investigation. If the symptoms are persistent, you might want to consider seeing a doctor.

IMO, the best screening program in the world for those who want to screen is the new Dutch program: 5 HPV tests or HPV self-testing at ages 30,35,40,50 and 60 and a 5 yearly smear test is only offered to the roughly 5% of women who are HPV+

Most women are HPV- and having unnecessary smear tests, biopsies etc.

The new Dutch program will save more lives and takes most women out of smear testing and harms way.

There are lots of things that could cause your symptoms, cervical cancer is the least likely by miles, the lifetime risk is less than 1%.

You may have a cervical erosion, which often happens to women on the Pill.

So don't worry too much, but if you want to have your symptoms checked out I'd be seeing a doctor, I'd skip the nurse at the moment.