Do I need a smear test?
Posted , 5 users are following.
I am not sure if I need a smear test, from what I understand I don't, but I keep hearing the press, I worry and so I thought I'd check if others knew as for reasons probably obvious, I'm too ashamed to explain why I don't think I need one to my GP.
I have not had sex before. Not with anyone, I'm 40. (now you see the reason for the shame...) not even used objects with myself -I have zero interest in sex which is why. (I have a long standing mental health issue which sort of gets in the way; anorexia/eating disorders, depression and anxiety, long story there ! ) which is why, but to coin it in a nutshell, zero objects other than the odd tampon and the gynae using a camera (painful periods) have gone through me.
Do I continue to ignore the letters? I'm really worried about the pain thing, the gynae appointments I have had did a smear 10 years ago for painful periods and OMG that hurt like hell! I'd rather not go back. Can I ignore the letters?
0 likes, 6 replies
Tazchurch BrightYellow
Posted
My Dr would say no as she did to me - I managed to explain why. Her attitude was that as long as I had not had sex since my last one it was ok until I did. She marked my records to prevent letters being sent.
Marina_Dee BrightYellow
Posted
No you dont need a smear test.No woman is legally obliged to have any test at all, whether sexually active or not,but there is absolutely no need in your case.
Try writing to the address on the letter asking them to stop sending you appointments. Or just bin them.
pauline_1313 BrightYellow
Posted
No you don't need one so please don't stress about it. I always went for mine until I went through the menopause and they became really painful. My GP and practice nurse both agreed that as I had only had one sexual partner and had been totally faithful to each other and every test I ever went for came back clear that it was unnecessary for me to have any more. I believe from this year they are testing primarily for the HPV virus and only go on to test for abnormal cells if that result is positive. As you can only catch the HPV virus from sexual contact or shared sex toys then from what you have told us you will not need to be tested.
BrightYellow pauline_1313
Posted
Thanks for your reply. I have not had a STD but I have had the HPV virus in the form of About Molloscum Contagiosum (a type of wart which isn't actually the same as the wart virus) it was all over my upper body, most likely caught from a not clean enough gym. It was about 10 years ago now and pretty hellish to get rid of, spread at the rate of knots, but I did manage to stop it spreading further than my arms. I don't know if that changes anything because I have had the virus, but it didn't affect any other part of my body at the time.
Marina_Dee BrightYellow
Posted
Although Molluscum Contagiosum is a virus it is not HPV and does not cause genital warts.
It isnt classed as an STD as anyone can get it including children. It is however extremely contagious so can be passed between sexual partners.
No,it doesnt change anything... you dont need that test.
eliz52 BrightYellow
Posted
I'd forget about cervical screening and get on with your life, this is one of the downsides of screening (and there are many!) - they exaggerate the risk of the disease and the importance of the test - this is to get as many on board as possible and justify the huge expense of these programs (and satisfy all the vested interests making a fortune from testing and the aftermath)
Fact is cervical cancer was always fairly rare in the developed world and was in natural decline before screening started...ONLY the roughly 5% of women who test HPV+ and aged 30 to 60 have a small chance of benefiting from cervical screening. (and you can self test for HPV)
No HPV means you can't benefit from cervical screening
HPV is sexually transmitted - it doesn't require actual intercourse, but some genital contact with an infected partner. This is why mutually monogamous couples who were virgins to start with are not at risk of cc.
Of course, women should have been given the evidence and been left to make an informed decision about testing, instead we've seen women coerced, pressured, scared into or misled into testing causing a lot of damage to previously healthy women.
Here in Australia, we tested far too early and far too often, resulting in huge numbers of false positives and potentially harmful over-treatment - over-screening provides no additional benefit to women.
SO my advice: get on with your life - it's sad that so many women greatly fear this rare cancer but don't give a thought to much greater risks, that's because we've been trained to greatly fear cc...to get us to comply with screening recommendations.
I rejected screening many years ago, I don't trust a word coming from these programs or the medical profession, I do my own reading and make an informed decision.