Worried

Tests and investigations
1

Hi - I'm almost 29 and never had a smear (silly cow).

Recently I've noticed some not nice things happening -

* bleed after sex - now I'm not some modern day woman who has slept with numerous people, I think I've done *it* maybe 10 times in total over 14 years with the same person.

* Very painful during and after *it*

* brown clotting

* discharge 

Plus, I've had lower back/pelvis pain and severe leg pain (almost fizzy feeling).

I called the nurse and she's asked me to go in for a smear, blood tests and other things (on Thursday).

A couple of months ago I went to my doctor with pain in my side and legs and he made me do a urine sample - he asked me whilst testing it if I was on my period - I wasn't, which seems to suggest there was blood in my urine. He told me I most likely had a wee infection and sent me packing.

Absolutely terrified - anyone else have all this and it NOT being *the bic C*?

Thanks for reading.

2

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.

3

Sorry to ask, but what did you get diagnosed with?

4

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.

5

Hi.

I'm in the UK and asked for this appointment.

I'm not on the pill.

sad

6

Very informative however, you said "most women are HPV- and having unnecessary smear tests, biopsies etc..." I don't think I got the point there. Are you stating that women who do smears are at higher risks? Please, educate me further. Thanks

7

Dryness.

8

Hi Cake,

It's up to you, but if you're symptomatic it's probably a better idea to see a doctor. (not a nurse) Smear tests are an elective screening test for women with NO symptoms, it's also an unreliable test so you could never trust the result of a smear in a symptomatic woman. The test produces both false positives and false negatives.

Even if a woman gets a normal smear result, it's best to see a doctor with persistent and unusual symptoms for a proper investigation of her symptoms.

9

Hi Naija

I'm saying that HPV- women can't benefit from smear tests, so by having them they expose themselves to the risk of a false positive, excess biopsy and over-treatment.

We know cervical cancer is linked to high risk HPV, about 5% of women aged 30 to 60 are HPV+...these are the women with a small chance of benefiting from a 5 yearly smear. (so 95% of women aged 30 to 60 are HPV- and cannot benefit from smears)

You can test yourself for HPV too, no need for a speculum exam. Dutch and other women are currently using HPV self-testing devices. (should not be used before age 30)

Some women who test HPV- will choose to test for HPV again in 5 or 10 years time to guard against a new infection, but those HPV- and no longer sexually active or confidently monogamous might choose to stop all further testing.

10

Hi eliz52,

thank you for the advice. My mind is a lot lighter regarding the matter.

11

Pleased to hear it...

All the best