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[Melbury]

Went for my 5 yearly smear test yesterday.  Told the nurse about my Lichen Sclerosus and she had never heard of it.  Anyway in view of this she decided to change the size of speculum - from medium to "virgin"

Trouble was that she had great difficulty in actually getting to the cervix, so was faffing about for ages.  The result is that my right hip joint is really painful today and I am still getting a bit of spotting, so I think it would have been better all round if she had just used the normal size.

I just hope that my hip settles down - I suppose it is through getting older that your joints don't like being at an angle like that for long.

Finally, she gleefully told me that this would be the last time I would need to have a smear test, as they don't offer them to over 65's.  I said is that because they don't think it is worth checking on over 65's?  Is this usual at all surgeries?

Came out of there feeling totally decrepit and on the scrapheap.   

[CLKD]

I would think we can ask for the various tests that are routinely stopped at certain ages.  I found my last 2 checks really uncomfortable and felt nauseous 

[bramble]

I think they are stopped now for the over 65s. Used to be over 60. A country wide mandate I think, not down to individual surgeries.
Bramble

[Taz2]

http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/faq16.html

Taz x

[Dancinggirl]

I think they stop doing the cervical smears because it is assumed we are not having sex!!!!! Well I certainly hope I will still have some sex at 65 - I'm sure my husband will expect to continue sex.
My mother had vulva cancer in her late 70s - the GP only bothered to examine her when she went back to see her because she was in so much pain. She had previously been given antibiotics on the assumption she had a UTI!!! It ended up a major operation and if it had been caught earlier then it might not have been so bad. I'm afraid regular checks of our lady bits is probably a good idea.   DG x

[Melbury]

I was probably just being a bit over-sensitive.  Was feeling a bit grumpy because I had to wait for 30 mins as the nurse was running late

I do wish though that you were given the option and they didn't just dictate when these tests will stop.

I said to the nurse, so if I want one I will have to pay for a private one

[Rosebush]

I was 65 last month, and Thursday I rec'd a letter for my next smear test, it did state, something about stopping at 65 but some ladies are being offered up to 70 then after we could ask our Gp, i find them really painful, even with Nurse using virgin speculum thingy, so going to think it over for a week..x