Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[20032003]

Confession... I'm 46 years old and have just been for my third pap smear. In Sweden they start sending you appointments from age 23 and then every 3 years. So obviously I should have had many more. I've lived abroad and so did my first pap smear in the US. I think I was almost 30. My pap smear was normal. The second one I did in Sweden, after we moved back. This was normal too. The midwife who tested me this time started out by telling me what they do if your pap smear is abnormal. I asked how common it was to have an abnormal pap smear, and she said "very common". It will take about 8 (!) weeks for my results to come back. But is that really true, that many pap smears come back abnormal? I'm more or less expecting an abnormal one now, and am annoyed that I won't know for about 8 weeks.... 

[CLKD]

  ………. 8 week wait  - why?  My sister had a recall for her cervical smear many years ago, had 3 further tests 6 months apart.  OK after.

It's the waiting for you ……… is there a GP you could talk with or a Gynae.?

[20032003]

………. 8 week wait  - why?  My sister had a recall for her cervical smear many years ago, had 3 further tests 6 months apart.  OK after.

It's the waiting for you ……… is there a GP you could talk with or a Gynae.?

Well, appareantly they're sending all these routine smears to one place to get analyzed. That's the reason it's taking so absurdly long. But it's just HOW she said it, I guess. Otherwise I wouldn't have worried too much. She made it sound like there's something wrong with the majority of smears. But that can't be right, can it?!

[CLKD]

I am concerned about the length of time these smear slides are kept, maybe that's why she suggested that in Sweden it's 'very common'.  It really does depend on how they are kept, if there is possibility of contamination or even if enough 'sample' is taken!

Maybe ask the question on one of the UK web-sites, i.e. Ovarian Cancer "Ovacome" or BACUP?  They will have statistics to hand from across the World.

[20032003]

But ovarian cancer and pap smears don't have anything do to with one another, I hope?

I guess I'm just looking for confirmation that you don't HAVE to have an abnormal pap smear... She went on to saying that it was the most common in young women having their first smears, and also 45-50-year-olds because that would be the age when women tend to switch partner at a greater rate. Well, I don't fall in to any of those categories.... Agewise, yes. But I haven't switched partner since 1994....

[Kathleen]

Hello 20032003.

I am 59 now but when I was 23 I had a smear that showed abnormal cells and I was due to be recalled for further testing after six months. However I wasn't informed  of this at the time and the appointment wasn't sent. I continued to have regular smears and they were always normal. Years later when I learned about the earlier results a nurse told me that abnormal tests are very common and cells can correct themselves so a watchful waiting approach is often used.

I understand your concern but even if your results were abnormal on this occasion that doesn't mean you will have a problem in the future. I hope my story gives you some reassurance.

Wishing you well.

K.

[CLKD]

  …….. my suggestion is that if you are worried maybe have a look-see at UK-based web-sites?

   Kathleen

[20032003]

Kathleen: Thank you ! This helped when my health anxiety reared its ugly head!

[20032003]

…….. my suggestion is that if you are worried maybe have a look-see at UK-based web-sites?

   Kathleen

CLKD: I understand that you meant well ! I just need to hear from "regular" people that they have been fine... I know I'm weird...

[CLKD]

Not weird at all! it doesn't take much to start the brain whizzing with 'what ifs'    ……. we even have a thread somewhere about the various health anxiety issues.

[20032003]

Not sure how I should interpret that so many people read and so few answered? Come on, ladies! How have your pap smears been through your life ?

[Claireylou]

Hi there.  I let mine slip in my early thirties. Then the awful Jade Goody thing prompted me to go for one. Thank heavens I did. It was abnormal and I was referred for colposcopy (totally painless). I had to have a minor procedure called a Lletz to remove abnormal cells. I have been on once yearly smears ever since and will continue to do so until 2019. In our area, very minor abnormalities are put on a watch and wait while more significant changes are dealt with very easily and promptly.

I think what I'm trying to say is even if a smear comes back abnormal it can be dealt with really easily and quickly so try not to worry. Cervical screening is so very important. I doubt I'd be here now if it wasn't for smear tests 

[lizjane]

Hi, I would say that smears are not very often abnormal, but it is not necessarily a cause for concern if it is.
When I was about 30 years old, it took 7 attempts to get a smear from me, because they were constantly returned as inadequate sample. It turned out I had a cervical erosion which was bleeding every time my cervix was touched. After a colposcopy and laser treatment it was all sorted out, and my smears have all been fine since.
But it was a bit of a stressful six months, waiting for the results every time, knowing that I was probably going to have to go back again and again.

[CLKD]

Dont' be too analytical about lack of response  - maybe ladies don't have experience and feel it's un-appropriate to offer up comments ……...

[limpy]

I've had approx 14 smears. There have a always been verbal warnings about the possibility of tests giving uncertain results. I did get recalled once (when I was about 40) but that was when the smear was taken when my bleed/period had only just finished. The recall smear was fine.