5 TIPS FOR YOUR CERVICAL SCREENING/SMEAR TEST FROM ME, TO YOU.
Every day eight women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and three die from the disease. Yet cervical cancer is largely preventable thanks to the NHS cervical screening programme and HPV vaccination programme. In the UK 22% of UK women do not attend their cervical screening (smear test) invitation.
There is a lot of stigma around the cervical screening when realistically there shouldn’t be. The cervical screening is literally thee first defense in preventing cervical cancer. Having regular cervical screening offers the best protection against developing cervical cancer and at the screening precancerous/abnormal cells can be detected so that they can be treated to prevent the occurrence of cancer. Catching cancers early is the best treatment you can possibly ask for, so why would you avoid it?
Because you’ve probably heard that it hurts or you are embarrassed.
Firstly you are showing your vagina to people who have seen more vaginas than you want to know. Its the same for your doctor or nurse seeing yet another vagina as it is for you seeing yet another mug with a funny metaphor on. You’ve seen a hundred of them, what is another? Plus you aren’t standing butt naked in front of someone. You will have a little private area to get undressed, lay down on the bed, cover yourself modestly then your allocated professional does a procedure they are totally unfazed by because they’ve done it plenty of time and then you’ll be done.
Secondly I come onto the most common thing you’ll see pop up for information on smear tests. The word ‘pain’. BUT seriously, I think people go to the word pain because there isn’t really a way of defining how a smear test feels. It isn’t comfortable but it isn’t painful. Put it this way, stubbing your toe hurts more or hitting your elbow. And ultimately this feeling is certainly going to be much better than the kind of feelings you would have to go to if you contract cervical cancer because you’ve not attended your regular screenings.
Lets break it down. Your smear is maybe 10 minutes of feeling a bit vulnerable and a bit embarrassed because you are getting undressed and your most private parts of your body exposed and then maybe 5-10 minutes maximum of a very odd sensation. Then you are done and well on your way to cervical health. AND IT IS SO WORTH IT.
Cervical screening is 80–90% reliable and can prevent 60–80% of cervical cancers. This means that seven out of every 10 cases of women who would have developed cancer of the cervix can be prevented
And if it helps, I’ve not only had a few smears myself, but I’ve been diagnosed with abnormal cells and gone all the way to surgery and I still stand by all of the above points. It isn’t too bad, I promise, but in case here are a few tips I find have helped me and maybe, might help you too.
1. BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT FOR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING OR LAST THING IN THE EVENING.
Depending on the type of person you are I would recommend booking early in the morning to ‘get it out of the way’ and have a day to relax and wind down or last thing in the evening so when it is all done you can go home and go straight to bed with a cup of tea. That way if you do have any after-effects (sometimes you may experience some period esque cramps or paints and some bleeding) you can relax in the comfort of your own home either chilling out doing whatever chills you out (sewing, gaming, watching a movie...) or sleep on it so by the time the next day come around you’ll be back to 100% you.
2. IF YOU ARE ANXIOUS, SPEAK TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL BODY BEFOREHAND (OR IF THAT IS SCARY, A PERSON WHO HAS DONE IT BEFORE!)
There is nothing better than speaking to a professional if you are anxious. Honestly. I found that speaking to my nurses at my GP helped me understand the procedure. Also by speaking to your professional bodies in your area, if you are particularly nervous, you can identify an individual that does make you feel comfortable and book in with them. By expressing your concerns you can ultimately combat them. Or if you don’t want to speak to them directly, speak to someone who has had a smear or more, they can give you plenty of advice too. I’m always at the end of an ask!
3. DONT BE AFRAID TO FOCUS ON DOING SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU COMFORTABLE DURING THE TEST
You do not have to just lay there in that kind scary movie hospital silence. Do something that makes you feel comfortable. Almost all doctors or nurses love to have a chinwag. Sometimes I’ve spoke about the test itself the whole way through, another time I spoke about what christmas presents I was buying that year. Heck when I had my coloscopy me and the team spoke about the best way to boil rice! If talking isn’t your forte you can always take some music in with you and listen to music whilst everything goes on (just remember your professional will likely want to explain everything beforehand because they do guide you through as it all happens, just so you know what is happening) or alternatively go in with some meditation based focus and focus on a particular thing, cover your face with a nice scented scarf. Whatever is your forte, don’t be afraid to do it. The more relaxed you are the better the overall experience for you and your professionals because after all, everyone wants you to have a positive smear. BONUS TIPS FOR EXTRA COMFORT:
Wear a nice long skirt or a dress so you don’t have to get undressed, you can just hitch it up and drop it down.
Bring a small pillow or place your hands just above your bum in the crook of your back to raise your pelvis up a little bit more.
Ask to bring a chaperone to talk too.
4. DONT BE AFRAID TO SAY STOP OR VOICE YOURSELF
Sometimes you may experience discomfort. Fundamentally it is because you may be anxious or scared because like an injection, if you are tense, it can be untoward. The important thing to remember is that you can stop entirely and come back another time or you can tell your doctor or nurse what you are feeling and they will do what they can to make it better there and then. Sometimes you might need more lubricant, sometimes the speculum needs to open sideways as opposed to horizontally, if you don’t voice how you feel, if you do experience anything uncomfortable, you’ll never make it comfortable. You can personalise your experience so if you have something negative you can either make it better and positive straight away or for next time you have a smear test.
And you never will be. Every single woman over 25 all the way to 64 will have smears every three years minimum. Heck I have to have mine every 6 months (and again, I am telling you, it isn’t that bad). You don’t need to feel alone. You don’t need to feel embarrassed. You don’t need to be scared. Everything you are doing is good and everything you will do is for your own health. By you going to your own smear test you can essentially promote others to do so too. Solidarity is the way forward, if we all go, we will all be safe and all in turn, make each other feel safe.
If anyone did have any questions or maybe wants me to do another blog along these lines or just wants to chat, hit me up on a DM. You can be anonymous if that helps but I am always here.
