Smear Tests

d-redser

Following on from the STI thread I am just wondering where (if any) do a quick response on smear tests.

I read somewhere that some GP's or clinics in Dubhlin offer the faster service of results but at a higher cost?

Anybody know where these are??

I had a colposcopy done two years ago and was told to get a smear every year. I was due to get one in Oct but totally forgot about it :eek: . (I know, very bad to forget).

Nevyn

As in a quick appointment that is certainly possible to an appointment fast.

Smear test resulats are all processed in the same manner unless your's is marked urgent. There is currently a back log due to lack of rescources.

I would suggest ringing your dr or the well woman clind or ifpa clinc or your local health clinc and asking about having a smear test done.

d-redser

I am booked in for one next Friday and that is in the IFPA.

I remember reading somewhere that a company called Claymore or something similar works with GP's and clinics. They promise a faster result time for smears.

They collect the sample from the GP and the bring it to the lab and start the process and will have the result back to the GP in 1 week. I am just curious if anyone here have heard of it?

I wouldnt mind paying the extra if I knew I was getting my result quicker.

Edit: found the link http://www.claymon.com/gps.html

Nevyn

I have never heard of a gp using it here.
Where would those results fit into the treatment program here ?
Would they even be reginoised ?

little lady

I’ve never come across a delay in getting the results of a smear test and I generally go to my GP. It takes about 2 weeks for the results to come back, if there is any issues they call and if not I get a letter from them about 3\4 weeks after the test was done.

The last time I got one was just at the beginning of December and I had heard back from them the first week in January.

It normally costs about €70.

d-redser

Little Lady are you in Dublin?

Every GP or clinic I ring the least time you're waiting is 8 weeks.

little lady

Yes, I'm in Dublin. I can PM you details if you want.

hunnymonster

waiting times are long at the moment. My last smear was done in September and I got the results in Febuary and this was on a test marked urgent.

d-redser

little lady wrote:

Yes, I'm in Dublin. I can PM you details if you want.

Yes please, if you dont mind!

boffin

Little lady, if you wouldn't mind, could you pm me the details of the doctor you go to as well because I got mine done in the first week in January and I still haven't gotten the results. I was told that there is a 16 week wait at the moment.....

Miss Fluff

I was told between four and five months and that was at the end of January this year.

Siska010

I recently had a smear test done and I payed 30 euro extra so I got my results in 2 weeks, which I also did.

I also had the option to not pay anything but then it could take up to 6 months.

The nurse or doctor who does the smear should tell you about these options, if not, ask about them.

BC

The last time I was in the WellWoman Centre, they were offering a speedy service. If you paid extra you could have your test sent to London for analysis. It cut the time by about half. Give them a call and see if they are still doing it.

simu

Thaedydal wrote:

I have never heard of a gp using it here.
Where would those results fit into the treatment program here ?
Would they even be reginoised ?

My GP has started using this as the public service is far too slow. I guess it varies from doc to doc.

kizzyr

Siska010 wrote:

I recently had a smear test done and I payed 30 euro extra so I got my results in 2 weeks, which I also did.

I also had the option to not pay anything but then it could take up to 6 months.

The nurse or doctor who does the smear should tell you about these options, if not, ask about them.

Its a fcuking disgrace that Irish women have to pay €30 EXTRA to get their test back in what is a normal time for every other half decent country in the world. :mad: I had a smear test done in November and got the results in January. It cost me €70 and I had to deliver the test to the hospital lab myself.
Mary Harney has authorized the withdrawal of funding from the RCSI lab which used to process 45,000 test per year and has given the go ahead for the tests that used to be sent there to be sent to..........wait for it...........Chicago in the USA for processing.Thats part of the reason why the usual wait time is 6 months for the results to come back. And people wonder why Irish women have one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in the EU:rolleyes:

Siska010

kizzyr wrote:

Its a fcuking disgrace that Irish women have to pay €30 EXTRA to get their test back in what is a normal time for every other half decent country in the world. :mad: I had a smear test done in November and got the results in January. It cost me €70 and I had to deliver the test to the hospital lab myself.
Mary Harney has authorized the withdrawal of funding from the RCSI lab which used to process 45,000 test per year and has given the go ahead for the tests that used to be sent there to be sent to..........wait for it...........Chicago in the USA for processing.Thats part of the reason why the usual wait time is 6 months for the results to come back. And people wonder why Irish women have one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in the EU:rolleyes:

I felt rather odd myself, since the catch was that I had to bring my 'package' to the local post-office

kizzyr

Siska010 wrote:

I felt rather odd myself, since the catch was that I had to bring my 'package' to the local post-office

LOL I had to do that once too, naturally it was at a time when loads of people were in the post office and the woman at the counter read the address of the clinic out really loud, just to make sure it was going to the right place. Everyone heard her:D Thats why this time I decided to take it straight to the lab myself.;)
The situation in this country is cracked though, a perfectly good vaccine is available to prevent people dying or at the very least having to endure unpleasant painful procedures to get rid of suspect cells and good ol' Mary has decided its too expensive to give out to everyone. And she wonders why people are forced to opt for private health insurance:rolleyes: The way she carries on you'd swear it was the biggest treat we were giving ourselves paying a fortune to Bupa / Vivas / whoever every month rather than a necessity.

WindSock

Wow thats angried me up some. I had tests done abroad for free and don't remember waiting long for results at all. I've said it before, I'll say it again, and probably keep on saying it...Third World feckin country.

kizzyr

boreds wrote:

Wow thats angried me up some. I had tests done abroad for free and don't remember waiting long for results at all. I've said it before, I'll say it again, and probably keep on saying it...Third World feckin country.

Now now be fair, I don't know of any Third World country that has enough in the coffers to allow its Premier spend the equivalent of (more) than the average industrial wage on his make up, or to fork out for a government jet when even bigger countries such as the UK doesn't have one, or (and I love this one especially) allows the ministers to take an ENTIRE weeks holidays to celebrate the feast day (that is just one day) of our national saint ABROAD, while those of us, whose taxes are paying for their jollies get one tiny bank holiday off work.

dudara

I had a sample taken at the end of November, and I'm still waiting for my results. I would definitely pay a little more for a quicker turn around on my results.

LegacyUser

http://www.wellwomancentre.ie/medical.html

I was researching this last week because I've had some scary symptoms for a while. I'm absolutely terrified since I've never been before. Could someone tell me about it? I saw some diagrams and was so horrified after I made an appointment that I burst into tears after just thinking of it. I'm definitely getting the fast one which is €75 for a 10 day return since it's sent to England. I would have a complete panic waiting months. Could someone who has had one tell me about it before I cancel my appointment for next week. I can see myself not showing up...

dudara

I personally find it a little uncomfortable, but just get on with it. Doctors are very considerate when giving this type of examination and tend to be very respectful of your privacy. They generally give a running commentary on it all which is meant to keep you informed of what is going on.

LegacyUser

How long does it take and what does it involve? I'd rather hear it from someone than a clinical explanation. How exposed are you?

dudara

They will ask you to undress from the waist down and lie down on the couch. You will have privacy to do this and the doctor will only come in when you say that you are ready. they will then conduct a visible examination first, and then take the sample using a speculum and a swab. The speculum might feel cold and a little uncomfortable, and you will consciously have to relax your vaginal muscles, but it is over in a few minutes.

Siska010

Confused. wrote:

How long does it take and what does it involve? I'd rather hear it from someone than a clinical explanation. How exposed are you?

I asked the nurse to do it, instead of the doctor, because it was my first time. I was scared to death, but the nurse kept on asking questions and I didn't have time to be worried or scared. She explained everything she was going to do and in my honest opinion, the thought of having it done is SO much worse than when you actually get it done. It was over in less then 20 seconds. I didn't feel all that exposed either, if you want they can give you a blanket and you can put that over you.
Make sure when you go in, you tell him or her that it's your first time and you are scared, they have done it so many times that they know how to react to that

She didn't do any other exam on me, just the smear test. They say they warm up the speculum, but it's not really warm
Seriously, it's over before you know it!

good luck!

Nevyn

Also it is a good idea to bring a sanatry towel with you.
No not for bleeding but they lube up the vag clamp or the speculum and can use a fiar bit and tbh it is better that you put a towel in place rather then having soild your best pretty under wear that you will have worn to feel better about the whole thing.

luckat

Confused. wrote:

http://www.wellwomancentre.ie/medical.html

I was researching this last week because I've had some scary symptoms for a while. I'm absolutely terrified since I've never been before. Could someone tell me about it? I saw some diagrams and was so horrified after I made an appointment that I burst into tears after just thinking of it. I'm definitely getting the fast one which is €75 for a 10 day return since it's sent to England. I would have a complete panic waiting months. Could someone who has had one tell me about it before I cancel my appointment for next week. I can see myself not showing up...

Don't worry. You lie down and put your legs up so they can get at your twat, then they glide a lubricated speculum in there. That's a gadget that slips in easily (relax to make it easier - tip: relax your mouth and the rest relaxes better) - and then open it slightly to spread everything out so they can put a spoony thing in and scrape off a few cells to test.

It's faintly uncomfortable - most of us don't like strangers fecking around down there unless they're doing it for purposes of pleasure - but no more than that. You don't have a lot of nerves where they're scraping, so the discomfort is really in the speculum, and that's more strangeness than anything else.

I hope that your symptoms are something ordinary like thrush or cystitis - sore and annoying, but not serious illness. Most likely this is so.

Courage, mon brave!

metrovelvet

Its uncomfortable but I dont know why people are getting operatic about it. Most american women get this done once a year from the age of 16-17 and no one ever even thinks twice about it.

simu

Yeah, they're fine really. Over in the blink of an eye and only slightly uncomfortable. Go do it, Confused!

spurious

You are also quite entitled to ask them to use a smaller speculum if you feel you need it. They all have them in their kit as they need them for the rare occasions when they examine very young women. They open to the same extent but they are smaller on insertion.

It's your body and you have every right to control what they do to it.

I find if I make a conscious effort to keep my bum pressed into the table it makes things easier for them. Sometimes no matter how much your head has decided to allow the speculum in, your pelvic muscles say 'not today, thank you' and fire it back out. The doctor will be used to this, it's no big deal. The insertion of the speculum is generally the most difficult part of these procedures.

LegacyUser

'dudara, you said you have to consiosly relax your muscles during it - i just want to know what to do, because i can't relax at all. i really need to go for my first smear (i'm 26!) but i just cant relax even though the doctor/nurse are lovely and chat away etc. even though they know it doesnt help. its not embarrassment, its because i experienced abuse and i just can't relax. the whole thing makes me feel sick and invaded again. does anyone have any tips or anything? dont know what to do. '

dudara

Just remind yourself that this is important to your health.

metrovelvet

Ask the doctor to give you a valium or muscle rexant if you have these issues. My friend who has to get mri scans is always given valium before hand.

luckat

You could try zazen, which is commonly used (though not under that name) in childbirth. Learn it at home first.

What you do is count slowly from one to nine, breathing as you go, like this:

(Breathe slowly in)
(Breathe slowly out) One (visualising 'one' in your mind, whether as a word or a number).
(Breathe slowly in)
(Breathe slowly out) Two (visualising 'two' in your mind)

and so on. Just breathe in an easy, relaxed way. Your breathing will slow naturally as you do it. It's a great form of meditation.

When you get to 'nine', go back down to one, then up to six and back down, then up to three and back down.

In breathing out, I like to breathe gently through the lips. This relaxes the vagina - there's some deal with the nerves being connected, or something.

It might also be an idea to explain beforehand that you've been abused and so have issues with people messing with your vagina.

And in the situation of former abuse, I'd personally be more inclined towards the Well Woman, though others may correct me on this.

One thing: remember that you're never going to be abused again, dear. You're in control now.

Nevyn

anotherquestion wrote:

'dudara, you said you have to consiosly relax your muscles during it - i just want to know what to do, because i can't relax at all. i really need to go for my first smear (i'm 26!) but i just cant relax even though the doctor/nurse are lovely and chat away etc. even though they know it doesnt help. its not embarrassment, its because i experienced abuse and i just can't relax. the whole thing makes me feel sick and invaded again. does anyone have any tips or anything? dont know what to do. '

Ok as awful as your personal experiences have been there is also the sorry fact that 6 out of 10 women have been sexually assulated at some stage in their lives.Do explain to the nurse and dr invovled, they will not understand and you will not be the first woman they will have helped over this hurdle.

If you find that you still can not go and get the proceedure done then I woudl suggest that you go see a counsellor to deal with the issues surrounding it.
The Rape crisses centres have a list of counsellors who deal with these issues.

While your toughts, feelings and how you live your life are still so effected by what happened to you , to the extent you are honestly putting your life and your health at risk then you do need help to move on.

LegacyUser

'Thanks metrovelvet and luckat for those suggestions. I think I will ask about the valium and see what they say. Oh and Thaedydal I never said my experience was awful or that I was the only one. I have been to counselling so I have "moved on" as you say, but you don't end up 100% issue free after counselling, thats not the way it works unfortunatly. It is just awkward since the abuse I experienced as a child was done under the pretence of these kindof medical exams, I just thought everyones parent did the same thing. So whereas I have been to counselling and it certainly doesn't effect how I live my life as you say, this is just very difficult and no matter what I say to myself about it being healthy and normal and a good idea, its unbearable to have someone invade me in that way again. Anyway we will see, I will have to do it but hopefully they might be just able to give me a valium or something. Thanks again for the relaxation tips they were very helpful and I would definitly try them out.'

Attol

I don't quite understand them. From what I've gathered you have to go to at least two so the results can be compared. So you'd have to wait like 5 years to see if there was anything wrong with you? Or can they tell from just one test?

LegacyUser

The well woman do still offer a service where they will send it to the Uk, it cost's more but worth it for peace of mind if you need it.

hunnymonster

Attol, I'm not an expert just an experienced patient in this area. Contact your doctor for the most up to date medical information.


They can tell if something is wrong from a single test. The system used here to grade abnormalities is the CIN (cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia) grading
CIN 1 Only one-third of the thickness of the surface layer of the cervix is affected.
CIN 2 Two-thirds of the thickness of the surface layer of the cervix is affected.
CIN 3 The full thickness of the surface layer of the cervix is affected. THis is also called carcinoma in situ.

CIN1 often reverts to normal with time so women with a CIN 1 result are told to come back in a year (or two) for a repeat smear. Even if it has not changed it takes somewhere in the region of 10-15 years for abnormalities to develop into cervical cancer which is another reason for the wait-and-repeat approach.

CIN2 and CIN3 require treatment.

Attol

Thanks hunnymonster. There should really be more education about this. I haven't a clue about the whole process.

hunnymonster

I agree but in the meantime, educate yourself.

http://www.icsp.ie/

is a starting point.


[wanders off rambling] Could a teacher tell me something, is this covered in school sex education? Is it something I should look at getting out to 3rd level students. Then again, how many young adults are in education? Where else would it be possible to publicise this issue? [end ramble]

Nevyn

It is not covered in schools.
While not everyone goes on to college an awareness campagain in colleges would reach a lot of people.
It could be added into the so called safer sex talks that get done in colleges.
I say so called cos I know every one I gave or help with turned into plain sex education classes.

Contraception and the ins and outs of sexual health and looking after your 'bits down there' get over looked.

Attol

hunnymonster wrote:

I agree but in the meantime, educate yourself.

http://www.icsp.ie/

is a starting point.

I've read a little but it's still a topic people don't really talk about. I'm 19 and I don't remember ever really seeing anything about it anywhere other than recently was reading some horror stories in Glamour and the likes.

spurious

Thaedydal wrote:

Contraception and the ins and outs of sexual health and looking after your 'bits down there' get over looked.

So true.
As year head in my school I often have to weed out the chancers from the genuinely ill and needing to go home types. Last month a girl arrived telling me she had got 'Them' (her period) and wanted to go home to get some protection. I asked her why she hadn't brought something to school with her. Her response was (and she was genuine) 'How am I supposed to know when it will come?'

I spent a couple of minutes with her using a calendar printed from the net and off she went, delighted she could almost predict roughly when her next period would come.

Never presume kids in school know anything, or really understand stuff no matter how many times it has been covered with them.

Smear testing being mentioned in schools? I wish.

The Sweeper

Attol wrote:

other than recently was reading some horror stories in Glamour and the likes.

See those?

They should be censored. Or banned.

It's like how war veterans talk about the war, and childbirth veterans talk about childhood, smear test veterans think it's okay to tell horror stories.

It's not okay.

There are more than enough women already so wary of the procedure that they won't go and do it. Horror stories and "well in MY awful experience" stories don't help.

The best post on here is Siska010's, because she admitted to the nurse "It's my first time and I'm petrified" and ended up being tested on her own terms.

Things it helps to know:

• The best time for a smear test is mid-month, around the time of ovulation. Don't bother making an appointment for just before, just after, or during your period, in other words.
• Wear a long, loose skirt, because you can pull that up to your hips and it may make you feel less exposed than taking off trousers.
• The nurse sees vags by the hundreds. Okay, I know it's crude, but it's true.
• Think of how much better you'll feel when you've done it!!
• The nurses do it quickly - it's not like you have to sit there for ages in silence while someone fiddles about with your nether regions.

Funniest story I've ever heard: woman spends the day with one of her younger children, making christmas cards for family n friends.

Realises it's 3pm and she's got a smear test at 3.30.

No time for showers or ultra-personal-hygiene, she goes into the loo, strips from the waist and has a spot wash with a face cloth.

20 mins later she's on the couch and the nurse says "okay, you've made an effort today!". Woman thinks it's because she's being so relaxed.

Turns out that her child has used the face cloth to wipe glue and glitter off his hands after making the cards. She's then used the same cloth to spot-clean herself before racing to make her appointment. Her nurse was met with the world's glitteriest vagina...

Nevyn

lol.

The thing is the more relaxed you can be the easier it is and the quicker it is all over and done with.

If you are lucky enough to have your gp or your practice nurse do smear tests then it is a lot easier as you will have gotten to know them and you will have them time and again for your smear test.

Currently when you are having a smear they are encouraging a swab for clamydia as well.

Few months ago I had an IUS removed, another put in, a smear test and that swab all done at the same time by my dr who I have known for the last 9 years with the assistance of the practivce nurse who I have known for the same ammount of time.

I was completely done with all of that in 15 minutes.
My last set of blood tests were more hassle and pain.

Attol

What if you're on hormonal contraceptives? Does it matter when you go if you don't get periods (Depo Provera)?

Nevyn

If you are not getting a period due to hormonal contraceptives like the implanon or depo prova or the IUS then you don't have to schedule an appointment around your period, just check with whom ever you are making your appointment with.

You can not have a smear just before, during or after your period as it effects the sample of the cells being taken.

StandnDeliver

im still waiting for my results got mine done in september,when i was getting it done the nurse told me she was only getting results back from 6months previous.

d-redser

Jezz I thought waiting 12-16 weeks was bad but 6-8 months is a complete joke!

I didint realise that the wellwoman offer the quick service. I will be going there so!

This country is a mess when it comes to issues like these. Now if it was the men who were getting the tests, i'd say it would be handled in a totally different and speedier way...

Schlemm

I wish that the connection between HPV and cervical cancer were explained in schools because nobody has a clue! I don't think anyone I know of my age who is sexually active has gone for a smear, let alone know about HPV.

There is a new website up, www.tellher.ie

Just wondering, do they re-use the speculums?