PAPSMEAR Reminder Thread

[Mum2Romone]

Glad to see so many ladies jumping on the wagon.......

[briggsy's girl]

ok, i'm confused (easy to do these days!)

i thought paps were every two years unless something comes back abnormal
i had a pap at the 8 week PP check with DD so late July last year. i got a letter today from a different clinic (haven't been there except in emergencies since BFP, and not much before that really) telling me i haven't had a pap in 12 months and it's now overdue

now, anyone that knows me knows i'm a bit of a stress head! so now i'm thinking that either they're doing a catch up with everyone that was a former patient (i've never had a pap there) and checking their record (but wouldn't the pap register tell them i'm not due yet) or that something has come back weird cos my last GP appt was with them (ended up in hospy with suspected ectopic pg then had to rule out appendicitis)

it IS every two years right? i'm leaning towards the first option in my theories cos i trust the doc (and the practice manager is a friend at the GP i seen while pg - she'd make sure i followed up if results said i needed to)

[CinderToriella]

Yeah BG its evry 2 years UNLESS you have had abnormal cells /or results and they ask you to have a one every year or every 6 months which iv had before ..

If you were over due i think the Pap register would send you a letter ,thats what i thought anyway..

[Little Chicken]

at the age of 33, i had my first pap smear today. Shameful I know but at least it is done now.

[briggsy's girl]

the GP didn't say anything about more regular ones, but i may call the clinic that mailed this out and ask what the go is. if it's just a "we haven't done your pap in x amount of time so we're mailing" i'll ignore it, if there is a trigger, i'll be in contact with the GP that did the last one to follow up (she is a GP training up for OBGYN so i doubt she'd overlook something like that)

[mrsmac]

Good on you Muminalice!!

DD asked me an interesting question the other day- she was one of the girls given the cervical cancer vaccine at high school, does that mean she doesn't have to have pap smears ?

[CinderToriella]

Good on you Muminalice!!

DD asked me an interesting question the other day- she was one of the girls given the cervical cancer vaccine at high school, does that mean she doesn't have to have pap smears ?

No i would think she still needs them, from what i unserstand the vaccine only protects from certain types of cancer etc but not all , its not 100% affective and doesnt stop all cervical cancers. from what i understand i could be wrong

[mrsmac]

I did think similar but was unsure, I wonder how many girls out there now think they never have to have one since they are "vaccinated".

[sloane]

great thread

one of my friends had a work colleague who was way overdue, she went & found out she had (treatable) ovarian cancer. which then started all the girls in their workplace going. my friend found out she had a massive cyst that she had to have operated on. which in turn sent me (and have gone on time since). all happy endings, but it seems crazy that it takes so much to kick our bums into gear sometimes.

ETA - i didn't realise that mrsmac. i'm gonna have to do some proper research now.

[mrsmac]

Pap smears do not usually detect ovarian cancer so please be aware that its important to watch for signs of ovarian cancer. Your pap smear will not pick it up. I am very passionate on this subject as my mum died of ovarian cancer and I have done a lot of research into the subject. Mum had regular pap smears and still didn't find the ovarian cancer until it was very well established.


ETA just found this: Although the Pap doesn't detect ovarian cancer, it may detect cancer cells that have migrated to the uterine cervix from the ovaries or abnormal cells in the uterine cervix.

[CinderToriella]

Do you know the signs /what to look out for mrsmac?

And i am sorry about your mum x

[mrsmac]

Sadly they are very generic female symptoms- bloating, heavy feeling, spotting or break through bleeding, UTI like feelings, fatigue, indigestion, feeling full, unexplained weight loss or gain.
My friend died at 39 from ovarian cancer so its not necessarily an older women's problem.

[Mum2Romone]

at the age of 33, i had my first pap smear today. Shameful I know but at least it is done now.

good on you , Mumma..... bet it only took a second and wasn't worth being scared of.... YAY for getting it over with !!!!

[Mum2Romone]

Good on you Muminalice!!

DD asked me an interesting question the other day- she was one of the girls given the cervical cancer vaccine at high school, does that mean she doesn't have to have pap smears ?

no it doesn't... she should still have one every two year once she is sexually active but she is immune to the different types of studs that cause cervical cancer believe.... Hmmm off to google... I remember askingmydoctor, he said if I plan on staying with my husband not to worry that it's a vaccine for a type of hpv, or virus that creates cancerous cells, ( caused by having multiple partners....)

[smiles4u]

Pap smears do not usually detect ovarian cancer so please be aware that its important to watch for signs of ovarian cancer. Your pap smear will not pick it up. I am very passionate on this subject as my mum died of ovarian cancer and I have done a lot of research into the subject. Mum had regular pap smears and still didn't find the ovarian cancer until it was very well established.


ETA just found this: Although the Pap doesn't detect ovarian cancer, it may detect cancer cells that have migrated to the uterine cervix from the ovaries or abnormal cells in the uterine cervix.

good point to bring up MrsMac so many here don't feel this is the answer to all finding on it's own in the tests, as my SIL at 27 had her routine mamogram (due to family BC history) and was given the all the clear only herself to find a lump a couple of months later and had advanced breast cancer and she passed away at 28 (last year).

(so sorry MrsMac to hear about her Mum )

... I look at any tests i have done whether it be papsmear, skinspot check or mamograms (& U/S) as an added bonus as to what i already do to keep a watchful eye on things regarding my health !

[*Ash*]

I have just stumbled upon this thread. I am having a pap smear tomorrow. I think my last one was about 4 years ago, after birth of DS1.

My grandmother died of ovarian cancer. It was discovered after it had already spread to her stomach. Hugs mrsmac, your mum was so young. So tragic.

[luna moth]

no it doesn't... she should still have one every two year once she is sexually active but she is immune to the different types of studs that cause cervical cancer believe....

Sexually active OR when you turn 18. My sis is 26 and refuses to get one because she's a virgin.

BG - Victorian clinics are crazy, and seem to just contact you at random. The first place I went to down there (in 2005) called me for the first time LAST YEAR as a reminder. I was pretty mad. Fortunately, this is something I keep track of, so had gone off to another clinic to get my next one done. But I let fly at them, and let them know they were more than two years late, oh, and by the way I live in Brisbane now, so please don't call me ever again, I want nothing to do with your useless clinic. It felt kinda good.

So don't rely on reminders. Keep track. See if you can sort of time them with an event - mine used to be with mum's odd numbered birthdays, but am about to swap to sister's odd numbered birthdays (next one will be at 6 week checkup)

[briggsy's girl]

i will be due the day before DH's birthday on the "even" birthday years for DD - so i should be able to stay on top of it

i had to take the poppet to the clinic in question today - asked if they could explain the letter seeing i had a pap last year - it wasn't through them so they were doing a mass mail out. no idea WHY they contacted me at all considering i've never had a pap through them! oh well, late july next year i'm due again