Annual Pap Smear

[Danielle Averill]

Ladies, I know I'm still in "newbie" mode but, I really want to bring awareness to an important subject. I always try & bring awareness to everyone & their mother, lol, about the importance of having an annual pap smear. You would be suprised just how many women do not have this done each year. They keep putting it off, because they are uncomfortable with the idea of going to the Gyne's office.

The reason I posted about this, is due to my own personal experience in January of this year. Having a routine, yearly pap can literally save you from developing cervical or uterine cancer. DISCLAIMER: Any gentleman reading this please feel free to close the thread.

I went in for a yearly pap smear in January & got the results back 1 week later. They found abnormal cells near my cervix. They were not considered precancerous, as of yet. However, if I had never discovered them & they just sat there for years, they would have most likely turned cancerous. I had them removed on an outpatient basis & had 2 follow up pap smear since, which came back normal, thankfully. I never thought that would happen to me & was suprised when it did.

After it happened, I talked to my girl friends & asked them if they get a yearly pap. I was suprised to find out that most of them do not go get a yearly pap smear. I was shocked & kind of nudged people to go. The nice thing about going to the Gyne 1x a year is.. They do the pap smear & do a routine breast exam to test for lumps. That is great because it kills 2 birds w/ one stone.

Sorry for the long, drawn out post. However, I am really hoping that at least 1 person will read this & say.. "Wow, it has been a while since I've been to the Gyne, I should really go". You really never know if it could happen to you. Its better to be safe then sorry. If you haven't gone this year, I urge you to add the Gyne to your New Year's resolution list!

 

[trex74]

Good post, it is important for sure.
Just one of those things you have to get done, no matter how much it totally sucks! My doctor is a man, younger than me, and semi-cute. It's soooooo humiliating, but I just get a nurse to be there too, and I try to think of nothing. Better a moment of embarassment in the stirrups than a deadly surprise years down the line.

 

[Danielle Averill]

Trex74, it is humiliating, I absolutely agree. Even after all of these years going, I still despise going.

I just look up at the ceiling in the stirrups & curse internally. However, I would rather be uncomfortable for a couple of minutes, then have to deal with something far more serious & unpleasant down the road.

 

[PhoenixS]

Great post! I am a little overdue for mine and I know I need to get in. It is very important.

 

[Danielle Averill]

Phoenixs, I hope you will be able to go soon. Thanks for posting!

Ladies, don't neglect the health of your Va-jay-jay! LOL! Btw, I promise not to write any more posts about reproductive organs for a while. I'm not trying to be tacky, its just sooo important to go to the Gyne!

 

[PhoenixS]

Phoenixs, I hope you will be able to go soon. Thanks for posting!

Ladies, don't neglect the health of your Va-jay-jay! LOL! Btw, I promise not to write any more posts about reproductive organs for a while. I'm not trying to be tacky, its just sooo important to go to the Gyne!

I will get an appointment to go in soon I swear. I usually was good about going yearly because when you run out of pills you have to go in anyway for new script. I have an iud and don't need a script so I have to remind myself to go.

 

[shirlene29]

to ad to the public service announcement a friend of mine died last yr from a metastisising (sp?) cancer this past summer...


it started as cervical cancer, then spread as uterine, ovarian and eventually pancreatic

timely paps wouldve made it little more then an uncomfortable leep


it is proported that more than 85% of the population has the hpv virus but it remains dormant in most

get yer freakin paps

 

[Danielle Averill]

Phoenixs, glad you're going! My friend does the whole IUD thing & swears by it. She wanted me to try it but, I've had great luck on the pill & don't want to switch, unless I have an issue.

Shirlene29, I am so sorry to hear about your friend. That is an absolute shame, my sincerest sympathy to you & her family. Thank you for taking the time to post about her.

Precancerous cells &/or full on Cervical cancer is so easy to prevent & can be treated very easily in the early stages. However, once it is in the 3rd or 4th stage, it most likely has started to spread inside of a woman & is a downhill battle to cure. Once the cervical cancer gets going, its a nightmare to fight.

 

[PhoenixS]

Phoenixs, glad you're going! My friend does the whole IUD thing & swears by it. She wanted me to try it but, I've had great luck on the pill & don't want to switch, unless I have an issue.

Shirlene29, I am so sorry to hear about your friend. That is an absolute shame, my sincerest sympathy to you & her family. Thank you for taking the time to post about her.

Precancerous cells &/or full on Cervical cancer is so easy to prevent & can be treated very easily in the early stages. However, once it is in the 3rd or 4th stage, it most likely has started to spread inside of a woman & is a downhill battle to cure. Once the cervical cancer gets going, its a nightmare to fight.

Yeah I don't do so well on the pill. I hate being on hormones. I love the IUD (non hormonal). My periods are really light now and only last like 3-4 days. I was pretty heavy before for like 6 days. I love it! Shirlene got the non hormonal too when I told her to go for it. Hopefully she is loving hers as well.

 

[Cutiebaby]

Excellent post, and welcome to the board!!

I worked in fam practice and seen first hand the longgggggg list of women who missed their yearly exams and chose to ignore the reminders that were mailed out to them. Yet many of them still felt the need to hound the office on wanting/needing their birth control refills! HELLO- can't happen.

I myself am horrible. It is not that I purposely decide not to go, however it is the last thing on my mind. Mom of 3, helping husband, life, etc..I am a habitual "oops I missed my annual last month can you please reschedule one for me" kinda gal. However, due to health issues I always go. I have no choice, much like yourself- now I have to go.

It is sad to see how many women come in with complications that could have been caught in time had they just gotten their paps. It is sad!