why wont they do me a smear?

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emilylouise93
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Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2014 4:16 pm
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by emilylouise93 on Tue Mar 11, 2014 4:29 pm

why wont they do me a smear?

I am a 21 year old female, coming to the end of my tether with gynae issues. I have had problems ongoing since last summer- irregular bleeding, continuous pelvic pain, heavy bleeds, pain during intercourse. I have had three hospital admissions and numerous doctor visits but I feel like I am being fobbed off every time I go, I have had many different diagnosis' thrown at me including PID, PCOS ( following an ultrasound ), UTI's, trying to throw the problem off to gastro. At the end of january after another visit to my GP, she referred me on the two week system finally to gynaecology outpatients as she reported my cervix looked abnormal. I attended the appointment and was told I had many different symptoms of many different things and that the plan was a laparoscopy, which I am having next Monday. During this appointment I asked if I could have a smear test done, after previously asking my GP on numerous occasions but was told due to my age it wouldnt be reliable as the cells are continuously changing. As much as I do appreciate this point, both my maternal and paternal grandmothers have had ovarian cancers.. and although I have had the HPV vaccine I was sexually active and using the contraceptive pill beforehand. Since then things have got worse, I am having a bleed every two weeks, my stomach is swollen and every time I eat I vomit afterwards, I have no energy and even the simplest of tasks leaves me shattered. Subsequently I have now been signed off work.I really feel at the end of my tether and feel just a bit too unwell for this to be something like endometriosis. Is there anyway I can bypass and get a smear done privately? Anybody who could shed some light it would be much appreciated

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Mr. Hugh Byrne, MRCOG
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Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2012 12:21 pm
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by Mr. Hugh Byrne, MRCOG on Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:20 pm

Re: why wont they do me a smear?

Some doctors recommend smears within 2 years of first having intercourse.

It's true that the national guidelines say not at your age but they also say your symptoms must be taken into account as an individual case, and you must point this out to your doctors as it would be easy to take a smear whilst you are having the laparoscopy. If you want to go down the private route, you would need to see a gynaecologist who performs what is called colposcopy.
Mr Hugh Byrne
Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
St Georges Hospital

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/online_clinics/experts/mr_hugh_byrne.php

emilylouise93
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2014 4:16 pm
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by emilylouise93 on Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:22 am

Re: why wont they do me a smear?

Thankyou very much! I will definitely ask before I have it done. Thanks again and sorry it was such a rant!

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