Do you get a pap smear every year?

Contributor: Terri69 Terri69
Recently, I was with a group of women and the subject came up of pap smears and I was shocked that several of the women do not get yearly check ups? I go every year. How about you?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
Every year
47  (59%)
Every other year
6  (8%)
Only go when I have an issue
5  (6%)
Haven't been in years
9  (11%)
Other
13  (16%)
Total votes: 80
Poll is closed
04/27/2012
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Contributor: VioletMoonstone VioletMoonstone
I have to go every year if I want to get a refill on my birth control pills. I must!
04/27/2012
Contributor: Jenny Smith Jenny Smith
Quote:
Originally posted by Terri69
Recently, I was with a group of women and the subject came up of pap smears and I was shocked that several of the women do not get yearly check ups? I go every year. How about you?
Every year
04/27/2012
Contributor: SMichelle SMichelle
I didn't get one for about 4 years. Thankfully I was fine, but for safety's sake I'm going to start going every year.
04/27/2012
Contributor: Khanner Khanner
The guidelines have actually just changed to every 3 years.

Personally I think pap smears are pushed much too hard onto anyone with a cervix. It shows just how the medical community trusts the judgment of women (IE not at all) that they hold birth control ransom unless you submit yourself to the test, and will pressure you as soon as you turn 18, regardless of lack of sexual history or symptoms.

I am for pap smears, but every year is overkill. I refused to get one until I became sexually active and I will most likely refuse to get another unless I get symptoms, another partner, or at least 3 years have passed.
04/27/2012
Contributor: xOhxSoxScandalousx xOhxSoxScandalousx
I try to do it once a year.
04/27/2012
Contributor: Various Various
I have gone every single year since I was 17 years old.
04/27/2012
Contributor: unfulfilled unfulfilled
I don't get them. The only time I've had them was when I was on birth control, and when I had my 2 boys. It's been over 3 years since i've had one.
04/27/2012
Contributor: Hot'n'Bothered Hot'n'Bothered
Once a year. Cancer is rampant in my family, so it's not worth the risk to skip. IMO...
04/27/2012
Contributor: Beck Beck
I have gone every year since I was 12. If you want your BC you must go. I didn't get the first pap until 14. Female cancers are rampant in my family. My mother, her mother, my mom's sister, my dad's mom, my dad's sister, and many more. I think it's best if I go. And every year I get peace of mind from it. I am actually due this month. I go Monday.
04/27/2012
Contributor: badk1tty badk1tty
Quote:
Originally posted by Terri69
Recently, I was with a group of women and the subject came up of pap smears and I was shocked that several of the women do not get yearly check ups? I go every year. How about you?
As I was cursed with PCOS, I get them yearly, if not more often. Hate the damn things, too!
04/27/2012
Contributor: VelvetDragon VelvetDragon
I really should go more often, but my last doctor traumatized me. When I was crying she told me to "stop that" and that it wasn't "that bad". I've yet to get up my courage to go again after several years. :/
04/27/2012
Contributor: Breas Breas
Quote:
Originally posted by VioletMoonstone
I have to go every year if I want to get a refill on my birth control pills. I must!
same here.
04/27/2012
Contributor: indiglo indiglo
Every year for me too. If I want my hormones, I have to go - and it's no biggie for me. I've also had several abnormal results, so it's something that seems wise to keep an eye on.
04/27/2012
Contributor: Do emu Do emu
Quote:
Originally posted by Terri69
Recently, I was with a group of women and the subject came up of pap smears and I was shocked that several of the women do not get yearly check ups? I go every year. How about you?
Yeah, I go every year. There's a lot of things I cut corners on but my vagina gets a higher priority.
04/27/2012
Contributor: Ms. N Ms. N
Quote:
Originally posted by VelvetDragon
I really should go more often, but my last doctor traumatized me. When I was crying she told me to "stop that" and that it wasn't "that bad". I've yet to get up my courage to go again after several years. :/
I can see why you wouldn't want to go to her again! That's awful.

You should have told her if you wanted to pay for pain to be inflicted on you, you would have hired a dominatrix.
04/27/2012
Contributor: Ms. N Ms. N
I should probably do that sometime...
04/27/2012
Contributor: roskat roskat
I go every other year when I need a fresh prescription for the pill. I've never had any issues.
04/27/2012
Contributor: Redboxbaby Redboxbaby
Quote:
Originally posted by Khanner
The guidelines have actually just changed to every 3 years.

Personally I think pap smears are pushed much too hard onto anyone with a cervix. It shows just how the medical community trusts the judgment of women (IE not at all) that they hold ... more
I only get one every 3-5 years. My doctors have advised me to do it every 3 years since 1995. I have been in a monogamous relationship since 1993 and my husband had a vasectomy in 1996. Even when I had an ovarian cyst hemorrhage, no one suggested that I needed a pap smear.

For me, the less I have done to my body, medically, the better off I am. The more doctors poke around, the more stress I have. Stress wreaks havoc on my system!
04/27/2012
Contributor: Shellz31 Shellz31
In AU they give us females the choice to our own bodies. We're not forced to have them just so we can get birth control pills.
The Dr will remind us while we're in their office for something else that we are due, but ya can get the pill (whatever form) without having to be tortured with another medical proceedure first.

Personally, I don't want to know if I have cancer cause I'll spend my last days stressing out. I want to enjoy the end. I refuse to have any treatments - 99% of the time once the cancer shows itself in one spot, even if 'cured' it will just come out somewhere else later on.
I won't torture myself going through so called cure treatments!
04/27/2012
Contributor: WhoopieDoo WhoopieDoo
.........I've never had one.
04/27/2012
Contributor: *Camoprincess* *Camoprincess*
I get one yearly!
04/27/2012
Contributor: VelvetDragon VelvetDragon
Quote:
Originally posted by Ms. N
I can see why you wouldn't want to go to her again! That's awful.

You should have told her if you wanted to pay for pain to be inflicted on you, you would have hired a dominatrix.
Hahahaha! Oh that would've been great. Honestly, she was a horrible match for me.

After that I had a pap smear at the ER after having an emergency, and the ER doctor, who I'm sure was terribly rushed for time and so on, was so much gentler!

I'm sure my new doctor would be much nicer, I'm just still anxious about it. :/ I do need to get over it.
04/28/2012
Contributor: Zombirella Zombirella
Every year and I think every woman should do it. No matter what the fear for not going, it takes what, less than 10mins? And it could SAVE YOUR LIFE. If you don't have insurance Planned Parenthood and other organizations/health clinics will do it free to little cost.
A family friend stopped hers for a few years because she lost her insurance and didn't know she could get one for free. She started getting sick. I'm not going into detail but it led to a doctor's visit and she found out that she had cervical cancer in the advanced stage. She got a strand of HPV that causes cancer from her cheating husband. She passed away and it's such a shame, she was an amazing person and didn't deserve that. This is why I cannot stress enough to go get your exam! Look into free clinics or places that will do payment plans or SOMETHING! In high school I had precancerous cells removed from my cervix and I credit the doctors, had I not seen a gyno each year, I might not be here today.
04/28/2012
Contributor: dragonn dragonn
Quote:
Originally posted by Terri69
Recently, I was with a group of women and the subject came up of pap smears and I was shocked that several of the women do not get yearly check ups? I go every year. How about you?
Yup same here.
04/28/2012
Contributor: Terri69 Terri69
Quote:
Originally posted by VelvetDragon
I really should go more often, but my last doctor traumatized me. When I was crying she told me to "stop that" and that it wasn't "that bad". I've yet to get up my courage to go again after several years. :/
OMG! That bitch! You should have kicked her!
04/28/2012
Contributor: CindyH CindyH
i do ever year
04/28/2012
Contributor: Lady Bear Lady Bear
I get birth control pills through my college and they require it every year to continue getting the pills. I don't mind though, it is best that way.
04/28/2012
Contributor: CadmiumKitty CadmiumKitty
definitely!
04/30/2012
Contributor: chantalgiardina chantalgiardina
Quote:
Originally posted by Terri69
Recently, I was with a group of women and the subject came up of pap smears and I was shocked that several of the women do not get yearly check ups? I go every year. How about you?
i used to go every year but now that i no longer have insurance, i dont go
05/03/2012