Many women are uncovering the facts regarding pelvic exams and are discovering that cervical cancer is rare, that a pap smear is an unreliable testing method, and that they face a very real risk of harm from followup procedures. Some women understand that all cancer screening is optional and are saying “No” to pelvic exams and pap smears, but some Doctors are not respecting informed decisions. What follows are excerpts written by women who have said “No” to cervical cancer screening:
Sarah, from Australia: A few days ago I’ve got this severe pain in my chest, I felt it somewhere deep and it wouldn’t let me move or breath normally. I waited for a couple of days – no improvement. Knowing that many people in my family died of heart attacks, I convinced myself to be a “responsible person, proactive about own health” and went to the medical center I was such an infrequent visitor of. That’s where the “fun” began. Here is the script.
Doctor: Hello Sarah, take a seat. What’s happened?
Me: Hi. I’ve got this chest pain and it wouldn’t let me sleep, move or breath properly.
Doctor: Ok, let’s have a look what’s in your records.
Me: I have a kind of family history…
Doctor: When was your pap last smear?
Me: ?????
Doctor: There’s no info about your pap smears in your records.
Me: That’s about right. I’ve never provided such info.
Doctor: Why not?
Me: Because the only outcome would be that I’ll be told to have the next one.
Doctor: Are you saying you aren’t doing pap smears at all?
Me: Sorry, I came here today because…
Doctor: Don’t you know that pap smears are the most important tool for preventing cervical cancer?
Me: I heard that, but today I’d like to do something about my chest pain…
Doctor: I’m talking about cancer here; it is a very serious thing!
Me: Yep. *Cervical* carver, which I maybe possibly have a tiny-puny risk of, or maybe no risk at all!
Doctor: Have you been vaccinated against cervical cancer?
Me: No I’m not vaccinated against *HPV*? They said I’m too old for that when the vaccine was rolled out.
Doctor: Then why you think you have such a small risk?
Me: Usually I don’t discuss my private life, but to finish with this question – I’m a long-term absolutely monogamous relationship with a man who has never been in short-term relationships. And I tested HPV-negative before meeting this man.
Doctor: So what?
Me: Don’t 97% of women and 100% of men clear the virus within 2 years and become immune to it?
Doctor: The virus may not be cleared, it may just lie dormant for ages and then activate and cause cancer.
Me: If our bodies did not develop immunity against HPV, the vaccines wouldn’t work.
Doctor: It’s more complicated than that!
Me: Could you please explain then?
Doctor: It’s complicated, you won’t understand.
Me: How do you know I won’t understand?
Doctor: It will take too long and we’ll waste your consult time for an irrelevant lecture. And we’ll make the other patients wait!
Me: Well, so far you’ve been happy to waste my consult and the other patients’ time on talking about irrelevant pap smears.
Doctor: You should watch your language! Cancer prevention is not a waste of time! It’s important!!
Me: Today, for me, my current pain is important, not a chase after a rare cancer that I have 99% chance of never getting in my whole life. And since you told me to watch your language, I will tell you that I know about unreliability of pap smears, about the misinformation around this screening, about incentive payments doctors get, about reaching screening targets and I know the real statistics of this cancer. And that’s why I don’t want to discuss pap smears anymore.
Doctor: In thins case you can’t be a patient in this centre. We are committed to providing high quality comprehensive heath care. And if you resist that, we can’t help you here.
Me: Fine. In this case I want all my info to be deleted from your system, because I don’t want to a patient here anymore, and I’m not coming back ever again. Thanks for bloody nothing, you greatly helped with my chest pain.
Slam the door.
F%cking conventional medicine with its ” high quality comprehensive heath care”! http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/unnecessary-pap-smears/comments-page-174/#comments
Here is another woman’s story:
Sia: I’ve just had an unbelievable experience at the doctors today, I went in to see a random doc for a medical certificate, and he asked me when my last pap smear was, I said that I’d declined to participate in that programme, I actually really wasn’t in the mood for a debate, anyway he actually told me I was a “silly girl”, and asked “why not?”… So I told him. That should have been the end of the discussion, but he felt it was his duty to lay on the usual cc is in decline because of screening, precancerous cells are detected a lot, and save lives yadda yadda.. So I counter argued him, you all know the arguments.. Well, he started to raise is voice and talk over me, by this stage I’d figured out it was time to get the hell out of there, he wasn’t listening to me, so I said “I’m going now”. He then had the nerve to say, “No I haven’t finished talking to you yet”!! I got up and left, and got the forms to make a formal complaint with the practice manager on my way out. http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/unnecessary-pap-smears/comments-page-173/#comments
Not all Doctors would react this way. Here is one female Doctor’s views on pressuring women into pelvic exams and pap smears:
I do think it’s bad practice to cajole and occasionally frighten women into smear tests . . .
Currently, women are encouraged to have a smear. GPs are incentivised to do so. This means that when a woman comes in with a symptom that needs sorted, there is a detraction from the woman’s agenda. This presents a conflict. I can’t quote research because it, shamefully, hasn’t been done – but there are women who do not wish to have a smear and who are asked, time and again, why they are not ‘complying’ with the medical screening targets. This can cause distress and can even prevent women from coming to see the doctor about symptoms. Many doctors have seen this pattern.
I don’t expect people in general to realize this, but it cannot be ignored. There are many discussion forums on the internet where women discuss the issues they have faced when they have wished to decline a smear. Women have felt humiliated, bullied, harried. It’s not fair and it’s not right.
To me the problem is that we advertise smears as the usual. We don’t individually consent and explain screening in the same way as we would other interventions – like a prescription or an operation. We do not recognize that it is a completely valid choice not to have screening. Doctors cannot and should not force their own value judgements onto anyone else – either to have or not to have a cervical screening.
I’m happy to explain my rationale because I am concerned that a great many women are being directed into cervical screening without knowing that it’s a choice and without giving fully informed consent. I want to see better discussions of the pros and cons. This isn’t recognized well – here’s a response to some research on the uptake of cervical screening written by myself and Professor Susan Bewley. It didn’t occur to these researchers that some women may have wanted not to be screened.
via http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/2234123-why-i-don-t-have-smears
forwomenseyesonly 
Sounds like she was a good role-model. It seems like people forget that a lot of women that are grandmothers & great-grandmothers today grew up in a time where it was somewhat “anything goes” (at least in America). Sure, plenty of things were seen as wrong, but when they would occur it seems that it was typically blamed on the woman. Plus, there were wars that went on & those aren’t the safest thing for women.
I know that as a guy, being able to beat the odds is a gold medal type of thing. The guy that pulls that off tends (TENDS) to get looked at in a high esteem. I was mostly looked at as crazy (there’s actually a bunch of history on people getting seen like that, if you’re interested- I ask since it’s somewhat of a long story).
Anyway, I always approved of a woman that can stand on her own two feet- although more or less every guy says that (for different reasons, but one of them can be because he wants to come off like the best fighter in the movie- which usually has a “warrior queen”).
One thing I’m confused on: Why did/do you call her maam? Maybe I’m not getting the pronunciation right. Is it like the “a” in “ham”?
no alex you got it right lol but I guess I can’t really answer that one…just one of those weird little quirks that every family has 🙂 and it may be a new-englander thing (the last several generations of my family have lived in Maine) as I have occasionally heard it from a few other families. Could’ve also been to avoid confusion as “meme” was already assigned to her mother (who infact outlived her) and “grammy” was used for my father’s mother during the brief time I knew them before he became estranged. so long story short dunno…that’s just what we always called her -sigh- how I miss her.
Wow, there’s a title for everyone huh? Ha Ha!
Yeah, I miss some (not a lot) of the people I grew up with, but I tended to be very solitary.
It’s bizarre: I was compared to Wolverine (the character) AND wolverine (the animal) throughout most of my life, and without knowing much of anything about either (in terms of specific information), I wound up being a lot like both. That was somewhat eerie, but what was REALLY odd was a few movies (The Wolverine included) had plots that could have been aimed directly toward me (given the timing & how things were/are going at the time). Stuff about losing someone you care about & moving to another country (Italy was in the Batman movie when I watched it at the same time I was thinking about going there!).
Anyway, I know a bit about how you feel. Seems like she was someone that you saw eye-to-eye with (and that women seem to “hen-peck” other women about things, so I’d presume she was something of a bastion/oasis for you).
The only woman I really loved died years. It probably wouldn’t have happened between us, but it still hit me hard when I found out she had died (we weren’t talking at the time).
Meant to say “years ago.”
Hi Alex. It could be wolves are your spirit guides. Do some resesrch on the internet to see if they are. I know this is not the forum for that kind of thing but i am more into these things than i have let on about.
Actually, I am too somewhat. I always used to think it was nonsense & I don’t have an exact clear picture of what things are with that (maybe there ISN’T one), but after looking at my astrology (July 21) and my best friend’s astrology (December 19), I got to be less convinced of that.
I have looked up animal totems before & I thought that both the wolf & the wolverine were shockingly true of me in a lot of the ones I saw. I keep thinking that maybe I’m a “wolverine with family overtones.”
I’m curious: How did you come to wolves with me?
….. I hope the others don’t mind this little detraction from the forums agenda but please indulge just this once….
Alex – looking at your star signs in the dailies will help you know whats in store for you. ‘knowing’ comes from within. You mentioned you felt a connection with wolves and wolverines. People who feel a conncection with these types of animals are usually ‘different.’ I was lucky that my dad and his mother practiced a certain ‘craft’ so I brought up with spiritual and supernatural beliefs. It could be that you are starting out on your ‘journey.’ Why else would you mention wolves and wolvies on this particular website which is about womens health matters, unless you were beginning to reach out in that direction. (like a freudian slip) – its just that way for some people. For the first time in thirty years Jupiter has entered the ‘charts’ its effect on many people is the start of new beginning or long quests. I’m already witnessing it with the reaction to peoples sudden rekindling interest in conservation of the planet. May You Merry be!
Oh wow! Me too. I actually changed my name legally to kat and I adore the furry version. I have one, and I also have so much cat stuff so..
Yeah, I guess that is a bit out of nowhere. It kind of lined-up like that when I’m trying to get to Europe.
Speaking of which: How are things over there? As I understand the immigration problem is out of control. I know this isn’t the right forum for that, but I figured I’d ask- especially considering I’m worried about living conditions for a family that I’d like to start.
Hi Kat. This forum is great. Its the chance to meet fantastic people like you. I know we mostly go on about how badly we have been treated by doctors but we are people in other ways too. We are so connected obviously in more ways than just come across in our posts. Maybe we all have some kind of spiritual connection and thats why we reach out to each other. There are some lovely people on this site. Cats are fab creatures. My last two ‘familiars’ have been rabbits tho.
Alex I meant to say the dailies will ‘not’ help you. Its just that i find writing diff on this tablet.
Hi Alex. The immigration thing is a worry. Every night thousands of mostly men try to get through the stupid tunnell between us and France. I know people are fleeing Isis but they are not checking these people to see if they are safe. England is changing.
My friend got lost in Manchester a few months ago a policeman came up to her and said she needed to leave the area as no white people were allowed there. I was totally shocked i had never heard of such a thing before. It was the first time it really brought home to me the fact things have changed.
However, my friend is Turkish and she lived here for 3 years. She told me that all African men have a TB check when they arrive to see if their lungs are ok yet the women don’t but that they get a smear test instead. So weird.
I’m sure you will be welcome in England. At the moment there seems to be a lot of engineering jobs going if you can do that. You could come here on holiday to see the place.
believe it or not immigration is even becoming somewhat of a worry in my area too! Maine is very rural and isolated and sparsely populated so security is very lax. It is rumored that terrorist groups and agents of their who have been caught have used our border as a port of entry. Getting into Canada is not particularly difficult and the US border in Maine is not very well guarded. I am extremely fortunate to live in a quiet somewhat disconnected place in the world. We are not used to dealing with much crime or any of the other challenges in other areas and as a whole we prefer not to get into anyone elses business. That also can be a double edged sword as some people see an opportunity to take advantage.
We are not very racially diverse but we have gained quite a few somalians in some of the larger towns. I’m not terribly pleased about that as the men are usually quite rude. In fact there was some fuss a while ago as they were causing trouble in Portland and Lewiston. In their country women are expected to move aside when men are passing and can legally be struck for not doing so. Everyone in ME -women included- are extremely independent and wouldn’t even consider such a thing. So when the women ignored them they started shoving them aside and were arrested for assault. This was back about 5 years ago when there was a huge influx of them all at once. Everyone (police, immigrants, natives) seems to have a better grip now.
Mainers don’t like being told what to do. We make our own choices. This independent/stubborn mainer attitude may also contribute to my being able to avoid anything gyno related. “I don’t need a doctor to tell me how to take care of my body…I can do it myself.” is the general consensus. Most of our “ribbons” on display are not pink- they are PURPLE 🙂 (domestic violence) Alex I can’t help but think of you when I mention Maine I know you get sick of the US sometimes -you and me both- but Maine is actually a little different: quiet, serene, beyond gorgeous and you would actually mesh well with the strong independent mainer attitude…maybe you should consider coming here sometime. Farmington would be great place for you- if you don’t mind a liberal college town brimming with pot-heads, lesbians, outdoor enthusiasts with a sprinkle of old farmer types and an occasional stuckup yuppie tossed in lmao
Emily: That sounds really interesting. The timing is also interesting, since I was just thinking about going to that Maine Primitive Skills School when I read your post.
No, I don’t mind people like that. Especially considering that independant style, since I’ve been deemed a barbarian more than once. Not by “playing viking” or acting like a drunken lunatic or anything- just that a lot of people would jump to the easiest cliche possible with me.
I’d imagine there’s a decent amount of natural food & a low amount of outdoor/camping laws? I know you CAN just go out in the woods without permits & such, it’s just nice to have one less thing to worry about. Doesn’t seem like Maine really splits a million hairs with laws & everything, either.
Why don’t they just put guards in the tunnel? I’d think it’s a fairly easy thing to defend. Actually, I remember a movie that was loosely based on history where that kind of thing came into play. What was it? “Shields & Spears”? No, it was a number… .
That’s pretty bizarre about chucking in that kind of test on the women. Do they pull that on any immigrants or is it just them?
I might see those places at some point. Been watching a lot of Scottish stuff recently for some reason.
That tunnel creates a land bridge from France to England & it might be smarter to just demolish the damn thing & invest in more boats. Isn’t that how people got back & forth for a LONG time? Might be a good idea to have some “pirates” roaming the seas over there.
Hi Linda maybe they perform smears tests on the women as an excuse to check for FGM still vile either way.
I would like to visit Maine as well. I have heard its nice.
Its terrible that women are expected to move aside for men. I don’t know why Somalians are like that.it seems rude. In england most men move aside to allow women to pass – because they are gentlemen! In most parts of France that I have been to men actually do a little bow as they pass women. Thats amazing.
It’s the same here too. Any man and even most women will hold the door open for an incoming person and smile or nod a hello. certain areas in some of the bigger towns can be a little prickly but overall mainers are some of the warmest friendliest people you will ever find. I do wish sometimes that the rest of the world could be more like here. Everytime I see 17 or cosmo or any of those mags featuring whichever scrawny tart everyone loves this week I wanna puke bc they always peddle paps and gyno visits like it’s something sophisticated and fashionable. women around here especially the older ones don’t fall for sh*t like that. basically the only time mainers see gynos is pregnancy or an outright problem
and yes alex we are easygoing when it comes to laws and regulations most of us abhor the circus that is politics and want things DONE instead of bickered over for an eternity. as a general rule we’re not eager to stick our noses into the lives of others or judge them for it. If someone around here said “did you know (insert name) doesn’t get paps! Isn’t that just scandalous?” They’d get a raised eyebrow a shrug and “So? That’s her business.” Typical mainer response. we’re first state to enact gay marriage by popular vote and I’m proud to know I had a part in it 🙂 basically we don’t care who’s married so long as theyre of age and don’t beat on each other. And back in about 2009ish when a bunch of other states were making ridiculous abortion policies they tried a bit of it here too and it didn’t fly. “Why do I care what a woman does when shes pregnant?” came out a lot. Also on a sadder note there are many many pregnancies with very young unprepared women who end up on welfare and to be blunt abortion resolves that dilemma. Our taxes are super hi bc of welfare and fiscally speaking if a woman has an abortion she pays for it. if she has her baby we all pay for it. but overall its her business and we leave it at that.
I will say tho we’re stubborn and resistant to change and mainers can actually be pretty bad roadragers. there’s not much of a police force at any given time and everyone knows every road everywhere lol so we don’t have any patience for people who get in the way or don’t know where theyre going. We are also ridiculously protective of our environment and sooo many times have shot down some big development project in favor of preserving the land. Think of us like hobbits in Tolkien stories- solid, kindly, simple and good old fashioned hobbit sense! but mainer sense lol alex and linda for good camping I recommend the Rangeley lakes area if you want wild and unspoiled or moosehead lake if youre looking for something more trendy. either way there’s nothing better than freshly caught fish and foraged mushrooms/veg on your plate 😀
That sounds great! This is probably from a while back, I know. Is it a place where you can just go out there & people don’t bother you (so long as you’re not being an asshole with the fires or anything)? Or do you need all kinds of permits & such?
Honestly, I’d be REAL worried about just camping out in some places in this country- given the “Quick Draw McGraw” style of policy implementation workers. It really is like they’re just bloodthirsty without letting it show in their faces. Like to just wander into a wooded area on Long Island, I’d be worried. Someone just assumes there’s no issue with doing things like that, but the others have something else to say on that.
truth be told alex if you just wander out into the woods somewhere next to some river and make camp you might not even come across another person. you may see someone or a small group briefly in passing (and most likely carrying fishing poles) who may chat briefly wish you well and be on their way. There is a slim chance a gamewarden may show up and they can be a lil tough on out of staters but if you buy one of those cheap hunting/fishing statute books that they have practically everywhere and read up you’ll be fine.
If you go to an established camping site you will be around others and the rules vary: there may be “curfew” or quiet past 10pm, check in and check out, forms to sign and almost all will forbid you to bring any foreign firewood (possibility of carrying different species of insect/plant that could be invasive)
I would recommend a hike along the Swift River…it’s a lovely springfed river rich in gold, garnet, tourmaline etc (gold panning is quite fun!) there are quarries with very interesting fossil rocks, wild blueberries grow along the banks and plenty of fish. Coos Canyon is a popular spot where the river carved through the rocks eons ago and made beautiful cliffs and deep pools. there is an established camp site with a small store nearby and more people.
honestly, I’m pretty paranoid about strangers but i generally don’t worry. Everyone pretty much just wants to do their own thing and not have any trouble. Long story short, it’s not likely that anyone would bother you. I really love Maine due to the fact that most people are uninterested in imposing their will on others. Be it in a medical setting, a coffee shop or the middle of nowhere 🙂
stop rape
Dear Doctors, if a female patient says that she wants her private parts examination should be done only by female doctor then please accept her request and please dont expose her private parts to any male doctor or male nurse..
Complaint about Dr. (names moderated due to legalities) of MADURAI, TAMILNADU.
She just wants to expose nakedness of all female patients to male staffs working there. Why she is using male’s to treat female patient without patient knowledge. She just wants to show nakedness of girls like me to other male staffs. Even after great request by female patient some doctors like her expose female patients private parts to male doctors and male nurses.
God should punish her. Girl’s nakedness should not be exposed to any other male.
But she just exposes nakedness of all girl patents to all males working there. God will punish her.
Why was the woman in the first story ordered to “watch her language” when from what I could see of the dialogue she wasn’t swearing?! BTW I found it outrageous that the doctor appeared to be addressing the issue of cervical screening rather what she presented with! Chest pain is very frightening. I hope this was subsequently addressed properly. A symptom like this should be prioritised above whether or not the patient has had a “routine” check-up.
Sadly I am familiar with this. I was having abnormal racing heart beat, that was very scary while being scolded and talked down to by a nurse that was more concerned with the fact that I did not get pap smears. Having to argue with her while fearing for my life was a nightmare.
Its disgusting Kleigh, i hope you gave her a piece of your mind.
I tried to but that was before I knew all the facts and she acted like I was wrong and ignorant.
It’s harder to operate in that condition. If nothing else, the fear absorbs your attention, making it harder to orient a decision & act on it when it comes to refusing various procedures. Makes it harder to notice bullshit, too- so you might get all kinds of things thrown your way that don’t make any sense (that you theoretically have to pay for later).
For instance, you have some type of a heart thing & they start talking some bullshit about doing a pelvic exam on you to “check your femoral arteries.” Femoral arteries are related to the heart in the sense of being a part of the circulatory system & are correlated to problems (first thing I think about when I hear “femoral arteries” is them being cut & someone dying from it), are in the thigh-area (near other areas), and when someone sounds sure about something it tends to get someone else to think that this is the case.
Hi kleigh. Just be ready for them next time.
Hi Ada. I forgot to mention if you want put pics in the book thats great. If you cant padte them here then just tell me where they are on the int snd i will sort them from here.
Dear Doctors, Please consider your female patients as your mother or your sister and please don’t expose their nakedness to other male doctors and male nurses if they are not willing.
God will punish you.
A hospital in (moderated) India.
(moderated) hospital – Dr.(moderated).- gynecologist.
– She exposes all her female patients naked to all male staffs and doctors.
– I and my husband are so broken in heart and leading a peace less life from the day of my naked exposure by Marina Pakiaraj to other Males.
-She promised there will not be any naked exposure to any males in hospital. We trusted her and got admitted in her hospital. But later I was exposed naked to males in the hospital.
-God should punish her.
God & the people she antagonized. I don’t doubt there’d be something in response for things like that in the next life (after all, it’s not like stealing a beer out of the convenience store- or robbing the convenience store). I just think when someone gets strange with someone else, they should get some heat for it in this life.
Hi Abi. This women sounds evil. I’m sorry she exposed you in this way against your wishes. I think she gets pleasure out of this and should be reported to the authorites. Also you should warn as many women as you can. Now we all know her name her shame will be all over the internet. I don’t beleive in God but the law of Karma is very powerful she will reap what she sows ten times fold.
Also Abi i hope you recover from this unwanted exposure. Your body belongs to you so don’t let it happen to you again. Be ready next time they try to do this to you. X
thank you friend. God bless.
(dr’s name moderated out) should be punished by God.
Dear Doctors, Please consider your female patients as your mother or your sister and please don’t expose their nakedness to other male doctors and male nurses if they are not willing.
God will punish you.
A hospital in Madurai, Tamilnadu, – Dr.- gynecologist.
-She promised there will not be any naked exposure to any males in hospital. We trusted her and got admitted in her hospital. But later I was exposed naked to males in the hospital.
(-There I was molested – )
– Then we came to know that – She exposes all her female patients naked to all male staffs and doctors. (Already so many complaints were made by female patients)
– I and my husband are sooo broken in heart and leading a peace less life from the day of my naked exposure by Dr. to other Males.
-We are going to hospital only for treatment not to get exposed to all males and get harassed sexually .
Only by trusting her words – that no and never naked exposure to males will be there – we accepted for the procedure. But she cheated. Now we are mentally broken.
-God should punish her.
My In-laws and Husband are not allowing me to give complaint to police.
Because–
It will be a great shame to our family.
The hospital people are highly influential. They will definitely escape and they will harm us.
Police may trouble us too much.
I am so scared to live in this environment with such sexual harassment. Just living with pain in my heart that I am not able to take any action against the Doctor to whom I was exposed naked and get harassed.
I think some female doctors have problems with a no answer too after I declined a smear my doctor said let’s get you booked in for one I said no she said why not I said I don’t want to have one and I’m still a Virgin she then turned around and said what you are 32 and never had sex I still think you should have one we can help you get one if you are anxious it’s something we will look in too she then said do you have a boyfriend I said no I’m a lesbian she kept demanding I have the test I told her no and not to bother booking me in either Coz I won’t show up she then said well you will still get reminder letters and if you change your mind let us know I was in to talk about my depression not to be harassed in to smear testing
Talkstraight I’m sorry you had to go through that. It doesn’t matter who or what you’re sexually, you don’t have to have a smear. You can contact your screening centre and tell them you don’t want any more smears or “invitations “. They have to abide by your wish. It’s illegal for them to keep on about it if it causes you distress..welcome to the site! A poster Linda found me on another site a year ago and I’m still here. Hope this can be a home for you to if you want it x
Kat is right, talkstraightmich, it is not compulsory to have a smear test and you have the legal right to opt out permanently or temporarily as you wish. It is infuriating that you have to write a letter requesting that your body belongs to you and they are not to access it without your consent, but human rights were never built into this illegal, vile programme. The letter just needs to say that you have read the little green and white propaganda leaflet and have made an informed decision to opt out of the programme permanently. You can opt in again whenever you want, but I wouldn’t say that or they’ll be asking you to change your mind at every visit. If you make it clear, that the matter is not to be discussed at future visits, it is the law that they have to abide by that.
I wrote such a letter in 2003, and have never had the subject brought up since. A couple of years ago I got a new GP, and wrote a letter specifying that I was never to be pestered for any other medical procedures other than the purpose of my visit, and screening issues have never been raised since.
Another trick they try is sending you reminders of your opt out status every 3 years. Tell them you will report them to the GMC if this doesn’t stop as under the terms of the Data Protection Act they are not allowed to send you distressing mail.
It is also absolutely none of your GP’s business whether you are a virgin or not. They have no right to enquire about or your sexuality, only say that you are informed about the test, and have decided against it. If she persists with her questioning, put her on the back foot, and ask her what incentive payments she stands to get by performing smear tests. Remind her that there is a conflict of interest in her receiving payments to target you, and this is unethical as this affects your right to free choice. Best wishes.
Yes this pushing tests is a problem. Even lesbian women, they are trying to convince that any sexual contact will spread hpv even without penetration. Even virgin women who use tampons or masterbate or just everyone they want to test. What people do in their private bedroom or bathroom is no one else’s business unless you want to bring it up. I can understand why you are annoyed because you went to get help for depression.
I found out where I live (Ontario, Canada) that I could print out a form from the internet and mail it in. I would get no more reminder letters or phone calls ever. They refuse to remove anyone from their database and I can still get harassed by doctors though. I was harassed (even followed in a car) by a family doctor who I had signed up with. So now I just use a walk-in clinic when I am very sick. Otherwise I just use herbs or alternatives. Hopefully I will not develop any chronic illness that I need regular medication for because I am refusing all screening tests: cholesterol, diabetes, cancer: colon, breast and cervical.
they push things that aren’t relevant to me at all. what part of I’m not sexually active at all because I’m asexual do they not understand ?
Why do womans sex lives have to be meadicalized? It’s non of there businesses unless I go to them for that.
OH MY FRICKEN GOODNESS,
I just went through this SHIT yesterday at the clinic , nchs which is my PCP under medical and Obama fricken care. it’s just them. I recall the one female doctor at my former family doctor’s office being kind of pushy about pap smears so I let her be my first .. and was going to be my last and should have been until something actually happens down there that indicates to me that’s NOT NORMALNESS
SHIT.
Now Im ever more hesitant to go to the damn doctor and go to medical school so I can write my own scripts
Jesus.
I get hassled all the time for this. I haven’t had one in fifteen years and only got that one because the doctor refused to let me proceed with infertility treatment without one. When I got pregnant he wanted to do another one. I said no. He said, “but we always do two….one at your initial visit, and one at your six-week checkup after birth.” I asked how likely I was to get cervical cancer in a nine-month period. I ended up having the first of 7 miscarriages and he forced me to do ANOTHER pap test at the next IVF. This was only five months later. Ridiculous! This went on and on. Sadly, I never had a baby. I saw no purpose to do more pap tests or gyn care.
We moved and I got a new doctor. Went through the pap crap again with her. I don’t believe in cancer treatment. This decision is reinforced every time a friend or relative gets cancer and goes through chemo and radiation. NO THANKS. I would rather enjoy the time I have left. They’ve also got their system set up so I can’t tell them to “leave that blank” for menstrual dates, etc. I told them they had better come up with something, because I will not allow them to track or retain that information. It’s irrelevant for what I come in for – regular illnesses.
Fast forward to today. I have become disabled due to spinal injuries, with permanent damage to major nerves and now have chronic pain that will persist for the rest of my life. My PAIN SPECIALIST harasses me about the pap tests. I think it’s ridiculous to screen me for cancer so that I can (according to them) get into treatment fast AND LIVE LONGER WITH MY CHRONIC PAIN???!!! What makes me really angry is the fact that his system and my regular GP’s list me as “non-compliant” in their records. Uh……I am the paying customer as well as the patient. I don’t have to COMPLY with a !$&! thing!!!!!
Thanks for letting me vent.
Omg I know what your saying about forcing dates of paps and period dates. It’s like ok maybe I never had one and they couldn’t even go forward with the questions until I gave an exact pap date. I yelled I don’t do paps. It caused a argument with the nurse. And how bad she said it was. I don’t care tho.
I just wanted to add; it’s not just male doctors but also female doctors…
I’m going to tell you all of my experience I’ve had with both male and female gynocologist.
First off I am not for pelvic exams or paps at all and the experiences I have had has turned me against them indefinitely. I am a sexual assault survivor and every gyno I have been to was informed of this…
My first ever meeting with a gyno went like this ( he was male)
I went to the hospital complaining of abdominal pain, they ruled out the usual UTI, stomach bug etc… So they did a internal ultra sound (I hate those also ugh) and found I had a cyst on my ovary. Well they were ready to discharge me and I was waiting on my paper work, when a nurse walks in the room with a gown and a paper sheet and I’m like what’s all this? And she says the the gynocologist on staff (which I had met him for a few moments prior to the ultra sound and he was creepy, kept smiling at me and rubbing my leg) is going to do an exam and I was like no I’m good its just a cyst and she says well it says in your paper work you’ve never had an exam or pap and he wants to take care of it for you. I declined and told her no I want my paper work and she says ok and walks out of the room. A few moments later I hear a commotion going on and then I her a male and female outside my door. The female is the nurse and the male is the gyno I had just met awhile ago. He is screaming at the top of his lungs that he is going to examine me whether I like it or not, he don’t care that I’m scared or a sexual assault survivor and he wants to get his hands in me. They had to escort him out of the ER in order for me to leave and I left in tears, it felt like I was about to be raped all over again.
My second encounter with a gyno (Female) I was supposed to do a check up after finding out about the cyst. I walk into the room and they have everything ready to do an exam and I tell the nurse about my assult history and ask for a sedative to calm my fears and nerves, she just laughs. The doctor walks in and she’s apalled I’m not stripped in stirrups ready. So I explained the same to her in which she replies; Get out of my office you’re wasting my time.
My third encounter fast forward 6 months and in back at the hospital for stomach pain and a different male gyno walks in and says my cyst ruptured according to the ultra sound but since I need a pap and pelvic he would be more then happy to get his fingers in me and tickle me down there. I walked out.
My fourth encounter with a female gyno. Lo and behold I’m pregnant. I tell her all my fears and that I’d like to skip any exams. Her response is to threaten me. She tells me that since I am pregnant if I refuse anything they bring up that she will take it to court and I will be physically restrained while they do the exam without my consent. I was devastated. I didnt know if it was true, I was terrified. I ended up having my first ever exam and pap at 8 weeks pregnant because I thought physically consenting would be better then being restrained. I was mortified, it was worse then even I had imagined it to be. I cried and cried and then she says to me while down there to stop crying because I obviously have sex since I’m pregnant and to pretend I’m having sex while she does the exam because it’s the same thing.
After finding out about being pregnant I was forced a total of 7 times in 9 months to have exams.
Yes I was terrified to have my child the “natural” way and begged to have a c section ( I know it’s not the easy way out but I feel it was better then my down there being messed with more) I’m not even going to go into how my childs birth went but I’ll say this much, I now have PTSD, severe anxiety and depression and body dysmorphia.
But fast forward 6 months after my son was born and they are still wanting to do paps and exams on me, only this time I’m on birthcontrol and it’s being used against me. I’m told if I dont allow the exams I dont get my birthcontrol and they will refuse to be my doctors. So I come up with a plan to get an IUD. I think 3-5 years no one will be sticking there hands in me. But the gyno knows my fears and mocks me by saying. You know when we put the IUD in we are going to be all up in you deeply it will be worse the the exams you cry about.
Fast forward almost 2 years after my son is born and I’ve had enough! On Oct. 9th 2018 I had my fallopian tubes removed by choice. No more gynos for me! No more birthcontrol to be held hostage! And one more thing I hate is the harassment we get in the form of mail, phone calls, other women and random doctors. Just today I got a phone call from my insurance company offering to make a phone call to the gynos office to make my well women check up appoinment for me, they would even make sure I had transportation. This sickens me! I have no say in my female anatomy! And no compassion in being a sexual assault survivor! I’m a women and expected to spread my legs because I’m told to. Well thank you doctors so much because I took away my chance to ever have another child if I chose to, so I could decide what happens to my genitals! I’m done with gynos period! I will never step foot in another gyno office for anything! My paps and exam days are over! And a warning to any doctor who wants to challenge me from here on out I say bring it because I’m standing my ground from now on!
Wow Sarah, you’ve had the misfortune to encounter gyns who ranged from abusive to downright perverted. And you’re right, the females are no better-the large influx of them into the medical field has done nothing to stem the tide of paternalistic attitudes that prevail in woman’s healthcare. I’m sorry all of this happened to you but glad you are standing up for your right to bodily autonomy now and by sharing your story you’ve helped strengththen other women.
Those doctors lied to you. You have a legal right to refuse any and all procedures you do not want. The nurse who said you could be taken to court was taking advantage of the fact that you don’t know this. You cannot be taken to court or arrested for refusing a medical procedure. Some hospitals have tried to get court orders to force pregnant women to have certain procedures or even C-sections, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled every one of them was violating the patient’s civil rights Say, “I have a legal right to refuse medical procedures, and I am exercising this right.” Ditto for the insurance companies.
My insurance company sends me annoying little letters about being overdue for certain tests. I throw them in the trash. I’ve also gotten the nicey sweetsy phone calls offering to arrange transport for me so I can have them done. I tell them I opt out, and hang up.
When a doc bullies you, tell them to give you a waiver to sign that relieves them of responsibility for anything that results out of your refusal to do the procedure.
About childbirth – I recommend homebirthing with a midwife if you are a sex assault survivor. It is the only way you can be sure to have your wishes respected.
I did eventually get the letter to sign from the GP’s practice manager but it was a really bad photocopy, obviously they don’t use it much. However I decided not to sign it 1) because I don’t agree with it or their wording, I didn’t opt in so I shouldn’t need to opt out 2) If I do sign it then I will not be counted in the figures of women not attending and I want that figure to get higher, hopefully to the point of 80% will never be achievable on the programme!
The letters keep coming and I get approx. 4-5 per year, a bit odd to get that many but I guess they think I’ll cave and give in….not a chance!
Hi Sarah
I felt the despair in your story and the way you were treated was appalling, I have had similar situations myself and have found the best way to deal with this is to lie. If pressured, I usually say you do realise that I work for a company that specialised in medical misconduct and their coercion is illegal. That usually stops them dead in their tracks, and ends any further attempts by them.
I whould tell that insurance to shove it. Did u tell them u were declining these exams? They cNt force u. Really a lot of this push for prevention started from Obama care. My insurance back in the the early 2000s never sent reminderers. They might have covered them but never sought after woman to push them and make appointments for them.
This might be tmi but if a woman only uses annal sex is it unlikely she will get pregnant or need birth control? I know some use natural family planning but has anyone herd of this working to keep woman out of Gyno offices and off birth control? Thanks
Kleigh i cant say much about anal preveting pregnancy but ive heard it’s not entirely reliable as you might still get semen in close proximity. https://www.optionsforsexualhealth.org/birth-control-pregnancy/can-pregnancy-happen-if Maybe this will help?
If possible I’d advise using condoms- theyre cheap reliable and don’t require a Dr visit or have any side effects aside from possible allergies/sensitivity. I remember having the conversation w Eric about how i didn’t want to be put thru all the “requirements” to use BC, how there’s no such thing as a drug w/o side effects and I didn’t want to change the natural chemical composition of my body when condoms were so simple. He agreed and said he couldn’t bear to put me thru all that. Said he didn’t really mind them and my freedom and health were more important to him. I’m so lucky to have such a wonderful man. We used FAM/condoms for 8 years and I’ve only just gotten pregnant now when we got a bit careless-baby is due beginning of July! 😍