Tina - Interview 32

Age at interview: 41

Brief Outline: Tina had cervical screening in 2006 using liquid based cytology. She experienced no discomfort and did not have to return for a repeat smear, so she feels liquid based cytology was a more successful method.

Background: Tina is a NHS Practice Manager. She is married with 2 children, aged 16 and 13. Ethnic background/nationality' White British.

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In 2006, Tina had cervical screening using liquid based cytology. In the past, she has felt discomfort during her smear test and she has often had to return for repeat smears because of an inadequate test result. This time, she felt no discomfort and her result was normal, so she feels it is a more successful method of screening. 

She always goes to her GP surgery for screening. She is pleased that the nurse allows her time to undress in private and she is given a towel to put over her lower half during the procedure which enables her to maintain her dignity, during a personal procedure.

 

Her next smear is due in 3 years time. Tina goes for cervical screening because she says it is a painless 2 minute procedure which will make sure her cervix is healthy and if any changes are noticed, they will be picked up early. She encourages other women to go for regular screening and not to panic if they get an abnormal or inadequate test result, but to return for a repeat smear because the majority of time it is only something minor.

 

Tina describes her experience of having screening using liquid-based cytology.

The actual sort of facts of getting undressed and things like that are a bit awkward, because it’s a quite tiny room and there’s no curtain and things like that. But she was very good, she sort of left me in there to sort myself out and gave me something to cover my lower half over and get comfortable, and then sort of knocked and came back in. So that was, at least your dignity is sort of there. The actual procedure, well, the actual speculum they use feels quite cold to touch. They’ve obviously lubricated it with something beforehand, so the actual insertion and things like that is not too bad. As much as they tell you to relax, it’s still quite difficult to relax. But they need you to be as relaxed and spread really, spread your legs as much as possible. And then the actual procedure itself, it has normally hurt in the past. I’ve normally felt some discomfort, not pain, but discomfort. And I have previously had to go back. But this occasion it was absolutely no problems whatsoever, no discomfort at all, and a clear sample taken. And it’s all done and dusted within two minutes of being in there. And then the nurse allows you time to get dressed etc, in private again. And then that’s it, and she explains when the results are going to be back and how to ring and get them and whether you’ll be written to and things like that.

 

The procedure itself I think is absolutely fine. I don’t think there’s anything that they need to warn you about as long as it’s not your first smear. They need to definitely tell you what they’re going to be doing on your first one. It would have been nice to know that it was a different procedure I suppose than the previous one. But knowing what the difference is between the two, it’s minute anyway. So, but the fact that, about the dignity side, I think that’s the big thing, is to make sure that you are left to disrobe and put your clothes back on in private, and that they give you something to put over your lower half. So at least you’ve got some sort of dignity, because it’s a very personal procedure. So I think the dignity is the main thing really.

Tina had no discomfort and did not need to return for a repeat test after liquid-based cytology.

I have had inadequate ones before, quite a number of them previously. But this time absolutely no problems at all. Inadequate ones, you just have to go through the procedure again. So it’s no hassle. It just means that they haven’t taken enough sample or it was, you know, there was some slight contamination or whatever. So you just have another one.

 

And this time you had liquid-based cytology compared to traditional smears in the past? And you didn’t have to go back this time?

 

No. So I think that was possibly why the actual discomfort maybe wasn’t there, because it’s a slightly different method. And also the fact that obviously having a normal result meant that maybe they got the sample. It was a better method for me because the sample was taken, I didn’t get discomfort and the sample seemed to be enough and it came back normal. So I would say it’s a successful procedure really.

Tina goes for screening because it's a two minute procedure to know that she is healthy.

I’d like to know if I’m getting anything, you know, if anything’s sort of growing there that shouldn’t be really. Obviously it’s for, cancer of the cervix is one of the areas. So obviously that’s, I believe it’s quite a silent cancer. So it’s one that’s not picked up really until it’s quite aggressive, unless you are being screened regularly. So for the sake of going to the doctor, spending about half an hour to get there and to get back, waiting in the waiting room for a two-minute procedure that’s completely painless and no problem, I mean why shouldn’t you go for it?

 

Don't panic if you have an abnormal test result and make sure you go for another test.

The message is to definitely keep up with them. They’re available to you I think it’s every three years or something like that, and then five years after you’re 50. Definitely take the opportunity and go for the screening. If they write to you and tell you it’s abnormal or inadequate, don’t panic. Majority of the time it’s only something very minor. It might be an infection, it might be that they haven’t got enough sample on the slide or whatever. And to go back, definitely go back and get it rechecked. And make sure you get your result. If you don’t phone up, make sure that you, somehow that you, either you’ve had a letter or, if not, obviously do definitely phone up and get your results. You know, they’re your results, nobody else’s, and you need to know.