Do it yourself at home smear test

That is very encouraging news.

Patsy70

That is very encouraging news.

That's great news! The NHS is planning to roll out at-home HPV swab tests to make cervical cancer screening more accessible and convenient. This could help increase screening rates, especially among women who may have been putting it off due to embarrassment or other barriers. The study showed that self-sampling kits can be just as effective as traditional tests, and could potentially lead to 400,000 more women being screened for cervical cancer each year.

Patsy70

That is very encouraging news.

Yes I think so too.
Following a successful study, the NHS hope to roll out at-home swabs to test for HPV which causes most cervical cancer
The NHS is set to launch at-home cervical cancer screenings that are similar to an at-home Covid test.

This follows the success of a research study which saw 27,000 people sent the at-home tests.

I think more women would be more willing to do a home test than having legs akimbo at the surgery.
I know I would.

A real step forward, now can we have the same for screening breast cancer instead of mammograms?

keepingquiet

A real step forward, now can we have the same for screening breast cancer instead of mammograms?

I think it would be more difficult to do that than to do a smear test, which works by analysing a sample Mammograms are Xrays - I can't see there being a home Xray device to do that in your home bathroom, or to do ultrasound, and you can't put a breast into a padded envelope and post it off to a laboratory .Maybe in a few years time I will be proved wrong. I look forward to that.

This will make it so much more accessible for women who have not been able to have a cervical smear due to their disabilities too. I imagine it will be really helpful for those that have suffered sexual abuse and rape too.

At last, something progressive for women

It’s a great leap forward, I hope it helps ladies get in front of the disease.

Personally I couldn’t find mine now even with two hands 🤭

Obvious advantages for anyone struggling to get to Doctors surgery or disabled and easier to do themselves and obvs increase in screening numbers can only be a good thing.
My one reservation as a veteran of regular cervical smear tests is that the nurse usually does a "good scrape" presumably for a good sample and I find that I know I've been scraped for a few days after!!
For the Covid testing , I doubted that I'd poke hard enough down my throat or up my nostril to get a good enough sample so I preferred the medical professional to do it.
I'd feel the same about poking the Undercarriage myself and would probably prefer the nurse to do that also.
Many women won't have my fears and each to his own. Probably there'll be a choice.

Elegran

keepingquiet
A real step forward, now can we have the same for screening breast cancer instead of mammograms?
I think it would be more difficult to do that than to do a smear test, which works by analysing a sample Mammograms are Xrays- I can't see there being a home Xray device to do that in your home bathroom, or to do ultrasound, and you can't put a breast into a padded envelope and post it off to a laboratory .Maybe in a few years time I will be proved wrong. I look forward to that

You never know. We already have the basic equipment at home…

Step 1
Open fridge door.

Step 2
Insert breast.

Step 3
Close fridge door while breast is trapped and squeeze door tightly shut till your eyes water.

We just need to figure out the rest of it 😊

Ouch!

Yes, I know it's radiation but there may be a way of diagnosing without having this painful procedure one day?

Grannynannywanny

Elegran

keepingquiet
A real step forward, now can we have the same for screening breast cancer instead of mammograms?
I think it would be more difficult to do that than to do a smear test, which works by analysing a sample Mammograms are Xrays- I can't see there being a home Xray device to do that in your home bathroom, or to do ultrasound, and you can't put a breast into a padded envelope and post it off to a laboratory .Maybe in a few years time I will be proved wrong. I look forward to that

You never know. We already have the basic equipment at home…

Step 1
Open fridge door.

Step 2
Insert breast.

Step 3
Close fridge door while breast is trapped and squeeze door tightly shut till your eyes water.

We just need to figure out the rest of it 😊

Your post made me laugh for ages!

Grannynannywanny

Elegran

keepingquiet
A real step forward, now can we have the same for screening breast cancer instead of mammograms?
I think it would be more difficult to do that than to do a smear test, which works by analysing a sample Mammograms are Xrays- I can't see there being a home Xray device to do that in your home bathroom, or to do ultrasound, and you can't put a breast into a padded envelope and post it off to a laboratory .Maybe in a few years time I will be proved wrong. I look forward to that

You never know. We already have the basic equipment at home…

Step 1
Open fridge door.

Step 2
Insert breast.

Step 3
Close fridge door while breast is trapped and squeeze door tightly shut till your eyes water.

We just need to figure out the rest of it 😊

🤣🤣🤣

Would I be able to hit the spot with a cervical smear test? I'm not sure.

Grannynannywanny 🤣🤣🤣.

I have a problem with the colour of my breasts every part of them is the same colour so have to be manhandled to find my nipple . I do ask every time I have mammogram do they need a finders fee. Luckily I am not big breast . When I lie on my back they disappear 🤦😱. 😁

Great news if people can be bothered to do it.

I'd do it, because I'm petrified of having a smear at the GPS.

I'm about ten years overdue for one

That’s good news. The last smear I had was very painful and caused me to bleed which was followed by a nasty bought of cystitis. The nurse said that it MY fault for being too small “down there.” Well pardon me ? This new development willl encourage more women to be tested - including those who might find it painful.

I hope they get started with this (though I think I read they will be trialling it in one area first)

I have the gp practice on my case about the dreaded smear.

Some of the comments above are so funny!-thanks everyone. However, I’m with Labrador’s in that I couldn’t be confident -like the Covid tests-that I had done the necessary correctly to be sure of a true result. Tictacnana….same here but in my opinion both the clumsiness and rudeness is down to the person doing the test 😡

I expect you all know, and hope you've all been offered the option, of having the smear done whilst you lay on your side.

It's infinitely better than the usual way.

I can't wait for this to happen with the cervical. Smear tests at home. Like the other lady who said how uncomfortable it was having it done at the Dr's surgery. I have experience nurses /doctors being rude and having no patience excuse the pun.

I always do all tests offered to me . But since having a total hysterectomy aged 38 where they took my cervix along with everything else haven't need one since.

My brother knows someone who deals with the bowel tests and said they only get 40% of all the tests they send out returned. I don't understand why it's a simple test now. When I had the first one . It was a cardboard piece with cardboard strips and you had to poo on a piece of toilet paper and using the stripes take 2 pieces from different parts of your sample . You had to do this for 3 poos . Before sending it off. It's so simple now it's a little bottle with a top with stick attached with grooves and you just need to roll the groove's in one poo it's a tiny amount. I always tape the lid on as I can't tighten it very tight so make sure the top doesn't come off. Then post.

Smears aren't very comfortable but hopefully more woman will do the home test . I imagine it will have an applicator like a tampon. But hollow to pass the swab threw the middle and get it as far as you can and give it a good wipe around.

I hope it will be available from aged 16 and not stop until aged 80. Then it will still be available if women what to do it.

No I didnt missadventure and its never been offered to me. Thankyou.

MissAdventure

I expect you all know, and hope you've all been offered the option, of having the smear done whilst you lay on your side.

It's infinitely better than the usual way.

No, haven't had one done for years.

The last one was by a locum GP and not pleasant at all. In fact the practice nurse was in the room too (I knew her outside work too) and she said to me after he'd left the practice that she always tried to be in the room at the same time as he had a reputation of being quite rough and and patients had complained.

Is it just a smear test or do they have to take more than that, more of a scraping?
It's not like a buccal swab.