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Avatar universal

Should I even be concerned?

I had my gardasil shots when I was younger and I had my last pap smear done in April of 2012 which came out negative. Since then I have had 4 male partners, with each one I engaged in protected vaginal sex and unprotected oral sex.

Now I absolutely hate, hate, hate getting a pap smear done. It feels like I've been seared open when they use the speculum.

I went to get birth control pills a few weeks ago. I refused a pap smear. The doctor kept trying to convince me. I did request a urine test just as part of my routine annual checkup. She then took it upon herself to also book me for a pap smear and instead of giving me a year's worth of birth control, she gave me only 6 months because that way I "will HAVE to come back here".

I use protection during vaginal sex, I have my shots, there's no history of HPV or cervical cancer in my family and my last pap smear was just over a year ago. Should I even be concerned with getting it done? I wouldn't consider myself high-risk.
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101028 tn?1419603004
time to pick a new gyn!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I got the recommendation to go to a male gyno because they're supposedly more gentle. Well now looking over the screening guidelines, for within my age range it says every 3 yrs...I got my last one done at April 2012 (6 months before I turned 21 if that matters). I don't understand why she is being so pushy (I really do mean pushy, I had to refuse the pap smear about 7 times in what may have been a half hour visit....& then she took it upon herself to book for me a pap smear anyway w/ another doctor despite me still saying no). While I understand birth control can have an effect with regards to hpv/Cervical cancer, I'm not at all a consistent user and spent the last 5 months not taking it, before that I took it for only two months and then before that I didn't take it for another 4 months.
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101028 tn?1419603004
actually we no longer recommend yearly pap tests.  http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/348318/new-cervical-cancer-screening-guidelines has info on the newest guidelines.

condoms aren't 100% protection against hpv.  same as the vaccine isn't either and only protects against 4 of the over 30 types of hpv that commonly infect the genital area. it's still important to follow up regularly.

a pap test should never be uncomfortable for you. perhaps you need a gyn who listens to your concerns and uses smaller equipment to make it more comfortable for you?

grace
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Even though most of these encounters were one time things??

April 2012, one-time w/ protection

June and July 2012, boyfriend so multiple times but with protection

November 2012 one time w/ protection (same person as in april)

Jan 31 2013 one time w/ protection

March 13th 2013 one time w/ protection for like....10 minutes.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Get it done every year. Be happy that women can get tested for it. The vaccine only covers 4 of the 10 most common HPV types. Condoms provide 50% protection at best because of the limited genital area it covers. The CDC claims that for every partner we have, its a 20% risk of getting HPV.  At 80%, you are at or near high risk.
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