The assumption...

Former Member

Just wanted to have a teeny rant about my local locum doc and his assumptions...

So... I went to see him for a repeat prescription for the pill.. went in.. took my blood pressure, all fine.

Just as he was writing out my prescription, he says 'you're 19, yes?' I said 'yeah'. He then said, 'you should talk to reception about a smear... I don't know how they 'do' them here, so talk to reception or a nurse.'

I was like... 'wtf!?'.... My mum was in fits of giggles though!

anyway, so yeah. I hate that because I'm 19 and on the pill they assume I'm having sexual relations with someone, and so automatically qualify for a smear.

I said to my mum 'I haven't even had a boyfriend down there yet, let alone a complete stranger with a speculum'.. she laughed.

D'oh. :banghead:

Ilora x

Former Member

It pisses me off that 'the pill' is only thought of as a conraceptive measure... I take it for periods problems, which is why they were made in the first place!

I'd have been pissed off if I were you too... but I supose it wasn't that daft an assumption really :yeees:

Former Member

Same here. It's a 'period regulator' for me...

I was just surprised, because my GP knows that I take it for Menstrual issues rather than sexual ones...

I wouldn't have thought a locum doc would say that sort of thing.

Ilora x

Former Member

You're never too young, nor sexually too inexperienced to dismiss the possibility of cervical cancer.

Or shall we get all PC and watch people die?

Former Member

ginner wrote:

You're never too young, nor sexually too inexperienced to dismiss the possibility of cervical cancer.

Or shall we get all PC and watch people die?

I'm not dismissing cervical cancer at all. My mum had it.

But I am saying, until I've willingly had someone down there, no stranger with a speculum is getting anywhere near. :yuck:

Ilora x

Former Member

Ilora-Danon wrote:

I'm not dismissing cervical cancer at all. My mum had it.

But I am saying, until I've willingly had someone down there, no stranger with a speculum is getting anywhere near. :yuck:

Ilora x

So you now acknowledge that your doctor is being sensible and responsible in suggesting that you go and get a smear test, whether or not he knows about a family history, and yet you're not going to have one, moreover you're going to complain that he, as an informed medical professional, followed recommended guidelines?

How very maverick of you!

Former Member

I'm afraid ginner has a point there.
Sounds like you made the assumption that he was presuming you are having/had sex. Did he say, or imply that you were having sex?

Former Member

The women most at risk of cancer of the cervix are those who are or have been sexually active, and in the UK, women between the ages of 25 and 65 are offered the opportunity of a cervical smear at regular intervals - three yearly between 25 and 49, and five yearly between 50 and 64.

- from medinfo.co.uk and

Under the NHS Cervical Screening Programme, all women between the ages of 25 and 65 are regularly invited for a smear test. The system is automated, so as long as you're registered with a GP you should receive a letter asking you to make an appointment.

As a result of research that evaluated the optimal frequency for cervical screening, women are now invited for their first test at 25. They're then invited every three years until the age of 49, and every five years from 50 to 64. From 65 only those who've had recent abnormal tests are offered another test.

Should all women have the test?
All women aged 20-64 are now offered a cervical smear test by the NHS.

This test is for all women, although cervical cancer is much less common in women who have never had sex.

Most doctors won't advise it until around 21yrs of age according to my mum (who's a nurse). Which is why we were surprised...

Personally, I think he made an assumption.

Ilora x

Former Member

Well the vast majority of late teens are sexually active, so I think it's a rather fair assumption to make, whether he made it or not. He was obviously only trying to help you, not make you feel insulted by what he says.

Former Member

Better safe than sorry and all that ...

I can understand why you'd be pissed off and why you'd refuse but after all his job is to be concerned about you're health not your pride.

Isn't it better that GPs are asking these sorts of things than skirting round the issue?

Former Member

knowing your family past health you are not the normal 19 year old. doc was completely right to suggest the test

Former Member

**fallen_angel** wrote:

knowing your family past health you are not the normal 19 year old. doc was completely right to suggest the test

Indeed, surely if your mum had cancer then there is a history and that alters the parameters for suggesting when you have a test, no?

Former Member

you don't have to have a smear, the guidelines now say you should have your first at 25, so it's not essential for years yet.

but i don't think the doc is out of line at all for suggesting it, especially as your mum had it at a young age (i'm assuming there, feel free to correct it). in my experience doctors are always more vigilant with people who have a family history of cancers.

Former Member

The general idea is that you have a cervical smear after you have had sexual intercourse, not before. I don't believe that family history makes much difference to this.

It doesn't hurt to have one anyway.

Doctors assume women of your age have sex, because most of them do. Deal with it.

Former Member

kaffrin wrote:

especially as your mum had it at a young age (i'm assuming there, feel free to correct it). in my experience doctors are always more vigilant with people who have a family history of cancers.

No, she was in her 40's..

And, he was a locum doctor - so he'd have no knowledge of my mum's health, so that's not the point really.

I was just a leetle shocked, tis all.

Ilora x

Former Member

Ilora-Danon wrote:

No, she was in her 40's..

that is young, cancer wise. younger than 60 is the kind of age that gets the medical types's spidey senses going.

in any case, all this doctor has done is suggest you might want to have screening for a fatal disease. i don't think it was really worth a rant.

Former Member

If my Mum had had cervical cancer, I'd be at the doctors legs akimbo wanting every test under the sun, regardless of age.

I dont understand why people get so uppity about smears, yeah it's uncomfortable and embarassing for about 5 minutes but it can save your life.

Former Member

the doctor was only really looking out for your best interests, though i know i'd be abit iffy about having a smear test but it's for the best when the time comes. And alot of 19 year olds are having sex - so it wasn't really unfair of him to suggest it.

Former Member

Ballerina wrote:

the doctor was only really looking out for your best interests, though i know i'd be abit iffy about having a smear test but it's for the best when the time comes. And alot of 19 year olds are having sex - so it wasn't really unfair of him to suggest it.

exactly. the doctor didn't know whether you were having sex or not, did he.

Former Member

Ilora-Danon wrote:

so he'd have no knowledge of my mum's health, so that's not the point really.

Yeah, but that sort of thing is on your record things.

Like my aunt had breast cancer, she didn't live in this country. My doctor still knows about it.

And yes, it is a bit presumptuous for him to assume just because you were on the pill you were having sex. But I don't think it was a totally unreasonable assumption.

Former Member

Well you can't really blame him for assuming it because most 19 year old on the pill ARE having sexual relations. Your just one of the few who are not so don't get in a huff.

Former Member

i had abnormalities in my cervix when i was 20 which wouldn't have been found without a smear. in that case i was glad they had offered me a smear.