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I did hear about the new guidelines to only have paps every 2 years. Not sure I like it though because it's possible to have gotten HPV from previous relationship and not have any symptoms yet.
@MissAsB: yeah it does seem weird. the dr said that since i've had the vaccine and have had 3 normal paps in a row i didn't need one, but i still feel like it's better to be safe than sorry...
@finnaroo: I've had the shots, and I've had regular paps for a long time. Then all of a sudden, two paps ago, I started getting abnormal test results.
The HPV virus lays dormant in your system. Some women never see symptons, and some women do. Some women show symptoms when they're really stressed, or when their immune system is down (pregnancy, illness, etc.).
Honestly, after what I've been through, I would never want my doc. to skip a pap test.
Yes, I heard on the news about the new recommendations for paps. I plan on continuing to get one every year as long as my insurance covers it. It takes 2 minutes and it is worth the piece of mind...
When I was in the military, they said one every 3 years until you turn 30. I've had one every year since I turned 18, and I will be 29 on May 2. GUESS WHAT I'M DOING ON MY BIRTHDAY lol.
I don't care WHAT a doctor says, my insurance covers it once a year, and I'm getting my shit done.
I just went and my doctor said: after 5 years of normal tests, every two years until 30, then every 3 years after that. The doctor still should have done a breast exam and the "feeling around" tests, though - that is how they look for fibroids, tumors, etc.
This is just like the new reccomendations for mammograms - these guidelines are trying to save money by not conducting 'unecessary' tests. Unfortunetly, if you DO have soemthing abnormal, it might be a year or two before the guidelines allow for a test, and by then it can be too late, so I plan on having a smear at my exam next week, as long as insurance covers it (I pay into the insurance, so I'll get what thy offer).
School clinics are funded mostly through the govt., so if the govt. says to cut corners by cutting back on the tests it does, then they will. I understand wanting to save money, but not when it comes to health.
My insurance covers yearly exams so I'll get them anyways. I do know though that cervical cancer is generally very slow growing so I guess they figure that even if you developed something it wouldn't progress that far in 2 years? I dunno. I was freaking out because I was 4 months late on my exam this year and my doctor didn't seem to think it was any big deal at all (and I've had a history of abnormal results) so I don't think its just your doc.
Wow, this is surprising to me. I feel that you should have one done every year regardless of age(well once sexually active) , and how long you have been with someone. Also the physical breast exam should be done as well. It's one thing to cut costs down, but really?! Someones health?!
It is strange that she did not do an internal exam. Did you say you were there for your annual gyno? She may have just thought you needed an annual physical? I have heard of the new guidelines, but if you wanted a pap, and it was covered, she should have done one for you.
Everyone, please make sure you check with your insurance company. Once this came out from the medical boards some insurance companies have since changed their policies and are now only paying for bi-annual exams. My MIL had to pay out of pocket because she didn't know and her doctor didn't tell her.
I hope my insurance doesn't stop paying for my pap smears every year... although this may be the recommendation, I feel better doing this as a preventative measure. I thought the US was heading more towards prevention than treatment. But ok. They haven't changed it for me (that I know of) because my gyno called me last week and said we needed the yearly check-up again.
@deetroitwhat: agreed. it's free so i'm gonna take advantage of it. better safe than sorry, it only takes a few minutes.
I just had mine as well and the Dr. told me that the new pap is more thorough (it definitely seemed to take longer and be more painful!) and that's why they only need to be done every two years.
@.twist.: oooh that's really scary! definitely good that you kept getting pap tests then!
@missapis: yeah, she knew i was there for my annual gyno, not just regular visit. we talked through all the standard information, including my very cancer-heavy family history, but that was it...
ugh, i feel like she really should have done more of an exam...last i checked my school health insurance does cover it, but i just didn't push back at all today because it was so surprising, i hadn't heard of the new recommendations...booo, i wish i could go see my old dr, but she's in a different city :(
ETA: i added a poll, just for funsies :) i <3 polls
When I got my first pap 10 years ago, my gyno told me that I should get one every year for 3 years, and if all three paps were normal I could go every other year.
But I always went every year, because pretty much every female on my mother's side of the family, including her, had breast cancer, and an aunt and a grandmother also had cervical cancer, so I'm not taking any chances.
@Isilme: "This is just like the new reccomendations for mammograms - these guidelines are trying to save money by not conducting 'unecessary' tests."
Exactly. I don't really care what the various boards and things decide to change the recommendations to. I'm getting paps every year and will start getting mammograms every year once I'm old enough. And I'll pay out of pocket too if insurance only starts to cover bi-annually! IMO - the new "guidelines" are planning with people's lives and my health and piece of mind are worth paying out of pocket if I have to for me.
My GYN said that same thing, but unfortunately I'm one of those people with the abnormal paps, so I still go annually. I would go regardless, it makes me feel better. Then again this could be due to my family's history of cervical and ovarian cancer. I also already have to get annual mammograms (I"m only 24), due to the extensive history of breast cancer in my family. I would say, if you feel comfortable only doing it biannually then do it that way, whichever you choose, it should be what makes you the most comfortable!!!
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so I just went to my annual gyno visit; I started grad school last fall so rather than go to my old doctor I went to my school's health services office. the doctor I saw really surprised me--because I've had normal pap smears for the past several years, and been with the same person for almost 5 years, she said it wasn't necessary to do a pap test, and actually didn't do any other examination of me. well, she took my blood pressure. literally, that's all--no height and weight even. She said the new recommendation if there's nothing abnormal in your prior pap tests and you have the same partner (and have no reason to expect that they have had other partners) is to do biannual exams. So we just talked for like 5 minutes and she wrote me a new birth control rx....is this weird, or is anyone else hearing that lately from their doctors? is my school's health services just cheap, lol? i mean, i'm happy not to have a pap today, because those are no fun at all, but really, that's it?!