Community Chat

[Mominohio]

I thought this might get more viewings (and answers) here than in the health section, as I don't know how active that is over there.

I went for my yearly pap and mammogram yesterday and was surprised to be told that the new guidelines for pap tests (and she told me what medical organization said so, but I can't remember) is now only once every three years.

I asked why, (I think it always boils down to money) and she said that they have determined that cervical cancer is such a slow growing cancer that every three years is sufficient.

It wasn't until I left that I thought about all this HPV hype the last few years. Bad enough that they are pushing the vaccine on both girls and now boys. If HPV is a possible cause of cervical cancer (do I have that right?) why would it be so important to get the vaccines, yet curb the testing. Makes no sense to me.

Anyone here in the healthcare field and can weigh in on this one? Thanks in advance.

[Financialgrl]

I'd been told the same thing but not by my GYN, by my oncological surgeon. The guidelines though included age (50+) and one in a stable relationship. Kind of rules out the young and those that are on the pill which still require a yearly exam when on it.

Oops, ETA: no exam required with the above guidelines AND if your last 3 yearly pap smears had no issue.

[FrostyBabe]

On 9/18/2014 BeanCounter17 said:

I'd been told the same thing but not by my GYN, by my oncological surgeon. The guidelines though included age (50+) and one in a stable relationship. Kind of rules out the young and those that are on the pill which still require a yearly exam when on it.

Oops, ETA: no exam required with the above guidelines AND if your last 3 yearly pap smears had no issue.

That's the same thing that my PCP told me last year when I went in for my annual festivities.

[biancardi]

it is based on age. I get them yearly and they are covered

it is just a ""guideline"" - your 0b/gyn doesn't have to follow it and you can ask for it.

why is the HPV vaccination a ""bad thing""? I think it is a life saver and is no different than other vaccinations that saved lives and prevented disease.

[Lila Belle]

On 9/18/2014 biancardi said:

it is based on age. I get them yearly and they are covered

it is just a ""guideline"" - your 0b/gyn doesn't have to follow it and you can ask for it.

why is the HPV vaccination a ""bad thing""? I think it is a life saver and is no different than other vaccinations that saved lives and prevented disease.

I don't get that either.

[gazelle77]

I learned about this about 5 years ago. Not new news really.

[Mominohio]

On 9/18/2014 Lila Belle said:

On 9/18/2014 biancardi said:

it is based on age. I get them yearly and they are covered

it is just a "guideline" - your 0b/gyn doesn't have to follow it and you can ask for it.

why is the HPV vaccination a "bad thing"? I think it is a life saver and is no different than other vaccinations that saved lives and prevented disease.

I don't get that either.

I don't know for sure that the vaccine is a bad thing, I just question all the vaccines that are out now, and feel that perhaps in the long run, there may be side effects that won't be seen until years (or decades) down the road. I don't think that we always get a real picture early on of the possible side effects of drugs and vaccines because they come to market relatively quickly, and we often see problems with them down the road. I'm not one to run out and get every new shot or vaccine that comes down the pike. I think it requires more thought and research (and time to see results) than some people give it. It is just my personal preference to not always choose drugs first.

I guess my point was that we push the vaccines, that don't have nearly the track record the pap test does, and pull back on the tests that we have used for decades and, to my knowledge, have no real problems.

[Mominohio]

On 9/18/2014 biancardi said:

it is based on age. I get them yearly and they are covered

it is just a "guideline" - your 0b/gyn doesn't have to follow it and you can ask for it.

why is the HPV vaccination a "bad thing"? I think it is a life saver and is no different than other vaccinations that saved lives and prevented disease.

What I fear is that what is now just a "guideline" will soon be practice, because if insurance companies and the government can get out of paying for these tests, they will, and if they aren't covered by insurance (eventually, maybe some are already limiting them to the new guidelines) many women won't get them.

[Sushismom]

These guidelines have been out for several years now. Pap tests not only detect cervical cancer but also any dysplasia. It can take 10-20 years for cervical cancers to develop from precancerous changes. There's really no reason (unless you've had a positive Pap test) to have one yearly if you're in a low risk group.

As for the HPV vaccine, why not? The high-risk HPV types don't only cause cervical cancer; they are also responsible for other types of cancer such as vulvar, penile, and oral.

[Qwackertoo]

Mine is due next month. Yearly . . . so far. AND they do an ultrasound of my ovaries due to family history . . . Mother died from ovarian cancer. So I don't expect it to change for me.

I had an appt. for the mammo on Monday . . . and they called late Friday and the machine(s) will be down for maintenance . . . so had to re-schedule. I'll never forget the year I had fractured my ankle and was in a cast and crutches and had to get it standing on one leg . . .and with the aluminum crutch, only one, had to switch side I was holding it with for balance . . . I told the technician or operator (whatever they are called?) that I was her "challenge" patient for the day.