Really hope someone may be able to offer some advice.

Currently going through the sponsorship process with the Victoria government for an STNI visa...I am about 5 months in and should have a decision in May.

I have been trying to get ahead of myself and applied for a police check and thought I should probably get a smear test done before I had my medical as this would be something they would request.

Only trouble is I had this done 5 weeks ago and I have just had a letter from my doctor recalling me saying I need another one as there may be a problem....I am so scared and stressed out!!!

Can't believe I have got this far and there now may be a major spanner in the works.

Any advice??????

Hi Freckles

The good thing about smears is that they detect slight changes in our cervical cells and therefore if you have always had regular smear tests if any of these cells turn cancerous then it should have been detected earlier.

I have had these problems in the past and it is natural for them to retest you and then if those cells are still showing changes they will send you to Colposcopy at the local hospital - they will take a look via a camera and decide what to there and then.

Not pain just a bit uncomfortable with your legs in the air

DO NOT WORRY - Easy to say I know but there has been some research done into how long it takes for abnormal cervical cells to become pre cancerous and cancerous. From what I can remember they reckon that it takes about 10 -15 years to get to the first stage of cancer and the research was done about 8 years ago in Oz I believe.

Hope this puts your mind at rest

Gaynor
x

Hi there
I know it is easier said than done, but Don't be stressed out and worried. I have had a lot of problems in the past with abnormal cells, but they just like to keep a check on it. It could also be something as simple as the amount of sample that they took, sometimes too much or too little to get an accurate reading.
Book yourself in for another one asap so that you are not worrying for too long.
Good luck.

Try not to worry too much, my mum has had abnormal smear results and so have many of my friends, sometimes it is a minor infection - easily treated. I wouldnt get too stressed bout it, get back to the doctors and they can get it sorted.
In the mean time try to remember this is quite common to have to be called back and not something you need to worry too much about !

Try not to worry I have been called back a couple of times for retesting as first time round they did not get adequate sample.

Have they actually said there is a problem or just that they need a new sample.

I have seen other posts that say they do not ask about smear tests or results but dont quote me on that.

Good luck and fingers crossed for you

Kaye

I have had a history of abnormal smears, laser treatment, colposcopys and oscopys I can't rememmber the name of. They are pre-cancerous cells...I was never even asked on my medical? It never came up.
Don't worry, I am sure that it will be fine. I remember being v worried when I had my first abnormal test.

Thanks a lot girls for the advice...this whole visa thing is stressfull enough even when it is going well.

I have booked myself in for another one on friday.

Good luck

Good Luck Freckles! I've had my medical and they didn't give me a smear test and didnt' ask about when i last had one done.
I hope it all turns out good for you
Kerry

Good luck for Friday. Like some of the other posters I have had abnormal cells detected and a colposcopy. I have now got to have 5 annual tests in a row and as long as they come out clear I can go back to every 3 years....I am now on my 4th clear test. It's not something to worry about at this stage.

If you were tested too close to your TOTM then this can have an effect on the results also.

Again, try not to worry.

Yvonne

Try not to worry - my friend got called back a couple of months ago, but it was that they hadn't got a a good sample, so to speak. Everything was fine. Good luck. x

Obviously the priority is your health, but as lots of people have already said abnormal cells doesn't have to be a bit deal. It happened to me years ago, I had treatment, had regular checks for a few years now it's back to routine checks.

Secondly the visa - not all places that do the meds do/ask for a smear. Mine didn't. Ask around on here and if you're worried make sure you have your meds done somewhere that doesn't insist on one. I would do this now while you can honestly answer "no" to the "are you waiting on treatment" question.

Good luck, Martha

I know its easy to say not to worry but just take one day at a time.

I worked as a care assistant in a Gynae clinic and we had ladies recalled a couple of times due to insufficient sampling or a simple infection.

Get Friday over and done with and while you are having your test done, tell the nurse your fears and go through everything you are scared of so she can at least try and put your mind at rest.

Then you get home, buy yourself a bottle of wine and some chocolate and a decent glossy magazine and spoil yourself.

Hi

I too had abnormal smear (2001), Consultant told me it happens sometimes I didint have to a colp, just smears every year, just been for one last week and the nurse said I should now be going back to 3 yearly smear if this last one is clear.

good luck for Friday