Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

[katty1]

Hi to all - i like to share some information on the above topic and the importance of cervical screening . I take this information from the centre pages of the Daily Mail Newspaper here in UK subject "Denied The Test". Hopefully most people reading will know that i myself have been treated for pre cancerous cells after i had my first smear test in my early thirtys, i was fortunate enough that it was cought in time and im very pleased that Niccys was detected in time .

The girl im talking about in the newspaper is 24 years old and she is dying from cervical cancer she has had a hysterectomy chemotherapy and radiotherapy the cancer has spread to her lymph nodes and lungs. Her name is Katie and doctors have given her at best 2 years to live or at the worst 11 months.

if Katies cervical cancer had been detected early its a preventable disease, she had requested a smear test twice in the four years before her diagnosis, yet each time she had been refused because she was told she was *too young*. Too young to be elegible for a smear test though not too young to get cervical cancer. Katie says "If i had had a smear test when i was 21 all of this could have been avoided". Instead katie id now undergoing more chemotherapy and is desperately researching alternative ways of fighting the cancer. She is in a lot of pain, has trouble walking and she says "i feel old before my time, but i want to live. I"m not going to give up" she says. She says that she wanted to have children and buy a house but getting a mortgage is impossible she and her fiance plan to marry this October and she has had her eggs saved in the hope that she goes into remission.

|Katie has fallen foul of a recent change in ngovernment health policy. Until a few years ago all women in the UK were offered regular screening for cervical cancer from the age of 20, then in 2004 the screening age in England was raised to 25 (it remains at 20 in Scotland and Wales). This is becuse the risk of cervical cancer in younger women was thought to be negligible. But experts beleive this change in policy means the condition could go undiagnosed while it is still highly treatable. "It was a very poor decision" says Professor John Shepherd surgeon and gynaecological Oncologist at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London. "|Approx 10 per cent of patients diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer are women aged 30 or younger and these numbers are likely to increase. This is becuse the disease caused by the HUman Papilloma Virus (HPV) the most common sexually transmitted infection. Up to 75 per cent of sexually active women will come into contact with the virus at sometime in thier lives although many will not realize this as it does not cause any symptoms. Most cervical cancers take time to develop from Pre-cancerous cells to full blown - the concern is that British Teenagers on average becoming sexually active at 16 some young women will have already developed serious cell changes by the time they are elegible for their first smear at 25. Screening at 25 is far too late says Professor Shepherd. He believes women should ideally have their first smear test *as soon as* they are sexually active , and certainly no later than the age of 20 . In the newspaper it says - this is in line with America where screening begins at 20 or within three years of first sexual contact - whicheever comes earlier. In other countries such as Australia screening begins at 18. I think its inappropriate in 2008 that the NHS screening programme in England does not protect young women who are sexually active before thay reach age 25 says Pamela Moreton, director of cervical cancer charity Jo's Trust. "Frankly its disgraceful . I agree with Pamela who was kind enough to send me a number of emails and also one of the Professors when i was worried over my cervical smear test, thankfully all was fine.

there is a lot more in this article but i just wanted to highlight the important things . A woman here in England can request a smear test privately if she so wishes and especially if she has had PID .
The symptoms of cervical cancer are not always obvious - it is possible for it to reach an advanced stage without any symptoms.
The most common symptom is abnormal bleeding, such as between periods or after sexual intercourse.
In post menopausal women there may be new bleeding.
Other symptoms include unpleasant discharge and discomfort or pain.
ALWAYS get symptoms checked BY YOUR GP even if you have had a smear test recently.

{GOD BLESS YOU KATIE - OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU }