Last post Sun, Apr 27 2008 2:07 PM by cherylberyl. 8 replies.
I'm recently 23 and have never been. Haven't had a need to, if you catch my drift. But, I'm 23 and I should go. My mom went behind my back and made an appt for me in Aug I think. I'm 23, I'm perfectly capable of making my own appt up at school where I can get there myself as opposed to needing her to drive me if I am home (in this respect paratransit works better for me here)... but that is a secondary issue. The actual exam doesn't bother me at all. I've had enough hip surgery all up in that area. What I am nervous about is the impact of my spasticity. My adductors are crazy tight. And then there is my knee. I had quad transfer surgery 10 years ago and there is a gigantic mass of scar tissue in my knee. It doesn't bend so easy. Even with botox for both, I'm just worried that I won't be able to stay how I have to stay long enough for her to do the whole exam. I do ride horses, but this is different. What works for people? Muscle relaxents are out of the picture. They knock me out cold, I can't take them during the day.
Hey Cheryl. Going to the gyno is a pain, but there are ways to make you more relaxed. First, call the doctor's office and ask them what kind of examination table or chair they have. Mine has a really nice electric chair that lays you back and then the bottom falls out, literally! Stirrups are the worst. If he/she doesn't have one and just relies on the stirrups, you might want to think about finding a different doctor.
You could also schedule a pre-exam visit, where you just meet with the doctor informally. The nurse could even give you a tour and show you what the chairs are like. Hopefully, there will be no charge for this visit, there shouldn't be. You could always use the excuse to your mom that they didn't have the right kind of chair! You really should go to get a pelvic. The gyno can also help with any problem you might have with women's health issues in the future.
You could take some Ativan for the visit to help relax you. I take this before a radiological scan I have for cancer surveillance, because I have to sit quietly for an hour before the test and then lay with my hands above my head for over 1/2 hour. This helps me to lay still and not think about being in such a prolonged uncomfortable position. You will have to have a driver for you though, if you take a mecicastion like that. I don't know if you could take public trans or not?
Also, I guess it;s up to the person, by I prefer a woman doctor. I just feel more comfortable with a woman. It's up to you.
Good luck to you!
Well, you should go. And soon. It's important to at least get a PAP smear even if you have no sexual history.
I don't know how tall you are, leg length has a bit to do with how far apart your knees need to be, the shorter you are, the more "stretch" you'll feel in the inner thighs. (Nurse told me that. I asked a simular question not too long ago of my GYN.) Perhaps you can call the GYN there and tell them of your situation, and ask what they can do. Knowing before hand that you have special needs is not only appreciated, it makes it easier to plan the exam for optimal comfort.
WITH a full blown exam, it takes all of about three minutes. Just a PAP, maybe 30 seconds? Of course the antcipation is probably the worse, I can get myself into knots just thinking about a PAP. A muscle relaxer may be the only answer (and easiest) to relieve the spasticity problem. Of course then, you'd might want someone to go with you to make sure you get home okay. Perhaps scheduale it for a day when you don't have to do anything else?
As I recall with the knees, you really don't need to bend it very far. If you can't get as far down as abled bodies, they can still do what they need to. I can't scoot down as far as they like, and she had no problem with letting me have less "bend" to my body.
Best of luck to you.
Shima
Sorry, I was so drunk I posted at the wrong place. Sorry if you felt like I was being disrespectful. Just my luck to accidently post about vaginas. If it makes things any better .....I'm no doctor, but I'd be willing to take a look lol
If I ever post a message about getting my prostrate checked....please feel free to post a smart ass reply ladies After all life is short especially with a disability...might as well have some fun with it
Gyno exam? <perk> lol
A few thoughts - while getting a GYN exam is a useful thing, it does not need to be done by a gynecologist. If you have a family pracitioner or internist with whom you already have a good relationship, that might work better for you than starting over with a gynecologist you've never met. I don't plan to ever see a gynecologist unless my FP finds a problem he or she can't solve.
In addition to the "traditional" position with the bottom at the edge of the table and the feet in stirrups, a gyn exam can also be done in a regular bed or table with the feet together and the knees bent and out to each side. The nurses usually call this "frog-legged" I actually prefer to do exams with the patient in this position on the rare occasions I get a choice. I don't know if this would work better or worse for you but I wanted to toss it out there - having multiple options is so important. Do you need assistance getting up onto the exam table?
Whoever does the exam should be willing to work with you. If you can get into a good position but can't stay there long, they should go slowly and allow you to rest some every few minutes in between steps. Get the speculum in, relax. Take a look, relax. Do the pap, relax. Take the speculum out, relax. Do the bimanual exam. All done.
I would defifnitely call ahead and try to talk to someone in the office about their experiences examining women with disabilities. You may need a longer time slot or an extra nurse/assistant in the room to help keep in position and giving them time to think about this in advance should help smooth things along. If they have prior experience they may have some other ideas too.
my gyno is wonderful with me ! he inderstands my disability and my saftey is first at all times , yes i need help cant control my legs , he makes sure the nurses take good care of that ! think the most important thing to me is that he cares about my health and treats me with great respect !!!!!!!!! rainey
Nightengale: A few thoughts - while getting a GYN exam is a useful thing, it does not need to be done by a gynecologist. If you have a family pracitioner or internist with whom you already have a good relationship, that might work better for you than starting over with a gynecologist you've never met. I don't plan to ever see a gynecologist unless my FP finds a problem he or she can't solve.
Aside from my shrink visits (can't imagine where I'd be w/o those) I don't really spend much time in Drs offices. Besides a yearly eye exam, 2X/year teeth cleaning, and 2 or 3X/year botox visits, I don't go. Only thing I would have a need to go for would be a flu shot, but when you volunteer at a hospital you get one of those for free. The last time I was sick enough to need antibiotics was when I got an ear infection in Fla and had to go to the ER at like 10pm. It was 2002. Last time I had a routine visit was 2005. Preop. It does make more sense to go to a FP if I had one though, since I don't have any issues at all. More practical. But I have to find one of those too.
Nightengale:I would defifnitely call ahead and try to talk to someone in the office about their experiences examining women with disabilities. You may need a longer time slot or an extra nurse/assistant in the room to help keep in position and giving them time to think about this in advance should help smooth things along. If they have prior experience they may have some other ideas too.
That's exactly what I was thinking. It's what we do when I get botox. Her assistant comes in and keeps her hand on my ankle and whatnot. Otherwise I don't know how we'd do it. But my understanding is that it's her standard procedure to have her there. She's a pediatric PMR. It makes complete sense to call ahead, except that I'd rather not. Need to get over phone anxiety and general social awkwardness. Funny how I love public speaking, 150 people no problem, but the lower under 20 people I get the more nervous I get about having to speak to them.
