[Curupira]

I need practical advice:

I am due for a doc visit a very necessary exam. The very thought of it is sending my anxiety through the rough which of course causes my depression to spiral. This is due to a medical trauma I experienced last year that left me with PTSD.

For those of you that are willing to share: how do you broach this subject with your medical professional prior to the appointment? how do you get through the exam? How do you recover after? How do you stop yourself from freaking out ahead of time? Any other words of wisdom?
It is my first exam of this type since my trauma and every time I think about I have to practice relaxation exercises to not have a full scale panic attack.

Thank you so much in advance, any advice, love, hugs would be appreciated. I am terrified.

[Curupira]

I just tried calling my PCM and was informed that they will deal with it on that day. To just have a good nights sleep and a good breakfast and to try to relax.

[shabur]

I suffered through CSA and a rape which stopped me from having my annual well woman exams for many many years. When I was finally forced to go due to a medical condition I was terrified. As the female Dr I chose to see entered the exam room, along with her was a male med student. I thought to myself, "Crap, what am I going to do?"

We discussed the reason I was there, my history with MI, etc. When it came time for the actual exam I asked if I could speak with her privately. OMG! Did I make the right choice of doctors. She was so understanding as I told her about my past and how uncomfortable I was having to be there.

She did the exam without the med student and talked me through the entire process, continually checking to be sure I was OK. She has been so kind and understanding every time I've gone in to see her. Since that first visit I have had to have several surgical procedures that she performed. Each time she has ensured the team was all female.

After my last procedure I had to be hospitalized for several days. My day nurse was a male. When she came to see me that first day, I mentioned it. She apologized, saying she had forgotten to talk to the head nurse. After she checked me over she left, returning moments later saying she had talked to the head nurse and my nurses would only be female.

If your Dr is a good one, he/she will take the time to listen to you and do all they can to make you as comfortable as possible. I don't know what made me pick her, but I forever grateful she is my Dr.

Originally Posted by Curupira

I just tried calling my PCM and was informed that they will deal with it on that day. To just have a good nights sleep and a good breakfast and to try to relax.

I am very sorry for what happened to you.

I don't have any experience in this, however, "deal with it on that day" would not help me at all. In fact I would feel worse.

Please don't be afraid to speak up, question, demand...If you don't need to, then that's excellent.

[Nammu]

The best thing you can do is tell them up front that you have had trauma and that they need to hear that. If for any reason you are uncomfortable they should stop and reschedule the actual exams and just talk with you the first time, let you get to know the person who will do the exam. If they try to just say well there will be someone in the room with you tell them that's not enough they need to understand and have patience.

[Curupira]

Thanks, I just wish I could stop the freak outs. I am going to have a rough couple of days before I see my T. I got to talk to her on the phone so she will be pulling some resources for me. But right now, I am a walking talking flash back, emotional breakdown, panic attack machine.