[HALLIEBETH87]

Ever gone to the Dr and wondered if they notice scars on your arm from si?

[Can't Stop Crying]

my PCP (who also provides all my meds, so knows my SI) has seen the scars and never made a big deal about it. I did have one nurse kinda freak out and say OMG what happened, before it dawned on her what it was. In general, they (the whole office staff) are pretty understanding and don't make an issue of it, unless it's new and then I hear the nurse in the hall reporting to the doctor and he will ask me about it. I always wear long sleeves, but they see when taking my blood pressure...

[krisakira]

all the doctors i go to always ask me if i am a cutter... and i say that i used to be... one doctor saw one rather larger and more red scar and didnt believe me when i told her it was not a fresh one, that it has been about 5-6 months since i have cut, and she was like "no that is fresh" ... just cause its bigger and more red , that just means the cut was deeper and healed worse than others .... doesnt mean i am lying why would i lie anyway not like she can lock me up in a padded room... ive had doctors see fresh cuts like ones i did the day before and never lied to them just said i struggle with self injury and that i am seeing therapist for it, and they leave it at that... i hate when doctors dont believe me though, but it doesnt matter waht they think i know how long it has been since the last time i've cut and that is all that matters.

[SoupDragon]

No-one has ever seen my scars, only my T knows that I SI - would feel ashamed with someone else seeing them.

one of the reasons i rarely go to the doctor is because of my cutting.
if i HAVE to go, i wear a couple layers of long sleeves. they think i am perpetually cold.

[notz]

I have scars on my abdomen. When I had a hysterectomy I was VERY worried and self conscious. I told my doctor of my concern and she looked and said it was something she sees lots of.

At my 6 week check up, she gave me the number of my present p-doc. That was 13 years ago. I haven't cut in about 10.

[splitimage]

I made the mistake once of cutting the night before I had my annual physical scheduled. And I only ever cut geometric patterns, so there was no way I could claim that the cuts were accidental. When my Dr. saw my arm, she was "What do we have here." I said I sometimes cut myself. She was very nice about it, and asked if I was seeing someone about it, and left it alone once I told her I had a psychologist. She did ask me if I was SA'd as a child. Now at every physical she justs asks me if I'm still cutting. I'm not.

--splitimage

They see it a lot I think so I'm sure it doesn't surprise them.

[anna342]

I've never hidden the fact I've cut from professionals. If they are in health care they will have seen it before, and most often I find don't even acknowledge it. If they do it's normally because they need to touch the area (like abdominal examination) and want to know if its going to hurt me.

[racee]

no doc has ever seen my scars. i'm so used to them though that i don't see how bad they are weird how that happens. my therapist knows but never says anything. i was hospitalized because of it thats why i am afraid for people to see back in the day it was as "popular" as it is now to harm yourself and you were more of a pariah. that's when i started doing it on my bra and panty lines and creases to hide it...haven't cut in awhile. i do have a long scar wound on my chest (not from si)that everyone always has to comment about.
obvioudly something happened! if i'm not offereing up the info then theres no need to ask nosy parson!!!

[suzzie]

i never go to a doctor so he hasnt seen them. but i do think the others are right that they handle it gently.

[Unfriendly]

I haven't consented to anything that involves taking off my shirt since I started self-injuring.

I've gotten physicals and stuff, I just don't take off my shirt for them.