In pain after doctor visit..

I'm 17...I have pretty bad acne, and my dermatologist recommended I try using birth control again to help clear my skin (this is the 2nd time - 1st was when I was 13). My mom made an appointment last month with the nurse practitioner at my gyn office, and my appointment was this morning. In order to obtain the birth control, I had to have an exam... which leads me to the point of this post..

Ok, so I am a virgin. When I went in for the exam, the NP used a speculum even though I didn't need a pap test. The second she opened it, I was in pain so severe I was clenching my fists and sort of gasping. When I got dressed afterwards, there was blood down there and even now I am still bleeding.

Is this normal? I looked it up online and everyone says that the doctors usually use smaller speculums for virgins...I feel bad knowing I could have had the option..shouldn't they have considered that? This wasn't my first pelvic exam...the first was when I was 11, then again at 13. This was the first with the speculum, however.

Thanks for any advice.

Only you can prevent neurotypical jerkiness!

(((indie'sOK))) - I'm so sorry you're in pain and this happened. Did the NP know you're still a virgin? I didn't know NP's could do an internal exam? Here in Canada this is different. It sounds like the hymen was broken but I don't know if its normal, to still be bleeding, so this concerns me. I think you should tell your mom what happened.

I know young women your age should have an exam, but there must be guidelines if a woman wants to preserve her virginity. IMO they should just do a pregnancy urine test / not do the internal and just give you the prescription. I would be upset too.

My daughters using Differin cream and using Spectro for oily skin or Terseceptic is good too. Its working well so far.

.....TMI.....

Thank you Lynn... Isn't a woman still a virgin even if her hymen is broken? In the US a nurse practitioner can do this because she has most of the same training as a doctor.

I told my mom and I think it's starting to taper off a bit. There was more blood than I thought there would be - I had to use a pad. It's still very sore.....probably a good thing as I'm certain I'm addicted to frequent masturbation so it'll stop me from...erm..."doing that" for awhile. But that's another story, another issue, so I'll stop here.

Only you can prevent neurotypical jerkiness!

Yes you're still a virgin if you haven't had intercourse. I was referring to the hymen breaking - some 3rd world countries judge on the hymen being intact, but that's old fashioned. Did you tell the NP if was uncomfortable as she was doing it or did you try to tolerate the discomfort?

Sometimes after the speculum, there will be some spotting but not bright red bleeding. When you're self pleasuring - is this all external and if not maybe the hymen was already broke a while ago? If so, then maybe the speculum was to large for your body. I hope you feel better and next time make sure you tell them you had this discomfort because it shouldn't be this painful.

I tried to tolerate the pain, but it was obvious and I didn't want to make her stop because of it. My masturbation is mostly external, so it probably wasn't already broken.. who knows? I have a follow-up appointment in May, I'll ask her about it. Thanks for all your help Lynn

Only you can prevent neurotypical jerkiness!

Hi Indie'sOK, I always bleed after I have a PAP. They actually like scrap some cells off your cervix to send off for a cancer screening test. So I think it's really normal to bleed some. I'm sorry she caused ya pain. If at anytime during an exam it causes you pain just let them know. You don't need to be in pain and they won't get their feelings hurt any if you say something. Best of luck, I hope your feeling better today.

I didn't need a pap but it's probably still normal. I'm still noticing some slight brownish blood (eww?) and pain but it's better than it was.

Only you can prevent neurotypical jerkiness!

The brownish blood is totally normal..it's just "old" blood; no more oxygen in it. I have always had a ton of pain with anything internal, too..and I just went to a doctor who specializes in pelvic pain, was diagnosed, and it's getting better already. Are you able to use tampons?

Thanks for the info I don't use tampons - only natural products like cloth pads. I can look inside and see exactly what happened...

*****TMI*****
My hymen is shaped somewhat oddly...basically, a piece of skin divides the vaginal opening into two smaller ones. The skin is like a bridge between both sides of the opening. When the nurse put in the speculum, she went through the smaller of the two openings and sort of tore that piece of skin away from my body, but not all the way. So now I'm left with it not quite completely broken away and I don't know what to do to break it completely...if it doesn't, anything inserted into the vagina will go through that smaller opening again and cause even more pain. I want to ask the nurse if she can cut it the rest of the way or something, but I'd feel awkward because she probably wouldn't understand my request. And I'm terrified of going through that pain again. I cringe now as I think of the procedure because I know exactly what she did...before, that smaller opening was barely large enough for the tip of a Q-tip to fit through, let alone a medical device!

Hope this doesn't freak anybody out....I hope someone understands what I'm talking about. I'd draw you a picture, but that would just be weird

Only you can prevent neurotypical jerkiness!

they usually do use the smallest speculum for virgins. It seems like your hymen did tear a bit when she opened the speculum. If she couldnt see your cervix she had to open the device. The bleeding and pain should be over very soon. Some hymens are almost completely covering the vaginal opening so its very hard not to tear it during a proper pelvic exam. Using tampons can make the hymen stretch so that exams and vigorous sports dont cause tearing and pain.

Hugs.

I am sorry to are going through pain.in my country virgins are being examined from''back'' it is not allowed to touch a vagina.ask your doc. maybe it is possible to examine you that way.