[Squirrel1983]

Well, I deicided that I need to start seeing an ob-gyn. I saw one once in 2008, when I lived in a different county, but never saw one before then or after then.

I will be 31 in January, so I know I really "should" be seeing one. I don't know why I haven't been.

I looked at the provider list on my insurance website and saw that the gyn my mom, aunt, and grandma have been seeing since before I was born was covered, but he was not accepting new patients. I'm not sure if I would choose him anyways, as he is in his 70's, which probably means he will retire soon. I would hate to find a dr. I am comfortable with only to have him retire. This dr. does work in a group office though and the other ob-gyns in his office also accept my insurance, so I gave them a call this morning assuming I would have to wait until January to get in.

Since I had no preference who I wanted (other than I wanted it to be a male), they just looked to see what the first available they had was. The secretary goes, "oh, you're in luck..."dr. t" had a cancellation and has an opening for Monday afternoon, would that work?" I was hesitant, but I took it. I figure with it being the holidays, they won't be open as many hours this week, so I can't call and "cancel" if I change my mind. I thought about it and decided that if I waited until January, I would have more time to "freak out" and end up cancelling.

I hate the idea of getting poked and probbed down there. I know it doesn't hurt, the one in 2008 was pain-free, just felt weird. I just still do not like the thought of anyone besides myself touching me down there.

Just thought I would vent my mixed feelings and stuff.

[NWgirl2013]

Personal preference is what it is, and all my doctors used to be male. But I am FAR more comfortable with a female OB/GYN. Women understand women better regarding woman things, and are far more gentle, in my humble experience. (smaller hands) & they relate better to mood issues, actually a whole raft of issues that a man will never relate to. Just sayin'. If you have a choice, ask your female friends to cross reference who your insurance covers. It is good to have someone who will be around as your body changes, will grow with you. Best of luck!

[Squirrel1983]

Most female drs I have been too have been "over-reactive" and "rough". The peditrian I saw as a kid used to feel my reproductive organs (not inside, only outside) and she quite mean with it. Any female dr I have been to has the tendency to over react to meds I am taking and stuff...men tend to be a little calmer in my experience.

I never thought about the smaller hands part and understanding women better, but I still think I am turned off of female drs enough that I would still prefer a male.

How I see it is men tend to be "gentler" because they don't want to "hurt" you. Women have had it done and will tell you it doesn't hurt and not be as gentle.

Who knows what it really is, just my personal preference.

[Squirrel1983]

Hmmm...I may need to buy a razor before Monday as I am out of them. (Not to shave my pubic hair.)

I rarely shave my legs as I am usually wearing pants and have them covered. They are pretty hairy right now, and I would hate feel weird being naked with hairy legs in front of someone else, since it is abnormal for girls not to shave their legs where I live. I also rarely shave my armpits as I always end up cutting myself and always wear things with sleeves, so my underarms are never bare. Probably need to shave there too, so it's not poking the dr during the breast exam part. I don't want to be deemed "crazy" for going against social norms.

[healingme4me]

Glad you've found one. For a while my Mom and I were going through the same group. Then hers branched out, and when I was about to get married, I switched to hers, as I'd had a major accident and surgery, at age six, and wanted to feel secure about pregnancy and delivery. Not that my previous gyn, wasn't good, but this one is recognized for surgical precision, which even some nurses have commented through the years. It's good to have family history, right there in palm of their hands, no pun intended. What our moms and grams experienced, they can know right away, when we have our own exams.
I'm with you on preference. It just is. Smaller hands or not, sometimes certain women relate better to men, than women, vice versa.
It's funny, haha, the little things, like shaved legs, we worry about going in

Sent from my LG-MS910 using Tapatalk 2

[unaluna]

Im with squirrel. Ive never had a man be mean to me, but some women obgyns have been pretty horrible. Some have been good. The last woman obgyn i had, tried to use this little plastic frog clicker speculum and the darn thing kept biting me! She was a tiny little thing. I, otoh, AM NOT! Im amazed that women share these with their moms. My mother kept hers completely private from me.

[Squirrel1983]

Well I am not going to my moms. He was not accepting new patients. Even if he was I probably wouldn't assuming he is going to retire soon. The one I am seeing is in the same medical group as my mom's, and he is "younger" (only in practice 10 years according to his profile on the groups website) so he will probably be around for a while, unless he moves or something.

ETA: I just know who my mom and family see because they keep urging me to see him. Too bad (totally sarcastic) he's not accepting new patients. I feel better having my own. Not that he would, but I would always fear something getting back to my mom if I used hers.

[Hope-Full]

Eh, so what about social norms. I ditch the razor during the winter myself - give my legs a little freedom. I do regularly keep up with the under-arms, though.

I applaud you for taking the quick cancellation - you're right, less likely to cancel. I have a phobia of dentists, and went an embarrassing amount of time between appointments. When I finally found a new dentist, I called to make an appointment and was shocked that there was a cancellation the next day, but I took it so I wouldn't have time to chicken out.

As far as the ob-gyn, yeah, 31 means you should be going regularly, even if you're not sexually active (I hate that term!) I might suggest that you let the dr. know that you're not active, and at least for me, my ob-gyn uses the pediatric tools on me cause I'm rather small. Once she told me she could do so, I know it was a huge relief for me. Good luck!

[Squirrel1983]

I commented about this in another thread I frequent, but thought I would place it here too for those that don't read the other thread.

The medical group for the gyn I am seeing has a website with dr. profiles. They list eductaion, residency, fellowship, board certifications, committee memberships, etc. They also post a picture of the dr.

The pic for the one I am seeing is funny. He has hair sticking out like the scientist on back to the future (only his hair is brown instead of gray). Maybe it was a bad hair day the day the picture was taken, I dunno. I just know if his hair is really that "wild" I will have to bite my lip to keep from cracking up.

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by hankster

Im with squirrel. Ive never had a man be mean to me, but some women obgyns have been pretty horrible. Some have been good. The last woman obgyn i had, tried to use this little plastic frog clicker speculum and the darn thing kept biting me! She was a tiny little thing. I, otoh, AM NOT! Im amazed that women share these with their moms. My mother kept hers completely private from me.

Yeah, if mine wasn't as reputable as he is, I probably wouldn't have. It helps, considering the fact that he's on high alert with me. A bit over zealous about a cancer scare, this summer, but only because he'd lost my mom.

I am wondering if the woman, I'd had that manhandled me, when I was 17, nearly 18, wasn't a nurse practitioner.

Funny story, on the way to the gyn, when I was 16, my mom and stepdad, took me to one, for a regular check up. Mom was in the room, there I am, in stirrups and all and this elderly gyn, turns to my mom, and says, she looks just like her dad

It wasn't until, I was considering child bearing, that I entertained sharing the same one...

I probably wouldn't have, otherwise.

[NWgirl2013]

Yikes! I never knew there were so many mean female doctors! Seems I am in the minority when it comes to preferring one of my own. All I can say is, I am very grateful and feel very fortunate to live in a town where women are focused on women. They are understanding, compassionate, helpful and above all Gentle & Kind. It is more of a 'women helping women' atmosphere. I wish I wasn't in the minority here! Y'all don't know what your missing

[reesecups]

I've always preferred a female gyn. That woman doc I go to now is very gentle.
I've had an exam by a male doctor, but prefer someone of the same sex whenever possible.

[LiteraryLark]

I understand that it be can be scary, but your health is more important than your fears. I always just relax and tell myself more or less "she is a doctor and is doing this to keep me healthy." It's so important to be open and honest with your doctor, she can tell you everything you've ever wondered about not just your body but even sexual issues including toys, masturbating, or other things regarding sex.

[Jan1212]

I do feel weird going to my GYN as well so I think to myself they've seen thousands of vaginas before. They are aware that you're nervous so they try to make you feel comfortable; small chat, or step by step on what they're doing

[Squirrel1983]

Well, in less than 24 hours I will be in the stirrups.

I'm starting to itch down there...I hope the antibiotic I am on for my UTI isn't causing yeast to grow. That would be the last thing I would need.

[Squirrel1983]

Well...I am home. They were running an hour and a half behind, so I got to sit in the waiting room forever.

Once I got into the exam room it was not long. A medical assistant took my blood pressure and health information. Then, I barely had time to undress before the dr was knocking on the door to come in. He asked me questions, with just me and him in the room. Then he called for a nurse to assist with the pelvic exam. After the pelvic exam,the nurse left and the dr asked a few more questions. Then he left, I got to get dressed and off I went.'

During the pap smear, he goes "oh you are mid-cycle aren't you". I said I was. They can tell just by looking?!?

When he found out it was only my 2nd pelvic exam and that my first one was over 5 years ago, he said he woulld take it slow and he showed me everything and explained everything. Said he tries to use the smallest spectulum he can and that he was going to try the pediatric one on me.

I was surprised...I didn't have to pee in a cup today. When I went to my first exam back in 2008 in a differnent county, they made me pee in a cup. Guess different drs want different things.

[unaluna]

Was this the guy with the wild hair? I like that he said are you mid cycle. I have never gotten any information from any visit ever. Its like, if THEY dont tell you anything, who do they expect will??

[Squirrel1983]

Originally Posted by hankster

Was this the guy with the wild hair? I like that he said are you mid cycle. I have never gotten any information from any visit ever. Its like, if THEY dont tell you anything, who do they expect will??

Yes, this is the guy with wild hair.

[UnderRugSwept]

A little late here, but I wanted to tell you I an very happy for you that you went! It sounds like a positive experience (um, as positive as it could be for that kind of visit) and that he explained things very well, which I always appreciate.
And yes, they can know where you are in your cycle...I'll just leave it at that so as not to provide too much TMI.

[Jan1212]

That was nice of him to use a smaller one to avoid the pain. I was a virgin and the stupid NP examined me and it hurt.
Did you have to pee in cup in your previous appointment that you got the antibiotics from?

[Squirrel1983]

Originally Posted by Jan1212

That was nice of him to use a smaller one to avoid the pain. I was a virgin and the stupid NP examined me and it hurt.
Did you have to pee in cup in your previous appointment that you got the antibiotics from?

Yes, but that wasn't at the ob/gyn. That was at the urgent care clinic I went to.