Scared if Gyno

I always have been. I've fought most of my teens years, but Mom made me. Then when I was pregnant I knew it was a MUST for the babies. But now that I am adult, nobodies pressuring me, and I have no babies as an incentive....I don't go, and haven't been in 3 years since they put my IUD in.

How do you get the courage to go?

My mom hasnt been to the gyno in years. I am over due for my exam, but I dont want to go. Heck, when I go to the gyno, my blood pressure is always elevated when im there but goes back down when i leave. As far as the courage, even if i dont have the courage, i would go. Just think of the relief you will have when you leave there knowing they have done tests for your well being.

What exactly are you afraid of?

I went (and still go once a year) for my over all female health....... and that reason alone has been enough for me..... and since I was abused as a child by males I found it helpful to have a female doctor - to lessen my inner fears.

You know....I've wondered, for a while, if there is some other way to get the same results of a pap smear without putting people thru a pelvic exam. I mean...there are millions of women who are survivors of rape and abuse, and even just those who are self-conscous about their bodies and prefer not to be so 'exposed'...even to a doctor.

Can't we come up with some other way to test for cervical cancer, and other stuff? Maybe like a blood test. Or a self-pap smear (ok that sounds gross) but like you know, put a tampon kinda thing in and it would get the stuff. But you could do it yourself, not have some stranger doctor look there.

Hmm...just a thought. I'm no doctor.

Sorry this is a struggle for you. Since you do have an IUD in...you really need to get in there, just to make sure everything is still okay and all that. But I do understand it's difficult. Sorry!

i agree with razz

You'd have to make sure you were getting a proper sample, and keep it from being contaminated, and find the appropriate lab to send it too, and pay the lab fees, and then know how to read the results. Some of this can be done alone, some of it requires training. Primarily collecting the sample. Do you even know what you're supposed to be looking at? Probably not.

Gynos are scary, but they're also trained professionals who's job is to secure your health. You wouldn't try to give yourself a stress test or a check up in place of going to your family doctor. Millions of people are terrified of the doctor's office, but we don't send them kits to diagnose themselves.

Many places have multiple practicing doctors. You can always call ahead and ask if there is a female doctor available. If not, ask if they know a practice that does have a female doctor. Some tests can be done by a nurse. If you're nervous or scared, then ask questions. Ask as many as you feel you need to. Explain your anxiety to the doctor. You won't be the first frightened woman they've had to work with.

I'm not saying it's realistic....just like a "what if" or "why not" kind of thing.

It used to be that people scared of needles couldn't get the flu shot. We could just accept that fact....or make Flumist...and take it nasally.

I'm just saying, why can't doctors think of some other way to do this kind of thing.

They do think of other ways. Unfortunately, those ways don't work or aren't as effective. There are hoards of researchers doing their best to come up with new techniques and methods in medicine. Once a viable one is found, they start it up at one or two hospitals, and slowly it spreads. New procedures are being implemented all the time. Trust me, as soon as a new method is found, it will be put into practice.

I don't like going to the gyno either! because I get myself all grilled up and thinking OMG, what if it smells? what if it looks funny?.....Then, my mom told me that the gyno has seen so many different womens privets that your is no different! And to always remember, there has been women that have gone in to a gyno with serious problems down there and your could look fabulous compared to theirs...lol.

So now when I go I don't psych myself out, but remember that I am just there for my yearly check-up and everything is going to be okay! I have never had a bad gyno b4, and I think I just kinda got use to it after my second daughter because I had a complicated pregnancy with her and I always had to go to the gyno. That and after I had my son, I had to go for my 6 month check-up and they did my pap and found out that I had the start of cancer in my uterus. And that it was caught just in time!! After that I found my paps to be very important because if I skipped it, I would be dealing with a bigger issue right now. I say go, it is very important, and you really need to set the scared or annoyed issues aside, and be healthy, that's what is important.