The vagina is elastic with folds and tube-like. The speculum merely creates a pathway for the doctor/nurse to view the bits, swab, etc.Ok, I looked up what a speculum was. Maybe I'm misunderstanding it but basically they stick it in then kinda ratchet it open to hold your vagina open?
Doesn't that hurt like hell?
I thought when women were unaroused there vaginas were relatively small?
It's not sexy.
Depending on the office you get led to a cold room and given either a paper sheet or sometimes a tshirt and a sheet to cover with after stripping. Dr comes in, chats, you lay back for a breast exam. Then it's feet in the stir-ups, and the GYN asks about three times for you to move down, move down, move down. Then it's "ok a little pressure, cold metal speculum, swab, removes the speculum, lots of gel from the nurse, inserts one or two fingers while pushing down on our ovaries asking, "does that hurt?" Sometimes they go for the back door probe briefly as well. Finished, chats, Dr leaves. Thankfully it's over.
The vagina is elastic with folds and tube-like. The speculum merely creates a pathway for the doctor/nurse to view the bits, swab, etc.
I've never felt any pain.
:yup: Thank goodness for the power of hydraulics...And they open it to 11 most of the time. They used to open it to 10, but the new speculums now go to 11.
11!? I guess childbirth doesn't really hurt that much, huh?:biggrin1:
Back door probe. Yeah, I'm always thinking, "is this really necessary??" :biggrin1:
Before seeing her - I visit her lab, pee in cup and blood tests.
At this point, we're friendly, so small talk about life and general health queries. Then we move to relevant stuff - sex life, partner info, activities.
Then terry cloth robe-thing, which she prefers open in front. :irked:
Close robe.
- Breast and lymph node checks
- External abdominal and pelvis area exam
- Examines inner and outer labia, mons, perineum, a-hole
- Internal exam
- Pap smear
BC and kids discussion.
Free samples. *Woo hoo*
Couple of days later, clean poon results.
Years ago I had an uncomfortable ovarian cyst that I could feel during ovulation. Not always painful, but it was there and pissing me off each month. Anyway, I had to return for a transvaginal ultrasound, which was… an interesting experience. Definitely not a procedure I'm keen to undergo again - ever.
I had the same male GYN for years and everytime I left I rushed home to scrub inches of skin off. I felt sort of violated.
Last year I let my GP do my pap, and WOW, I felt pretty calm. It was nice having her do it compared to seeing the male DR. I will never, ever see another male physician again for anything of that nature.
I had a TV ultrasound for a cyst as well. I actually had several. It was ok. The room was dark so I automatically felt more comfortable. Female tech, probably had a lot to do with the feeling of comfort.
I've never understood the purpose of peeing in the cup. My GP never asks me to do that. I could understand if I had a hx of uti or something but I don't. Then I always had to pee the whole time I was in the exam room because I'd drink a bunch of water before seeing my male gyn.
Oh and the speculums can and do hurt. The male GYN either didn't close mine right or he pinched me because I almost cried the last time I went to him. Just one more reason to never go back to him. Also with the male I always felt discomfort when he opened the speculum, didn't at my GP's office.
Sounds like you had a bad experience :frown1:
Why didn't you change years before?
Nervous about having to show my goods to another Dr. I don't care if that's his job, it's my naked body and I feel uncomfortable letting a strange man touch and look at me. If I didn't absolutely love my GP I would have never had her do it. She talked to me about it and I told her I was going to keep seeing the other guy even though I was uncomfortable. Then after I skipped almost 2 years she brought it up again and I decided to try having her do it. I was almost completely calm. Made a big difference.
Pssh, did you not get the spinal tap joke??
"This one goes to 11"