[cephalopod gal]

Hmm my gyno's a dude and he's the nicest doctor I've ever seen.

I've never actually gotten the exam, but I go annually so he can check for ovarian cysts (they do it by sonogram for me).

I've been overweight the entire time I've been there, and no one has said anything about weight. But, he may just recognize what someone else mentioned--he's not trained to give advice of that sort.

As for women over men and vice versa, it's totally a matter for the patient, but I've heard of some women gynos that are terrible, insisting that you can't POSSIBLY be uncomfortable because of course they've gone through it. It depends on the professionalism of each individual doctor, not by their sex. And based on what they're looking for/have seen, I really don't think they have ANYTHING dirty on their minds. :\

[BernerDoc]

Originally Posted by peachcake

Also, I much prefer a woman because any man who gets into gyno had (at one point in time at least) something dirty on their mind. Creeps me out that a guy would look at vagina's all day.

Must say I disagree here. In my profession I, on a fairly regular basis, collect semen through manual manipulation from dogs. I use a electroejaculator on cattle. I'm rather handy with an artificial vagina when collecting semen from stallions. Does that make me some kind of a sick freak? ;-) Seriously though - it's medicine. People. Parts. Science. Yes, there are bad apples in every aspect of every profession but a blanket statement like that isn't exactly fair, either.

[leela0730]

First off, let me say that I have a pretty severe fear of doctors (and anything medical, really)...I don't handle talking about it, TV shows about it, news reports, pictures, etc...anything to do with the medical field, and it can really freak me out.

Secondly, let me say that when I was 13 or 14, I had to go to the OB/GYN for the very first time because of a li'l situation down there (ended up being nothing more than a pimple, but my mom was concerned about it so she took me to the doctor)....this was not a good experience for me. The doctor did not talk to me at all, only my mom, and the doctor ignored me when I started crying.

As much as I hated that experience, I'm kinda glad for it, because now I am very forthright with any doctors I have to see. I tell them right up front (sometimes even the receptionist or nurse, if appropriate) to please be aware that I have doctor-fear issues, and that I will likely ask a lot of questions. All my doctors have been perfectly fine with this---in fact, they like giving information and explaining what's going on, usually.

I have been to the gyno 4 or 5 times since that first time, and each time it gets easier because I figure out ways to cope with my anxiety. Every time, I ask my doctor to just quickly explain the exact procedure. By now, I know the procedure, but I ask her to give me a quick explanation anyway, because hearing her explain makes it seem less scary. The procedure of a basic gyno exam is very short...and the shortest of it all is the part where they're "down there." I remember one poor girl I knew in college who went for her first exam, and she honestly thought they were going to be poking around "down there" for an hour! Bless her. We all immediately reassured her that usually that part of the exam is 5 minutes or less...the rest of the exam is checking your breasts and stomach, heart, etc.

Other things I do to help with my overall medical anxiety are the following:

1) I bring with me a piece of paper with 10-15 small stickers scattered on it...I use this when I am having my blood pressure taken, and all I do is I count each picture very slowly...one, two, three, etc....and by the time I am done counting the stickers, the blood pressure is done. This helps me relax and breathe calmly...my anxiety about doctors can make my blood pressure spike.

2) I bring my MP3 player w/earbuds. If you have one, I sooooo suggest you bring it!! It is incredibly comforting to have some music of my own choice in my ears during the exam. I always just let me doctor know before the exam starts that I would like to listen to my music if at all possible, and they have always been perfectly understanding and okay with that. It really makes the time go by! My doctor lets me wear the earphones the entire time, and I just made sure that the volume was low enough that I could hear her if she needed to talk to me.

3) for my annual gyno exam (and I'm not kidding here!) I wear pink and orange striped knee socks, with frogs printed on them!!! I figure, hey, if I'm going to be in an "uncomfortable" position, at least I want to see my feet covered in something fun while they're in the stirrups! So I always wear my fun socks. And they should let you wear your socks if you want to, along with the gown they give you.

4) for any doctor visit I am nervous about, I plan on something fun afterward...for me, that's usually a shopping trip, because I love shopping.

All my little coping mechanisms may sound silly, but anxiety about doctors is very common. The most important thing to remember is that you have the right as the patient to ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable. Almost all doctors will welcome your questions and will work to help you feel more calm.

I completely understand any anxiety about doctors in general, and gynos in particular...but trust me when I say they are really no big deal. Every time I have to go, I get a l'il bit nervous, and then when it's over I almost want to laugh at myself for being nervous at all! :-) That's how "no big deal" it really is. You will be fine. And each time you go to the gyno, you'll be a little less nervous.