obgyns

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

My ob-gyn left. she split town. She's gone baby gone.

They assigned me to a guy in her group.

:( Is it terribly biased to not want a strange man prodding at my genitals? Because I don't. I do not want any men prodding at my genitals except my husband. First off, they're not worthy. And second off, they're still not worthy. thirdly, it is just creepy. Sure, they're not getting off on it. SURE.

anyone have wisdom on this issue?

Comments

[aubreystar.livejournal.com]

I've had my cooter poked by a woman only once, by male doctors several times. *shrug* I think the women are a little more inclined to listen to your problems, as it's not a foreign area to them, but men can also give an unbiased opinion, whereas a woman may automatically think whatever symptoms you're having, whether consciously or no, is something "regular", when it may be different for you.

The only squirminess that I have right now, is that I got a new ATTRACTIVE male doctor. THAT makes me feel uneasy.

But the last two examinations I had were by gay male doctors... *shrug*

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

But the last two examinations I had were by gay male doctors... *shrug*

heh. there's an idea. I could just ask. "Um... are you gay? oh, okay then." :)

Re:

[aubreystar.livejournal.com]

hee.

I found mine because my friend Joe is gay, and told me he found a gay clinic. Wheareas, I love boys, I decided to try there, and have been there for 5 years now.

It's funny, because they don't remember me by my face or by my name, but by my SHOES. ("omg! you're the dr. martens mary jane girl!")

ob-gyns

[scarlett75.livejournal.com]

You have every right to request a female doctor, if that makes you more comfortable. In fact, if your insurance doesn't have a female ob/gyn on their list of providers, you also have the right to demand that they make a female doctor available to you. Most health care companies realize that uncomfortable patients rarely take care of their maintenance health care needs if they're not at ease with the providing physician. As for your ob.gyn getting off on looking and/or touching your genitals... haha...I seriously doubt it...after you look at vaginas day in and day out, see all the deformities that can occur, all the disease that occur, witness child birth a few thousand times, smell the sometimes unpleasant (no, downright offensive) odors that can eminate from that area... you really don't get a big thrill out of it!! I have been under the care of both a male and a female ob/gyn, and both have had their benefits/perks. What really matters is where you are comfortable. :)
Also, if you do have to see this male ob/gyn..you also have the right to request that a female nurse, PA, CNP or whatever, be in the room during the examination. I've found that this approach can also alleviate any concerns female patients have with their male doctors. Hope this helps you out!

Re: ob-gyns

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

oh, they're just fine with me changing my obgyn. the only thing is that all the other women in my area want female obgyns too. this makes it all a bit difficult.

I theoretically have secured one for september. She's new-- fresh meat!! :)

Re: ob-gyns

[rupie-zum.livejournal.com]

I'm not *positive* - but I believe there may be some kind of regulation which says that a male doctor *should* have a female nurse present when he does pelvics. Can't find any info on it, but I have this vague memory... anyway, all of the male docs I've seen have followed this procedure.

[artemii.livejournal.com]

It's perfectly fine to simply request a female gyn.

Lots of women do.

Re: $.02

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

in fact there's a whole "Women caring for women" ob-gyn group around. But guess how booked they are?? :)

I'm not a doctor but...

[jennlyle.livejournal.com]

I'm not a doctor, but I was biology pre-med and took life saving. There was an instance where my skills were required in an emergency where there was a choking child who I revived (and saved), and I had no compunction about what I was doing or what risks I may have been taking to help her. It was all very automatic, no true sense while it was going on that this was really a human being. Not really much thought on it at the time at all, not until it was over and I had walked out of that store in shock with the cigs and soda that I forgot to pay for. There was another experience that I had when I got to participate in an autopsy in college. The corpse belonged to a man who had died from a cocaine induced heart attack. We opened his chest and witnessed what was shreds muscle left in the cavity where his heart once was (it literally exploded). It really didn't dawn on me that this was a true man, flesh and blood, until I brushed against his fingertips and looked at them for a moment and then had to leave the room because I thought I was going to be sick.

The point that I'm trying to drive at here is that in the medical profession, really I'd say that most doctors separate themselves whenever performing procedures on another person. That was my experience when I was studying to become a doctor.

My OB/GYN while I lived in Houston (went to him for about four years until I moved to Dallas) was male. Dr. Davies (I forget his first name, I'll have to check my medical file). I would have to say that he's the best OB/GYN I've ever known. He was very professional. I got no bad vibes off of him whatsoever. He tactfully approached delicate subjects (he once lectured me because he had found me shaven and I had shaven too closely and it wasn't good for me while I was pregnant in his professional opinion). And any of my friends still in Houston looking for a new OB/GYN, I always refer them to him with high praise.

I can understand the hesistancy at having a male OB/GYN... I recall my own hesistancy when I first went to see Dr. Davies. For a good male doctor, pelvic exams and the like is totally non-emotional, non-sexual, and sterile. A female nurse is always present and should be even in cases when being examined by a female doctor. It wouldn't be a terrible thing, in my opinion, to stick with a doctor who worked in your old doctor's group because there's a better chance that the new doctor would be more familiar with your particular case. If you're still feeling shakey, ask the new doctor for references from some of his patients, or ask one of the other doctors in the group for references from some of his patients (that he doesn't choose himself). And if you're still not feeling good about that OB/GYN, then just choose another one. But I think it would be worth your while to at least look into his references and see what they have to say about him, over simply judging him because of his gender.

Re: I'm not a doctor but...

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

I tend to think that references are fairly useless because obviously they're not going to refer you to any DISsatisfied clients :)

I'm sure you're right about most male obgyns being very professional but I'm not sure I can really bring myself to trust to that. I'm certain that under different circumstances such a man could quite easily get off on seeing my genitals and simple professionalism seems like a very flimsy barrier to what would be essentially violation (that's what I would consider a breach of professionalism to be). Maybe when I get very old and unattractive I will feel differently about it :)

Re: I'm not a doctor but...

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

A female nurse is always present and should be even in cases when being
examined by a female doctor.

?? why when you're examined by a female doctor? *curious*

Actually I've never had a nurse present during a pelvic, not even the one time I was examined by a male dr (which went fine, but then I was pre-pubescent :). I think I prefer it that way... I feel like less of a spectacle :)

Re: I'm not a doctor but...

[jennlyle.livejournal.com]

You think that sexual indescretion can happen only between a man and a woman? Think again...

Anyhow, I hope the advice helped! Good luck!

Re: I'm not a doctor but...

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

Ah... ala this site. (http://www.lesbianstudies.org)

I don't think hidden, evil lesbians itching to get their hands on unwitting female bodies are that prevalent. :)

Anyway, for some reason I wouldn't be as uptight about a lesbian examining me... I imagine they'd better understand my concerns, being women themselves...

[the-marionette.livejournal.com]

Up until recently I had never been examined by a woman ob/gyn. Actually, now that I think about it, I'd never been examined by a woman doctor at all. I found her to be more understanding, sympathetic and I felt I could just relate to her a hell of a lot more. I would never want a male ob/gyn again.

[zaiah.livejournal.com]

Dr. Blake has a Family practice.. and is my ob/gyn as well. I have found him to be a wonderful man. I may however be slightly in love with him - even if he did almost drop my daughter when he caught her from my my very short, wonderful 2 hour labor. I teasingly refer to him as Dr. slick fingers because everytime I have been examined.. he over indulges in lubricant.

His nurse, Pat, Is also quite wonderful and she and I inevitably end up telling dirty jokes either before during or after the procedures.

I had to be examined as a child after I was raped.. and it was a harrowing experience.. four med students acompanied the grey haired man (who I never met before until he walked in with me in stirrups - no previous consultation on what to expect!! I am shocked as I look back.)

And female PA's when I was living on campus.. And by far - my attractive, kind, teasing, well known by my whole family, Dr. Slick Fingers is the Best.

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

I had to be examined as a child after I was raped.. and it was a harrowing experience.. four med students acompanied the grey haired man

!! that is awful!!

Dr. Blake has a Family practice.. and is my ob/gyn as well. I have found him to be a wonderful man. I may however be slightly in love with him..... I teasingly refer to him as Dr. slick fingers because everytime I have been examined.. he over indulges in lubricant.

That's cool that that relationship works for you, but I think it would be exactly what I would be afraid of in a male obgyn. I really wouldn't want a flirty ob-gyn, nor do I want to flirt with him/her... I am very protective of my body, of who is allowed to touch it and who isn't, for that very reason.

I'm just uptight I guess :)

[galebird.livejournal.com]

Okay, I just stumbled across this--

Here's my view on the situation, which is completely subjective--

Would you ever really trust a mechanic who never owned a car?

That's why I will only trust my feminine plumbing to a female doc :)