Annoyed at docs not being sympathetic to medical phobia and now very scared at tests

[louise123_uk]

I recently posted about very irregualr periods since I was 11 and that my doc had found redness internally but that a yeast infection wasnt present.

I went to my own doc today (had to see a different one before as my regular one was on holiday), and told her about the redness the other doc found and the extremely irregular periods. She sent me for blood tests straight away, the piece of paper indicated all sorts of scary things that were being tested for as well as levels of hormones e.g liver and kidneyfunction???? Is this standard? I nearly fainted at the sight of the needle but the nurse was very nice, they said could take anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks for test to come back. How long do you usually wait for blood test results? Am so panicing theyre going to find loads wrong with my blood that is even unrelated to the condition I went with e.g. that I have impaired liver functioning due to binge drinking etc. Never had a blood test before!

Shes also booked me in for a smear test on Wednesday and the hospital is going to contact me regarding an ultra sound! The thought of a smear test scares me to death, ive never had one and frankly they sound medieval, Im sure im not going to be able to go through with it and I really mean this!! My docs phobia is extremely severe, so much so that I throw up at just the thought of the docs surgery or visiting someone in hospital let alone letting someone do something to me as simple as examining me so god knows how il cope with this!! Im sittting shaking right now! The test sounds like such a violation, and no one has even seen me naked down there before!! Plus, if the doc inserting her finger hurt like hell last time what will this be like!!

Then theres the ultrasound which sounded fine till she mentions they have to push a probe into your vagina to do it, which she even said you wont like and it will hurt!!! Plus this is oing to be in a hospital and I have NEVER been to a hospital to have anything done or even a consultation, bar one xray when I was about 8, which I sobbed hysterically through.

My doc has tried saying I have anxiety issues and doesnt realise its more a medical phobia that causes me to panic. I dont have anxiety in any other area of my life, and have a job where I cope with alot of stress so am annoyed at being labelled. My dentist is lovely and says he understands its just a medical phobia that makes me scared of him doing stuff to me and he has all sorts of ways to helpe me, how are docs so thick they cant get there head round people being scared of medical things!! :-( Im so phobic before this year and a wonderful dentist gving me confidence, I hadnt been to a docs ir dentists for about 15 years!! I cant even visit someone in hospital without going faint! and it doesnt get any better the more I go!

I think id rather go through almost anything than the smear test on wednesday!!

[countrygirl]

Why don't you ask to see your Dr before you smear on Wed and explain just how bad your phobia is and if he can give you some tranquillisers to take before the proceedure as these will make you feel woozy and less likely to panic. Also is there anyone you would like to be with you during the test- they don't have to look! they can be facing your head holding your hand. I used to work in a surgery and was always called in to distract young girls having smears and i always had my back to what was going on and was facing the person asking them questions - its amazing how having to concentrate on answering questions takes your mind off what is happening. A smear is uncomfortable and may be painful if you tense up too much but its over and done quickly.
As for the ultrasound - again check with your Dr that you need a vaginal one and not just a pelvic one - they usually only do a vaginal one after you have had a pelvic one. The pelvic one is totally non invasive as they just put cold gel on your abdomen and run the ultrasound head over you. Most hospital would do this first and then if they needed a closed look at something do the internal one but check with your Dr - the Dr can change the ultrasound at any time.
the blood tests sound like a general MOT set of bloods as they call them- they especially do them if someone hasn't had blood tests for a long time or never as it gives them a good baseline for any future blood tests.
Binge drinking can affect your liver tests but as long s you stop binge drinking then you have nothing to worry about as your liver repairs itself when you stop abusing it so this might be a good time to think of your health and drink sensibly in future. I am not critisizing you just offering sensible advice.
Hope this helps

[louise123_uk]

Thanks for the reply. I told my doc today about being utterly terrified of the smear test (I was nearly in tears) she just said theyre nothing to worry about dont be silly, but it will hurt if you go in scared and tense! But god knows how she thinks il relax... I asked about whether I could take anything beforehand but she said no. She doesnt seem to get the being scared thing.

Also, the ultrasound she said has to involve a probe as she wants a close look at the ovaries and this is the only way to do it.

I just hate the thought of things being inserted down there and I have been in considerable pain when the doc has done an internal exam before and given the pain during sex as well, Im just dreading anything being inserted. Plus, i hate the thought of a chair with stirrups, that sounds like a science fiction movie to me as though im being probed by ailiens, I know that sounds kind of mad but thats how I feel lol.

Unfortunately dont really have anyone that will go with me. My boyfriend wont go, and my mum wont go in with me as she doesnt like medical things, and my friends will all be at work...

What also terrfies me is the wait for all these results, I asked about paying to get things speeded up but that doesnt seem to be an option...

I think my doc is more concerned about whether im ovulating etc, thing is i really dont care if I am or not, Im more bothered if its cancer etc

[Maj]

Hi Louise,
I really feel for you. Yes, I agree it is difficult to relax when you are already so tensed up about the procedures. Ive had those procedures done, but they weren't so bad. But then because of my age I've probably had a lot more procedures like this than you will have had. If you really feel you can't go through with it then the only alternative is to ask to go into hospital as a day case and have sedation or internal anaesthesia.. You will not be the only person to have asked for this, so don't worry. Your blood tests are run of the mill tests done by doctors every day, so please dont read too much into it. Sometimes doctors can see you as just as a piece of meat instead of a person. No-one particularly likes certain procedures but there are ways of making people more comfortable nowadays, it's just up to whether or not you have an understanding doctor. I hope you manage to get through this okay, but please ask for more help and reassurance before your tests as this should be available.:hugs:

[louise123_uk]

Thx for the post, I agree that docs can often do things to make things easier but instead go for the one size fits all approach.

Cant believe its tomorrow I'm (probably) having a smear tes done!! :-( I know they insert a spatula but do you always have to sit in the stirrup chair and do they actually clamp your vagina open with something????

[nomorepanic]

Blimey Louise you have got yourself in a flap haven't you.

They do NOT put your legs in stirrups for a smear test. You just open your legs and let them flop outwards if that makes sense.

I had a smear two weeks ago and I was in and out within 5 minutes.

They insert a plastic device into the vagina to open it and take the swab. You do need to try and relax as much as possible so that you are not tensing the muscles up but it is not that barbaric.

As for the probe in the vagina thing - it is nothing I promise. I had had that twice now as well. It is no bigger than a finger if not smaller and you can hardlfy feel it.

[louise123_uk]

Can you have a test done without the speculum, thats one of the major bits that frighten me, seriously that does look like a torture device, id never seen one till i googled wht one was a fe moments ago!! I thought a speculum was anothr name for the spatula! Oh my lord, now I know why there are so many horror stories!

Cant I have it done with just the swab or whtever taken, without the speculum. I know now I couldnt let them approach me with a device like tht! I can visualise getting in there and telling them to forget it till medical science moves on!

[nomorepanic]

which test louise? the smear test?

It is NOT a torture device at all I promise

[nomorepanic]

You must calm down and relax or yes it will be uncomfortable. Just take some deep breathes tomorrow and do not stress ok

Women need this test and I have one every 3 years and you get used to it. Better be safe than sorry ok

[nomorepanic]

Oh and medical science has moved on - it used to be a stainless steel very cold and hard device lol. Now it is not cold and the plastic is more comfy

[diane07]

Aww louise,

honestly, i know its easier said than done but my daughter had to have a smear test done last month, she's only 18, she did say, she was so scared as they didn't give her any warning of it, she just had to have it done there and then, and if it helps she did say it wasn't anything like how it sounds.

She had to have the same thing done as you, and like she said it sounds more scary reading the procedure than having it done.

hope this helps and believe me, it really isn't anything to worry over.

di xx

[louise123_uk]

Yeah, I had no idea a speculum looked like what it does, I thought it was just a stick to take the scraping and I didnt even like the idea of tht but the speculum doesnt look normal..... sorry if it puts anyone off but medieval or other worldly device is all tht comes to mind when looked at the pics, theres no way can have tht inside me! Hate to say it as was trying to psyhe myself up to go thru with it but its looking less likely having seen tht.

Thx for the posts by the way, I know I probs sound sooo stupid my doc has went out of her way to make tht clear (tough love does not work with ppl who are scared, tht nearly made me walk out and ask to change docs, im yet to meet a doc with a decent bedside manner, yet havent given up hope given the perfect dentist ive found), but just cant help the way I think. The most scary medical implement ive had near me is the dentists mirror lol

Is it impossible to just take a scraping?

[nomorepanic]

Well then I have to say you are being silly if you don't have it cos you need to get this looked at.

It does not hurt that much, it is not a torture device and thousands of us on here have them all the time and we do not post and say how bad it was do we?

If you don't calm down though you are going to make it hurt so much more.

[nomorepanic]

No Louise - they cannot just take a scraping. Imagine them trying to get a wooden spatula up to your cervix without being able to see it.

The device allows them clear access to the cervix

[nomorepanic]

Take an ipod or something similar with you and tell them you need to listen to it so you relax more.

Please go through with this but calm down cos it will hurt if you don't. The nurse will reassure you if you tell her how scared you are and that you have never had one before.

Good luck!

[nomorepanic]

How did it go then Louise?

[louise123_uk]

Had the test today and it seemed to go ok. Was terrified going in but the nurse was really nice and said if I left wuldnt be wasting her time as shes had ppl leave when theyve got there before due to nerves. Anyways, she spent a bit talking to me about it and since I was there I thought may aswell try i as wouldnt get up the nerve again. It did hurt quite a bit with the speculum inside me, which she said was probs partly due to me being quite tight down there. She seemed to think there was alot of discharge, so she also took swabs of this after she did the smear.

I bled a bit afterwards as well, but assuming this is normal?

Thx for all the support lasrt night

[nomorepanic]

A HUGE well done Louise for doing it. I bet you are chuffed you did now aren't you?

yes the bleeding afterwards is normal so don't worry about that.

It won't take long for the results to come through I am sure.

[louise123_uk]

Yep was very proud of me lol, although it hurt I would actually say I thought it would be alot worse! :-)

[diane07]

well done louise xx

[nomorepanic]

Sorry I said you were being silly lol - I was trying to make you see that it wouldn't be that bad.

I hope you didn't take offence to that and I am sorry if you did.

At least now you know what to expect next time but that won't be for a few years now.

[Maj]

Another hurdle over. Well done Louise :hugs: