Anxiety Waiting For The Doc

One thing that always gets me for my annual physical or dermatology appointment - when the nurse leaves after telling my to get completely undressed and put the gown on... I'm always nervous that the doc (or someone) will knock on the door and come on before I'm fully changed.

Seriously - whether at my primary care or the dermatologist, the moments when I'm either standing naked or in my underwear and unfolding the gown (or trying to get it out of its plastic bag) I almost get jittery expecting the door to open.

I know it's stupid because they'll see me naked before the end of the appointment, but....

Anyone else like that?

For me there are two kind of anxiety, in a real exam is not really fun because I'm worried about my health and the exam results. In a play exam is totally different, the anxiety is mixing with excitement and arousal, I love the anxiety feeling because the anticipation especially when I wait my turn in the waiting room thinking about the upcoming examinations. The anxiety feelings mixed with arousal and embarrassment when the Doctor asks me to undress totally in front of him. It's like a fuel injection for my excitement 🙂

This was the case for me. While I was anxious when I think back to my childhood exams, there was something erotic about sitting at the end of the exam table in just my underwear waiting for the doctor.

This is exactly how I am. The few times that I am instructed to get undressed, I speed through it as fast as possible so I don't get walked in on half way through my process. I know it's ridiculous, but I do it every time.

I think mine started when I was a kid. My first genital/ hernia exam was at a group sports physical at the school appointed doctor's office. He just had me step in front of him and pull down my pants. That's the first time I realized doctors see you naked and touch your goodies. The next years exam, I went to my regular female pediatrician. I had never needed to get undressed for her before, she had never examined my genitals.

At the physical, the nurse brought me back to the exam room, had me remove my shoes, and took my height and weight as usual. Normally, they then tell me to have a seat on the table and wait for the doctor before they leave the room. This time she told me to get undressed, have a seat, and the doctor would be in soon. As soon as she left and the door shut, I started to remove my shirt. I had my arms folded above my head and my shirt bunched up just at my shoulders when the nurse opened the door and stuck her head in. I quickly pulled my shirt back down and stood there like a deer in the headlights. The nurse quietly chuckled to herself and told me I could leave my underwear on. I was beat red and stammered, "I know".

For some reason, I was sooo embarrassed by all that. I think at that time, I was a little chubby and had anxiety about my body. I was just on the verge of starting puberty, so I had a lot of emotions then too. I was also embarrassed by the nurse knowing I was going to be nearly naked soon. The funny thing is, I didn't "know" that I could leave my underwear on. This was my first experience undressing for an exam. The way she originally worded it, I would have gotten completely naked and sat down waiting for the doctor to enter.

I'm guessing this all has something to do with my anxiety of someone walking in on me undressing.

I’ve had a few great chats that started with just trading simple experiences. I try to comment often and message folks who seem into the same stuff I am.

To this day, but especially growing up - I remember from a very early age always having tons of anxiety and butterflies in my stomach anytime I found out I was going to a doctors visit. I knew once I arrived in the exam room, I’d have a total loss of bodily autonomy and had no choice but to submit to whoever the doctor was and let them do whatever they wanted, even though I was normally shy.

I still work myself up about exams, and it begins with making an appointment. I actually like scheduling online because I can often find an appointment slot within a day or two, minimizing my anxiety. Sitting in the waiting room I can feel my BP rise waiting to be called back to an exam room. The irony is, I have not had to remove a stich of clothing in a decade... yet I still get anxious.

I guess I really never thought about it. I actually would get excited about going to the doctor's office for anything. I guess it was the thrill of being around a "mature doctor". Normally it was the nurse who escorted me back to the exam room. She would do all the primary testing and then she would tell me "strip to your shorts and sit on the table". That was the buzz phrase that would excite me!

I had a office visit that I have posted in other threads about waiting for a long time for the doc. The nurse at that visit never advised anything, more likely since I was mid-30's. She just said, "Dr. Frankel is running late" She put me in the room after waiting in the lobby for 30 mins. I waited another 15 to 20 mins and then the knock on the door and entered in Dr. Frankel. I was more relived than anxious.

Like many people, I always have the feeling of anxiety when it comes to going for my yearly physical. I get nervous when I phone and make the appointment, and then every time I think about it I get butterflies. The night before my appointment I often don't sleep great, and then the morning of the appointment I am nervous. When I get to my doctor's office and check in, I am anxious waiting to hear my name called, and when it finally happens, I sort of calm down a bit until I am in the exam room waiting for my doctor to come in. I am fully clothed initially, and after my doctor comes in and talks to me initially, he then tells me to strip down to my underwear and socks and he will return shortly to do my exam. As I undress and then sit on the table in my boxers and socks, my heart is racing and my mouth is dry. When my doctor finally comes back to do my physical, I relax a bit, but I am still nervous knowing that I am going to be completely naked at some point.

The whole experience is definitely anxiety arousing for me.

I am not longer anxious waiting for the doc. I am curious whether the doc is behind schedule and how long I may have to wait.

To this day, my heart rate is elevated at every exam, even though I know I'll stay fully clothed. If the doctor or nurse taking my pulse mentions it, I just say it's anxiety over the blood draw, since I'm so squeamish, even though I know that's not the reason.

It's been that way since I was a teen, when I had to undress for my physicals. But I don't think it was a worry about being naked during the exam itself. I never had a problem with the pediatrician pulling down my undies for him and my mom to see how my penis and testicles were developing. But when I started getting chubbier in my early teens, I wouldn't even want to go to the swimming pool anymore, or do anything else with my shirt off. So the anxious part of my annual physical was always after I had undressed to just my tighty whities and was sitting on the exam table waiting for the nurse to take me back out into the hallway to the shared scale for height and weight. I never knew who would be seeing me in just my undies in that hallway. Oddly, I never looked forward to it as an opportunity to see other kids in just their undies, even though that definitely was a curiosity for me.

I remember before my teens once seeing an older boy as tall as the nurse in that same situation, so I knew as I got older, they'd keep treating me the same way. It was probably 50/50 over the years between it being just my nurse and me in the hallway vs. seeing other kids / being seen by others while I was being weighed.

The last time I was seen by anyone other than medical staff and other patients was when I was 14, and I saw a boy I assumed to be a senior (he was wearing my school's "letter" jacket) being led into his exam room with his mom. He looked as embarrassed as I was, and she just smiled at me. I later found out he was only a year ahead of me in school, so probably 16 at the most. At 15, when I was at my chubbiest, it was fortunately just the nurse and me.

At 16, as we entered the hallway, I heard another boy in the next exam room complaining that he was too old, and his nurse saying that even older boys are weighed in just their undies. As my nurse had me get on the scale, the other boy finally relented and came out into the hallway, and he definitely was not a teenager yet. When my nurse had me get off the scale and lock it so I could stand back on it, with my back to the scale so she could get my height, the other nurse asked me how old I am. I said 16. She then told her patient, "See? Even much older boys are weighed the same way." After that experience, having the doctor pull down my undies several minutes later in front of my mom didn't even register on the anxiety scale.

Any anxiety I feel nowadays is related to whatever concerns I may have about actual health issues, which is definitely not enjoyable and so it is an unpleasant feeling of anxiety. But the anxiety I remember as a kid or teenager at the doctor or on my way to the doctor was more about what was going to be done to me, whether or not I was going to have to take off my clothes, and who would see me undressed - doctor, other staff, parents, etc. That is a more exciting kind of anxiety that I still think back on.

I have terrible White Coat Syndrome for practically every doctor's appointment, regardless of type. My blood pressure is elevated at just about every appointment, sometimes extremely high. I take my blood pressure at home, so I know that it is generally within normal range. My blood pressure usually comes down during the appointments. I wish I could find a good way to deal with the white coat syndrome.

I always have anxiety before an appointment and I can't pinpoint why. I've been fortunate to always have (good enough) health insurance as an adult that annual exams were always covered under preventative care. My siblings and I went to a private school (K-12) that required an annual physical whether you played sports or not, as well as an annual eye exam and annual dental checkup. (They also did a hearing test at school.)

I say all of that to reiterate why I don't understand the anxiety before appointments as an adult. I've always been in fairly good health and regular exams have always been a part of my life. No traumatic or painful experiences as a child. Maybe just, in general, anxiety over "what if" they find something.

I have anxiety before any and all doctor’s appointments. 😅😂 I’ve gotten a bit better over the years. It’s not even for fear of being exposed. Just good old white coat syndrome I guess.

I am known to flush when I’m anxious/stressed and my primary care always gets a view of my “stress rash” across my chest, cheeks, arms… 😂😂

Ah! Yes, the often seen “ flush”. of anxiety. I ( unrelated to anxiety) had taken a niacin tablet…dilated my blood vessels. To say I was “ flush” was an understatement. I frightened some co workers. One thought I was stroking out. Another thought I was burning up with a fever. It soon started to ebb and the flush was soon gone. I changed to the” slow release” niacin pill.

But hey in a medical environment such a physical manifestation could wind up getting you any number of ministrations; from a temperature taking to a cool towel being applied and your B.P. taken out of an abundance of caution.

I never got anxious but sure did get tired and bored waiting to be seen!

While I don't personally get anxious waiting for the doctor......I have several patients who were so anxious that they are literally shaking while waiting for a doctor.

I'm not anxious for the doctor unless they have test results to discuss. I always go to the worst case scenario so anything else is better news.

I get real anxious waiting upon the doctor. No matter what the exam is for, I am so anxious to know what they have to tell me. I often think about what they may find? And play exams, this anxiety is heightened in a sense. For me, any new exam could mean something new, therefore, I am anxious to hear their findings.

I have to hear my heart beating fast, and somehow it seems to be faster due to me being so cognizant of anxiety.

I love to maximize this anxiety of waiting, knowing what is coming next but as yet experienced, in my sessions. The psychological control is nearly intoxicating.

I always get a boner waiting for the doc, even as an adult, but it goes away before the doctor comes in. Thankfully it did as a teen as well.

To this day, my heart rate is elevated at every exam, even though I know I'll stay fully clothed. If the doctor or nurse taking my pulse mentions it, I just say it's anxiety over the blood draw, since I'm so squeamish, even though I know that's not the reason.

It's been that way since I was a teen, when I had to undress for my physicals. But I don't think it was a worry about being naked during the exam itself. I never had a problem with the pediatrician pulling down my undies for him and my mom to see how my penis and testicles were developing. But when I started getting chubbier in my early teens, I wouldn't even want to go to the swimming pool anymore, or do anything else with my shirt off. So the anxious part of my annual physical was always after I had undressed to just my tighty whities and was sitting on the exam table waiting for the nurse to take me back out into the hallway to the shared scale for height and weight. I never knew who would be seeing me in just my undies in that hallway. Oddly, I never looked forward to it as an opportunity to see other kids in just their undies, even though that definitely was a curiosity for me.

I remember before my teens once seeing an older boy as tall as the nurse in that same situation, so I knew as I got older, they'd keep treating me the same way. It was probably 50/50 over the years between it being just my nurse and me in the hallway vs. seeing other kids / being seen by others while I was being weighed.

The last time I was seen by anyone other than medical staff and other patients was when I was 14, and I saw a boy I assumed to be a senior (he was wearing my school's "letter" jacket) being led into his exam room with his mom. He looked as embarrassed as I was, and she just smiled at me. I later found out he was only a year ahead of me in school, so probably 16 at the most. At 15, when I was at my chubbiest, it was fortunately just the nurse and me.

At 16, as we entered the hallway, I heard another boy in the next exam room complaining that he was too old, and his nurse saying that even older boys are weighed in just their undies. As my nurse had me get on the scale, the other boy finally relented and came out into the hallway, and he definitely was not a teenager yet. When my nurse had me get off the scale and lock it so I could stand back on it, with my back to the scale so she could get my height, the other nurse asked me how old I am. I said 16. She then told her patient, "See? Even much older boys are weighed the same way." After that experience, having the doctor pull down my undies several minutes later in front of my mom didn't even register on the anxiety scale.

@spbb I felt the exact same way! I did not mind nearly as much my mother seeing my penis and testicles as I did having to take my shirt off in front of her. It’s why I never went swimming as a teen either. I had gynecomastia and a sunken/divot chest which combined for an awful experience growing up anytime I had to take my shirt off anywhere.

In a word, "YES," as it is a very personal experience that requires me to be naked and probed in ways that are very intimate. The anxiety comes early on, usually weeks before my scheduled exam, and then culminates in arousal leading up to the exam date. While I do not masturbate the night before, I do gratify my tension earlier in the week, usually 3 days ahead of time. It feels absolutely necessary. The night before I feel rather anxious. A morning shower helps along with an erection that I tend to wash gently. On the way to the office building, I try to listen to calming music to no avail. I immediately focus on what's to happen and there is no avoiding it, especially after I check in, and observe the waiting room. Once going down the exam hallway, my heart races and I feel a level of tension as I follow the nurse. As the door to the exam room opens, I try to look confident but that soon subsides as I am told to undress. It's a race to disrobe and wait. I am allowed to retain my briefs but that still feels rather revealing as I await the examiner! Heart rate and BP are clearly elevated and like to remain like that during the exam. The only good part is now having new memories of what was done that shall facilitate a pleasant release later on. With any luck, I will find a Zity Buddy to discuss the exam and enjoy myself yet again.

Having to visit the doctor or dentist, is not usually a pleasant experience. Even the time spent waiting and answering embarrassing questions, is uncomfortable. It’s a necessary evil.

I never had to strip fully for a physical but the anxiety of just sitting fully clothed after nurse weighed and took blood pressure was enough. Then when doc was done and I was due to shots knowing I’d just have to drop my bottoms again for the nurse to give my vaccination.

I kind of like the anxiety, nervousness, especially at the dentist, it really arouses me, smear tests are the same, especially when asked to lower my knickers and assume the position the nurse tells me she wants, at the dentist waiting for my name to be called, and then being escorted in to the dental surgery by the nurse, seeing the chair, it creates a level of anxiety and tingles that I just love♥️

When I was younger and had to undress for an exam, my blood pressure would always rise. More than one nurse told me it was up. When I don’t have to undress now, the waiting doesn’t make me nervous. But my dermatologist appointments do.

Yes, already waiting for the doctor I can feel my heart racing. BP and HR are always very high when checked by the nurse before seeing the doctor, even if it is a routine exam and nothing serious is going on.

I used to get very anxious just by calling to the doctor's office to make the appointment, but that has gotten a bit better lately. I've experienced anxiety when accompanying a friend to a clinic, just from being in the waiting room, so in my case it's not related to undressing. It's a fight-or-flight response just from the situation of being there, a limbic response to being in a clinical environment. It happens to a certain extent when waiting for the doctor in play exams too and especially in the beginning of the exam.

For me the anxiety comes when waiting with the gown on. My anxiety is that I'll get hard before the doctor comes in. And most of the time I do and they don't make it a big deal but it still gives me anxiety every single time lol. I guess in my head if I get hard while they are examining me it gives a more non sexual reason for getting hard as they are touching me but to get hard before hand gives off the impression that I'm excited and horny, which I usually am lol.