First rectal exam

How did your doctor bring up the topic that they would like to give you your first rectal/prostate exam? How old were you?

My first exam was by my former internist when I was 32. I had gone for a follow up appointment about blood pressure meds. I was initially put in an exam room and talked with the doctor who then led me to his office to talk about possibly adjusting the medication. It was after this conversation he asked if I had any thing to bring up. I hesitated then explained some voiding issues I had been having prior to seeing him. During the conversation he made a comment that it sounded like my prostate and asked about other men in my family with prostate issues. My response was no. With that he sympathetically said we should probably take a look. I agreed not fully knowing what he meant by having a look but I had a good idea. As we reentered the exam room he stated “we’ll do a quick rectal exam and then we’ll know”. All I could really respond was okay. He left me a gown and left for a few minutes to see another patient. I stripped and put on the gown, I waited nervously realizing this was finally happening. He returned about 10 minutes later. He quickly washed and dried his hands and gloved up. He opened the drawer and retrieved a packet of Surgi-lube and had a seat in one of the chairs. He first had me lift the gown and examined my testicles and penis and then checked me for a hernia. Then came the words turn around and elbows on the table. I complied and got into position. He opened the gown and first spread my cheeks inspecting my anus, he then released my cheeks and lubed his finger. I soon felt his left hand open my cheeks again followed by a cool wet touch to my anus, he hesitated then announced lots of pressure and plunged his finger into my rectum. He commented that the prostate didn’t feel enlarged. Then swept the walls and finally asked me if there was any pain. He quickly removed his finger stripped his gloves and laid a box of Kleenex on the table for me as I recomposed myself. He ended up prescribing a medication to help relax the prostate which resolved the issue.

My first one was done by a female nurse practitioner, I was twenty eight. I was having some pain in my groin and made a appointment at the clinic in town I had no idea who I would be seeing.

The nurse called me back and after the questions about why I was there and the vitals she said she would let the doctor know I was ready. I was already nervous about being there just because of where I was having the pain. When a female came into the exam room saying she would be the one examining me I suddenly became very nervous. She smiled and said her name and told me she was a nurse practitioner and she would be the one doing the exam. She looked at the nurse's notes and said she wanted to have some labs done and then when the results came back she would have me come back and we would go over the results and then she was going to give me a complete physical. She then went on to explain what she would be examining. She explained everything very carefully saying she would be giving me a complete physical including a genital exam and a rectal exam. She then said there was nothing more to do in the exam room today and if I would follow her she would take me to her office where she could further explain how she would be examining me by showing me some illustration's in a couple of books she had. I agreed and followed her to her office where she explained everything in very explicit detail. After she was done explaining and showing me what she would be doing she said I could go and she would see me in about a week. I left thinking about what was going to happen when I came back. I had a whole week to think about what she had said, it made for a very long week.

A few days later I got a phone call telling me to come in to the clinic that my results were back. I went to the clinic on the morning I was told to be there and checked in. I no more sat down and was called back.

After the nurse was done with my vitals she said that the doctor (nurse practitioner) would be right in. I sat on the side of the exam table trembling thinking about what was about to happen. She came in and said my labs looked pretty good they didn't show anything that would explain the pain I was having and let's see what we kind find with that said she started the exam she left me fully clothed and began examining me starting with my head and neck. After finishing with the abdominal exam she told me to hop down off the exam table and go stand on the floor. She went and got a the small stool on wheels and came over in front of me looked up at me and said go ahead drop your pants and underwear down around your knees. As she was examining my genitals I kept telling myself maybe this is all she will do, maybe she changed her mind and won't want to do anything else. I was wishful thinking as soon as she was done with the genital exam she rolled back away from me a little bit looked up directly at me and said we'll it's time, l want you to leave your pants and underwear down and walk over to the exam table and then bend over the end of the table, I will be right with you I need to get a couple of things. I did as I was told once I was bent over I watched her go over to the counter and open a drawer she brought out a plastic squirt bottle that said Surgi lube on it and a green and white card for the occult blood test. She squirted the lubricant on the index finger of her right hand and came back. She said just like I told you I am going to look quick and then I am just going to do it fast, I am going to count to three and go fast as she was talking she was showing me her finger. She asked if I was ready and then told me to look forward and try to relax. I felt my cheeks being spread apart and then I felt her finger touching me, I heard one, two, and it was in really fast and deep as she was moving her finger she was explaining what she was feeling. It was over in a few seconds. I turned my head and watched her walk back to the counter and smear her finger on the card as she was doing this she told me not to move she would come back and wipe me. When she came back she had some paper towels. As she began to wipe me she said, "I am sorry I used a lot of lube I knew it was your first time." She said everything seems good and that I could pull my pants up and go. I can still remember it very well.

So i had been having rectal bleeding for some time and I had just started a new job. During my fitness to work physical i had to fill in a check list of questions and indicated my issue. After my genital exam, the doctor (female) decided she needed to have a look and see what was causing the issue back there. Thats how i ended up getting my first rectal exam.

I was 22, and except for a pre employment exam fir a major catalog retailer, had nit seen anyone fir a physical for about 4 5 years.

My dad has me make an appointment with his doc, who gave me the grad school exam.

After the off off, I heard, ok, Jim, grab your knees. Before I could comprehend, there was something msking it's way in.

I was at my normal physical and my wonderful mother told the doctor about stomach cramps I get.

It’s the end of the physical. I’m sitting with my legs dangling over the table. The doctor is sitting on the rolly chair looking at my chart. She starts asking me about the cramps.

“So they aren’t like period cramps? And how much did it hurt? In a specific area or all over?”

And then she said “while you are here I’d better check that out. I need to do a rectal”.

I didn’t know what that meant. But I found out quickly. The nurse handed the doctor a glove. And then grabbed lube from the cabinet.

“Lay on your side I need to take a look at your bottom”

She sores my cheeks. I was super uncomfortable with anyone seeing me there. I could feel the air. It was cold. Yuck.

Followed by “I need to put my finger in and feel around. This won’t hurt but it’s going to feel weird. Try to relax”

I don’t feel like I had a chance to say no. But that’s how she broached the topic with me. Aren’t doctors visits fun?

As was at my normal physical and my wonderful mother told the doctor about stomach cramps I get.

It’s the end of the physical. I’m sitting with my legs dangling over the table. The doctor is sitting on the rolly chair looking at my chart. She starts asking me about the cramps.

“So they aren’t like period cramps? And how much did it hurt? In a specific area or all over?”

And then she said “while you are here I’d better check that out. I need to do a rectal”.

I didn’t know what that meant. But I found out quickly. The nurse handed the doctor a glove. And then grabbed lube from the cabinet.

“Lay on your side I need to take a look at your bottom”

She sores my cheeks. I was super uncomfortable with anyone seeing me there. I could feel the air. It was cold. Yuck.

Followed by “I need to put my finger in and feel around. This won’t hurt but it’s going to feel weird. Try to relax”

I don’t feel like I had a chance to say no. But that’s how she broached the topic with me. Aren’t doctors visits fun?

@Amanda_O Was your mom in the room with you for the rectal exam? I’d love hear more about it!

My first rectal exam was when I went to the urologist because of a urinary tract infection, and that's when the doctor said he would check my prostate. Today I do a rectal exam every six months to monitor and check my prostate, because I have an enlarged prostate.

I was 21. I had suspected rectal bleeding. Lol wasn't sure how they were going to verify blood until he said he would need to do a DRE. Went in farther than I thought he would. That started a new fetish, feeling the lube in there for sometime.

I was 7 finger up my bumn in hospital then rigid scope inserted all way face fown bum up in air nurses holding me in position

My first time was this week at the age of 48. My gp had run some blood tests including psa. I asked if this outcome meant that everything is ok. He said that it only tells something icw palpation and asked if this had been done before. I said no. Ok, let’s do it right now. So I had to lower my pants and lay down on my left side with my knees bent. He quickly entered and felt thoroughly. It was not painful, more a funny feeling. It was done within a minute and the outcome was positive. No irregularities felt and psa within the norm.

I wondered for some time when and how my first time would be. It came sooner than expected and a bit out of the blue.

The VERY first time, at least that I remember, I was in the ER about age 14. I had stomach pains and, since my sister had just had her appendix out a month or two before, they brought me in. After the abdominal, he had mom roll me onto my side and bend my knee and he went in. I remember it, but I was so concerned about the belly pain, I didn't even think about it, or the fact my parents were in the cubical, until later. (It was not my appendix, but very bad constipation)

The first I have very clear memory was at sick call about age 19 or 20. I remember it because something happened that hasn't happened before or since. I had pain in my left testicle. The doctor was a Captain (O-6) and was an older man. He did the genital exam and noted the area that hurt. He had me bend over the table, and he told me he was going to do a rectal exam. He gloved and lubed up, then went right for my prostate. I jumped a bit, and he told me to hold still. He felt the who gland, then expressed a drop or two of fluid, which he caught on a slide and examined under a microscope on his desk. (I still had my pants down) After he examined the fluid, he told me I could dress. He knew it wasn't an STD because, although not a virgin, I was not at the time sexually active. He said it was epididymitis (a problem I have had several times since) He prescribed 800mg Motrin and an antibiotic, sent me to bed for the rest of the day, and told me to come back if it didn't get better.

That was the only time a doctor has, intentionally, expressed prostatic fluid from me.

My first rectal exam was when my dad took me to his doctor at the end of high school to get my college physical exam forms filled out. The doctor, a former Army doctor, was super thorough and very direct about everything. He didn't ask me about doing a rectal exam. After examining my genitals and checking me for a hernia he just told me to turn around, bend over, and grab my ankles. And in he went !