When was your last gyno exam.

For the girls, when was your last gyno exam and what was done?

How nervous were you.

My last visit was last fall. Just a routine exam. Nothing different from the usual routine.

Nervous, but not so much anymore, maybe today I'm afraid that something might be wrong.

I went last May…so it’s almost time for my next annual exam. It was a routine breast and pelvic exam including my Pap smear.

I don’t know if nervous is the word I’d use now that I’ve been going to these for a while now. But as much as I enjoy chatting and fantasizing about medical exams, there is still something intimidating and embarrassing about being brought into the exam room for the real thing.

About a year ago...quick breast exam and just the pap smear. No bimanual. It was super quick, but it was so quick that I didn't even get a chance to fully scoot down and relax before she put the speculum in.

My last gyn exam was 5 years ago this year. I am do this year. I went to my pcp office as my last appt with my ob/gyn didn't go well. The primary care office I used to go to was also a residency. I have explained in another post how the female resident needed help from male PCP with speculum placement. Plus had a female MA observing. 3 is a crowd for sure! (won't agree to that again- plus no longer at the PCP/residency clinic ) I was told at the physical 5 years ago, that if I did both the pap and hpv that I wouldn't need another gyn exam for 5 years. It was just two swabs- pap and hpv. No bimanual. and no breast exam. PCP said the new research says no need for bimanual or rectal. I didn't ask about a rectal lol. I have never had a rectal at an ob/gyn.

I need to find a new ob/gyn. My current male PCP says across the board that he doesn't like to do the gyn tests and that he hasn't done many pelvics and he refers well women exams to his female PA's. Plus I think it's important to have a full exam this round. Gyn docs I think still do the bimanual and breasts exams.

@Creekstone

From talking to former partners, regular gynos definitely do a breast and a bimanual. Probbaly 50% of them had a rectal as well but I think nowadays it’s somewhat uncommon unless there’s a specific issue like a tilted uterus. Let us know how it goes!

I went in October for my annual visit. I didn’t need a Pap smear. But they still put the speculum in me to look around, I guess? But they still took my blood and checked my boobs. And all that fun stuff.

No matter how big of a game I talk here the exam still induces a lot of anxiety. Is anything wrong with me? Do I look ok? Do i smell ok? Are they comparing me to other patients? Does she have any idea what I’m actually thinking?