Would you go to a friend or family member for medical treatment?

Some how, I would find seeing a family member for anything intimate too uncomfortable, especially if they were female.

I've become friendly with my service providers almost to the point of them almost seeming like a friend or family, but its different because they started out in the context of a service provider. Its kind of like I always felt it wouldn't bother me to date a girl who was a stripper, but I would want a girl I was dating to go out and become a stripper.

I agree with the previous poster. I don't want my doctor to already be my friend before I see him/her, but it's good if we become friends through the course of business. I've had the experience of running into my doctor at a cocktail party and making small talk, trying to forget that she has seen me naked and knows about all of my bodily functions. That can be a bit weird, but I think most doctors are used to it.

I don't think it's a good idea for doctors to treat family members (and I think many doctors have to fend off family members seeking free medical care). Unfortunately my grandfather did not feel this way, and when I was a kid, any visit to his house included an examination.

I know what you mean about running into them in public, and I kind of get a kick out of it. For example, I've been out at a small local family day event in my city with my wife and family and run into a service provider there with her husband and kids.

It was kind of exciting to say hi to her with both her husband and my wife there at least subconsciously knowing that she had seen me naked on several occasions. Also, since she was a diagnostic tech/physical therapist that worked with me after some bladder surgery, it was different because she was more of a lay person than a doctor who you think of in a loftier, more authoritarian perspective. This was like having one of your neighbors see you naked. Its a weird dynamic, but one I enjoyed. If it had turned into more than a quick "hi, how are you" I'm not sure if it would have become more uncomfortable or not though.

It is strange to think about -- with my strong medical-fetish interests -- but I definitely want my health care professionals to be other than family or friends. I have sometimes fantasized about having a doctor friend examine me (and perhaps take it a step or two further), but in reality I think it would be difficult to be completely candid and frank with someone I knew primarily from some other context.

Thanks for posing the thread, and making me think!

Part of me agrees with that the idea of the exam itself with a female friend or relative could be kind of sexy. But after the exam itself, I'm thinking the non medical relationship might be awkward.

I'm sure too that there are people who might feel like they can trust a friend or family member more than a stranger, and I can understand that perspective. Its kind of hard for me to say 100 % because I don't have any friends or relatives that work in the health care industry, so I doubt I'll never be in a position to make that choice.

Never ever would I do that. I don't even like seeing my doctor around town, and we're not related!

I would be more comfortable with a friend or family doctor who I knew was very competant. They may not be comfortable with it though. Some procedures can be painfull and a family member might be to emotionally attached to administer a painful medical treatment.

I totally agree I have to keep friends / family and medical separate.

I once lodged with a dentist and I couldnt even bring myself to go and see him as a dentist and he was only my landlord.

My first cousins wife is a nurse. She's an absolutely cunning stunt who I would love to examine me!

I don't feel it would be appropriate the mix medical exams and family.

I feel like that would be way too close. I don't like the idea of my uncle being a dentist, let alone the idea of someone in the immediate family being that private with me. IT seems like it would be a little unnerving, knowing that no matter what the context, that family member would be there... creepy.......

My aunt being a doctor sometimes would have a quick look at me if there was something minor wrong, she'd sometimes take my temp rectally of course, but nothing more than that.

She had offered if I ever need injections to give them to me because I am so terrified of them and its happend once, I really didn't like it too much but I knew she was gentle so it wasn't AS bad I guess

A family or friend I would be not use their services, a provider recommended by them, absolutely.

I'd ask them for advice on minor matters or if there was an emergency and I needed first aid. That's about it though. It would just be too awkward afterwards.

I wouldn't be able to handle a close friend or relative but I did have a female medical assistant i once knew who was in the room during a physical. She was a girl who i knew at work many years before, she was a secretary back then. That was bad enough, so anyone that was in any way closer would have been a complaint from me to the doctor. 😳

I have to agree with the majority of posters on this subject. While I enjoy going to the doctor and being examined, My doctor is a professional person, and not a personal friend. I would not go to a family member or a friend to be examined, it would be too uncomfortable especially if i met them out in public, or at a function etc.

Until he moved across the country, one of my cousins was the family's doctor. None of us had the slightest problem with that. And then I had the same doctor for over 25 years and saw him and his family occasionally outside the office. I think attitudes about this have changed over the past 25 years or so. Nevertheless, I have seen a friend on a couple of recent occasions and thought nothing of it.

Reading some of these further posts, I was reminded that I was treated by an aunt for a few weeks, when I required a series of anti-allergy injections. But they were just a quick poke in the arm, and it was no big deal, so I had forgotten about them completely until reminded by these posts. I was probably in junior high school at the time, and it just seemed a logical way for my folks to save a few bucks. She came to the house to give me the shots, and they really were nothing too alarming. I would have felt very differently about having to drop my pants in front of her -- medical fetish or not!

I also remember a high school chum whose dad was a doctor. One afternoon we were over at his place studying, and he asked me to go to the refrigerator in the kitchen to get us both more Coca Cola. When I opened the door, I was surprised to see a vial of medication for influenza injections on the shelf. When I asked him about it, he just shrugged his shoulders and said that "Yeah, dad's going to give us all our flu shots tonight when he comes home from work." It didn't faze him in the least, but I fantasized about that scene with the whole family lined up to take their shots (it was a big family)for weeks. I wished I could have stayed and watched, but no such luck.

I in fact was examined by the father of a friend of mine who was a doctor. I'm male and he is male so no big deal...

My dentist is a family friend and I don't mind that at all. I've dated doctors before but they were still residents so they didn't have their own practices.

It's kinda like seeing a teacher in public, (thinking back to childhood)Do you go up to them, do you pretend you didn't see them, what do you say, I mean this person knows my grades and my mom is right here. Same thing, only replace grades with, every orafice and embarassing detail of nude body.

I would definately not go to a family member for medical treatment...just too much that can happen. I would end up feeling wierd when I was around them. But I wouldn't mind going to a friend esp if I trust them. Its not like I dont tell my friends everything anyway.

Never! Ever! Wrong!

Couldn't imagine anything worse to be honest! It would be too weird.

It seems to go along the lines of having someone you know, know some kind of personal secrets about you

My GP is a friend, when I first joined his surgery I was very apprehensive but because I knew what a good doctor he is I felt this outweighed my feelings. As it turned out the first time I needed to see him was with regard to a gyno related problem.........oh dear I thought but it just had to be done. As I lay there naked from the waist down and feeling completely exposed I realised how professional he was and that was it I was never embarrassed again.

Its usually the nurse who does the routine gyn exams now unless there is a problem.

My current boss is an ex-nurse. People at work are always approaching him for advice of one sort or another. I do not.

I remember that just before I joined the Navy I had to have my appendix removed.

I was just coming up to 15 at the time. I had all the tests etc and they decided to operate.

The sister said the nurse will be in shortly to prepare you for the op. In came the nurse, and who was she? My mates Mum! That's who.

Hello Ian she says I've got to get you ready. And with that she pulled back the sheet, down with my PJ's and told me she had to shave off my pubes. I really didn't know where to put myself. This is the lady that made me tea 3 or 4 times a week when Mum was out.

So in answer to the question, although exciting looking back it really is an embarrassing situation if you know the person.

I think it would be kind of special if for example a friend of your older brother would turn out to be your gyn. A close friend would be really strange, but I wouldn`t say no if it would be my cousin

I think that I would go to a friend depending on what was a matter. but family can go ether way there are some things that family members can't treat you for like if you are going to have surgery they can't operate on you or be part of the procedure.

I would say absolutely not. I think in many states being seen by a family member is illegal, and certainly unethical.