Tomorrow is a day I’ve been dreading for about a month. (And this may be TMI, but that’s okay–it’s Thursday. Boys might want to look the other direction, though.) Actually, I’ve been dreading it for over a year, but I just made the appointment last month. I have to go to what I’ve deemed “the lady doctor.”
A few months ago, my prescription for birth control ran out, so I had to go back then for a refill. I didn’t want to get the exam, though, so she wrote me a three-month supply, and I was on my happy way. Of course, three months went by way too quickly, and I pretty much have to go tomorrow, unless I want a baby anytime soon (I don’t).
I’ve only been to the lady doctor once before for the dreaded exam, and that was April of last year, two months before my wedding. I was on my parent’s insurance still, so it was of no cost to me. My doctor was older, and she was somewhat cold during the entire procedure. She barely answered any of my questions, and she didn’t try to make things less awkward for me. I suppose she was just tired of her job after all of those years because she retired a few months after that.
This year, I don’t have insurance, so I’m paying out-of-pocket. Not only that, but I’m going to the health department, and when I went a few months ago, it wasn’t the most fun experience. (I ended up arriving about fifteen minutes before my scheduled appointment, and they took me right back. They made me pee in a cup, answer some questions, etc… Then I waited for two hours before seeing the doctor, and all she did was write me a prescription. Sigh.)
It’s definitely not the worst thing I’ll have to do in my life, but it’s not the most comfortable thing either. Do you ever feel like women just get the short end of the stick?
What do you do to prepare yourself for these yearly visits?
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Ugh, so lame- and it takes so long to see them too! I always bring my iPod with a bunch of podcasts pre-loaded so I can at least be carried off by that until the appointment. Good luck!
I’m with Kyla- the waiting room is the worst part. And don’t touch the magazines… think of all those hands…
Um I had a nightmare a few nights before I had to go to the lady parts doctor, so I totally understand where you’re coming from. Hopefully the doctor who sees you will be nice. Mine talked to me throughout the whole exam so it wasn’t too bad…
I take a deep breath and force myself to do it. I hope your doctor is better than your last. It’s important you find someone you trust and will take the time to answer your questions!
Women do get the short of the stick, far, far too often, and unfortunately, there’s no rebellion option. I’ve found that my iPod’s my best friend for the waiting room, and then just waiting for the doctor (who make the process a lot slower than it needs to be).
I just try to relax. It’s completely contradictory to instint because here they are shoving foreign objects into me (Hello!), but if you try to relax, it relaxes those muscles and makes things go just a bit smoother.
Good luck!
I’ve actually never been. My first appointment is next month and I’m dreading it! I looked the doctor up on ratemds.com and hardly anyone had anything nice to say about her. Ugh. Just ugh.
I’m not sure that there’s much you can do to throw off that nervousness of visiting The Lady Doctor. Unless you give yourself a talking to, telling yourself how you are vowing to kick that exam’s butt.
What I do recommend is after you are finished with the appointment, go out and treat yourself. It can be anything! Maybe you are dying for a big fat cheeseburger just dripping with grease? Or perhaps you are a chocolate kind of gal? Ice cream? That small indulgence always makes me feel just a little bit better about going the next time at least.
Speaking of the Lady Doctor…I think yearly appointment is here. After six years I’m still not able to rid myself of the nervousness and uncomfortable feeling.
ugh, i had one dr who would always talk to me about the stock market during my exam.
I hope this new doctor is better. I really don’t think it’s bad if you have a doctor that tells you what is going on and also gets it done with quickly. The specialist I’m going to see at the end of the year/early next will probably have to do an exam, so I’ve kind of gotten past the modesty part.