Doctors appointments - for "female things"

Reba said:
If you give the terp a heads up warning that you may sob during the exam, it will help them be prepared. Also, don't forget that the female terps have experienced gyn exams themselves, so they can empathize with your discomfort.

Like Botts said, maybe some anti-anxiety meds would help. Also, try some deep breathing and other techniques that help you relax. Even something as basic as a favorite stuffed animal that you can squeeze instead of socking the terp might help.

Be sure to be up front with your doctor about your stresses.
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Good idea re: the warning about sobbing. It isn't a may - it is a will. Like I spread my legs and trigger a tear release button or something. It is like full body shaking sobbing too, not just little tears. I think once I know who the interpreter will be it will be easier. More anxiety if it is a new terp for me, less if it is someone I know.

Just because you mentioned the female empathizing thing I have to share this story...

All of these exams came about because of an infection I got after a minor surgery. I will have had 3 in 3 months come the exam in December. Anyway, for the first one it was in the emergency room and the interpreter that was on-call that night was male. I sent out a request to every female interpreter I knew trying to see if someone could come but no one was available and we settled for the guy.

He showed up, no idea what what wrong with me. I had someone with me for support and as she explained I could see him becoming less and less comfortable with the situation. Then the dr comes in to explain the exam and he is finger spelling every other word. "I -Dr. -----. #VAGINA# now-analyze. I-will - use - #SPECULUM# for - #OPEN# #VAGINA#. will - #SWAB# #CERVIX#. Today - you #PAD# or #TAMPON# you?. (For the men on this board, perhaps that was a little much,..sorry!) Anyway, this poor guy didn't have a clue.

I would respond, using classifiers and signs and he would have no clue how to voice it. It was pretty hilarious. He ran out of the room before the exam start (which was good). It is definitely one of my favorite interpreter stories ever. The funny thing is, in this community we have maybe 1 male interpreter to every 10 female interpreters. I have never had a male on-call before, or ever really worked with male interpreters before...just that once. What are the chances!:giggle:
 
mostly deaf people need have interpreter for doctor's appt if interpreter at dr's appt says NO for interpreter you must be patient..

i got my own but i didnt get interpreter to dr's appt nor dentist's office but doctor always nice and friendly but doctor can write and paper to me need question at me for my own reasons need..

When my mom was with me for pap smear test for women only and doctor check my private parts and my breasts parts makes sure im ok.

i didnt hates dentist but yeah its painful my teeth!!
 
I had pelvic exams and they do not hurt so bad that I cry. Do you have some wrong that would cause a pelvic exam to be so painful? And when I have a pelvic exam a nurse is always in the room . Maybe you shoud have a nurse be in the room and have her stand near so you can read her lips and she can tell what going and you could tell her it hurt . I would find another doctor real fast if my pelvic exam made me cry! I would not let that doctor near me a second time!!
 
Sometimes people cry at gyno exams for psychological reasons (rape, sexual abuse).
 
JennyB, that is a sadly funny terp story. I giggled, empathized, laughed, and sympathized with you and the terp. Poor guy! Poor JennyB!

There is an old man who works as a volunteer at our emergency room. When my terp jumped in the lake I went to the ER. The volunteer is so funny. He wanted to terp for us. He thought Terp was deaf too, because he was signing instead of talking. BTW, if anyone cares to know, Terp is better after a stay in our local mental facilities. Sigh, I dont think I will get another terp.
 
Jenny - is there usually a nurse there with both of you and doctor? if yes - the nurse should be your "note-taker" to write out what doctor said.
 
whatdidyousay! said:
I had pelvic exams and they do not hurt so bad that I cry. Do you have some wrong that would cause a pelvic exam to be so painful? And when I have a pelvic exam a nurse is always in the room . Maybe you shoud have a nurse be in the room and have her stand near so you can read her lips and she can tell what going and you could tell her it hurt . I would find another doctor real fast if my pelvic exam made me cry! I would not let that doctor near me a second time!!
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She has high-functioning autism. Some autistic people actually feel like they are on fire if someone touch them... others are not quite that severe.
 
souggy said:
She has high-functioning autism. Some autistic people actually feel like they are on fire if someone touch them... others are not quite that severe.
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ooooooohhhhhhhhh I see! that explains! hhhhmmmm.... sorry I don't have any useful advice.
 
Jenny hon, your exam SHOULD not hurt and if it does, well then your doc ain't doin something right to accommodate for those reactions. Everyone has good suggestions but I might also suggest that before the exam starts, maybe review with your doctor possible pain that could occur such as hmm without getting too graphic, "When this is inserted if you feel pain like this... it can mean this... do you feel this kind of pain?" In terms of your interpreter, would you feel comfortable if she were to wait behind a screen or outside the door and your friend could flag her over if you need something interpreted? And as Botts said, you have that right to request some kind of either pain medication or anxiety meds to help you relax.

I'm in a Biology of Women class right now and we're actually going over all this at the moment. My teacher, who is a RN, said there is NO REASON WHATSOEVER you should have to endure pain caused by a doctor/nurse from anything. I think she even suggested ketamine?

I'm not sure how bad your appointment was but I can only hope it goes better now.
 
souggy said:
She has high-functioning autism. Some autistic people actually feel like they are on fire if someone touch them... others are not quite that severe.
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Yes - I have fairly extreme tactile sensitivity. I do tell doctors about my autism before any exams because it obviously effects it. Sadly, most doctors are less aware of autism than they are Deaf people. This is why I bring a support person with me who understands it and me and knows how to calm me. She is good at explaining me to the doctors and explaining the doctors to me. I sometimes have a hard time understanding things. Like, if it hurts and I say stop I mean for them to stop. It seems other people will say stop when it hurts to try to deal with the pain and don't really mean STOP! This seems to be what happened last time, it was how I was saying stop that it was wrongly interpreted. I was also alone that time. No interpreter, no support person. The interpreter would have seen me signing STOP! STOP! and understood my ASL intent but it seems my speech wasn't as clear. A support person would have known me and known that if I say stop, it means stop.
 
Take a shotgun with......and warn the dr that you will pull the trigger if she /he hurt you....
 
Jiro said:
Jenny - is there usually a nurse there with both of you and doctor? if yes - the nurse should be your "note-taker" to write out what doctor said.
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Yes it could be. It depends on how comfortable with nurses are too.


JennyB,
sorry i dont have advice but their suggestion seems good. Have you ever talk to your dr for a short time like warm up right before the checks up starts? That's how you let DR know what is your plan like your signal to wave to let dr know or voice it or explain it to dr how you feel. That would help. good luck.
 
Alright, this is going to sound counter-intuitive, but I'd suggest going to a male gyno. Intellectually, you think it'll be worse and you'll be more uncomfortable with a man, but I find that male doctors are WAY more gentle and sensitive to the pain of the patient. Women doctors seem to have the attitude of "all women have to go through it so just deal with it and get over it" while male doctors don't have that attitude. Get a recommendation from a friend if you are considering switching doctors.

Would it help to have the friend going with you just repeat everything the doctor says, clearly and closer to you, if you decide that you aren't comfortable with an interpreter being in the room?
 
JennyB said:
Hi All,

I recently had a not so great experience with a pelvic exam, where I didn't have an interpreter. It hurt a lot, I was crying and speaking "Stop!" and signing it but there was a communication breakdown and there was no stopping. The doctor couldn't explain what was happening during it because it was impossible to lip read her from her awkward position and through my massive tears.

Now, I have another exam coming up in a month. I am bringing someone with me, who doesn't sign but we are close and she understands me. I will also have an interpreter. My question is this - I am not sure I am comfortable having the interpreter in the room during the exam. Partially because I will more than likely be sobbing and partially because...well - I will be having a pelvic exam. It really depends on who the interpreter is and my comfort level with them. At the same time, I want the interpreter to stay so I can clearly communicate with the doctor during it. I am hard enough to understand when I speak, let alone while I am crying my eyes out and the fact that I can't really see the doctor when they are down there.

I guess my question is - what do other women do? Do you have alternate communication strategies? Normally I would tell the interpreter to get out, but after my last experience I am not so sure if that is the best thing to be doing. I will have my "support person" there too but I am very anxious about communication regardless.

How do others deal with the communication and interpreters during pelvic exams?

Jenny
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Have the interpreter stand next to you where your head is so that from where she is standing she won't be able to see your privates, especially if you are covering your legs with a large sheet of tissue paper. Even better, have the interpreter stand facing you for the entire exam so she sees nothing in the other direction, so you would have more privacy. You have the right to dictate where your interpreter stands and in what direction she faces.

You can ask the terp to leave the room for five minutes while you change into a gown and cover your legs with the sheet tissue. Sit up with the sheet over your legs until the doctor is in the room and ready to do the exam. That way the interpreter sees nothing of your privates the entire time.

And if it hurts, you have the right to demand that the doctor stop so that you can tell her what hurts, so she can be more gentler or what not, so you can communicate, cause if it hurts it could mean something is wrong and your doctor needs to know it hurts. Tell her that STOP means STOP! If she refuses or ignores you, file a complaint with the clinic. I'm shocked that your doctor did not stop and she ignored you, even after your requests for her to stop went unheeded. That is very unprofessional.
 
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OpheliaSpeaks said:
I could see it going both ways. My doctor explains everything before hand and then gives me hand signals.

If you're concerned about communication, ask the terp to stay. It should be a female terp and they should be position so their back is to the doctor and they are right in front of your face - so off to your right or left side standing near your shoulder.
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yes, the interpreter stand by side of me due to respectfully privacy. I prefer to have an interpreter during examine or routine medical appointment.
 
nope said:
Alright, this is going to sound counter-intuitive, but I'd suggest going to a male gyno. Intellectually, you think it'll be worse and you'll be more uncomfortable with a man, but I find that male doctors are WAY more gentle and sensitive to the pain of the patient. Women doctors seem to have the attitude of "all women have to go through it so just deal with it and get over it" while male doctors don't have that attitude. Get a recommendation from a friend if you are considering switching doctors.

Would it help to have the friend going with you just repeat everything the doctor says, clearly and closer to you, if you decide that you aren't comfortable with an interpreter being in the room?
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yes, men tend to be more gentle, I agree. Mainly because they don't know what it is like. I had several women doctors and they are rough.
 
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