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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by TherapyGirl on September 7, 2007, at 18:31:40
My appt. with my regular gynecologist is Monday. That's her first day back from maternity leave. I've waited for two months to talk to her about my fibroids and a possible hysterectomy.
T was VERY supportive last night. She asked me what kind of contact I needed on Monday and I said I wasn't sure. That I definitely wanted to talk to her afterwards, but that if I was freaking out, I might want to talk to her beforehand as well. She seemed okay with that. Gave me her cell phone number to call beforehand if I need to (because she's going to be out and about) and then said she would check in with me during the afternoon.
We also went over my list of questions and she seemed pleased. And I confirmed with the doc office today that my appt. is listed as a consult, so there shouldn't be a problem with an exam, which would trigger the heck out of me.
All in all, a pretty good session. I actually felt some of the old connection.
Posted by RealMe on September 7, 2007, at 19:45:20
In reply to Doctor Appt. is Monday, posted by TherapyGirl on September 7, 2007, at 18:31:40
Glad to hear that it felt like a better connection again. Here you were talking about the whole issue of your therapist and your friend saying she saw the same therapist, and low and behold after I stuck my neck out today, my therapist says he read one of my reports on someone I did for the courts. I about died.
In someways now, tonight, I start wondering if he was checking me out to see if I lied about stuff. And he found out I don't. How sick is that?? I think my imagination is starting to get the best of me, and so I will end and again say I am happy for you.
RealMe (Oz)
Posted by TherapyGirl on September 7, 2007, at 22:25:37
In reply to Re: Doctor Appt. is Monday » TherapyGirl, posted by RealMe on September 7, 2007, at 19:45:20
Thanks, Oz.
That's interesting about him reading your report and you thinking he's checking your honesty. I have those moments all the time and sometimes even say to my T (after something I've said gets somehow corroborated), "SEE -- I wasn't lying." She never, ever appears to think I'm lying. But it's more crap from my childhood that gets filtered through my T.
It's hard being us, isn't it?
Posted by Wittgenstein on September 8, 2007, at 5:55:01
In reply to Re: Doctor Appt. is Monday » RealMe, posted by TherapyGirl on September 7, 2007, at 22:25:37
TG,
I know what you mean about lying - I'm forever worrying that my T doesn't believe me - thinks I'm lying - I'm sure he gets sick of me questioning him all the time. He always reassures me that it's natural for me to worry as I wasn't believed when I was younger and was wrongly accused of lying over and over - it's hard to let go of these things.
I hope your Gyn appointment isn't too difficult for you and that the doctor is understanding. It's great your T will be there for you.
Take care,
Witti
Posted by TherapyGirl on September 8, 2007, at 21:07:58
In reply to Re: Doctor Appt. is Monday, posted by Wittgenstein on September 8, 2007, at 5:55:01
Thanks, Witti.
It is hard to let go of things we grew up experiencing, isn't it?
As for the doctor -- this doctor is usually either fabulous or awful, without much in between. So I'm hoping it's a fabulous day for her. :-)
Posted by TherapyGirl on September 10, 2007, at 19:36:13
In reply to Doctor Appt. is Monday, posted by TherapyGirl on September 7, 2007, at 18:31:40
The appointment was a complete dud -- not traumatic, just infuriating. She didn't answer any of my questions, downplayed every single symptom I have and basically I waited two months for nothing.
I'm going to let her do an ultrasound week after next because I figured I wouldn't be able to get one done as quickly anywhere else. But then I'm going to find another doctor. I'm just not willing to put up with that kind of crappy interaction with the medical community ANYMORE.
I haven't talked to T about it yet -- I left her a voice mail after the appt. telling her I wasn't traumatized and could wait to talk to her if it was hard for her to get time to call. She's off on Mondays. She left me a message tonight at home saying she had gotten that message and the day had been crazy, but that she would call me in the morning. So that's okay. She didn't really have to leave the message tonight, so it was nice of her.
I wish I never had to see another doctor as long as I live. It's just too hard.
Posted by TherapyGirl on September 10, 2007, at 20:59:52
In reply to Dud Doc Appt., posted by TherapyGirl on September 10, 2007, at 19:36:13
When I asked the "wonder doc" about medications to make pelvic exams easier, she acted like I was crazy. Then she mentioned something about a vaginal estrogen cream. I'm sorry -- how is that going to help pain and anxiety, which she has witnessed??????? And don't my multiple fibroids FEED off estrogen?
What a freak.
Posted by muffled on September 10, 2007, at 23:44:49
In reply to Re: One more thing..., posted by TherapyGirl on September 10, 2007, at 20:59:52
Sigh TG.
She sounds UTTERLY ridiculous....
Unfortunately there's all to many of them out there :-(
I haven't had a ton of specialists, but have had some WONDERFUL WONDERFUL ones, and some complete waste ones...
So I am glad you have realized this uns a loser and your going to seek out a better Dr. Maybe your T can help you compile a list of questions for right from the start.
Eg, how do you deal with patients that have extreeme anxiety and dissociation around pelvic exams?...the answer would proly tell you ALOT.
I hope your search will find a new and good Dr soon for you.
Hang in there, I'm sorry its going so rough for you :-(
Muffled
Posted by Wittgenstein on September 12, 2007, at 5:27:06
In reply to Re: One more thing..., posted by TherapyGirl on September 10, 2007, at 20:59:52
TG,
I'm sorry that the appointment was so infuriating. On the plus side, at least it wasn't traumatic - but you need a caring doctor not just on her good days but on ALL days.
Aren't there gyn docs out there with a specialism in patients with fear of/reactions to pelvic exams - you'd think they would?? Is there no possibility to have the exam done under sedation? This is common practice for children having various types of examinations and it's not unhealthy even when frequent.
In the Netherlands I know they use laughing gas for patients who have extreme fear of injections - perhaps something like this could be considered?
Witti
Posted by TherapyGirl on September 12, 2007, at 6:45:28
In reply to Re: One more thing..., posted by Wittgenstein on September 12, 2007, at 5:27:06
Thanks, Witti.
Yeah, you'd think it wouldn't be this hard to find a doctor with experience dealing with painful and traumatizing exams (for whatever reason they're that way). I'm going to try, but even in trying to research various reasons for the pain, I have found very little discussion of it. So I suspect I'm not going to know how a doctor reacts to it until I get in there and talk to them.
It's very frustrating. But you're right -- at least it wasn't traumatic.
This is the end of the thread.
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