Anyone ever refused an anal exam?

Hi
no im not given an anal exam each appointment but the doc does do them YEARLY OR EVERY 2 YRS
let him know how yoou feel
i find that i hv a great relationship with all my docs as im totally upfront n
i want them to be as well

LET DOC KNOW U ARE NOT COMFY WITH IT
just a thought
lyn

I had one GI doctor that wanted to do a rectal exam and being that I thought it would help with the exam I let him but not only did it hurt, he was to rough, and I couldn't understand what he found out from doing it at all. Anyway, now I tell any doctor "no" regarding recatal exams because I have my colorectal surgeon for that and she puts me out. When your doctor is getting ready to do it you can just tell him "no".

My new GI doctor wanted to do a rectal exam last week and me and my husbund both told him at the same time "No" (especially being that I just had the seton drain put in a week before that) and he just said "ok".

It's really hard to justify a rectal exam given the limited information it will provide.  I have no problem saying no, and I've never had a doctor give me a hard time about it, ever.

Follow Nancy Reagan's advice and "Just say no."

He might be looking for fissures, skin tags, hemorrhoids, etc., but if they were giving you trouble, you'd probably bring them to his attention.

I refused once when they wanted to let a medical student do an exam to get more "practice" so I told him to practice on his own anus. They are all pretty much alike. He thought it was funny.

My doc only does an anal exam if I am having specific problems like hemmies. Do you need a new doc? He shouldn't be rough with you, and you should be able to ask for his reasoning for doing the exam.

Next time your doc wants to do one just say," YOu know Doc, these anal exams are getting to be a real pain in the butt." Then ask him why he needs to do it so often. If he has a good reason then you need to allow it to be done because he may find something that could save your life or prevent further medical problems. You can always have fun with him and ask when he is done if he wants his wedding ring back. That may help avoid one on your next visit. I am really surprised to read posts on here about people that have never had an anal exam, especially if you are bleeding or end up in the E.R.

I guess you guys never heard of anal cancer being found early by a rectal exam. If the Dr is too rough tell him to be more gentle. I tell mine. Maybe if Fara had one she might be alive today...Once a year for a check is not a bad idea. If you got IBD it is even more important, no.?

Mine hasn't done an anal exam since the first time I went there. They initially thought I had hemmeroids but didn't feel anything during the exam. I went for a flex sig, next thing you know, I am diagnosed with UC. I haven't had that exam since. I go to a female GI, I would be very uncomfortable having a male doctor.

I can't even count the number of anal exams I have had over the past 5 or so years since I got sick. While I agree they are not fun, I don't think they are that bad either. I have had them at the Mayo, at the local ER's, in the hospital, by my various GI Docs over the years - some are more gentle than others but they have all had their reasons for doing it. With a disease like this one, I think you have to take control, be your own advocate and play a leading role in your health care but I have also had to deal with the fact that a disease that heavily involves "butts and guts" is not pleasant and there are times that I just need to deal with that. The good news is that they are quick and they do give the Doctor the ability to check for blood, to test your stool, to address any abnormal abcess or mass, to address hemorrhoids, etc......

If you are uncomfortable with him then you should ask him why he is doing it and see if his answer satisfies you. If he is too rough or if you are just not OK with him then you should get a new GI. I have fired many Docs in 5 years in search of the right one. There are a lot of good Docs out there, don't feel bad about searching until you find the right one for you.

Good luck!

My first anal exam was Feb. 2009. My doc felt something and long story short it was Prostate cancer.Glad he found it.

Personally, I think the doc wanting to do anal exams for every office visit is sick and twisted. There are no benchmark standards or research supporting such approach. I personally would ask for the literature, rationale or whatever else to make him defend himself medically. If he can't, time to find a new GI. Doc's are humans too and sometimes have personality flaws. . . you are a consumer and have the right to be treated with dignity, respect as well as being an informed consumer.

I've lost count how many times I've had a rectal exam.

Bear in mind, I was a kid when I first got sick and it just goes to show how sick I was that I really didn't care how many times I got poked.

It only hurt when I was younger, I think because I had a fissure.

Now, I seem to get a rectal whenever I'm in the ER or whenever I get any new doc on my case.

Since I have a perianal fistula, I also get the joy of a rectal and vaginal exam at the same time, but it's never hurt.

Maybe your doc has no finesse.

If it's about being embarassed, well, there's no room for that when you have Crohn's.