Question for the women, men enter at your own peril!

Do any of you women find your gyno exams to be extremely painful? I do, probably one of the most painful things that I have to go through, worse than my worst fibro flare. I know I need to make an appointment for my annual exam and I'm really dreading it. Last time I had it done was before the fibro got really bad, and now I'm afraid that it's going to be 10 times worse. I wouldn't even go, but my OB-GYN won't give me my birth control pills if I don't have an annual exam and I need them to treat my PCOS.

I always try to tell my OB-GYN how painful it is for me and she kind of just brushes it off and says it's just very painful for some women. Everyone says that it won't hurt if I just relax, but how can I relax if I already know it's going to be more painful than anything else I've ever gone through? I remember one time I asked if a smaller instrument could be used and it wasn't as painful that time. Then the visit after that I made the same request and it hurt like hell, so either the doctor ignored me that time, or I can't even handle the smaller instruments anymore. I guess it wouldn't surprise me if I couldn't handle the smaller instruments considering that I can't even use tampons.

I could really appreciate some advice or even just some stories from people going through the same thing so I know I'm not alone.

Yes, I have that problem, too.  I needed a uterine biopsy last winter and they had to do it through outpatient surgery.  I was put under anesthesia for something that usually can be done in the office...painfully, albeit.

 

Sherrine

I find the exams very painful, the dr seems to push too hard, the instruments all feel too big, and the pressure is too much. I had a uterine biopsy a few yrs ago before the hysterectomy. I had it in the office and it hurt like crazy, the dr. couldn't believe it hurt that badly. And last but not least, why the heck are their hands always like ice? There is just nothing pleasant about those visits, but walking out and not coming back for a yr. I think I got that out of my system.

God bless.  Alice.

Your not alone hun. I think it is very common actually in women with fibro as well as the pcos I have that as well. I remeber begging my doc to cut out my ovary crying right there in her office saying how I just wanted to feel normal in that area anyway. I would get oversized cysts all the time that would rupture and take me out for days on end. The only thing that helped was depo. However even now most intimate contact down there can be sometimes very painful for me. I  never had this problem till after I had my son. Then my sex life went really down hill. It got to be almost impossible to even think about let alone do anything. I dread going to the gynocologist for anything anymore let alone a pelvic. No matter what you tell them they think your over reacting till one day I went in and I told the doc I was having a bad pain day and asked if she wouldn't mind using the speculum made for teenagers she kind of snickered under her breath and used the med to large adult one. I screamed so loud and out of reflex kicked her right in the head and almost punched her in the nose. Needless to say next time I went in she used the smallest speculum she had in the office. (not saying you need to kick your doc in the head but hey if talking doesn't work they can't say anything if you prewarn them lol) Just make the doctor take the time to sit down with you and explain your pain sensitivity due to the fibro and if she simply will not listen I would recomend finding a new doc, because she obviously doesn't care about your health and well being if she can knowingly inflict pain even after you explain your fears and concerns with her first. She may not be a specialist or have much knowledge with the disease because maybe he or she just may not feel it is relevent to their practice. You can do some research on the web about women with fibro and gynocological pain. Take it into them to read while you are getting ready or changing it maybe something they were not aware of. Many doctors if you have not noticed know less about the disease than the patients they are trying to treat. Hope this helps and don't feel bad my annual was due 2weeks ago and it kind of, sort of, but not really, convieniently, slipped my mind to go. Grrr now I have to reschedule yuck. But like you they won't give me my depo with out it so I have to go. Your not alone hun hope I at least made ya snicker a bit about my doc story. I will cross my fingers for you that the doc listens this time.

Hehe, I wouldn't mind kicking her but I doubt I'd do that. What I was planning to do was not to let her touch me until she showed me all the instruments she has so I can pick the smallest one and make sure she uses it. As I said after I make the appointment I'll leave a message for her to call me so I can explain the situation and make sure that she's going to do everything in her power to make this as easy for me as possible and if she doesn't seem like she's going to cooperate, then I can just cancel and try to find a new doctor.

I wish I could refuse, but as I said, my doctor insists on these yearly exams or she won't give me the medication I need.

They are painful for me too. Theyhae been painful for me before the idea of Fibro came up. They had never hurt before I had my son, and when I had the first test done after he was born, I was told it was because I was going back to normal down there. But they continue to hurt. No matter how gentle the doctor is, it just hurts so much that I start to cry. I read somewhere that Fibro can cause that kind of pain...

If I can be honest on here...I find it hard to be intimate with my husband anymore, even when I am in the mood, because it seems to hurt almost all the time. The only time it doesn't seem to hurt is when I am on my pain meds...It makes things hard, because it makes me feel like I am being a bad wife. I know that there is way more to a relationship than sex, but it still seems to fill the air with tension. Does anyone else have this problem?

(I feel slightly embarrassed about mentioning that, but I feel like I can be honest here...sorry if this offends anyone or anything like that...)

yes. i hate going to the obgyn

when i was pregnant it was the worst. my doc had the hardest time examining me...i just could not relax because the pain was so intense....then while in labor i just about kicked her when she was checking me....

it's hard for someone who does not experience intensified pain to understand how we feel.....so they just brush it off like it can't be that bad...

Well to be honest the Ibuprofen will help ease any swollen tissues however, it may have little effect as to specified pain reduction in that area. Now On that note Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory so if you currently have any active cysts it can help with the reduction of the inflammation associated with the blood pocket filling over the ovary. This often does cause inflammation however, what the nurse you spoke with may not realize is that there is a major nerve cluster that runs the lining of both sides of the vaginal wall and how it can effect the nerve centers in a fibromyalgia patient. I am a nationally certified pharmacy technician and do have extensive training with other fibromyalgia related information. Also suffering from fibro has made me seek out medical information that the average patient doesn't get to see. One thing I would suggest you discuss with your rheumatologist is a specified dosing plan for things like this. One thing you do not want to do is to blindly follow a nurses advice as to taking prescription nsaids(like ibuprofen) as many other fibro medications can have serious drug interactions and possible life threatening side effects with medications this nurse may not be aware that you are taking. Always, and I can not stress this enough ALWAYS tell all doctors all meds you are taking and if you fill locally at one pharmacy and you also use a mail service pharmacy make sure everyone is 100% up to date on all medications as well as over the counter medications and vitamin supplements you may be taking. Sadly enough there are several patients who suffer horrible long term effects as well as many patients die every year from direct drug to drug interactions. So please make sure what ever dr you see has a complete list of all meds. I am guessing your gyno nurse is unaware of the medications you are on to manage your fibro on a daily basis and for her to blindly suggest an nsaid and insist this is the only option tells me she only is parroting what the dr had said and is not comfortable enough to deviate from what she was told to tell you. Many nsaids mixed with meds like cymbalta, lyrica ect. can cause an elevated risk of stroke, heart attack or death. So be sure YOU know as well as your DR knows everything you are taking. Sorry going to get off my soap box now. But I needed to let you know how important it is to discuss these things with your dr. I really hope some of this information helps you out. Don't mind me, I can ramble on sometimes when it comes to medications and medical professionals who make suggestions on medications without being fully aware of what the patient is taking in the first place. GRRRR

Anyway, Good luck with whatever you and your dr decide is best to help you ease the pain.

Still_Kickin_30

Post Edited (still_kickin_30) : 9/16/2008 7:55:15 PM (GMT-6)

 I haven't had a pelvic exam in years. I had a hysterectomy in 2000, and they took ovaries and all. However, I've had extensive dental work done, in the past; root canals, extractions etc. I have found it very helpful to take a couple of tylenol and sometimes a xanax, or muscle relaxer, depending on what I have on hand to help my Fibro pain, prior to (1/2 hr.before) the procedure. It seems to help a lot to avoid the tensing up problem wherein I'm, as one nurse rudely put it, "creating your (my) own pain by being tense" as if I had any control over it.