undressing in front of nurse?

I would  like to ask the men on this forum if they had to  undress in front of the nurse when they were called in from the waiting room to have the biopsy done.  Also, did

anyone have to witness the nurse preparing the biopsy

probe? I do have a valid reason for asking this.  Please bear with me. 

Thank you so much,

Wiggyann

husband 68 at diagnosis

psa 7.3 

Gleason 7

Adenocarcinoma found in 8 out of 12 cores

Stage T1c

Treatment:  25 IMRT and brachytherapy

psa around 10 months 0.7 

I also can relate to this with a big yes. I’ll even go one step further, I had radiation treatment not surgery and had to lower my pants and draws every morning on the table in front of not one but two nurses. By treatment 30, I got over it.

Jim

Thank you Dale, I appreciate your response

I had been reading several medical sites online which told what a biopsy was like and the ultrasound probe was always described as being the size of a cigar or a fat finger. My husband told me when the nurse opened the door to the room where she was taking him, the first thing he saw was a large cylinder shaped object standing on a table. He said it was much larger than he thought it was going to be. Then, she told him to take off both pairs of his pants, but said he could leave his shirt on. After that, she had him sit down in a chair next to the table while she put a condom on the ultrsound probe and began lubricating it right there in front of my husband. (I couldn't believe what he was telling me )

Then, she had him get up and cross over to the bed which was there in the room and lay down. Now, he is nude from the waist down and his backside is facing the nurse as he walks over to the bed. There is no reason why my husband's privacy should have been violated like that, nor was there any reason for the nurse to prepare the equipment in front of my husband.

My husband told me that when he was laying on the bed he kept trying to pull his shirt down to try and cover himself. I know now that most men are given a sheet to over themselves with and the nurse leaves the room while the man changes into a hospital gown or undresses and covers himself with the sheet.

After the urologist came in and performed the biopsy, which I have gone into on another post, He immediately left and then the nurse asked my husband if he was okay and then she told him he could get up. He took several tissues from a box sitting there and began to wipe himself and when he brought his hand back around he said there was blood all over the tissues and all over his hand. He began looking around for some thing to do with the soiled tissues and he finally saw a small waste can over in the corner of the room. He said, " I took several steps towards it and tossed the tissues, but they fell short and missed the waste can. He was going to take more tissues and continue cleaning himself, but decided instead to retrieve the soiled tissues. So, he walked over, bent down and picked them up and as he stood back up, he said he felt himself falling forward and he remembers hearing a crash. And next thing he knew was when he opened his eyes and there were two men and the nurse and they were all three bending over and staring down at him. The one man was the urologist who shares the office with my husband's urologist and he asked him if he was okay. My husband said that he was and then both men helped him to get up. And my husband said to one of them, " I just want to get out of here!" He said there was also another woman in the room and he heard her saying she had heard the crash from out in the hall. I don't understand what the other woman was doing in there while my husband was lying there exposed. None of it makes any sense to me. As a matter of fact, it makes me very angry that he was treated this way. He hurried to get his clothes and he told me later that he has never been so embarrassed and humiliated in his whole life standing there trying to get dressed with all of those people in the room. Then, his urologist opened the door and and asked what was going on. My husband heard the nurse tell the doctor that my husband had fainted and he heard her say, " I saw him starting to fall and I got out of the way." Wasn't it her job to try and help my husband? Then, after everyone had left the nurse had my hsuband lay down and she put some wet paper towels on his head for awhile. Then, she got him up and walked him back down the hall and when she opened the door to the waiting room door, she said, " He fainted." And everyone in the waiting room heard her and saw my husband standing there. I have been told since my several professional people that this nurse violated the HIPPA by saying what she did when other people could hear her.

My husband said he thought she handled the whole thing very poorly, but wouldn't tell the urologist because he didn't want to cause a problem. Also, he was concerned that the urologist might drop him as a patient. I still think he should be told. This nurse should never have treated my husband that way.

I would appreciate your thoughts on what happened.

Wiggyann

At this point in my life. so many doctor and nurses have seen me naked I really don't care anymore. A few years ago I had to have an annal fissure repaired. During the operation my feet were in styrups and I'm sure my penis was held out of the way with surgical tape. I remember there being a sign on the OR door about not entering the OR unless needed for privacy reasons. A nice touch in my opinion.

I actually feel for the doctors and nurses. Being exposed to this day in and day out has got to have a desensatizing affect on them.  Do they look at their partners privates with a clinical view?

Now don't get me wrong, I'm HAPPY that DREs are a thing of the past for me!!! I never did like the goopy mess.

My worst experience was when I had a cysts copy. Before I saw he doctor, a nurse in her 20s, came in, no one else in the room she told me to take my clothes off, got a syringe and stuck the tip in my penis, said "this is going to hurt". It did.

Thanks Lungman,

I sure enjoyed reading your post and really wish my husband's
experience had been as professional as yours. I know he would have felt a lot better about it. I would have too

I didn't mention this in my post, but many men are very anxious when they go in to have a prostate biopsy and for them to walk into the room and see a large ultrsound probe standing on the table can be quite upsetting. One would think a urologist would know this.

Sounds like you ae doing good, so happy for you.
Wiggyann

husband 68 at diagnosis
psa 7.3 ..... Gleason 7
Stage T1c eight out of twelve cores positive
for adenocarcinoma. Treatment 25 IMRT and Brachytherapy
psa at ten months 0.7

Dear lvdgs,

Thanks so much for your post. I really enjoyed reading it and you made my day I thought maybe I was overreacting. I don't know if it will ever stop making me angry when I think about it. I hope so.

I have often wondered if she treats other men the way she treated my husband that day. Surely, one of them would have complained about it. Maybe, she sensed my husband was vulnerable and knew she could get away with it. He was very nervous and just wanted to get it over with.

I never thought about the sanitary issue... no there was no tissue. I've often wondered if the urologist knows how she handles the men she is preparing for the biopsy. Maybe he does and it's okay. I don't think so, though. She usually has about 10 or 15 minutes alone with these men until he goes back there to do the biopsy, then as soon as he is finished, he leaves.

Thanks for posting
Wiggyann

After 64 years of having nobody else but my Mother, the boys in gym showers and my wife seeing me naked, I spent the last 3 month's with my pants off more than on.

At this point, I'd join a nudist colony and really not care.

This journey kind of numbs you to bothering about who see's your package.

Your husband will feel the same way shortly.

I have to agree with mlbsm, Roger and ziggy on this topic, but realize that every person is different in their view of things.

I saw the biopsy instrument.  It was in full view.  I was not offended by it.  I was there to have a biopsy performed and until reading this thread, it never occured to me that it would not be in full view.  Not like someone put it in my face and taunted me with it....lol.

As for the nudity, having prostate cancer and being shy about others seeing your genitals do not go well together.  I laughed and told my wife that every medical staff person at the hospital came in to check, adjust and assess my catheter while I was in the hospital....most of those were female nurses.  One gets used to it pretty quickly.  In the grand scheme of things......concern over life and death issues related to this disease got me over any initial embarrassment QUICKLY.

Just a few weeks ago I sat in my urologist's office while we judged the quality of my erection after my first penile injection.  After everything else I have gone through, I was not embarrassed at all.

Sorry that this experience bothered you and your husband.  I hope he is doing well after his radiation treatments.  I expect to have radiation later this year.

DanMan

I don't mean to be mean BUT your husband has much more serious things to have on his mind than being nude in front of some nurse.

After being cut on 8 times and now joining the brotherhood of the balloon, nothing I have do I consider private. The young, mostly ladies, who are my nurses have probably seen more old wrinkled hinnies than they care to count.

You husband will survive and I am sure he has not been over tramatized by being seen nude by some young nurse

Richard

This is a sensitive thread.  I think all should consider that.

Wiggyanns husband was violated in the sense that it wasn't acceptable to him.  In much the same way that a man's bad joke in the office is harassment, so is a lack of sensitivity by a female nurse in a vulnerable situation forced by a bout with cancer.  There is already enough on ones mind that if they have a reservation about this kind of thing it has to be respected.  I too have seen enough nurses that this is easily overlooked.  I can joke that there was a day that I would have gladly have dropped 'em in front of a cute nurse.  And I wasn't looking for a laugh.  But this likely won't be the first time for Wiggyanns husband.  As we move on, our dignity is only protected by the way we accept these situations on a personal level. 

So Wiggyann,

You're right to feel this as violation, but you are not through.  During this surgery nothing is hidden.  They see it all.  The toughest part of this is for the professionals to maintain the highest standard to prevent these feelings but they are not perfect.  Afterall, they came running after the fall.  That is a good thing.  They are not used this happening.  Your husband is OK.  You have not been through anything that other professionals don't understand.  Nothing to be embarrassed by, and nothing to be ashamed of.  Just an individuals experience.  Hang in there.  you have much work to do....getting healthy again.

Tony

Kw

Thanks so much for your post and kind words. My husband was treated for prostate cancer during the first half of 2007.

We have a son who is 45 and has never been tested for psa.
I noticed that you are the same age and I wondered if you had any symtoms or if your psa was getting high when you were diagnosed?

Hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise.

Thanks again,
Wiggyann

Husband
age 68 at diagnosis
psa 6.6 at biopsy
Gleason 7
8 cores postive out of 12
Stage T1c
25 IMRT and Brachytherapy

Wiggy - thanks for sharing this part of your journey with all of us.  Our warm thoughts go out to you.

about your 45 yr. old son . . .he MUST get checked.  Even if just to have a "base number" to start with.  Bob's dad had prostate cancer in his late 70's and Bob started getting checked right after that time . . .his PSA was always 2 . . .the minute it climbed, action was started and the cancer was found early.  So important to keep an eye on this, especially when there is a family history.

Good luck in your journey and stay with us and keep us posted.

;o) Linda & Bob