Ladies...

Are you doing yearly Pap smears?
My doc brought it up awhile ago and I told him I wasn't interested.
Is that dumb? What do your GI /gyn recommend?
Maybe I should rethink my decision. I'm assuming my doc would be happier if I did.
Kinda concerned to have the exam, heard horror stories. Also, I see so many docs already and it's crazy already

Thanks y'all

My dear wife has never had one in her life, and she's 32.

I've never had an abnormal reading so I go every 3 years. Paps are really not bad. I'm older than you and I've had many in my lifetime. If anything, I might a bit of light cramping for a day.

I go once a year. Have been for many years. It's really important.

Yeah tell me about it, it worries me a lot as well. She's very anti-doctor, really to a medical-phobic level, and arrogant that she's perfectly healthy. Getting her to a doctor would be extremely difficult. In the 9 years I've known her, she's been to the doctor only once and begrugenly, because a physical was required to register for graduate school. She declined the pap and everything that was at all possible to say no to >.<

I was going yearly but after many normal I get one about every 2 years. Seriously with a good gentle doctor it isn't really that bad. I would take that a million times over then doing a colonoscopy prep. Find a good recommended dr that you feel comfortable with and just go for it.
B

thanks guys... i just feel kind of young to be going to a gyn- just 21 (i know that is normal)
I have my physical in a few weeks (sometimes I wonder why we even do that being all the docs us IBDers see) and I can ask my doc for someone who people like, I dont know why I am so uneasy about this.
you would think after getting c-scopes, rectal exams, etc I would be fine with a measly pap...

I know that abnormal smears are increased with imuran, but no good evidence that cervical cancer is higher.
technically guidelines are every 3 years for healthy people
and yearly for people on imuran

ipoop- I'm not trying to hijack the thread but is there something that makes your wife apprehensive of seeing a doc, was anyone in her family sick? is she scared of being looked at as vulnerable? was she ever sick as a child, not taken seriously,?have a bad experience with a doc?

I was on birth control and going to the OB at that age - I actually saw a midwife who did wellness screenings... I didn't want to get pregnant. I've never wanted children. The pap itself only takes a minute.It feels like a little scratch and can cause light cramps - but often there is nothing. Sometimes they do a swab to check for bacteria/yeast/STI, especially if you're sexually active. It's not a big deal, and it's definitely smart to get in the habit of doing this stuff, though I always go to female doctors. Never felt good about having a man poking around down there in that type of setting. I know some GPs (or Family doctors) also do it, but I don't feel too comfortable with that either. I've been seeing the same lady for quite a few years now. It's less awkward after you've seen someone a few times.

iPoop, I thought you guys had children. Pregnancy would cause her to have to go to the OB...

Dikid said...
ipoop- I'm not trying to hijack the thread but is there something that makes your wife apprehensive of seeing a doc, was anyone in her family sick? is she scared of being looked at as vulnerable? was she ever sick as a child, not taken seriously,?have a bad experience with a doc?

Her dad is a volunteer EMT and her mom has been a medical assistant for years and is currently at an OBGYN office (and not even the offer of her being there would help), go figure. She says no doctor has ever helped her with an issue that bothered her. I'm sure she had flus, colds, and shots like any kid does. No health history other than that (not even stitches). I can't figure it out for the life of me. She recites some pills she was given once, that made her throwup and her parents forced her to take anyways, I believe for a poison ivy outbreak or strep throat or something. She went on an ambulance run a couple times and then never again. Not sure if trauma is the cause. It's deep ingrained phobic stuff. She gets violent, mean, and defensive when trying even basic medical exposures that at home from a medical phobia self-help book (and as therapists are doctors prescribing pills, well you get the idea that's never happening). Nearly got divorced upon my initial diagnosis, ugly times when she was extremely unsupportive and disruptive. Now we don't talk about my medical issues, my business only, it's a system that works however imperfect. She's toned down a lot in some issues over time, even a little empathetic at my recent minor flare which obviously she could tell had happened.

NotSoSicklyGirl said...
iPoop, I thought you guys had children. Pregnancy would cause her to have to go to the OB...

Nope no kids, and no plans for them either. I'm sure her fear of all things medical are a contributing factor. She isn't on birth control due to the mandatory OBGYN visit. Just use condoms, probably should get myself a vasectomy lol.

DiKid, not to be a nosey Parker but if you are sexually active, then definitely get the pelvic exam. If you are not, then you could probably put it off a bit until you are ready but agree with KulinaryKidz, for sure get the hpv vaccine. My son is almost 21, he had the vaccine, which I'm glad, he has a serious girlfriend, adult relationship and all that. It's good protection for down the road.

@ipoop, a friend of mine, she eschews all doctors as well, says they are only out for money, in the tank for the drug companies, yadda, yadda, yadda. She flipped out when she found out I was on Humira, said I could be cured naturopathicly, Humira will do bad things. As if I don't worry enough. And real nice, she posted this gawd awful video on my FB timeline, of someone with disfiguring psoriasis, they said Humira caused. Anyhoo, unlike your wife, she's not the healthiest person, loves her wine and rich food and doesn't do a lick of exercise. Well, she saw a doctor...in the ER, by way of ambulance. Very high blood pressure but she follows none of the doctor's advice or takes meds prescribed. I figure her next ambulance ride is going to be a slow one, to the morgue. At least your wife is healthy and takes care of herself, despite not seeing doctors. Sorry you don't get the support you need. I appreciate the support I get from my hubs, all my fears, quirks and anxieties, he's a great sounding board. He can't handle watching me inject my Humira though, he about passed out the one time he watched.