i am sooo nervous because my 19 th birthday is coming up and i am afraid my parents will want me to go to a gynocologist soon. i have like a huge phobia of even having to take off my bra and just wear the paper robe thing when i go to the doctor. i want to know what to expect. how is it? do they really poke you or is it just a quick look?
2007-08-22 20:16:21 · 9 answers · asked by BRASiL 01 5 in Health ➔ Women's Health
You are considered an adult at the age of 19, so your parents cannot force you to see a doctor.
Eventually, though, for your feminine health, it would be a good idea to look around for a good OB/GYN doctor. Whether male or female is your decision.
It is ideal to begin screening for cervical cancer at about your age. The doctor uses a metal or plastic speculum to open your vagina (if you are a virgin, this test will not cause problems) and take a swab of your cervix. During a pelvic exam, the doctor inserts a gloved finger into your vagina (again, no problems to a virgin) and is able to gauge the size of your uterus and ovaries by pressing on your stomach down towards the gloved finger. These tests are uncomfortable, but not painful.
Good luck.
2007-08-22 21:24:46 · answer #1 · answered by ripsgracie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As some of the others have said being over 18 your parents can't make you go although it is a good idea.
If you have a good primary care physician they can do your annual exam and pap smear. Mine had done so from the time I was 18 until I started having health problems with my female organs and then I started seeing a gynecologist at 25. When I started having problems with my health in that area at around 25 I thought I was too young to need a gynecologist. I didn't figure I would need one til I was 30. I was off my mark as far as guessing by 5 years.
I have been going to the gynecologist since for my health issues. Most primary care physicians if they know a lady has health problems in that area (and some even prefer to leave the annual exam and pap smear to the gynecologist which is a good idea because they do them everyday of the week) prefer to let the gynecologist take care of the problem.
As for the exam itself, they will have you put on a robe for the top and a drape for the bottom. After the doctor comes in they will then do an exam of your breasts by asking you to lift one arm up above your head so they can feel around. After they do that they will ask you to lift the other arm so they can do the other side.
When done they may also feel your abdomen around where your intestines and liver are to make sure that there is nothing out of the ordinary there. After that they will then insert a speculum (an instrument that looks like the bill of a duck) in to your vagina so that they can look at the discharge to see if anything out of the ordinary is there such as with an infection. Then take samples of that discharge to get sent off for analysis.
Then they will take a special brush that is used for taking cells from your cervix. This is then put on a slide that then gets sent to the lab for further analysis. After that they will then take one hand and put it in your vagina to feel the uterus and ovaries to make sure there is nothing abnormal there. Then with their free hand they will put that one on top of your abdomen (this is what they call the bimanual exam-exam with two hands) and press down. They are checking for anything out of the ordinary in this fashion as well such as to make sure there are no masses.
On the pap smear you may notice a bit of spotting for a couple days after the test but that is normal because of the irritation of the brush that was used. It will take about a week or two to get the results back.
2007-08-22 23:09:17 · answer #2 · answered by sokokl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are over 18 you are legally an adult, and your parents cannot make you do anything at all. You have the right to refuse to see a doctor or have any kind of medical test or examination. If you go it should be your choice.
Unless you are having some sort of a problem, it is not necessary to see a gynecologist at 19. If you are sexually active you may want contraception or STI screening, but a pelvic exam is not necessary for either. You don't need a pap smear until three years after first vaginal sexual intercourse.
2007-08-22 21:15:45 · answer #3 · answered by Riveting Rosie 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You should go to the gynecologist at this age. It's very important to have yearly checkups for cervical cancer, and to learn how to do monthly self breast examinations. It's not the most pleasant place to be, and you do have to take off your bra and underwear. They will be checking you "down there" and feeling for lumps in your breasts. But, the gynecologist is one doctor you shouldn't ignore. Just get used to it because between yearly exams, future pregnancies, and just general female questions, your gynecologist will become someone you see quite often over the years.
2007-08-22 20:23:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
As you are 19 your parents can't force you to see a gynaecologist! You should always think that when you go to see a Doctor its for your benefit. They are there to help you. They see thousands of people each year in a state of undress and for them its normal. Don't worry, get yourself checked out and then you can relax and think "why was I so scared?"
2007-08-22 22:07:55 · answer #5 · answered by erica 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry about it. I had my first pap smear at age 18 and I went by myself. To make it even more exited the gyno was a man lol! So the first person to do me a pap was a man gyno. I wanted the nurse to do it to me, but she told me that the gyno wanted to do it himself, go figure! I was really worried and self conscious at first, but then things turned out fine. It wasn't soo bad.
2007-08-22 23:51:35 · answer #6 · answered by ******* 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not to worry, as it is a part and parcel of life. And indeed it does save lifes. Basically they will check your blood pressure, urine test, do a breast examination or maybe a pelvic examination. If u do feel uncomfortable, perhaps u can ask for a female dr. Good luck :)
2007-08-22 20:22:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
if you are virgin yet they have a rapid look and very small examination
but if you are not you have some Strong examination but every thing is hard for the first time
2007-08-22 20:25:53 · answer #8 · answered by contramin 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
you should not fear medical professionals they are there to help insure your good health not to judge you, go to the link to learn more! best wishes!
http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/pelvicinfo.html
2007-08-22 20:35:48 · answer #9 · answered by gynodoc 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋