Womens Gynae is still barbaric

well it wasnt any better in my experience.
I had a vaginal prolapse operation 2 years ago, waiting list was 15 months just to see a consultant so I decided to use an inheritance and go private - against all of my principles.
Male gynae consultant seemed all smiles and concern until he did the initial internal examination, it was very uncomfortable, quite painful and he was quite impatient with me.
I paid £6000 for the op and he didn’t even come to see me after the op, I was discharged about 3 hours after the op, no one walked me to the door or asked if i felt ok, I was just handed a pad to put on. I was given no info about how the procedure had gone.
When I went back for the follow up 7 weeks later, I told him it hadn’t worked properly, he stood up, shook my hand and said it must be a urologist consultation next time then as he’d done his job properly.
I chose him as he’d had good reviews but he definitely didn’t get one from me. I’ve had far more comfortable and reassuring experiences on the NHS

How long does a colposcopy take to do?

Urgh rhey should have advised taking pain relief before the procedure.
Our trust has actually started having anurse do an hello and intro about what's going to happen then doing the after talk about aftercare. Its speeds up the consultants time to see people, patients better informed (and less having to deal with consultants who have personalitities of a brick)

Yes I think it varies, the culture of the hospital, the doctor's attitude, the doctor (or other HCP) involved skill level. I imagine pain thresholds and unexpected complications also come into it. Lots of variables.

For every woman with a bad experience there is a man with an equally unpleasant experience.

For gynaecological treatment? Seems rather unlikely.

If its so bad, go private. You can get payment plans. For every woman with a bad experience there is a man with an equally unpleasant experience.

I think it varies so much from place to place, that's the shocking thing. I have just been diagnosed with endometrial cancer and am facing a big op within the next few days. It has all been handled with care and kindness so far. The diagnostics were incredibly painful and intrusive (including internal ultrasound, hysteroscopy and biopsy) but I was helped through it every step of the way with utmost gentleness. I did notice, however, that at that stage of my care, all the staff I saw were women. I don't know if that is policy in that hospital. My surgeon is male, but I had been told it would be, and he seems similarly caring. He was certainly prepared to spend time with me, explaining things in detail and answering questions. I feel so sorry for anyone who has had a horrible or even less than ok experience. I know I would be feeling far more terrified than I am if that had been my experience.

I had to have an transvaginal scan for retained placenta following a c section (don't ask), 4 weeks after birth. I asked if my husband could stay for support after a traumatic birth and was told no. When I pushed and explained why, the doctor (Female) said "what support is he possibly going to be for a little scan?"

Took me 3 years to get them to stop sending me cervical smear requests.etfers emails and even visits to tell the receptionist in surgery and physically hand over another letter saying I want them to stop sending the letters etc

I don't have a cervix so you would think it wouldn't be that much bloody hassle

Ultimately, I winder if we as women, and an expectedly grateful population paternalistically being offered a "free" service have been the architects of such poor standards of service.

I urge every woman to refuse the types of procedures without anaesthesia/adequate pain relief and to be assertive and complain in relation to every episode of discourtesy, unkindness and what can only be described as abuse.

It is unacceptable. It will only change if collectively we make it change and call it out. The NHS is funded by the people for the people and is free only at the point of delivery. How many of you would have settled the Dr's/Hospital's bill in these circumstances had the service been engaged privately? Few I'd have thought.

Vive la revolution!

That's interesting. When I opted out (after horrible colposcopy, and bolstered by the Margaret McCartney article which I had read when it first appeared in the paper) I just didn't do anything. Chucked letters in the bin. I got a letter asking me contact them to withdraw from the programme. Didn't bother. Then got a letter saying they'd taken me off their list.
Great.
Then a couple of years later they starting inviting me for smears again!

I did have a smear yesterday after my gynaecologist instructed me to because she'd seen red marks on my cervix earlier this week. Guess that's fair enough as there's something there to merit investigation. Got transvaginal ultrasound and the dreaded colposcopy coming up too 😔

B1rthdayD1lemna · Today 10:2
Thanks. Before I read this I just felt more embarrassed it’s a male gynaecologist. He’s probably a nice man but Iv never had this before. i will take a couple of strong co codamol before I go in and make sure I get a local anesthetiser if they are going to biopsy me.
Im sure when I spoke to the gp she said they give a local I’m in Scotland.
But I know there is something wrong down there. I had my ovaries and tubes removed last August and now I’m bleeding when the nurse tries to give me a smear. No pain with smear. I had a ct the end of January for other heath problems and that was fine, so where my tumor blood markers In April.

I have withdrawn from the NHS cervical screening programme. I was astounded at the extent to which that request was obstructed. I'd have thought, "I do not wish to do this would be sufficient". But no. It took three requests for them to send the opt out form with increasingly robust instructions to make an appointment meanwhile. When they did eventually send the form they refused to accept the Coompleted form. It had to be printed, required a wet signature, and then had to be posted/hand delivered. One wonders what people who don't have printers, etc. do. Opted out due to hideous past experiences and a retriverted uterus which too many nurses have implied is my fault. Funnily enough, suitably qualified doctors who I pay never ha e the same difficulties and so not cause pain.

I refuse to have any procedure without anaesthetic. I will make a huge fuss about it if I need to do so. This is something we are all going to have to do in order to get equal treatment.

@RedToothBrush curious about what " certain groups" have a higher risk profile for cervical cancer and why

I had to go for a gynae appointment following a TV scan showing a thickened womb lining. The scan was carried out at completely the wrong time in my cycle but my GP insisted.

The letter I received for my appointment had absolutely no information other than the time, date and venue. I arrived and went into the consulting room where the I was told to undress and get in the chair. Not even a hello and an introduction first.

I refused saying I wanted to discuss what was happening first and the doctor looked up at me and sneered saying ‘do you think I’m going to hurt you or something’. I got up and said I wasn’t comfortable with him and certainly wasn’t going to allow him to touch me without a full explanation first and left the appointment. When I got outside the hospital I was shaking with a combination of rage and fear. How dare that doctor dismiss my concerns in such a horrible way.

My GP wasn’t happy but I persuaded them to refer me for another scan at the right time and that one showed no cause for concern.

It pisses me off that women are treated so badly by the medical profession. There seems to be a culture of ‘shut up and put up you silly woman’ and it needs to change.

You are right. It shouldn’t be women in an already vulnerable position having to ask/demand/complain. It’s not acceptable.

I’m so sorry to hear that so many have had awful experiences.

While some are saying “demand XY”,“complain!”, the truth is we shouldn’t have to. HCPs should be knowledgeable, respectful and empathetic enough to explain options to their patients and give awareness of how it might impact them. Surely anything but is against the “do no harm” principle. Women generally have enough jobs to do already!

But, I guess, change rarely happens without a fight…

I’m sorry you’re in pain. Can you contact the clinic to ask in advance about pain relief and put your mind at ease?

It baffles me how medieval gynae/ antenatal care is in the UK. My mum 30 years ago was told she was being dramatic after a c section and they didn't believe the button to press for pain relief wasn't working. They also deliberately left her food tray at the other end of the room so she had to get up and walk. Someone else came in the next day and the cannula wasn't even in her vein! My first smear I was traumatised, I actually felt violated and assaulted if I'm honest, she was so rough and I was screaming, I went home and curled up under my duvet and cried! I recently gave birth and they failed two epidurals and I was screaming that the second one didn't work either and I could feel her ripping me apart and they kept saying I was being ridiculous and I was fine. Afterwards I was referred to as "the famous 3rd degree tear" yet all I was given was paracetamol, yet when I was in a and e recently with someone, a guy who slashed his finger was given dihydrocodeine!!

I've always taken pain killers before any procedure. Uterine biopsy was the most uncomfortable but it wasn't painful.

I’m so sorry OP.

there are a few threads about this, and a campaign about it too. You’re not wrong , it is barbaric.

YANBU

How some women are treated in healthcare is absolutely barbaric.

Why should you have to go private to be given adequate pain relief/be put under GA for a painful procedure!

Came here to say the same thing. 2 separate biopsies done about 20-23 years ago. No anaesthetic. Horrendous pain afterwards. First Dr sounds like your experience. 2nd was much nicer. And the nursing staff were all lovely. They finally did local anaesthetic for the loop excision they had to do after the biopsies came back.

@ellie09 I'm sorry you had to go through this. Barbaric is an appropriate description.

I recently had excellent care by a female consultant with a team of 4 and a student. The experience was still bloody awful (‘lost’ coil removal requiring local anaesthetic, a camera, an ultrasound, pain relief called the ‘green whistle’ and a lot of discomfort on my part) but they did their level best to make me as comfortable as possible including a nurse holding my hand and repeatedly asking if I wanted more pain relief when I was trying to be brave. I felt looked after and cared about.

Some of the experiences on here sound horrific, I’m shocked things like this don’t have minimum standards of care.