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I'm an embarrassment, AKA, Shame at the Dermatologist

116 replies

Ilikegreenshoes · 16/10/2022 10:53

This happened a couple of days ago, but I've been alternately laughing and cringing whenever I think of it ever since.

I've been suffering from an intense and horrible itch on my chest, torso, neck and arms. No antihistamines or creams would touch it, I'm on the waiting list already for an allergy test through the public system (I'm in Australia) but got so desperate that I decided to visit a private dermatologist.

Went to the appointment with a pre-written sheet of the relevant info as it's all a bit convoluted. The doctor seemed very nice, a softly spoken man who let me get through my essay, but made me feel like I'd maybe wasted his time by sharing a lot of extraneous info, so I was already feeling a little flustered which always makes me talk and laugh a bit too much.

So, here's the bit where I showed myself up. Dr asked me if I was wearing a bra, and if so could I take my top off so he can see the extent of the problem. I had failed to factor in that he may want me to disrobe, as I thought he could just look at my neck and chest (it all looks the same.) I am large, with big boobs, and hadn't mentally prepared to be seen in all my glory (shame?) by a strange man just before school pickup!

But I said, with a bonhomie that I was far from feeling, "Sure, no worries," and then remembered that I was wearing a bodysuit under my t-shirt. Laughingly I said, "Oh, I'm wearing a bodysuit, hold on," and, standing up, I plunged my hand too quickly down the front of my trousers and started trying to undo the snaps, which I can only imagine made me appear to be playing with myself. Having stood up too quickly and tried so hard to remain nonchalant, I realised that my foot had become entangled in the strap of my handbag, so I stood on one foot in the middle of the room, one hand desperately fiddling around my fanny, and the other leg shaking the strap off.

Of course, all this time I was talking and laughing, trying to show just how very unconcerned I was by the whole fiasco, whilst mentally asking myself what the hell I thought I was playing at.

Finally, I get the top and bodysuit off, and stand there in my (massive, old) bra and hear the doctor say, "Oh, you were wearing a bodysuit? They're a good idea, aren't they?"

So, he hadn't heard me, and had just watched me dance around on one foot with my hand down the front of my pants laughing like a lunatic. And was clearly so discombobulated by my performance that he didn't know what to say, apart from what a good idea bodysuits are?!?!?!

Well, there's my sorry tale, I hope it has entertained someone. Please share your own tales so I feel less like a loser.

OP posts:
mamabear715 · 16/10/2022 10:55

Brilliant! :-)
Ah, we've all been there, in one form or another, don't worry!

Shrewsbury247 · 16/10/2022 11:08

😂😂😂😂😂

Dinoteeth · 16/10/2022 11:14

What was his conclusion on your skin?

Interested in this thread?

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OytheBumbler · 16/10/2022 11:18

GrinBlushGrinGrin

Ilikegreenshoes · 16/10/2022 11:26

Thanks Mamabear. 😆

Dinoteeth, it's very kind of you to ask. He suspects some form of dermatitis. Prescribed strong steroid cream and requested blood test.

OP posts:
BEAM123 · 16/10/2022 11:28

That's hilarious!

My ex had a friend who went for a medical exam, the doctor said to him, 'I will just need to take a look in your ears' and swivelled his seat around for a moment. When he turned back, the bloke was on his knees in front of him 😂. Cue the doctor looking confused and slightly alarmed. He hadn't realised the doctor would bring the otoscope to him while he remained seated .....

Another story, the same ex came with me for support as I have a phobia of smear tests and also needed a lift home afterwards as I had to have diazepam to go through with it. He sat at the head end holding my hand and the nurse suggested he make me laugh to distract me and make me relax. In that moment, apparently the only thing that came to his mind was to sing a kids guinea pig song. So I'm there like Winnie the Pooh, i.e. naked from the waist down except for my socks. The nurse is rummaging around trying to find my tilted cervix. I'm shaking and sobbing and slightly out of it, and ex is singing the Guinea Pig song.......

waterlego · 16/10/2022 11:32

Hahahaha! Oh OP, this is exactly the sort of thing that would happen to me. Very embarrassing but very funny for the rest of us to hear about, and you write very well- I could totally picture the scene 😂

Glad you are getting some treatment for the skin problem though and I hope the embarrassment soon fades.

PeloFondo · 16/10/2022 11:32

I went for an ultrasound and pulled down my jeans waistband to reveal these Blush

I'm an embarrassment, AKA, Shame at the Dermatologist
Thinkingblonde · 16/10/2022 11:56

I was having some teeth extracted under GA, Wisdom teeth. I need a GA because local don’t work on me.
I didn’t take a dressing gown because the last time the theatre was right next to the waiting room so the hospital gown was all I needed. This time however, they’d had a change round, it was in a different theatre down a long corridor past other open waiting rooms.
The hospital gown was the tie at the back type and we all know how they have a tendency to flap open when you don’t want them to.
I had to walk down this corridor, past loads of patients. One nurse took pity on me as I passed by and ran after me and gave me another gown to wear over the other one, but tied at the front. I could have kissed her feet.

red4321 · 16/10/2022 12:27

That's made me laugh a lot.

Not on your scale but I had a hip replacement recently and the surgeon did tell me to avoid wearing skinny jeans. His face when I'm hopping around his room trying to tread on the bottoms (I can't lean down to grab the ankle ends) so I eventually can get them off is a mixture of horror and pity.

We then move on to part two where I have to pull my pants up and he pinches different areas of my bare bottom to see where the post-surgical tenderness is. Strangely I find the most mortifying part is him washing his hands afterwards and the way he phrases the bottom pinching procedure in his letter to the GP.

red4321 · 16/10/2022 12:33

Oh and I recently thought I hadn't removed a tampax. My GP surgery refused to find me an appointment so insisted I went to the urgent care at my local hospital.

Strangely no one was all that keen to have a look so they then sent me to A&E where they eventually produced some poor bloke. He decided to use it as a teaching opportunity for the junior doctor so got out the spotlight and there were two faces having a peer. This was bad enough but he kept repeatedly referring to the area in question as a cul-de-sac. To top it all off, I must have removed it when I went to the loo in the night as there was nothing there. I don't ever want to hear the word cul-de-sac again.

mamabear715 · 16/10/2022 12:37

Omg, all these re so funny.. not to those of you who were THERE, obvs, but a great Sunday read!

waterlego · 16/10/2022 12:42

Cul-de-sac! How awful 😂 He should have been more embarrassed than you were for using such a ridiculous euphemism.

waterlego · 16/10/2022 12:44

Strangely I find the most mortifying part is him washing his hands afterwards and the way he phrases the bottom pinching procedure in his letter to the GP.

How was the bottom pinching procedure described?

barbrahunter · 16/10/2022 12:44

I remember once when having a medical examination, the Dr asked me if I had any other health problems. Straight away I replied 'Yes, I'm diabetic'. Except I'm not, and never have been diabetic. I really don't know why I said it, and I had to say 'Oh sorry, no I'm not, my mistake haha'. He gave me a very odd look and looked closely at my notes.

I felt such a fool and I will never know why I said what I said. Nerves, maybe, but why say that??

red4321 · 16/10/2022 12:50

waterlego · 16/10/2022 12:42

Cul-de-sac! How awful 😂 He should have been more embarrassed than you were for using such a ridiculous euphemism.

Hmmm! I think he was trying to tell his colleague that there's nowhere for an object to go at the far end so I suppose he had a point.

Once he'd happened upon the phrase, it was used for a step by step teach-in along the lines of "you go to the end of the cul-de-sac, then you move down the cul-de-sac having a look at each stage, until you reach the bottom of the cul-de-sac."

Honestly I was just relieved my cul-de-sac was clear and I could go home and pretend it never happened.

Ilikegreenshoes · 16/10/2022 13:01

Oh my goodness! These stories are amazing! 😂
Those undies! The bum pinching! The cul-de-sac! The guinea pig song! The flappy hospital gown! (Been there too, to my shame)

Thanks for sharing. 😂😂😂

OP posts:
Ilikegreenshoes · 16/10/2022 13:02

Hahaha... And the pretend diabetes too! 😂

OP posts:
RaininSummer · 16/10/2022 13:05

That is very funny. Bet it made him laugh more later too. At least he didn't refer you for some kind of mental health assessment based on your antics.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 16/10/2022 13:13

There was a power cut once at my gp while I was having a smear and the gp carried out by putting on a headlamp!

More recently I took off my bra at a mammogram and had the radiologist say 'oh....what's that?'.
I looked down to find a small googly eye stuck to my boob. I couldnt blame my dc as they are adults. And I coukdbt blame my primary school job as it was late August! Not a clue where it came from.

Noelfieldingsjumpers · 16/10/2022 13:16

@barbrahunter 😂😂😂

Incrediblebuttrue · 16/10/2022 13:22

I once had a smear where the dr moved an angle poise lamp in closer, the hot bulb touched my thigh, I yelped and reflexively kicked and caught her in the face. I don't know who was more embarrassed.

Noelfieldingsjumpers · 16/10/2022 13:27

I've always had gynae problems and had to have an internal examination in my early 20s. I still don't know how it happened but I had to lie on my side and pull one leg up towards my chest. I think the doctor must have used too much lubricant on her glove because her finger slipped right up my bumhole Blush I didn't know what was going on, just that it felt "wrong" and did a really weird high pitched laugh while she apologised and quickly swapped gloves!

MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 16/10/2022 13:27

Years ago I took MIL to hospital for her op. She was having some varicose veins stripped.

I promised I would stay until she went to theatre. A set of clothes was delivered for her to change into for the procedure. I stepped outside whilst she changed.

When I went back in to sit with her she was wearing a pair of paper pants on her head. I didn't tell her Grin

PanannyPanoo · 16/10/2022 13:27

A friend of mine went for her first contraception jab.
Dr asked her to go behind the curtain.
No other instructions.
She pulled her jeans and pants all the way down and leant over the bed. Dr came in said nothing, quick jab and left.

6 months later she went for her next one. Nurse pulled her leggings and down an inch and injected the top of her buttocks.

Friend was absolutely mortified about her 6 month previous moony to the unsuspecting Dr!