to think that this gynecologist was being a bit too germ phobic?

[ikeaismylocal]

I went to the gynecologist today, I'm in the early stages of pregnancy and have been ill with cold/flu symptoms, I have also had some pain in my uterus area. I have ongoing gynecological issues ( heart shaped uterus, fibroids and poly cystic overies) so I wanted to check that all was ok.

I am better from my illness apart from an occasional cough, this often lasts for a couple of weeks after I'm ill.

I told the gynecologist that I'd been ill and she said I shouldn't have come in and she didn't want to get ill, I said I felt better, no fever and no body aches/fatigue but she said that as long as I still had a cough I would be contagious. She did the scan all was ok, I cleared my throat ( not even a cough) and she opened her window and went to stand by it.

I had explained to the receptionist who booked my appointment that I had been ill and she didn't seem to see it as a problem.

Aibu to think that if you work with the general public you have to accept you will occasionally come into contract with people with coughs?

Poor gynaecologist. How ridiculous. You have a cold and cough. She is only in your company for a few minutes. I think her attitude stinks to be honest. People often have coughs for 6-8 weeks after a cold. As long as you cover your mouth with your hand when you cough you will be ok.

I wonder what she thinks we GPs do when our patients have coughs.

YANBU.

I've had a productive cough for six months - am I supposed to stay indoors?!

She was being ridiculously precious!

I cough every day!

That is so unprofessional. Did she not think that becoming a medical professional might mean that she would on occasion come into contact with people who are ill.

I would complain.

Perhaps she had just found out she was pg and was being extra cautious . Does seem a bit ott though. Mine came to see me in hospital when I had pleurisy and was luffly. Was many years ago though and the only bad thing about that birth was that they wouldn;t let me take him home with the baby.

I do wonder if her fear of germs was the reason for her specialisation, I'd imagine you see a lower percentage of infectious patients in gynecology than most other specialisations.

She is a lovely Dr, I've known her for years, just a strange attitude to coughs!

Maybe she has an illness making her prone to infection.

I think she was getting her upper respiratory tract infections mixed up with her urinary tract infections, the silly mare. She was digging around your vagina, not your throat I assume

My GP friend is always harbouring some lurgy or another that she's picked up from a patient. Hazard of the job I imagine. She has a permanent cough at best and at worst days in bed with various viruses.

Possibly an illness making her prone to germs, I don't think she is pregnant, I'd estimate her age to be early-mid 50s.

The gynecology department is in a hospital, I wonder if she holds her breath when she walks from her department to the car park to avoid breathing in germs.

Playing devils advocate how would you feel if a high risk pregnancy caught a cold/flu from her from your ending illness?

A long shot maybe but better safe than sorry.

Maybe she has personal and valid reasons for being particularly germ phobic at the moment.

She could have a close relative that has a weak immune system for one of many reasons.

If you've known her a while, has she always been like this, or is it a recent thing?

Ffs, what does she do when she goes shopping or walks down the street? Germs are everywhere and it's a normal process to pick up infections from time to time.

If she is coming into contact with any immunosuppressed people, she can just wear a gown and mask in order to protect them.

Very odd!

!

I work in a university and have the immune system of a rhinoceros because 2-3 times a year I have a few weeks where germs from across the country get visited upon me when all the students return after vacations. That's what happens when you work with people.

The OP told the receptionist she had been ill. If the doctor is immunosuppressed or is in regular contact with someone who is, logic would dictate she would have asked the reception staff to not book her in with ill patients.

So, either the receptionist screwed up, or the doctor screwed up. Certainly not the OP.

OP I am germ-phobic. When I am talking to people and they say 'oh I'm feeling really under the weather at the moment' or some such, I look for immediate opportunities to shut the conversation down and move away. I hate being ill and am a crap patient. I also have a bit of health anxiety.

I realize that this is totally my issue and that it isn't actually a rational response. I can understand the Dr feeling as she did. Where she crossed the line was to put the blame for this on you by telling you you shouldn't have come in.

Coughing doesn't mean you're contagious! There are lots of viral upper respiratory bugs that give you a post viral cough afterwards, can last months.

I was prepared to say "no surgeon can be too germ phobic" on reading the title, but actually YANBU in the slightest and your gynaecologist was being daft. Oh and you see just as many revolting infections in gynae as you do in any other speciality.

Hope you're feeling better now though!

How odd. And she works in a hospital you say? She must walk to the canteen with a face mask on and use latex gloves to open doors or press the buttons in the lift! Actually she probably has lunch from a sterile box while sitting in her car or something...

I don't think she's odd, she sounds sensible!

BlameIt but presumably you aren't a doctor, a profession that guarantees contact with ill people on a daily basis. Op yanbu

It doesn't matter her reasons for being germ phobic, she was very rude! There is sign outside my local hospital asking people to fuck off if they have D&V but you can't exclude people with the sniffles, although personally, I wouldn't go to a hospital unless I was well.

The hospital also has the local gp's surgery in it so I'm sure lots of ill people visit every day. I left my book so I have to go back and pick it up, might send my dp.