Consent issue or AIB precious? (A&E)

[Frainbreeze]

I've been in A&E over the bank hol. I've a history of childhood sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. Diagnoses of PTSD and cPTSD. Presented with excruciating abdominal pain, right side. Don't want this to be identifiable but cannot see how it won't be .

I'd detailed the PTSD's and doctor aware. During the exam he proceeded to partially pull my PJ bottoms and underwear down. I wasn't asked if I was ok with this. In terms of thoroughness incredible doctor, but this keeps niggling away - that I didn't have any control,

Male. Am I being precious here?

Sorry but you're being precious.

I don’t think you are being precious because you clearly carry a lot of baggage with you, but I also don’t think the doctor did a thing wrong. You consented to the exam, and he explained to you he was going to check for a hernia, which was why the waistband was lowered.

Sorry dont want to be harsh but you are being ott.
You did have a choice. If you had of withheld your consent by saying stop or dont move my trousers you would have been listened too. You didnt. Let him do it and want to complain afterwards. He was trying to help you. Think it would be hurtful and unnecessary to complain or mention it to the DR he is human to. Sounds like he was doing a thorough exam to get to the bottom of what was causing his patient pain. You could have easily stopped him if u were uncomfortable. Your choice wasnt taken away.

You are not being precious. You are able to separate the elements of the encounter into the elements that caused you difficulties and the elements required for medical examination even if there is some overlap. I hope you are able to review these with someone, to work out how to process them for you and to move forward, each step hopefully away from your past and allowing you to heal a little each time. Acknowledge your feelings and talk about how they manifest. Look after yourself.

I don't think you're being precious. You made your history and PTSD known, PTSD is not some walk in the park and medical professionals should know that. If you were conscious and it wasn't an emergecy "she'll die if I don't check this in the next five seconds" situation he could have asked.

I'm sorry you experienced this OP I'd also suggest a calmly worded letter to the hospital administrators explaining that your boundaries were pushed leading to an unpleasant brush with your PTSD. The hospital needs to know about it if they're going to take steps to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Sorry I'm feeling a bit belligerent having caught up.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight-or-flightresponsee_

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Childhood-Disrupted-Biography-Becomes-Biology/dp/1476748365/ref=srr_1_1?crid=3OKWXFRKMAQBY&keywords=childhood+disrupted&qid=1557223896&s=gateway&sprefix=Childhoo%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1

Hope these help some.

You could have easily stopped him

Spoken as someone with zero comprehension of PTSD.

OP I understand where you are coming from. I don't have any experience of what you went through but I understand how you don't feel able to say no at the time.

Twice now I've had instances of female drs asking me to get undressed and then say " do you want me to leave the room"? Now, I don't have a problem with it personally but that's me. If someone did have an issue would they feel able to say "yes, please leave"? I think they should leave as a matter of course.

Same as with this dr. Had you been female I think the dr would have asked you if it was ok. Because you are both male it didn't happen.

Maybe feed it back if you feel able to. Most hospitals you can email PALS so you don't need to speak to anyone if you don't want to.

@Halo1234 the main difficulty with PTSD is that people aren't in the here & now , so people may generally struggle to have control over situations where they are triggered.

Only with a lot of hard work and time does it become more manageable.

You are definately NOT being precious. I had something similar happen to me during a heart scan, after asking my chaperone if I could keep my braon and being told I could the male consultant yanked it off me. I felt assaulted and refused to be seen by him again. I was also given a cathater during labour without being asked, the Dr. just announced afterwards that it had been done, contrary to my birth notes. Health professionals need to be just that, professional. That means that no matter how busy they should treat you as a human and ask your permission prior to action!
I've been left with a deep mistrust of hospitals and medical professionals.

You’re not being precious . I’m a nurse . I would either ask the patient to adjust their clothing or ask if it was ok if I did it . Consent for certain procedures is implied by the patient for example extending their arm to get their blood pressure done . However no one should touch the rest of a patient’s body without asking if it’s ok to do so .

OP, I complained about a doctor once who pulled my bra to one side to examine my chest. I wanted him to examine my chest. I was in A&E voluntarily. I was having chest pain and his expertise was potentially life saving. I suspected no sexual motive whatsoever. And I don't have any history of abuse. But I was very humiliated by having my control over a private part of my body taken away. It really really upset me. I just wanted him to have said 'Do you mind if I move your bra to one side?' or even 'I'm just going to move your bra to complete this exam'. Fine.

By the way, the complaint was ultimately frustrating and upsetting in itself as the response was worded as if I was a lying lunatic rather than just saying 'Sorry you felt that way, we'll remind him to be clearer about what he's doing'. So I don't advise you to complain, but I do get where you're coming from to an extent. xx