… to be so embarrassed I’m considering writing an apology letter to my GP?

[embarsandash]

Before I start, please don’t judge me. I am so embarrassed and have never had anything like this happen to me before.

I am an exceptionally clean person, I shower daily in the morning and bath every evening, I have never had any concerns with my hygiene and nothing like this has ever happened to me before!

I have been having some very painful stomach cramps over the course of the last 3/4 months, along with some bleeding - and so I have been in and out of the doctors surgery several times to be seen for various tests, scans and blood tests etc.. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Yesterday afternoon I had an appointment with my gp to discuss my recent scan and blood test findings, so I attended as normal after a super busy morning / early afternoon at work.

when I got to the doctors room, she discussed my results and advised me that she will now need to conduct an internal scan. I was mortified as I was given no prior warning. Usually for something like this, I’d have a shower before going, change into clean clothes and underwear etc… but I had no idea this was going to happen.

I was asked to get changed behind the curtain and lie down for the examination. When I was changing, I noticed that there were no wipes / towels to freshen up like there usually is, so I was then panicking even more.

when I laid down to have my examination, I noticed that my GP had a strange look on her face, almost like concern? She was not speaking to me so I eventually asked her if everything okay. She then told me that I have an ‘unpleasant’ odour ‘down below’ and that I should consider getting that looked into.

Well, I am absolutely mortified. I’ve never ever had any kind of hygiene problems before, never had any issues ‘down below’ and I don’t know how to take the comment.

what do I do! I’ve not stopped thinking about it since. I am so embarrassed in case she will always remember me as ‘the patient that smelled bad’…

I’m considering writing a letter of apology.. is that over reactive? I don’t know what to do!

But why would potentially having a health condition that causes a vaginal odour be embarrassing?

What an unusual mix of American and British terminology and spelling.

And, a strange, illogical series of events.

@ClashCityRockeryes, unfortunately I’d had an almost full shift at work before the appointment, whilst not crazy cardio or anything like that, I was rushing around a little.. but nothing near enough to warrant any kind of ‘smell’ and I’ve never had any issues with that before.

I am hoping by now perhaps the GP has forgotten all about it, but I just can’t stop replaying the situation over in my head. So, so embarrassed by the whole thing.

Are you in the US? Or at least not in the UK?

I guess because I’ve never had an issue like this before, the way the GP addressed the situation was also very embarrassing for me.

Perhaps others wouldn’t find it so mortifying, but I did.

I grew up as a child until my early 20’s in the US. I now live with my husband in the UK.

Again - why were you embarrassed?

If you 'smelt bad' after a single day of moving around when you had a shower in the morning, then thats a medical issue. So why didnt the GP take swabs ?

I am hoping by now perhaps the GP has forgotten all about it, but I just can’t stop replaying the situation over in my head. So, so embarrassed by the whole thing.

So you have a possible infection causing the odour, and you want them to have forgotten about it??

I think be careful not to read too much into this or stray too far from what she’s actually saying here. Surely she’s not saying you are unhygienic or unclean? By alluding to an odour she is saying there is an indication that there may be an infection. Her advice was to monitor it so that it can be investigated if it continues. None of like to be told we might have a smell down there but I can’t really think of too many other ways she could have made you aware without actually saying there was an odour - which let’s be honest is the biggest hint of an infection especially in someone who has been experiencing cramps and having tests done.

Oh another OP talking about "down there"

How believable...

Unless the GP was being a right cow, I would imagine she actually smelled something unusual. Nothing to do with hygiene, again unless she was being a cow then that wouldn't be brought up - they could tell the difference.

Yes, this exactly. I don't think the gp experienced you as lacking hygiene in any way. She just noticed a possible symptom of something or other. She suggested you monitor it and that action should be taken if it doesn't improve.

It sounds like her communication wasn't brilliant. But,then, as you say, you were (naturally) too upset to have a useful conversation about it at the time. Don't be too embarrassed to raise it again. xx

This

Thank you, I know I probably shouldn’t find it so embarrassing but I just do, I guess because of the way it was said? I’m not sure.

I assume she didn’t want to do the swabs / further tests because I will be referred back to the gynaecologist for that?

I will know more once I call the surgery reception, she didn’t advise me any further after the examination but likewise I did not ask, I was just focussed more on getting out of the situation.

I am not saying I want her to forget about it in the science that she forgets there is a potential issue.. I mean, I don’t want to be in the forefront of her mind because I was the ‘patientthat had an unpleasant odour’

Innit tho. It's not like saying vagina brings you out in hives.

How is pointing out something which looks like it might be a perv fishing for "smelly fanny" stories and getting off on the replies reflect badly?

It's a poster trying to helpfully alert others that something seems off with this post and it should be handled with caution

Yes they usually like you to make a separate appointment for each issue

Internal exam with a speculum? Don’t they use the speculums for swab taking? Isn’t an internal literally the medic inserting fingers and doesn’t need a speculum?

I can hand on heart PROMISE to anybody concerned about this, that is absolutely not the case whatsoever, and I am sorry if it’s come across this way.

I’ve name changed for this post because I don’t wish to be recognised - for obvious reasons.

I'm more than happy for MN to clarify this and check my profile. I’m a long term MN user and have been for many years.

I certainly wouldn't apologise.
The Doctor was rude. I'm sure a Doctor will experience unpleasant smells, part of the job.
I thought you were going to say something far worse, than a bit of vulva sweat. 💐

She used the speculum. I don’t know why, but yes it was used in my examination.

No swabs were taken.

So many cruel responses on this thread, either trollhunting (which is against mn rules) or using an obvious typo in the OP (scan instead of exam) to feign all sorts of confusion/scepticism.

If you don't think the OP is real, then f* off out of the thread, rather than risking causing additional upset to a person who is flustered and embarrassed.

I would go to a normal GP rather than your current private one. The private one seems to want to put you through more procedures in order to make more money from you. It would have been so easy to take swabs while the speculum was already inserted, instead of putting you through another examination.
I had some swabs taken recently and my GP was so apologetic when they had to be repeated due to a lab error. Good GPs won’t want to put you through more examinations than necessary.

Or it was someone being thoroughly nasty to a total stranger based on no evidence whatsoever. Its strange that the nasty comment bothered you not in the slightest but my objection gave you an attack of the vapours.

So what did she actually do when the speculum was in? Just look inside your vag?

Thank you to everybody for all of your helpful replies and suggestions.

I agree with some of the comments regarding the practice perhaps trying to put me through more costly tests and procedures than warranted.. I’ve had several blood tests already, the internal scan, and now this internal examination that I was not expecting - all of which are chargeable. My insurance has not been the best in terms of accepting the claims so I guess they are expecting that the bills will be paid out of my own pocket.

A speculum enables the medical professional to view the cervix. And yes, it can facilitate the taking of swabs.