Deliberate obscuring of gynaecologists' sex?

[Carryonmarion]

I've got an appointment next week for a hysteroscopy (40 mins or so of camera up fanny, Merry Christmas). The letter states that consultant Dr [no first name] x, or a member of their team will be carrying out my procedure. I've googled Dr x and the hospital but they aren't showing up at all. I'll bet my savings that Dr x is a man and they don't want people complaining, cancelling or requesting a woman, so this is deliberately ambiguous wording. It's a 2 week wait referral so I can't be arsed enquiring or complaining, just want to be seen and given the all clear. Fingers crossed that Dr x is too important to actually do the hysteroscopy bit and it will be a nice woman who has some empathy about the unpleasantness of it all carrying out the procedure.

This is standard wording in my experience. I had over that said Dr K Stevenson or a member of their team. K Stevenson was Karen and she did my procedure. You're reading too much into it

It's standard wording so they only have to change the Drs name rather than faffing with the pronouns.
If you want a woman just ask.

To be honest I think it's a draft letter that they copy and paste the Drs name onto. So they can just put the Drs name at the top and leave the rest of the letter unchanged instead of going through and using his/her.
I've never had an appointment letter tell me the first name of the doctor I'll be seeing.

yes, in addition to which there are plenty of perfectly nice male gynaecologists/obstetricians

I’ve literally just come back from having that! I was told Dr x or a team member. It was 3 lovely female nurses, not a consultant in sight and unless mine was spectacularly straightforward, no idea why a consultant would need to do it! Btw not the worst day even of this week. 2 paracetamol beforehand and just a tiny bit “ouchy”.

Ah ok thanks for this. I'm obviously being paranoid. Its been a while since I needed to go to hospital so I don't have a frame of reference for the letter. I'm a bit stressed about the whole procedure which I don't think will help me at all on the day. I had a bad experience years ago with a colposcopy. I will try to chill and assume it will be a woman.

I would assume that's a generic letter that gets mail merged so it's easier to use 'their' team than change to his/hers each time they send one out.

I have had far better experiences with male gynaecologists (and obstetricians for that matter) than female. The one who did my hysteroscopy 18 months ago was amazing. Horrified by the way I had been treated and dismissed in the past. Talked to me like an adult rather than some hysteric who was exaggerating her symptoms and "should get on with it as women have over the millenia". I hope it all goes well.

And even if it is a man (the world and his wife have had a bloody rummage up my chuff over the last few years) there are usually at least two women there as well in my experience. Try not to worry about that if you can

They could be the nicest most lovely man on the planet, does not mean every woman will want to be in such a state of undress in front of them.
Some women also do not care that the man has seen thousands of fannies/arses/whatever is being looked at. It's still personal to the woman.

I know this is missing the point slightly but in the procedures I’ve had even when it’s been a male doctor there’s also been a female nurse who at times have held my hand or just generally made me feel quite comfortable and distracted. I had a colopscopy and cells removed a few years ago and I really don’t remember if it was a male or female doctor but i do remember the kindness of the female nurses

I agree with others, try not to worry. It's a standard letter that saves them having to mail merge his/her all the time.

I've also had the most wonderful male gynaecologists, sympathetic, empathetic, gentle, kind. Everything you could ever ask for so fingers crossed it'll be the same for you.

Agree with the others but make sure the give you enough anesthetic… had a few friends in pain from this and another friend (who is more bolshy) who said it was fine but she insisted on proper anesthetic.

I was enormously stressed yesterday and this morning. Barely slept last night but honestly, it was fine. Less horrid than a smear. Lasted maybe 15 minutes at most including lopping off the offender which was a fibroid.

If you want a female, you have every right to request one, OP. Women sometimes want a HCP of the same sex for various reasons - it's your body, and it's your choice.

Hope all goes well.

My previous Gynae consultant moved on and the letter confirming my appointment with the new one was just like yours. I, too, couldn’t find anyone with that surname on the hospital website, but found a very likely entry on the GMC website. Try that if you are concerned ?

Thanks for the kind words/ sharing experiences. I'm feeling better about it already!

I have one this afternoon with Dr Olivia, but I did request a woman and it's a private appointment so I guess they put her name so I know my wishes were taken into account.

Absolutely.

And some that are literal rapists.

Good luck, I hope it's pain-free and over quickly 💐

Id call up and ask. Tell them that you really prefer a female doctor so didnt want to waste time

If it wasn't so close to Christmas, on day 13 of a 2 week wait pathway to rule out cancer I probably would but I just want it over.

For my 1st ever gynaecological appointment, I was a naive virgin and so asked for a woman because no way was I comfortable having a man seeing me half naked. She was the head Gynae of that hospital and she was utterly vile and sadistic. I needed a hymenectomy and after bringing me in 3 times, once when I was on my period, she forced her little finger up my foof until I was bathed in sweat from the pain and gritting my teeth to stop me from screaming. All the meanwhile, the other nurse in the room had a good old look everytime she went past which just added to my humiliation. After which she told me I'd be fine, and when I tried to have sex, it would all stretch and loosen up by itself; and if it didnt, then come back to her. I couldn't even fit the tiniest of lillet tampons up there at the time. I went home in tears and vowed never to have sex.

I went back to my GP who was clearly horrified, though unable to outright criticise a fellow HCP to the public. She asked me if I wanted to make a PALS complaint but I was so upset I just wanted to put it behind me. At her encouragement, I ended up asking for a 2nd opinion, and being referred to the head Gynae of another local hospital who was a man. I was absolutely mortified and cringing at the thought and about to cancel but made myself go with it after being told that women asked for him specifically because he was so good.
I was so uncomfortable but he took one look, and told me I'd be having an operation. The hymen was as thick as the webbing between my fingers and no way was it going to break naturally. He was so kind, gentle and respectful to a young, embarrassed 20 year old, and he ensured all the pre-ops were done that same day, and within 3 weeks I'd had the op.

Years later, when pregnant, I found out the 1st Gynae had falsified my records to show I'd had an ultrasound and on the basis of that, not gone ahead with the op. She'd even refused to use a speculum on me because I was a virgin, and didn't want to break my hymen accidentally. Then just to add insult to injury, I made sure that my maternity notes recorded that I didn't want to be seen by her, so after the birth, when I was helpless in bed with sepsis, who should come to examine me, complete with headtorch, but her! I don't know if its too late to make a PALS complaint about her but I think I am finally ready to.

I don't want to brush over your discomfort over having a male, but I'd go to him again in a heartbeat.

@TerfranosaurusVagina wow that finger episode sounds horrendous. I nearly passed out at age 14 trying to use a tampon for the first time, and I was the owner of a hymen of basic-level thickness at the time.
I come across doctors and consultants regularly for my work and unfortunately I find the majority of the male ones to be patronising and egotistic. This view was exacerbated when my dad was dying in hospital and one started a prognosis related sentence with "I'm not God, but ...". He obviously thought I felt he was God-like (I didn't). I just can't be arsed with dealing with that kind of crap while someone shoves a camera up my fanny.
I'm feeling less worried about it anyway thanks to you lot , whoever turns up on the day.

It was horrific and I'd avoid that entire gynaecology/maternity dept. in future as she obviously overrules everything, regardless of requests not to be seen by her!

I'm sorry you had to put up with that shit from Drs during such a difficult time