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General health

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Original poster

Not for GP's eyes--can Well Woman Climic help?

23 replies

Arabica · 12/05/2005 13:21

I really, really, can't handle showing my nice male GP (or his not so nice equally male colleague) my horrible uncomfortable...piles...but have to get some help from somewhere. Can't find the number for the Well Woman Clinic, but just wondering if they're a good alternative?

OP posts:

Original poster

Arabica · 12/05/2005 13:22

CliMic??? Clinic, even...

OP posts:

WigWamBam · 12/05/2005 13:24

Your GP will have seen it all before. If you go to the Well Woman Clinic you'll probably be treated by a nurse, who won't be able to prescribe you anything without you seeing the doctor anyway.

Honestly, your GP won't make a big deal of it, and you'll feel much better for getting treated.

PrettyCandles · 12/05/2005 13:27

It's really not so bad - when I had my piles examined I was asked to lie on my side and just to take my knickers down a little, rather than half strip and on my back like for a gyne exam. Quite a relief, and made me feel much less uncomfortable about the display. Go on, they've seen it all anyway.

fastasleep · 12/05/2005 13:30

You can ask for a female chaperone if you think that'll help... Poor you! I'd be too..

QueenEagle · 12/05/2005 13:42

Arabica - don't do what I did when I went to my GP suffering from horrendous piles when pregnant.

I lay down on the couch on my side facing away from him so he could have a look. After a few seconds I thought he had finished looking so swung my legs round to sit up, only to kick him in the head!! I muttered in garbled fashion about how terribly sorry I was with a look of disbelief and horror on my face. I'm not sure what was worse, that or watching him scramble about on the floor looking for his glasses which I had kicked off at the same time as pulling my trousers and knickers back up!!! I couldn't even make a hasty exit as the piles were so bad I could only shuffle along!!

In all seriousness though, it really is worth seeing your doctor as he will be able to prescribe the right thing.

Original poster

Arabica · 12/05/2005 14:02

Thanks everyone and Queen Eagle! If I went to Well Woman Clinic, then, would they refer me back to my own GP or would there be a different doctor I could see? I don't mind a doctor who's a stranger to me having a look--I just don't want the doctors I normally visit to see it!

OP posts:

WigWamBam · 12/05/2005 14:05

Our Well Woman Clinic is actually at our GP's surgery, so if that was the arrangement in your area it wouldn't help.

They generally deal with problems specific to women, though - smears, hormonal contraceptive advice, breast checks - so they might not be able to treat piles anyway.

NomDePlume · 12/05/2005 14:06

ROFL QE !!!! That is a fabulous story

TracyK · 12/05/2005 14:08

I'm in the same boat - I can't face seeing my normal GP bout mine. I was wondering if our nurse would look at them? or sometimes we have a locum doc - I think I shall wait till she's there and go and see her.

JoolsToo · 12/05/2005 14:17

Please don't suffer and don't be shy - as wiggy says GP's have it seen it all before and worse! I went once when I couldn't sit down it was so uncomfortable

I went to the GP and just said 'sorry to do this to you on a Friday afternoon but ......' turns out I had a thrombosed pile - just used normal preparations from the chemist and it went down. Now use linseeds on cereal every morning (I'm getting boring with this tale ) but they have revolutionised my digestion!

get it sorted girl!

TracyK · 12/05/2005 14:18

what's a thrombossed pile then?

JoolsToo · 12/05/2005 14:21

big and purple

its when the blood in the pile clots [eeeewwwwwww]

piles seem to be a family thing for us but as I say since using the linseeds I have no trouble at all

great subject for lunchtime eh?

TracyK · 12/05/2005 14:22

anyone been able to see them in a mirror? I keep thinking of trying but get scared!

NomDePlume · 12/05/2005 14:22

i'm sure GDG will be thrilled with you sharing the fact that it's a 'family problem' with us all

JoolsToo · 12/05/2005 14:26

NDP - mmmm yes didn't think of that!

actually she's now on linseeds (well she was anyway!)

NomDePlume · 12/05/2005 14:26

lol

KateandtheGirls · 12/05/2005 14:30

NDP, that was exactly what I thought!!!

pinkmama · 12/05/2005 14:32

Moved here when i was 32 weeks pregnant, at some point over the move my piles prolapsed. I was in a lot of pain. So first trip to my new GP was to show him my bum, he got me to lay on bed and pull knickers down adn said "eurgh, thats horrible" Wasnt sure whether to laugh or cry. Hope it was my piles he was talking about anyway!
Anyway, not to put you off Arabica, but its worth the 5 minutes of embarassment for the relief!

QueenEagle · 12/05/2005 14:32

I have never lived it down with my dh!! My dad has had the same GP as me for years and has always wanted to get away with giving him a good kicking!

Whoever you see though Arabica, do it as soon as you can. You will be soooo relieved to get some medication and start the healing process. Mine took about 2 days with the cream to reduce enough to be able to use suppositories (sorry if TMI) which were even more effective. For the duration of my pregnancy I was on a repeat prescription so didn't have to go through the embarrassment of seeing my GP again. Although I suspect he put a warning up in the receptionist's office saying if THAT woman wants an appointment, tell her I've left the country!

You can get some stuff from the chemists if you really don't want to see your GP but I think you can get much more powerful stuff on prescription plus if you are pregnant you won't pay for them.

I really hope you get sorted soon as I know how awful they can be. I was so bad I had to lie on my side for two days in agony waiting for the meds to work their wonders.

Original poster

Arabica · 12/05/2005 14:51

Sadly I am not pregnant, but that's what originally caused piles to appear--don't want to give TMI but I had the kind that you can see but which don't cause too many problems...I was told by hospital check-up dr that they would go away naturally, but they didn't, and after my recent miscarriage they seem to have grown massively and got v painful and ugly (although don't meet the "thrombosed" description). I think I will ring WW clinic (not based in my surgery) and ask them what they recommend.

OP posts:

Gobbledigook · 12/05/2005 20:09

QE - ROFLMAO!! You've made my night with that story - bloody hilarious!!

sallycinnamon · 12/05/2005 22:51

QE I suspect it might be more embarrassing to ask for things over the counter than go to the doc. Whenever I've had to do that I tend to case the joint for 10 mins to make sure theres no one in the shop and then sods law just as your about to say can I have some preparation.... lo and behold "hi Sal haven't seen you for ages, how are you?!" Not good

mogwai · 14/05/2005 22:50

get some anusol HC, drink lots of water and eat two bowls of all bran a day.

I suffered from piles periodically before I was pg. They appeared again at 30 weeks and I thought they were here for the rest of the pg but got rid of them in a week through careful management.

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