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Original poster

Sensitive, does anyone remember having breast checks as a teenager?

62 replies

Remotew · 02/04/2008 00:00

This has been playing on my mind. When I was a teenager my GP, male, would do physical breast checks. This was in the 70's. Please tell me that this was normal practice.

Would anyone now think that it was acceptable for your GP to feel your breasts for lumps??

OP posts:
lucharl · 02/04/2008 00:04

was a teenager in the 80s, don't remember that ever happening.

but i do have a crap memory.

LissyDuffy · 02/04/2008 00:06

I didn't thinki you could get breast cancer in your teens?

VeniVidiVickiQV · 02/04/2008 00:06

Not necessary as a teenager - sorry

The only time I had my breasts checked was when I developed mastitis and went to get it seen to.

S1ur · 02/04/2008 00:06

was a teen in 90s and it didn't happened, Only time it did was as a adult when I specifcally asked.

I don't think it would be acceptable practice, especially in teenagers, developing breasts are very changeable and I'm not sure what would be achieved tbh.

S1ur · 02/04/2008 00:07

sorry abouteve, it doesn't really sound appropriate.

Aitch · 02/04/2008 00:10

oh dear, i'm afraid not, no. sorry.

windygalestoday · 02/04/2008 00:12

when i was 21 and pregnbt with ds2 the doctor checked my boobs ...thoroughly

LynetteScavo · 02/04/2008 00:22

Not when I was a teenager. Only by female nurse, after smeer, at my request.

Califrau · 02/04/2008 00:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

minorityrules · 02/04/2008 00:53

I did a couple of times in the 80's as a teen

First was at FP clinic when I went on the pill, nurse did it and she showed me how at the same time

Next time was when I went to the GP for repeats of the pill, repeat of the 1st time but with a male doctor

Pixel · 02/04/2008 14:38

Only once but that was because I had a lump in my armpit that I was worried about.

Original poster
Remotew · 02/04/2008 16:14

From memory it was when I went on the pill at 15. The doctor examined me more than once and I thought it was normal practice at the time, although I hated it.

It's sometimes played on my mind over the years expecially when I see this man on the local news etc. (he's retired but speaks about local health issues)
that it was wrong. Perhaps I should just forget it now.

OP posts:
anorak · 02/04/2008 16:16

It seems odd that he didn't show you how to do it yourself, rather than have him doing it again and again.

SmoothandWilkie · 02/04/2008 16:17

No never - I was teenager in 90's.

Have only ever had breasts checked at MY request by femal GP after mum had breast cancer scare.

Really doesn't sound appropriate.

VersdeSociete · 02/04/2008 16:20

abouteve, I would be minded to forget about it. It occurred to me a few years ago that it was very odd that our family doctor did vaginal exams on prepubescent girls (yes it really took me that long for the penny to drop) and I thought about feeling upset about it then decided life was too short and the man is retired now so there is nothing practical I can do to stop him doing it to someone else...

WigWamBam · 02/04/2008 16:21

I was a teenager in the 70s, and no GP ever did a physical breast check.

The only time a GP has ever touched my breasts was when I had found a lump - and before the GP examined me he fetched a chaperone.

Checks such as you had wouldn't be acceptable now - and I'd be surprised if they were actually acceptable then.

Spaceman · 02/04/2008 16:22

My female doc showed me how to check myself when I was 18. When I went to male doctor with suspected nipple infection he looked more embarrassed about the episode than me.

VersdeSociete · 02/04/2008 16:23

I suppose what I would want to know is what gudelines there are now to stop any dodgy "checks" being carried out so that my own DD is not exposed to inappropriate examinations in the future.

PotPourri · 02/04/2008 16:23

No, definately not, But I was a teenager in the late 80s/early 90s. I woudl have remembered as it would NOT have been a cool thing for me. I was really shy about anything like that

VersdeSociete · 02/04/2008 16:23

"guidelines"

LittleWonder · 02/04/2008 16:24

Was at boarding school in this country at that time. We had all the necessary checks - and sorry to say never had breasts checked by matron, school nurse or anyone!
PE teacher did look at our bums to make sure we were wearing our navies though

FrannyandZooey · 02/04/2008 16:25

ah I have had it done as a teenager during contraception health check yes
only by one gp though, I don't think it is standard practice

I think this COULD be a legit check from a rather zealous gp

Original poster
Remotew · 02/04/2008 16:28

Versdesociete . It makes you wonder re things that went on by medical professionals. I will keep a close eye on any doctors appointments that DD needs. I am sure that this would not be appropriate today.

OP posts:
Lulumama · 02/04/2008 16:31

AFAIK, there has to be a female chaperone if a male doctor needs to examine breasts or vagina etc..

VersdeSociete · 02/04/2008 16:35

I know, abouteve, it really was very odd but I don't think it would have occurred to me to think about it except that my sister said one day "Remember how pervy Dr X used to do vaginal exams on little girls?" I think the fact that at the time I thought it was normal and acceptable because he was a doctor and obviously doing something medically appropriate just carried over into my adult thinking. Whereas if it had never happened and someone said to me, "There's this GP who does vaginal exams routinely on small girls", I would have thought that was very odd from the getgo...

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