Don't want to undress during Cardiology appointment

[Fandangydo]

How can I avoid going completely topless in a Cardiology check up?

Is removing the bra entirely necessary?

Is it optional?

What difference does it make?

What happens if the patient can't undress for religious reasons?

They’ll want to examine your chest thoroughly and will probably give you a gown to wrap round you - they do in our hospital.

There is always chaperones and they’re usually female healthcare assistants, and you can request a female cardiologist if there is one available at your local hospital too. You’d need to mention this before the appointment.

Ultimately people can refuse to do things for all sorts of reasons (religion/ personal preference/ embarrassment) but ultimately the cardiology staff are there to do a job.

It depends really what they need to do. If they need to attach the monitors on/under your boobs, then I guess it can't be avoided. You can request female staff and maybe they can give you something to cover up with.

It depends what the appointment is for on how much access is required. Do you need an ecg? Then you can't wear an underwired bra if you have larger breast the electrodes may need to be placed under them to ensure a correct reading. I've done hundreds of ECGs and never had a patient completely topless. Best to wear a loose top that can be easily lifted to gain access or even better a button up shirt to allow easy access whilst still maintaining dignity. Not aware of any religion that doesn't allow you to undress and I've worked in very diverse areas of London.

Are you having an ECG done, an echo or something else? Generally, you'll be given a gown and asked to put it on backwards, so the open part at the front. You can hold it infront and wrap it around to cover ourself. The sonographer/nurse will normally just expose enough to either attach the ECG electrodes or do the scan. I used to additionally cover patients with a sheet or cover over the chest, but you can certainly ask for one if not done automatically. I've use a patient's own shirt if nothing else available in the room.

an ECG is dependent on getting the paddles onto the skin. so you will need to allow that for it to work. Could you use a large wrap so that they can have access to where they need it but the rest of your top half can be covered.

Cardiology patient here - after 1 heart attack, 2 x unstable angina and a cardiac arrest, getting the boobs out is low on the list of concerns.

I've had ECGs before while wearing a non wired bra.

An echocardiogram was done without a bra but I was able to keep my shirt on (unbuttoned at the front).

The previous appointment with a Cardiologist was naked from the waist up. She listened to my chest with a stethoscope but did nothing that couldn't have been done with the bra on.

The next appointment is a review with another Cardiologist.

I’m always surprised people care this much about this sort of stuff. Doctors have seen thousands of bodies, yours is about as exciting and unmemorable as a blank piece of paper. They wouldn’t even register your body in their memory

I'm sure you're right @Beachbeach but I will remember.

She listened to my chest with a stethoscope but did nothing that couldn't have been done with the bra on

Do you have post op scarring or a condition where one side of your chest might be larger than the other? Possibly she was assessing the asymmetry? If not, ask if you can keep your blouse or gown on but open at the front when required.

No, nothing like that @7238SM

What happens if the patient can't undress for religious reasons?

I don't think I know anyone who can't undress for religious reasons for a medical check/procedure.

I guess if there really are people like that, they just don't go.

Can you wear a cotton crop top type bra, no wires, and say to them I am not comfortable with being naked from the waist up. Ecgs can absolutely be done while the patient is covered up. You are absolutely within your rights to state your boundaries. This whole 'doctors don't care about your body' is entirely irrelevant. Health care workers who don't care about respecting your individual needs have no place in their profession.

What religion OP doesn't allow people to undress if required for medical professional at a medical appointment?

Is there a religion where people can’t undress for medical assessment?

Religious or not, it'd be pretty difficult giving birth with your knickers on! 😁

I have a congenital heart condition so spent my whole life taking my top of for drs appointments for ecgs, echo scans, and a million other things. I truly believe when a person like a dr sees 1000s of women topless every year that they genuinely don't actually take the slightest bit of notice. I know this is a random example but i work in a supermarket so put 100s of peoples food through every day and i genuinely take absolutely zero notice of what people are actually buying and people will say to me oh it looks so bad or its not all for me when buying junk food or alcohol and until they bring it up I just haven't noticed. Because its like 1 shop blurs into another and I would imagine drs and nurses are the same with patients

it is absolutely within your right to not be completely exposed, but then you have too understand that potentially the cardiologist won’t be able to do their job properly. If you say no, and they miss something - it will be written in your notes that the patient declined have full examination. Your decision, your healthcare. Ultimately you are the one who wants your health optimized with the help of a cardiologist. You are then the one who has made the decision not to have optimal care. And you have to live with that decision

This. Also there's nothing worse as a patient than feeling like 'just another body', a bit of understanding that you might be feeling a little (or a lot!) vulnerable by the HCP goes a long way!

A bit of understanding definitely goes a long way.

But I have to disagree with "there's nothing worse as a patient than feeling like 'just another body'"

I find it extremely helpful to keep reminding myself that I'm just another body.

Obviously my body is personal to me, but to them it's just another job.

When I have to undergo an embarrassing medical procedure, I quietly do as told as know, having been on the other side, that it’s the best way to go unremembered. I’m pleased just to be one of the thousands of bodies they’ve seen before and utterly forgettable.

This.

If I needed cardiology checks, I would have rather more important things to worry about than a bit of temporary embarrassment about getting my kit off in front of a clinician who deals with human bodies all day every day. I understand that you’re feeling anxious, OP, but what is the most important thing here?

I’ve always been given a gown during an echo so you aren’t completely exposed at any one time. If you haven’t yet had a breast scan, these are much worse in my view as you are nude on your top half and being moved about by the radiographer, as well as it being much more uncomfortable!

There are multiple religions with branches where women are brought up to value modesty as an essential. That could be extremely devout Christian, Jewish or Muslim women. For those women, it would feel deeply uncomfortable for their bodies to be exposed unnecessarily. There are many other circumstances where women would prefer not to be unnecessarily exposed - some older women, some larger women, some women who've been sexually abused. Good practice in healthcare would respect this.

I am autistic and am not good with physical contact or with undressing. I always tell the professionals that, but that I know it’s necessary to a degree, and it has never been a problem.

They have always offered female staff if I alert them in advance, chaperones, and the last ecg was done under a loose shirt after I took the bra iff when they were out of the room.

It’s much, much easier than a smear.

Honestly, they do hear this a lot. Various religions and ethnic groups have degrees of comfort on undressing (although most put safety/health first) so it’s not unheard of. I guarantee you will not be the first person to worry about it.