pelvic exams under sedation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sedation for an routine pelvic exam is an overkill. Ask your doctor for Ativan or Xanax and take it an hour before your Pap smear.

Why is it overkill for a routine pelvic exam, but not overkill for a dental cleaning? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but since sedation dentistry has taken off I've wondered this.

A pelvic exam is (should be) quick and painless. Nobody is drilling into your vagina.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sedation for an routine pelvic exam is an overkill. Ask your doctor for Ativan or Xanax and take it an hour before your Pap smear.

Why is it overkill for a routine pelvic exam, but not overkill for a dental cleaning? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but since sedation dentistry has taken off I've wondered this.

A pelvic exam is (should be) quick and painless. Nobody is drilling into your vagina. [/quote

Yeah, I've heard that it "should be painless" from many people including the medical providers who were at that moment causing me pain. I have no history of sexual trauma or physical issues that would indicate pain, but still I feel pain. OP, definitely ask your provider for pre-meds. I've been getting them since one visit where I almost passed out on the table, and they make all the difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know of any practices that can provide sedation for pelvic exams?

Yeah, can you see that ending well?

[Anonymous]

My Dr. Has difficulty getting enough cells to test for my yearly pap. Says due to my tipped uterus. A regular pap is EXTREMELY painful. I'm left bleeding and still he does not have enough cells! Then I have to have it repeated... sometimes 3 times!!! AND I TAKE A XANAX before I go - it's not me it's the shape of my body that prevents a good sample. I'm sick of the torture. Any suggestions???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sedation for an routine pelvic exam is an overkill. Ask your doctor for Ativan or Xanax and take it an hour before your Pap smear.

Why is it overkill for a routine pelvic exam, but not overkill for a dental cleaning? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but since sedation dentistry has taken off I've wondered this.

A pelvic exam is (should be) quick and painless. Nobody is drilling into your vagina.

Are you a man? It always hurt, several providers to date so I can't blame one doctor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My Dr. Has difficulty getting enough cells to test for my yearly pap. Says due to my tipped uterus. A regular pap is EXTREMELY painful. I'm left bleeding and still he does not have enough cells! Then I have to have it repeated... sometimes 3 times!!! AND I TAKE A XANAX before I go - it's not me it's the shape of my body that prevents a good sample. I'm sick of the torture. Any suggestions???

Try a different doctor? I have a tilted uterus and that hasn't happened. Also if you have no problems, you should be able to get them done less often.

[Anonymous]

You could also think about skipping it. There is risk to sedation. This article suggests pelvic exams may not be necessary, and I thought it was interesting:

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/06/28/pelvic-exams-may-not-prolong-life-a-task-force-says/?_r=0

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sedation for an routine pelvic exam is an overkill. Ask your doctor for Ativan or Xanax and take it an hour before your Pap smear.

Why is it overkill for a routine pelvic exam, but not overkill for a dental cleaning? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but since sedation dentistry has taken off I've wondered this.

+1000
And the answer in my cynical mind is "because men don't have to get them".
Sometimes they hurt/are uncomfortable, sometimes not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could also think about skipping it. There is risk to sedation. This article suggests pelvic exams may not be necessary, and I thought it was interesting:

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/06/28/pelvic-exams-may-not-prolong-life-a-task-force-says/?_r=0

Taking a one time muscle relaxant is much different than sedation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sedation for an routine pelvic exam is an overkill. Ask your doctor for Ativan or Xanax and take it an hour before your Pap smear.

Why is it overkill for a routine pelvic exam, but not overkill for a dental cleaning? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but since sedation dentistry has taken off I've wondered this.

A pelvic exam is (should be) quick and painless. Nobody is drilling into your vagina.

Easy for you to say. If you have vaginismus, penetration of any kind is EXTREMELY painful.

[Anonymous]

Someone upthread suggested Dr. Lauren Muangman. She's an excellent doctor, very compassionate, and could be a good choice for OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sedation for an routine pelvic exam is an overkill. Ask your doctor for Ativan or Xanax and take it an hour before your Pap smear.

That's not for you to judge. There are doctors and practices who do this.
I know of one neighbor who does this of gyn exams, the dentist and more.
Don't have any names for you but there are practices in the DC area who do this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sedation for an routine pelvic exam is an overkill. Ask your doctor for Ativan or Xanax and take it an hour before your Pap smear.

That's not for you to judge. There are doctors and practices who do this.
I know of one neighbor who does this of gyn exams, the dentist and more.
Don't have any names for you but there are practices in the DC area who do this

If you don't have names how do you know there are practices that do this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sedation for an routine pelvic exam is an overkill. Ask your doctor for Ativan or Xanax and take it an hour before your Pap smear.

Why is it overkill for a routine pelvic exam, but not overkill for a dental cleaning? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but since sedation dentistry has taken off I've wondered this.

A pelvic exam is (should be) quick and painless. Nobody is drilling into your vagina.

Are you a man? It always hurt, several providers to date so I can't blame one doctor.

+1

Sounds like a comment by a man who has never been through this. I'm also someone who does not have any sexual trauma history, and getting a pelvic exam feels like drilling into my vagina every time. I don't bleed, but it's *incredibly* painful.

My doctor knows I get anxiety over it and talks her head off about some random subject during the exam to try and distract me. It's thoughtful, but doesn't really help. I just have to remind myself that it'll be over in about 20 Mississippi seconds... 19 long seconds... 18 more super long seconds... etc.

[Anonymous]

Who cares if it is overkill, it is super important that OP gets a pelvic exam and a pap smear regularly. Please try whatever you can to get one, whether it is taking medication, changing doctors, biting down and fighting through it. Take care of you.

Signed,
someone who recently was diagnosed with uterine cancer who skipped her pap smears for 2 years because she just didn't like doing it and now has big regrets