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[–] 10 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

even in medical contexts

I don't ask anyone their AGAB in the back of the ambulance, but there's a chance I need to know what organs someone does or does not have (regardless of gender). I'll straight out ask "Do you have _______?" if it's relevant to the symptoms, along with an explanation as to why I'm asking if necessary. It's not just reproductive organs either: appendix, kidneys, intact lungs, etc -- but people never have a problem answering when I ask about those.

I don't know the patient, have access to their medical information, or have "labs" and imaging equipment. I'm not going to make assumptions because that's both shitty and irresponsible. All I have are my eyes, ears, hands, and some potentially invasive questions. My job is to figure out what's going on so we can start fixing it and get definitive treatment started faster as the hospital. I also want to know acuity so someone doesn't die waiting in the ED.

E.g. "I don't have ovaries or a uterus" eliminates a ton of possibilities for what's causing intense abdominal pain -- burst ovarian cyst, ectopic pregnancy, dysmenorrhea, etc. "I don't have a prostate" is the same for urinary retention or polyuria. Can't have testicular torsion if you don't have testicles, and it saves us both from me asking to look at your crotch if you tell me.

If I have a good working diagnosis and supporting findings to give in my inbound and handoff report we might bypass the ED and go straight to the appropriate floor, or at least bypass triage and go straight to a room. The attending staff at the hospital have a better idea of where to start with tests, imaging, and treatment.

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  • [–] 3 points 4 days ago (1 child)

    If I have a good working diagnosis and supporting findings we might bypass the ED

    If I don't have a penis it's probably not erectile dysfunction.

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  • [–] 8 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

    Yes, but even AFAB people sometimes take Cialis for pulmonary hypertension. So you need to tell me if you take any kind of "PDE5 inhibitor" sildenafil/Viagra, vardenafil/Levitra, tadalafil/Cialis, ED med, or "boner pill" for any reason at all. Any gas station pills? Are you sure?

    I need to know because this nitroglycerin tablet I'm considering to treat your chest pain has some interactions with those kinds of medications. The biggest one being dying.

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