I can only imagine how uncomfortable an exam must be, so I would assume they would use lubrication to make it more bearable.

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Yes they use a lubricant. Its not comfortable, its a doctors appointment and someone you don't know is sticking things inside of you. It is also normally not painful, if it is painful that is something to discuss with your doctor.

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  • [–] 15 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    They do use lubrication. It's very cold. The procedure isn't comfortable at all but it's also usually not painful (not true for all women and not true all the time for most women, the muscles sometimes have a mind of their own). Most doctors are trained to be mindful of their patients' needs but occasionally you get someone who clearly doesn't get it. One time I was in pain and was told flatly that that's impossible. So it's always scary and stressful going in, because you just never know.

    I also find that they always use like three times as much lubrication as is needed, so when it's all over you can continue to feel cold and uncomfortable and wet with it all slowly oozing out as you walk out of the clinic.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 1 week ago

    Damn, it baffles (but not surprise) me how women still can have such a shitty medical xperience with doctors not believing them. Also I had not considered the continues discomfort from the lube after the procedure.

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  • [–] 13 points 1 week ago (6 children)

    They use KY jelly like lubricant.

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  • [–] [S] 3 points 1 week ago (5 children)

    Does it make it leas uncomfortable? How uncomfortable is it to get an examination?

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  • [–] 8 points 1 week ago (4 children)

    Depends on the woman. It doesn’t hurt me at all.

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  • [–] 11 points 1 week ago (3 children)

    It can be frigging cold, though.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

    I always heard the cold was bad. Also I always heard a obgyn with "sausage fingers" didn't help either.

    Just a side note: I am not the proud owner of a vagina. Although I have been in the room ladies are getting checked up on in.

    The thing that's always fucked me up is speculums. Those things look sort of frightening. Duck bill ass torture devices or something.

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  • [–] 11 points 1 week ago* (2 children)

    Yes, they do.

    Edit: also a lot of people seem to be weighing in about whether or not it's painful. Every vagina is different. It was quite painful for me despite them using the smallest speculum. I think it probably does have to do with whether or not you receive vaginal penetration regularly, cause a lot of my lesbian friends report the same issue.

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    Does it help if the doctor gives you a pre warning and time to relax your muscles? And that is a perspective I would not have thought about in the sense of being used to penetration, but it makes sense.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 week ago

    It doesn't help. I think I'd probably qualify for a vaginismus diagnosis. Just never pursued one as it never causes problems for me—I'm not interested in being penetrated, so it only causes problems during exams.

    I've had a hysterectomy before where they went through the vagina so it must be physically possible to insert something up there. I guess they could only do it when I was asleep so I couldn't complain lol.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 week ago

    Yes. It doesn't help as much as you'd think.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 week ago (4 children)

    They do, it's still excruciating, but I have problems there and it's unrelated to the exam that's making it painful. Most gynos are understanding. Some have been...really shitty about it though.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 1 week ago (3 children)

    Damn, that sucks. I hope you have found a good doctor for you now.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

    Well I did but I lose my insurance at the end of the year, so. Goodbye gyno!

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago (1 child)

    I assume you're American?

    I'm always confused by seeing people say they're losing their insurance.

    Does it come with your job?

    In Australia we have public hospitals with a lengthy wait time but its free or you can pay for private health insurance. Doesn't really speed much up for where i live but the premiums I pay a year get me free dental for the most part which makes it worth it. Not to mention paying for insurance brings down your annual tax by 1500 or so dollars

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  • [–] 1 point 5 days ago

    I'm an American and was on state insurance. But was only on state insurance due to being unemployed but the recent going ons with the country government meant a lot of us are getting kicked off that or are having to jump through a bunch of hoops to stay on.

    After I'm kicked off I could maybe still go to the big city near me and get on their system but that requires driving to the big city and they still might not. And if I went to a hospital they'd have to treat me but making them not charge me, while possible, is an ordeal.

    I'd love single payer system.

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  • [–] 25 points 1 week ago (27 children)

    I assume you are male, just wait until you get older and need prostate exams, then you'll have some idea of what's it's like to have a doctor sticking their fingers all up in there. It's not a direct comparison, of course, but close enough for the Internet.

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  • [–] 18 points 1 week ago* (12 children)

    Can confirm same with colonoscopy cameras. It's not exactly a relaxed or sensual moment - the lubricant makes it possible, but they're pushing in ready or not. You're definitely a little bit sore afterwards.

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  • [–] 16 points 1 week ago (11 children)

    im knocked out for my colonoscopy. Either that or its so horrific I block all memories of it.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 week ago (2 children)

    Drugs don't work on me anymore (genetic hyper metabolizer of most drugs). I just watch on the monitor. It's pretty interesting once you get over having a tube wiggled around your colon.

    I have had 15-20 over the past 15 years. The worst part is the prep. 🤮

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  • [–] 7 points 1 week ago*

    I used to work in a pharmacy, and one of the techs I worked with would always joke, to be fair, she was a real good tech, but she would say "hope everything comes out okay!" As they walked away with their giant jug of prep.

    She was a queen

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  • [–] 4 points 1 week ago

    yeah my bad experience im not sure how much was effects of the prep vs probe. I do know the doctor did not mention anything and when I called back in pain it was very no challant no big deal with the response. I sorta have a negative view of gastros now.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 week ago (5 children)

    I have been knocked out each time. No discomfort after so it must have gone smoothly each time.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 week ago (3 children)

    oh man I had the worst experience with it exsacerbating a hemmroid.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago (2 children)

    Is that something you could've sought damages for?

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago* (1 child)

    Looks like loads of the replies have been put under too!

    I took a peek at your profile and a few of the others just to confirm - I suspect the difference is down to countries.

    I'm from the UK. Broadly speaking, the NHS won't risk using general anaesthetic if it's not needed. My appointment was just an out-patient affair. On the table, on your side, bum out, think happy thoughts... The whole thing took probably thirty minutes at most.

    The best part of being awake is that you can ask questions. I could see the screen and the doctor pointed out what he was looking for when he found it (and to answer the obvious follow up question, it was just a weird blood vessel thing).

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  • [–] 2 points 1 week ago

    I could see that being useful and I recall seeing that on king of the hill so maybe its more common in texas. Here its like. oh yeah and we snipped a whole bunch of things out. They are not that concerning but better safe than sorry lol. I can't imagine them snipping if you are awake though. I mean that has got to hurt.

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  • [–] [S] 6 points 1 week ago (6 children)

    Indeed I am male and not prepared for it haha. But we must do what we must do.

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  • [–] 15 points 1 week ago (5 children)

    Start practicing now, and by the time the doctor does it, you'll be a pro. Might even look forward to it!

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  • [–] 15 points 1 week ago (3 children)

    Please do not make it weird for the doctor!

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  • [–] 4 points 1 week ago

    Those are going the way of the dodo, in favor of other forms of testing for antigens.

    There's really only minor benefit to palpation to begin with, as there's other methods to use as a general indicator of prostate health overall. Don't get me wrong, when it was really the only option that was realistic it was absolutely necessary. It's just that times have changed.

    There are still niche cases where it can be useful, but the antigen testing goes back forty-ish years of easy availability. Back in the eighties, doctors were more used to palpation, and it made a certain amount of sense you keep doing them, but it wasn't necessaryafter the test was proven a reliable early detection method. Superior to palpation, btw.

    And it's not like palpation was/is a significant determinant of outcomes. That comes down to treatment options and the test's timing more than it contributing directly to improved outcomes. Most prostate cancer is slow to progress, usually comes later in life, and isn't difficult to treat compared to other cancers. Mind you, fifty years ago, there were not as many options for treatment.

    But now? Docs just don't do it as part of an annual exam. Even urologists don't do them unless there's a clear benefit for a specific case, which is passingly rare.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 week ago

    If you think stuff up your butt is an analogy to stuff up your vagina. Oh man, I hope you never have to have a cystoscopy. Bro I have had a doctor stick a camera in my dick hole like at least six times now and like the first five they didn't give me anything for it. Eventually dude decided to give me 5 mg Valiums so I could take one an hour before the procedure because he was tired of hearing me complain I think. But yeah I can only imagine OBGYN stuff.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    Fun fact: piercers also often use lubricant

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  • [+] -14 points 1 week ago (7 children)
  • [–] [S] 9 points 1 week ago (5 children)

    I wanted to hear from the experiences from different people. How the hell is this question gross?

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  • [–] 5 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    If you are tense and emotionally uncomfortable and/or the doctor is rough or rushed or just uncaring = it can be a bad experience.

    Generally speaking the speculum is not comfortable but not painful. It is there so they can use a swab to get a sample from the woman’s cervix to check for abnormal/cancer cells. Some women don’t even feel the swab and others find it painful - most feel it but don’t find it particularly painful. If they do find problematic cells they cut a little bit off the cervix for testing.

    I have always had nice doctors - when I was younger I felt a little weirded out - but never uncomfortable or in any pain. Until I had a cervical biopsy- which did hurt and left me cramping for a bit. But it hurt at around the level it hurts to get stuck with a needle when you give blood. Yes, it hurt - but not severe.

    It’s just much much more scary to hurt in a sensitive area then it is to hurt on, say, your arm.

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  • [–] [S] 3 points 1 week ago

    Thank you for the detailed answer. It's really insightful.

    Considering all the issues women gave in the medical field (like doctors often downplaying symptoms and complaints), I wonder what percentage of doctors are rough.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 week ago (2 children)

    It's not gross, just inquisitive. Kinda nice to have people be curious about what things are like for others that are different from themselves.

    And to answer it: yes they use lube. It's more cold and uncomfortable than painful.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 1 week ago

    Thanks, it was really a curiosity about something I'll never experience. I also thought I'd ask, because I think there is still too much taboo around female heath topics.

    I think its impossible to get away from the uncomfortability of it, but happy to hear from several people already that it is not painful.

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