I am a middle-aged WOMAN and my primary doctor referred me to a colo-rectal doctor for possible hemmoroids. The colorectal doctor was male, highly regarded according to the letters on his wall, and his assistant was a female. Once I got in the exam room and met with the doctor and explained my situation, he said, "well, let's go into a special butt-examining room." I thought what the??!! That was crass.
So the assistant ushers me in to the room next door, and says to take off everything from the waist down, and she gives me a sheet to I guess put around me as I wait for the doctor. The sheet did not even wrap all the way around me. Of course I see a table like an exam table, with an attachment at the end like the quadricep attachment at the gym. I didn't think too much about that.
The assistant left, and I couldn't sit on the plastic chair as the sheet wasn't big enough to wrap both under me and around me, and God knows I didn't want to sit on the plastic chair bare, with no underwear, and if I sat on the sheet, then I would have been uncovered from the waist down in front, so I went through every drawer in the room and found a gown to put down on the chair so I could sit down.
Then the doctor and the assistant come in and stood me up, so of course the sheet falls away as they lead me to the table end, which faced the DOOR, I might add, so if someone opens the door, there is my naked BUTT...and they lower me on my knees and tell me to "go over the 2-foot across round attachment with my hips over it and then lie on my chest on the table, in essence stretching my hips over the attachment while my knees are on a small step at the bottom of the table.
I am a big woman, and I had a knee injury and back injuries from car accidents, so this is not working for me at all. I couldn't believe it-I am naked from the waist down up over this big attachment, and the doctor moves the table up electronically, so here is my BUTT up high in the air-I am so shocked and scared-what the hell is going on I am thinking?! He and the assistant are both behind me-pun intented-I guess her job is to SPREAD my butt cheeks, or maybe it was him, but my cheeks are spread apart and then the doctor says, "I am going to grease it up" and inserts his finger in my bottom. Like I am a pig that needs grease?
Then he inserts something else, a hard object, I have no idea what it was which really scares me and gives me chest pains, as I am horrified at being in this lewd, crude, embarassing and violating position, naked from the waist down, with two people behind me and the door behind them! Later I found out it was a metal anuscope-and can you imagine having a metal tool shoved inside your tight bottom while you are up and over a large round attachment? Talk about uncomfortable-that would have been uncomfortable in any position, but better if you were on your stomach.
I talked about eating fiber or something inane to feel as if I had some control, and I was leaning on my forearms and gripping the edge of table with my hands for my life-then the doctor says, "You have hemmorroids inside, I can take them out with a rubber band, blah blah blah" like I am going to let them do anything!
They helped me up off my knees so thank God it was only 5 minutes or so of ajbect pain and terror-but I got out of there so fast! I am never going back.
I had a really hard time all week as I was so upset and traumatized by the whole unpleasant, undignified experience. Does this happen to other women? It might be fine for big, strong, stoic men, but this is horrible for women.
So crass and crude. I am so angry at this indignation and how pompous and rude the doctor was-and how anyone thinks this is a good idea. Can you imagine your MOTHER in this position? I wondered if anyone else has had this happen. Please let me know - I can't find anything online about this "procedure" or table being used for people. Thank you for letting me vent-this is the only place I would feel safe disclosing this nightmare. Any by the way, I have had years of surgeries and exams, so I am used to being examined, but NEVER like this.
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Add a Comment16 Comments
going to the proctologist or more known as Colon and rectal surgeons is for a serious reason. I had hemorrhoids and went to a male doctor, [ I am a male] I was on my side and lowered my pantsfor the digital and scope that was in 2010 In 2016 he had retired so I went to a female in a medical group, she had the first appt there was a female RN as was her title in the room, I too was bent over the exam table with my knees on a lower padded step and exam table lowered and butt up. she did digital, ano and scope. I only had to lower my pants. perhaps it depends on what the patient is wearing. I had sweat pants on.
at the first doctors office there was a girl wearing super tight jeans and I saw the doc after a few minutes at the front desk and then later on there again, perhaps a gowns was needed. As when the doctor came in to the room he did not leave - it was the doctor who called the patients.
March 3, 2019 - 9:44pmThis Comment
Yes. I have had this procedure done with an exceptional proctolgist. I was very comfortable during and after the exam. And, to make matters better, it was just hemorrhoids.
June 24, 2017 - 4:38pmThis Comment
I had this same thing done in 2010 and I cried the entire time because of embarrassment- not pain.
May 25, 2017 - 4:15pmThis Comment
I had a banding procedure on an investigation by a surgeon and was onlytold two weeks before that there was nothing untoward NO EVEN ANY INTERNAL HAEMORRHOID ! I was in a lot of pain afterwards and the next morning when I wanted to go to the toilet rubber washers came out and I have never been able to pass a normal stool ever again There is nothing written on the drs notes so no one can tell me what he used the banding for when I saw the doctor who did my initial colonoscopy who told me that I definitely didnt have haemorrhoids and ask him what the surgeon had done and about the rubber bands He replied "weve taken this conversation as far as I can go" and refused to talk to me I fought for ages and got nowhere coulnt prove what he had done at the time the surgeon said its your muscle's but I had my muscles tested and they have always been good because of my singing and dancing exercise and although just over 60 at the time the girl doing the test said my muscle's were as goog as hers and there was nothing wrong and she was only 39! So I have been suffering for a long time now its ruined mine and my dear husbands life
February 11, 2015 - 8:14aml
This Comment
I'm an American male recovering from hemorrhoid surgery in Korea and figured I would weigh in.
There's really no way for the doctor to examine that area without looking at it, and the only way to examine for internal hemorrhoids is to insert a scope.
I was examined the first time by a male doctor with a female nurse and a male interpreter present. To get a second opinion to make sure a surgery was truly necessary. There, I was examined by a female doctor and a female nurse and a female interpreter were present. During both examinations, I was on my side.
During the surgery, I was in the jackknife position, with my behind at the apex of the table. Many medical staff were there performing their medical tasks.
Be glad you're in the USA. Here in Korea, it's customary for friends and relatives to help their relatives in the post-surgery wards. There were a lot of patients and their family members of all ages and both genders in the ward. Three times on each of the three days, a doctor and a nurse would have me get on my hands and knees so they could see the area. While it was embarrassing, half of all Koreans will get hemorrhoids during their life, so half of them at some point will be in a ward full of people experiencing the same thing I did, and besides, after hemorrhoid surgery, you're only thinking about the pain and healing.
Oh, and my female boss translated last year when I went for a colonoscopy. Although I drank the prep solution the night before, they asked how many times I went and what it looked like. They ended up doing an enema with my boss (similar age as me) present, to interpret the nurses instructions about how long to hold it, et cetera, from Korean to English.
So just be glad it's only a doctor and nurse there. You're not having to deal with interpreters, families, and so on. Just put your health first. As the prostate exam commercials on TV say, "Don't die of embarrassment." Sometimes medical procedures are embarrassing, but put your health first.
September 1, 2013 - 2:00amThis Comment
Hi Anonymous, I too was the victim of such abuse. I did my research and found a highly recommended doctor who did the hemorrhoid banding and I thought I was going into a good place. I had lots of pain and internal and external hemorrhoids plus a fissure. Which is a rip in the skin that also hurt like hell besides the bleeding hemorrhoids. Well he didn't explain much to me either but what I found most disturbing was his manner in which he came in. He said hello but he sounded sleepy, or drugged or drunk or ..aroused.. I am not sure which but I got a very uneasy feeling right away, and I think he saw that on my face and suddenly he acted very professional. That scared me to see the sudden change but it did lead to me asking myself if I had heard things or felt things right in the first place. I had a bad feeling, you know sometimes u have those and sometimes you listen to them and sometimes you dont and most times you wish you had even if you are wrong. I too bent over the table he then pumped down the front so that my butt was up in the air in front of his face and there was NO nurse with us. I thought shed be in soon but she never came in. After he examined me he told me what was going on down there and asked if I wanted to have banding done and I said yes. So he did one and said that hed have to save the others for another visit. Then as he was putting things away and finishing up I felt his hand slightly brush against my vagina. At first i thought it was accidental but later after I went home, it bothered me a lot and I realized that he most likely did it on purpose. After he did this, he slapped my butt and said in a rather amusing tone, "Don't worry, I'm gonna give you a brand new butt!!" I didn't want to go back but I had to because the rubber band needed to be checked. But this time I made sure that my husband was in the exam room with me. I thought Id be safe for sure. He seemed shocked to see him and I was glad to have him there with me. Unfortunately he got to see the undignified position of my butt in front of the male doctor. He did another banding procedure but this time it hurt and there was supposed to be no pain but there was too much talking to say anything. I should have because I went home in pain and thought it'd go away but it only got worse until in the evening I couldn't stand it anymore but I didn't want to go see him again because I was afraid now of what he might do to hurt me further. So I saw the videos again this clinic provided and thought that the my problem was that the banding was too tight and attached to my muscle which sometimes happens but is not supposed to however can be taken care of easily in the office if caught before you leave. He never asked if I was in pain or examined to make sure all was well. I was in so much pain that evening, I was so desperate I asked my husband to do it for me. I showed him the video I found online and then he put sanitary gloves on and lubricant and inserted his finger in and i guided him where it hurt and he wiggled the band and the skin like in the video and suddenly there was no more pain. Thank God he was successful tho Id recommend if this happens you go to an emergency room or another doctor if possible. I never went back to this doctor and now the whole clinic has shut down and he has his own private practice all within a year or less of seeing him.. Hmmmm .. wonder why.. maybe he has suits against him.. Perhaps if I went into the ER Id have to undergo surgery.. and then somethings can go very wrong.. even a lifetime of pain could have awaited me. I don't know but that was my ordeal and I still have hemorrhoids and suffering right now as a matter of fact.
January 25, 2011 - 1:03amThis Comment
Thank you for sharing this-that is a first for me to hear about how he slapped your bottom, etc. No wonder he got shut down. I love how you took your husband in the exam room-that was SMART. Good thinking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 25, 2011 - 9:27amThis Comment
Yes you should always be allowed to bring someone in with you. Especially if the nurses don't go in, which should be a red flag in any female related exam. I usually bring him in with me and I with him unless I have a female doc I like but female docs usually do have nurses come in the exam room and most of the male docs have too in my past. This was a first and I still need to find another one. Perhaps I should look for a female butt doc this time. :) Think Id feel safer, you might too. Good luck.
January 25, 2011 - 1:11pmThis Comment
No such luck-I went to a femal and it was even worse than the male-except I refused to go over the table. I laid on my side.
Anyway-thank you so much for your comments-that really helped me and I will take someone in from now on.
Thank you!
January 25, 2011 - 1:35pmThis Comment
Also it most likely will help hemorroidal sufferers to learn all about the foods and medications that make them worse. Aspirin or foods or herbs or even fruits that cause the blood to flow faster or thinner can make bleeding hemorrhoids worse. Coffee beans, caffeine, tomato sauces, citric juices. Be careful not to become constipated. Take Whole Psyllium Husks or something gentle and natural for fiber. Eat enough vegies, etc. Dont take any stimulant laxatives, watch the intake of cayenne pepper or senna leaves! I found out the hard painful way.... no chocolate and the list goes on.. But I have found remarkable improvement when I watch my intake and make sure I have enough fiber. And drinks lots of water.
January 25, 2011 - 2:03pmThis Comment