Sexual Assault Sexual Abuse/assult Ptsd And Effects During/following Intimate Medical.examinations/procedures

[brokengirl19]

I've had sexual assult and abuse during my life and have always found routine and emergency intimate examinations and precedures terribly traumatic. I get the flashbacks, usual symptoms etc. I'm a nurse and after a recent stay in hospital for emergency surgery in an intimate place. Through my own feelings at this time I began to wonder about how we as nurses coils discretely identify the fear and ask what people need to make it less traumatic and suites to them as an individual. I guess I'm wondering if there are men and women out there who feel like me for their own reasons and if so what things would help people have a better more individual hospital approach and help with regard to those specific examinations/procedures

 

[The Albatross]

Normalizing the experience for a stressed person is part of it. Sometimes I've been in the room to accompany somebody who didn't want to be alone... the key focus though is usually the necessity of the exam or procedure and stress reduction before and after... sometimes during.

 

[Friday]

My OB/Gyn offers Chocolate Truffles & a Valium to all her patients before an exam or procedure :D

There's a little card that comes with the truffle in a box, about how no matter how icky something in life is? Always made at least a little better with good chocolate. The benzo is a verbal offer she makes when handing over the truffle (If you'd like something stronger, I have a fully stocked pharmacy with a single serving dose of your anti anxiety med of choice). Although if you take her up on it regularly? You can pick up your truffle box 20 minutes before your appointment and it has the pill there, too. ((LOL. Also talk about a useful way to get patients in the office 15 minutes before the appointment! ))

She's such a badass woman! Love her to bits!

((She and her staff must spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars over the years, making these little gift boxes. But they're these little moments of kindness that are priceless to so many of us on the receiving end.))

 

[LF1]

My OB/Gyn offers Chocolate Truffles & a Valium to all her patients before an exam or procedure

OMG I absolutely love this! And not just the offer of chocolate and drugs (LOL) but the kindness and consideration behind it is really something.

 

[Mit]

I guess I'm wondering if there are men and women out there who feel like me for their own reasons and if so what things would help people have a better more individual hospital approach and help with regard to those specific examinations/procedures

I had lots of surgery on my genitals throughout my childhood and adolescence. A lot of it would fall into the 'normal' childhood experiences and fears of hospitalisations and surgery. Some of it became more problematic because the surgery was repeated so often I knew in advance about the most painful, unpleasant and frightening procedures (fearful anticipation). And in my teenage years because the procedures were on my genitals I also perceived it as 'quasi sexual' and humiliating experience.

I've had to have the surgery revisited twice since becoming an adult. On both occasions I thought I had prepared myself well. On both occasions things were done, or happened that I had not expected, and were either a repeat of childhood experiences, or very similar.

On the first occasion I didn't tell anybody about my fears, so the medical staff weren't able to help me. My fault. On the second occasion prior to surgery I told the consultant about my issues, and I was given a strong pre-med which helped me go through with the procedure. But nobody mentioned I would have an identical unpleasant post operative experience, to one that I had repeatedly as a child. Hence I had a very frightening psychological reaction on my own in the toilets on the ward. I didn't feel it was anyone's fault, it just shows how hard it is to fully prepare and consider all eventualities.

I will have to have more surgery sometime in the future - hopefully I'll have prepared fully and learned from experience by then. Talking through the process in detail is the only way I can think of avoiding problems. The trouble in the UK NHS is that consultants seem so pushed for time it is hard to bring it up during consultations and spend time discussing it thoroughly. So may be writing a letter to the consult in advance is a good idea.

 

[dnp]

I would need to be stone cold unconscious or severely lobotomized. The truffle box thing would trigger me so badly I think I would grab the nearest scalpel and slash myself. Preferably in the throat.

 

[The ANP]

I am a health care provider. I also have a history of sexual assault. I have had reproductive cancer. I go for quarterly screenings some of which involve a trans-vaginal ultrasound. I have to trust the examiner. I think all health care workers could up their game on asking more questions about trauma and comfort. Most of it is being informed on the nature/prevalence of trauma and taking the time to talk to patients and ask questions. One good thing I got from PTSD is my ability to do this for my own patients. I have PTSD radar. After an initial evaluation I can pick a person with PTSD out with good accuracy.

 

[theshadowoftheliving]

Walked in for a physical recently and told the nurse I needed to schedule a pap because I knew I was overdue. She started pulling out the supplies and I nearly jumped off the table in fear ... The nurse seemed surprised by my reaction.

But my doctor, who read my file and saw PTSD in it, was really sympathetic and awesome. That said, I'm still overdue for my exam ...

So yes, I struggle with this.

 

[Brokensoul88]

This is timely. I'm about to go to Dr's because after 8 years of having PCOS a friend told me that some of my unusual symptoms could result in pre cancerous cells. My trauma was before diagnosis but I'm 28 never had a smear or any sexual contact since rape when I was 20. Going with a friend to Dr to ask about the symptom which no dr has ever brought up with me & terrified it will result in some procedure/exam at some point. I used to take diazepam for the dentist but my Dr's surgery in new area don't give out those sorts of drugs so when I asked for some having used them in the past was told we don't like to give that out here. I think if a member of the medical staff had time to sit for a cuppa tea & talk through before that might help some but they are so overworked that's not really feasable