Men: Your rectal exams: Ever had a lady doctor do it?

In My Humble Opinion
82

Funny this should come up now.

Recently, I got new insurance and a new PCP, and his practice includes three female nurse practitioners. I’ve seen him twice and each of them at least once, running through a variety of screening and tests and look at all the fun things they’ve found.

One of the issues was needing a rectal. I’ve had one previously by a male doctor, this was the first by a woman. But I just said “medical procedure” and went with it. Lots of lube, no pain, I relaxed and let it be done.

I have had some experience with my nethers being in the open. I’ve had a couple colonoscopies before, I had a birthmark excised from my hip that required a local (male did the injections), and I had colon surgery once. After that, I was low on blood and in the hospital for a week, and those gowns have that refreshing ventilation in the back when you’re climbing in and out of the bed, hooked to an IV and a catheter, to get your sponge bath.

I had this conversation about female doctors with a guy at work years ago, and his comment was he was much more comfortable being naked in front of a woman, given that he’s straight. I hadn’t thought of it that way.

I think the social discomfort largely comes from our general modesty taboo running up against our sex expectations, and the idea of who is looking at us and why. People who can treat it like a medical exam from a medical professional don’t think too much about it, it’s mostly the inexperienced and ones hung up on “but she’s a woman” that freak out.

As far as the rectal exam itself, physically there isn’t much pain unless something is wrong down there. The fear comes primarily from folks who aren’t in the habit of sticking things up there who are reacting to the idea of it. It’s running up against their sexual identify of “not taking things in there”.

I’m not sure, but your quote seems confused. That turn and cough is not a rectal exam, that’s a hernia check. A digital rectal exam involves inserting a finger in the rectum to feel the prostate, which is buried in the pelvis. A hernia check involves checking the abdominal wall where the scrotum protrude.

Party pooper - heh heh.

83

Both my current primary care physician, and her predecessor, are women. It was a little odd the first time I was naked or exposed in front of each, but they’re both professionals and just got on with it. Not a big deal.

84

I prefer female doctors, regardless of which of my bits are being handled. I needed to see a urologist last year and tried to find a female doc for a while, but ended up with a male.

It’s not traumatic, but it sure is (physically) uncomfortable.

85

I’ve never had a female doctor perform any rectal probes, but when I had my colonoscopy last year, the male gastroenterologist had several female nurses and technical assistants. So, presumably, some ladies have looked around my colon (I was asleep for almost all of it).

The whole process was uncomfortable and unpleasant, but I don’t see how the presence of women made it better or worse.

86

“uncomfortable” as in Painful? I didn’t experience any pain, or discomfort. Finger went in, pushed around gently, and came out.

87

Two relevant comments: I apologize in advance for the length (ho!)

First, my PCP is a gay man - I’m kind of surprised that no one has commented on that combination yet. Anyway, there is nothing even remotely sexual about the exam - we’re both doing a medical procedure and we’re both professional about it.

Second, I’ve gone through something like six years of serious bladder problems and along the way I’ve had all kinds of odd machines inserted into Mr. Happy to look for issues inside the bladder; deliver medications; attempt repairs; etc. Of the (off the top of my head) 22 “insertion events”, there was never a glandular response. The nurse for the first internal exam was male and to be honest that kind of squicked me out a bit, I have no idea why; maybe nerves. For every other procedure I was prepped by a female nurse and we talked about holiday plans, hockey scores, the weather, everyday normal small talk with a stranger. Again, we’re here to do a specific job and the fact that you’re doing things to my nether parts that, if I paid you to do them, would arguably be illegal in most juristctions is politely ignored.

By far the oddest moment of my life so far was lying on an operating table, paralyzed from the waist down due to a spinal block but still conscious. Undressed from the waist down, legs up in stirrups, all the dangley bits shaved and ready to … well, ready for whatever they were going to stuff into me next. A voice above my head said “I have some medical students here. Would it be okay if they came in to watch the operation?” At that point in my life I didn’t care much any more and told the voice to bring them in.

At the end of the journey they opened me up the traditional way and removed a bunch of stuff that was causing problems. So, I have three take away points - it really dosen’t matter who does the exam/procedure, if it’s medically neccessary it has to be done and it will be done, well, medically. Two, after you go through enough of this kind of stuff, you have no modesty left - poke, prod, examine all you want; I’m going home after this and quite likely will never see you again. Three, for what it’s worth, I no longer have a prostrate so I no longer need regular exams.

Win!

88

No, I was using “uncomfortable” to distinguish the sensation from pain. Like how being tickled can be unpleasant, even though it isn’t actually painful. I found it unpleasant though not painful both times I had a rectal exam.

89

Not a rectal exam, but last week I had a scrotal ultrasound, performed by a female tech. It was no big deal.

Is it bad that I thought about this thread during the test?

90

According to my doctor, it’s apparently inappropriate to moan “oooh yeah” during the procedure.

91

Not a male, so I guess I won’t answer the OP, but thanks for the reminder! Since I’m 51 - I should probably schedule my first colonoscopy soon.

92

Yep I have. Wore a lot of big rings. Made sure she took them off before entry.

93

It’s fun. You need to experience it just once. :grin:

94

Was it?
:wink:

95

Yes, actually.

96

I see that this is a re-animated zombie, but I’ll comment anyway. After my absolutely wonderful former (male) doctor retired (think Marcus Welby, MD and you’ve got the idea) I made it my mission to find the best possible new one, who turned out to be a female, and young, too. For the first few years I had this dreadful fear that something would necessitate an examination of my nether regions, and that this was why a female doctor was problematic for a male. But then things actually occurred – a complete physical, a prostate exam, other issues in and around the nether regions. It was handled so professionally that I eventually developed a new-found perspective, which was basically summed up in wondering what the hell all the fuss had been about.

97

Apologies, I did not realise it was a zombie.

98

Yep. I just try not to fart when she pulls her fingers out.

99

About 10 years ago, I was scheduled to have a colonoscopy and had a “pre examination” in the doctor’s office schedule prior. As is commonly the case, the doctor (male) was training a newbie doctor so he brings her along when they come into the examining room for the poke up the butt. As luck would have it, this young woman can’t be more than 24ish and absolutely HOT.

Having to display my 57ish year old hairy ass to her on our first meeting was rather…well…emBARR ASSing. :flushed:

100

from my perspective … docs are docs … one gets over their obfuscations, is forthcoming, and tells 'em the truth. to answer the question … not the anus, but the penis … i had, somehow, acquired a uti infection. veritably, the female doc was a credit to her profession. that was ‘eons’ ago … and i have, since, moved away from the area.

101

Rectal exam, no. But I’ve had the hernia check and an ultrasound of my sack done by women. And the pre-surgery prep person before my vasectomy was a woman as well.

No big deal. If anything, the pre-surgery nurse was more matter-of-fact about it all than I would have expected, grabbing my dong and taping it up and out of the way without any ceremony or comment. She wasn’t rough, but it wasn’t exactly gentle either.