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First Gynecologist Appointment

Posted , 4 users are following.

JulinaT
JulinaT

Ok I’m 19 and I’ve been told I should go to the gynecologist at least once even if I’m not sexually active. 

I’m not sexually active I haven’t seen/touched/even been near another person’s private parts but I understand the need to go. My main motivation at the moment is I do these SmartJane swan tests to just check for stds mainly(even though I’m not sexually active) and on the last one it said I was low on fusobacterium nucleatum and I have ZERO clue what that could be so panicking. But I do have other reasons like: I have this like brown spot on my vulva? I don’t know the terms but it’s been there for years, why are my labia so long like the hinder me and why I have discharge so bad it ruins all my underwear. 

But I’m absolutely terrified to go and yes I know this os normal to be feeling but it doesn’t help my nerves. These SmartJane tests I do i have to swab for a minute with a swab and dear LORD it f*****g is uncomfortable as hell and I can’t go more than like just enough to put the swab head in and a little more without wanting to cry. How the hell are they going to examine me if I can’t handle that?!? And will they even believe I’m a virgin with no sexual contact? What kind of questions will they ask? Do they HAVE to swab my vagina and for how long??

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • mrsmop
    mrsmop JulinaT

    Posted

    Hello Julina, I guess you are not in the UK.  

    I googled  fusobacterium nucleatum,  then looked for answers from the UK because it seemed to me that all the answers from the US seemed to want to take your money.

    It seemed to me, that being low on this, means that you are less likely to develop tumours, so, apart from scaring you to death, it seems to mean nothing.

    https://www.nhs.uk/news/cancer/bacteria-found-in-bowel-tumours-but-link-is-unclear/

    I have looked for results from the past year & nothing much has changed.  It is found in dental plaque & the more you have, the more likely you might possibly develop a problem, so I don't know why your  Smart Jane kit wants you to acquire more 

    • JulinaT
      JulinaT mrsmop

      Posted

      Thank you so much for  googling that for me! I tried but it was all a garbled mess of confusion >~< I’m glad I really have nothing to worry about it scared me half to death when I saw this long scary word!

  • Beverley_01
    Beverley_01 JulinaT

    Posted

    Hi Julina,

    This sounds like more than one issue here so, lets break them down.

    Firstly the labia is bothering you and you say they are long? Some women have an issue with labia that stick out and are uncomfortable and so you could get them checked out and explain your discomfort.

    The brown spot on your vulva, I have a spot on my labia (like a beauty spot) that has always been there and I've never bothered about but, yours may be different to mine so you could check that out.

    The discharge, is it smelly at all? If it has a strong odour than that could be infection otherwise, it could be candida which isn't a sexually transmitted disease, it is a yeast infection that people can get and sometimes when you're run down or stressed it can be worse.

    I've been to , what we call a sexual health clinic here, quite a few times and the actual swabbing doesn't hurt me? Does the smart Jane kit say how far to swab? I've never used anything like that.

    I think you need to be very clear about how scared you are for the procedure and build up to it if need be. Be confident and clear that you don't want a swab right now. Can you take someone with you? I have a daughter with a phobia of needles so, we have to go together to any appointments that may need an injection. Medical staff are usually very aware of the terror factor if certain procedures. Explain your feelings and leave if you feel overwhelmed and come back another time. Maybe write down a plan of what you could do.

    I had ptsd after a car collision and would struggle at the dentist when I didn't before. I had to have an impacted wisdom tooth out at the hospital and explained how my body would react and asked for some time to relax. The guy was great and gave me time to let my body calm down.

    Hope some of that helps

    Beverley

    • JulinaT
      JulinaT Beverley_01

      Posted

      About my labia yeah they do cause quite a bit of discomfort especially when wearing anything even slightly tight in the crotch area. And this may sound vain but besides them being uncomfortable for me I just hate hate looking at them and they make me feel self conscious. 

      The brown spot it’s like..not liek a freckle if that makes sense? It’s not a perfect dark brown circle it’s more of a liek oblong medium brown color? It’s been there for years and when I first saw it I was too self conscious to tell anyone, and since it didn’t hurt I shrugged it off. But I’m thinking I should get it looked at. 

      Zero smell from my discharge as far as I can tell, there’s just SO much of it it ruins my underwear. Someone told me it might be becuase the discharge is like acid-y? And maybe that’s why it ruins my underwear but I’m not sure all I know is it’s annoying. 

      It says only to go in as far as your comfortable which I do(which isn’t very much) and it worries me becuase I wonder how far a gynecologist is going to swab. As terrified as I am I’m more self conscious about someone I know being in there while I get checked over sad I’ve had bad experiences with doctors/nurses in general when they’re having I guess a bad day. I just don’t want to have a bad experience there becuase I know it’ll make me too scared to go in again 

    • Beverley_01
      Beverley_01 JulinaT

      Posted

      Hi Julina,

      Remember, you're in control and you can plan with the person you go with when you want them to leave, even if it's just to the waiting room, knowing someone is there can help.

      Take it in small steps, referral, speak to secetary, initial consultation etc. Explain each step of the way how scared it makes you.

      Beverley

  • Marina_Dee
    Marina_Dee JulinaT

    Posted

    For a start....stop doing those SmartJane tests There is absolutely no need and you are just being conned. All this probing with swabs is totally unnecessary. I wonder who told you that you have to see a gynaecologist?  If there is nothing wrong then you certainly dont have to go. You have never been sexually active so stop looking for STDs. 

    The discharge[as long as it is not itchy] that you are experiencing is totally normal for a female of your age and it is an indication that you are healthy.  If it is bothering you then buy some lightweight panty liners. Do not buy any of those feminine washes...they are  not needed.  

    Your labia are probably no different to other womens. There seems to be an obsession with how the labia look but I can assure you that they can be all sorts of shapes/sizes and lengths and ALL are normal .

    A brown spot which has been there for years is probably just a mole. Again if it is not itching then leave it alone.

     

    • JulinaT
      JulinaT Marina_Dee

      Posted

      I agreed to do the SmartJane tests becuase a friend of mine does them and she said she liked them becuase they got her used to how like swabbing the vagina feels and she’s scared of the gynecologist too. And I guess it’s just been ingrained in my mind that you have to see a gynecologist once even if you’re not sexually active. A lot of the people that have told me I need to go also don’t believe I’ve never been sexually active which is frustrating. 

      I’ll try and get some panty liners those seem like a really good idea, I’m tired of being able to wear underwear I like. 

      The brown spot I thought is a mole but it idk doesn’t look like a mole if that makes sense? I guess since it’s down there it could look different than a mole on my arm would look like 

    • Beverley_01
      Beverley_01 JulinaT

      Posted

      I also wanted to say about the brown mark not being a mole and looking different. I'm not sure how big yours is but birthmarks appear anywhere and vary in colour. Two of my daughters have them. One on her elbow, about half an inch and a kind of sandy brown the other has 3 behind her ear one again about half an inch the others smaller and are raspberry red.

      Yours may also be a birthmark but, if it worries you get it checked out.

      B

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