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3 week post op visit nurse said dr. to use speculum
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05-18-2012, 10:22 AM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 41
Hysterectomy: April 27th, 2012
Surgery Type: LAVH
Ovaries: Removed both
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3 week post op visit nurse said dr. to use speculum
I am 3 week post op and have appointment on monday for post op check up after laprascopic complete vaginal hysterectomy with ovary removal.
I came to the site to see if the exam is painful.. what I found out is that it is unheard of to use a speculum at 3 wks post op! The nurse told me when I asked that he uses a speculum but doesnt open me up all the way just enough to take a peek.... I am nervous and afraid and am still very sore there and even when wiping sometimes that area is sore and cant imagine having what would be at this point a weapon of pain speculum put there for any reason without it hurting or causing bleeding!
I can understand a pelvic check or stitch check the old fashioned way by hand but a speculum im scared of! The nurse said he would be gentle with me and not hurt me but a speculum had to be used.... as I said all other posts I read say drs wouldnt use one until 6 wks post op due to vaginal cuff and bleeding and having to use nitrite(sp???). Someone please tell me if im just freaking out or legitimately worried... Im not the type to sit thru a painful exam... if it hurts bad i tell them to stop right then and there ..
I had (before surgery) a history of painful endometriosis that made yearly exams hurt really bad and some drs knew how to examine me with endo and some didnt the ones that didnt I told them to stop and remove the speculum and if they didnt listen I told them again and if not then threatened to kick them that they were hurting me and i considered it attacking me at that point. I give fair warning but dont want to go into drs office and be getting something done thats too early... if its normal and will hurt a bit to get speculum at 3 weeks I just need to know so im not experiencing pain and allowing a speculum exam when its not supposed to be happening... thanks ... my appointment is on monday and need all the replies I can get
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05-18-2012, 10:49 AM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 327
Hysterectomy: April 24th, 2012
Surgery Type: LSH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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Re: 3 week post op visit nurse said dr. to use speculum
My doctor used a speculum at exactly two weeks and I had zero pain. She was very quick too. I did take ibprophen before the appointment but I don't think that would have squelched discomfort. I still have my cervix, maybe that helps?
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05-18-2012, 11:20 AM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 224
Hysterectomy: March 8th, 2012
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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Re: 3 week post op visit nurse said dr. to use speculum
I had a TAH with speculum exam at 4 weeks. The drive there sucked the worst. The speculum was aweful, but the internal exam was more uncomfortable. I was going to kick him, and I think he knew it because he was standing different than usual - more to the side than in the middle.
Take pain meds before you leave that morning and it will help. Some women have no pain, and others have a lot. Hopefully it won't be bad, and if it is, it's still not going to be as bad as waking up from surgery!!
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05-18-2012, 12:14 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 65
Hysterectomy: April 4th, 2012
Surgery Type: DvH
Ovaries: Removed both
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Re: 3 week post op visit nurse said dr. to use speculum
I had an exam at two weeks, it was a piece of cake, no pain at all.
Pre-hyst, I always had horrid pain during an internal, so I was a bit apprehensive when the doc went to do an exam at two weeks post-op. Boy was I surprised at how easy it was.
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05-18-2012, 12:18 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 41
Hysterectomy: April 27th, 2012
Surgery Type: LAVH
Ovaries: Removed both
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Re: 3 week post op visit nurse said dr. to use speculum
I appreciate the reply and replies! I plan on taking a vicadin that morning... im not taking chances .... I was given them for pain after surgery... I seriously may just insist he do a 6 week or 5 week check up instead I hate to say it... but I cant handle that yet... and if it may cause bleeding and pain after.. thats not right.. an exam shouldnt be done yet if its gonna affect recooperation and cause fresh bleeding... part of me saying this is fear and part of it is that I am a person and I dont think the dr would have his daughter do an exam that would cause fresh bleeding and pain so soon post op if it interferes with recooperation time and does damage...and if he would then I need a new dr. I just have a feeling that I am gonna butt heads with him on monday... regular non speculum exam first... if im sore and tender really bad with that little exam then no speculum and if he doesnt like it he can go do another exam in another room... I had my cervix , ovaries, tubes and uterus removed .... I hear stories on here of vaginal cuffs tearing or getting hurt in exams and having to get put back together in office with something... has anyone on here had a speculum exam with bleeding or cuff or stich tear as a result that had to be fixed in the office and got sent home and if so how did it effect your recooperation and how was your pain and activity level after.... I dont want to extend my recoop time and go back to feeling like dookie because the dr does use the speculum and i know I wont know till i get there but i know that some people here can tell me that if I do let the speculum exam happen and it causes bleeding or cuff damage then I can at least know what to expect after Ikick myself in the rear for letting him do it....
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05-18-2012, 12:22 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 41
Hysterectomy: April 27th, 2012
Surgery Type: LAVH
Ovaries: Removed both
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Re: 3 week post op visit nurse said dr. to use speculum
im just really scared of the exam and have read a few stories on here of good and bad exams and have no crystal ball so Iam hoping if I can find out what it was like after the exam caused issues I might be able to add that as a plausable after effect that is necessarry to be healthy and examed post op. im just trying to hold it together and keep the fear down. haha im afraid of a speculum .... thats sad.
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05-18-2012, 12:41 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 44
Hysterectomy: May 1st, 2012
Surgery Type: LAVH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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Re: 3 week post op visit nurse said dr. to use speculum
hi there....i know youre scared....but if you trusted your surgeon with the surgery try to keep on trusting him....at 16days post op i was discovered to have a pelvic abscess....the PA did an internal using a small speculum and took swabs...i also had an abdominal ultrasound and was told it might need to be a vaginal ultrasound if the pic wasnt good enough....today 17 days post op dr drained abscess which obviously required an internal positoning..painful but necessary and i will be going again on mon....take some meds and have someone drive you home....be calm and take care
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05-18-2012, 01:09 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 327
Hysterectomy: April 24th, 2012
Surgery Type: LSH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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Re: 3 week post op visit nurse said dr. to use speculum
How about this -- when you go in for your exam why don't you talk with your doctor about your concern and make an agreement for him/her to start slow and to check in with you on how you're doing? The very act of having the conversation will probably slow the doc down and think carefully about you and what they're doing.
The Vicodin sounds like a decent plan since you're getting a ride. I wish I had something like that for my pre-op biopsy. The ibprophen they recommended was not enough.
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05-18-2012, 01:34 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 41
Hysterectomy: April 27th, 2012
Surgery Type: LAVH
Ovaries: Removed both
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Re: 3 week post op visit nurse said dr. to use speculum
they took my cervix, uterus, ovaries, tubes and anything else female related in there... so yeah the stitches from cervix removal may hurt then... triage nurse said that I will feel uncomfortable but speculum wont touch any stitches and if I have major pain then it means I have an issue or infection... after 3 weeks all is still sore... so who knows... I may just let them do a swab for infection test and barely open spec up to do whatever... ive just had enough of pain and unnecessary complications from presurgery to post surgery that volunteering for another possible one isnt at the top of my list at 3 wks after surgery. my game plan will be if it is extremely painful or unbearable past a post surgery normal pain threshold for an exam(if im crying or wanting to kick then thats too much pain) I will tell him to stop and to do whatever else but theres no speculum exam until im 5 weeks out and more healed if hes worried about infection then he can do a swab and that doesnt need a speculum... that way i get checked and know im ok and if theres infection and i get to heal more to tolerate the more intrusive exam. I will be so happy when I dont have to go to these exams anymore! No cervix, no uterus no ovaries or tubes .... no more yearly check up from waist down... so nice to look forward to..
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05-18-2012, 01:36 PM
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Posts: 12,392
Hysterectomy: October 15th, 2009
Surgery Type: TVH
Ovaries: Removed both
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Re: 3 week post op visit nurse said dr. to use speculum
I had an exam at 5 weeks, no pain or bleeding and it was a long exam because he had a med student there and was pointing out the cuff and teaching. Are you having a later exam at 6 or 8 wks as well, or is this your only exam? If it's the only one, maybe it could be later? I do agree with asking the Dr to go slow and easy and tell him your fears about the exam. I just had zero pain, but mine was a bit later, and I had no soreness there anyway. I can see that if there's a cuff problem now he'd want to see that, but my Dr only does one check, at 5-8 wks. Think it over, but I think you can probably talk it out with your Dr if he's at all reasonable.
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