Planned Parenthood has enough of an image problem that they should focus on things like keeping their employees in line.

Incidents like

Quote :

"she would'nt believe me and went on this whole schpiel about how I shouldn't lie about my sexual history because it's endangering to my health. I told her I was telling the truth, and she just was refusing to believe I wasn't lying, and it was really frustrating."

certainly don't help.

8/16/2006 12:18:31 PM

I have never had a single problem with Planned Parenthood. I have always found them to be kind, professional, and open minded. They did not lecture me when I had to come in twice for a morning after pill (my husband, then boyfriend, is allergic to latex and poly condoms are not as durable) and were very understanding. They also discussed various forms of birth control with me prior to my marriage. They listened to my reservations about their recommendation (Nuva Ring) and were perfectly willing to look into other options with me (monophastic pill).

The only thing that has occurred at Planned Parenthood that could possibly make a person uncomfortable was one nurse gave me her personal recommendation for the NuvaRing claiming that it actually enhanced sex pleasure because it increased lubrication. That didn't bother me, but I can see how it might offend someone who is reserved and uptight.

I have had bigger problems with unprofessionalism witih my general practitioner and student health. At student health they have no problems with passing judgement on sexual practices. Not from a healthwise perspective, but from a personal prospective. One nurse even said "ew, gross" when she came across "yes" for anal sex on the patient inventory. My general practitioner is obviously squeemish when it comes to discussing sex and genital related issues.

I think that doctors, especially genecologists, should be unsqueemish and unshockable. Normal everyday behaviors and sexual practices should not even give them cause to blink. Afterall, the human body is their job.

8/16/2006 12:47:42 PM

^good grief @ student health.

I went in to planned parenthood for an IUD.

After telling the doctor what I wanted, and my reasons for choosing an IUD, she says, "I think you should try the patch"
...
I pointed out to her that it loses a LOT of its effectiveness if the wearer is above a certain weight. She told me 'well, you can use another method of BC'
She also told me that IUDs couldn't be inserted if you weren't on your period, and you were nulliparous (haven't been pregnant). Both are untrue statements.

8/16/2006 12:57:48 PM

That is not an issue with Planned Parenthood, but an issue with a majority of doctors. They are extremely hesitant to recommend long-term birth control to young women who have not first exhausted other forms of birth control and found them unsuitable. This is a very common complaint of young women across the board. I can understand a doctor's reasoning for not wanting to insert an IUD into a younger woman because younger women are likely to change their mind in a year or two and want to have children and it's also a method of birth control highly recommended to women who have a long-term monogamous partner who is not at risk for transmitting an STD. And seriously, how many 20-somethings can meet that requirement?

Now, Planned Parenthood very strongly suggested the NuvaRing and tried to deal with my concerns so that I would go with the NuvaRing. It could have come off as pushy, but when I firmly asserted that I was uncomfortable with the idea behind the NuvaRing, they were perfectly willing to discuss other options. And when I told them that I would like to supress my menstrual cycle all together they instructed me on how to do that.

8/16/2006 1:10:58 PM

That's all understandable. It's the lying that's inexcusable, and utter disregard for my concerns and desires when it comes to birth control. No "This might not be the best choice for you because..." - instead, she chose a very unprofessional approach.

I don't necessarily agree with doctors' views on IUDs (OMG REVERSIBLE)...but, whatever.

Quote :

"And seriously, how many 20-somethings can meet that requirement? "

A fair number. Not a majority, but enough that they shouldn't adopt this 'you're in college? no IUD for you" mentality.

8/16/2006 1:16:58 PM

I would like to think that they were not intentionally lying to you. You may have very well had a nurse who did not know any better because IUDs are commonly used in women who have already had children. But, oh well. That's a problem with the individual you were talking to, not a problem with the organization as a whole.

Doctors are just weird when it comes to women and birth control, especially long term birth control. Imagine being a woman in your mid-20s who wants to be sterilized because she does not wish to have children ever or has a history of disease in her family. It is almost impossible to find a doctor who is willing to do the procedure. But take a mid-20s male. . .no problem.

8/16/2006 1:23:08 PM

and that's why I said they need to keep their employees in line.

I support PPs ideals, but they kinda make it hard for me to recommend them to anyone.

Quote :

"Imagine being a woman in your mid-20s who wants to be sterilized because she does not wish to have children ever or has a history of disease in her family. It is almost impossible to find a doctor who is willing to do the procedure. But take a mid-20s male. . .no problem."

I have had this discussion many, many times with my mother.
And you're absolutely right - "she's a woman - she doesn't really need the right to make decisions about her body"

8/16/2006 1:26:54 PM

doctors take that stance because of the chance that one, just one person who gets sterilized early on will change her mind and sue the fuck out of him.


gyno malpractice insurance rates are among the highest for a reason. No need to go around asking for trouble


i know you will have some glib comeback for this statement, but a doctor is gonna do what he has to do to not get sued in this world of people expecting us to fix all their problems and have all of the answers when we dont.

and planned parenthood is covering their asses too. they dont want someone to come back in 5 years to have the IUD removed only to find out that they are perminantly sterile because their fallopian tubes are clogged with HPV scarring or chlamydial scarring

8/16/2006 1:58:34 PM

Can a woman even sue a doctor over sterilization that was performed as her choice? Most doctors require women who want sterilization to under go at least a psychiatric consultation before they will consider doing the procedure. It's not like forced sterilization, which can definitely be sued over.

It's the double standard that concerns me. Women who want sterilization obviously have some mental defect or cannot make a choice without the risk of changing their minds. Men who want sterilization do not face nearly the same road blocks that women do.

---

I have never heard of fallopian tube scarring due to HPV. And what does an IUD have to do with chlamydia and HPV? I do not see how anyone could possibly sue a doctor over birth control when all of the educational material clearly states that it does not and will not protect against STDs.

[Edited on August 16, 2006 at 2:14 PM. Reason : ?]

8/16/2006 2:13:01 PM

Quote :

"Can a woman even sue a doctor over sterilization that was performed as her choice?"

I'd hope not.

Quote :

"And what does an IUD have to do with chlamydia and HPV?"

The strings on an IUD are basically an expressway for bacteria and infections to your inner girl parts. That's why they like to see women getting them either married or in monogamous LTRs.


[Edited on August 16, 2006 at 2:26 PM. Reason : lj]

8/16/2006 2:25:44 PM

Yeah, the doctors at PP were trying to push the NuvaRing on me, as well, because they didn't think I would be responsible enough to take my BCP daily. I had to convince them that you know, since I have been taking daily thyroid medication for oh, you know SEVEN YEARS already I was defintely capable of taking it everyday.

Anyways, I also had similar problems w/ NCSU Student Health, but not for gyno. I went there for a counseling consultation, where they just generally talked to me and found out what I was having problems with, and the woman I dealt with FLAT OUT called my mother a bitch to my face and I was so offended. I might have problems with my mom, but that was just uncalled for. She may not be a model parent but come on. When is that EVER appropriate?

8/16/2006 3:24:49 PM

as a new healthcare professional

i can tell you that people will sue over EVERYTHING imaginable


doesn't mean they will win, BUT it still costs money to take it to court. And its still a pain in the ass for everyone who has to go give a deposition.

Thank the lord i have computerized charting so i can go leave little notes to myself so that if 4 years from now i have to go to court i can remember what i did for the patient.


some people arent very bright.........some people will come back years later and say " i didnt realize that tubal ligation was a permanant procedure!!" despite being told that it was permanant AND being given literature saying that "this ain't reversible"

[Edited on August 16, 2006 at 5:09 PM. Reason : it happens]


---

Quote :

"Most doctors require women who want sterilization to under go at least a psychiatric consultation before they will consider doing the procedure."

which doctors are you referring to........... ive seen where a woman has delivered her last baby by C-section and had a tubal ligation performed before she was sewn up.

[Edited on August 16, 2006 at 5:14 PM. Reason : .]

8/16/2006 5:05:09 PM

You didn't read a few posts back.

Quote :

"Imagine being a woman in your mid-20s who wants to be sterilized because she does not wish to have children ever..."

I am not talking about women who have started families and decided that they do not wish to have more children.

I am talking about young women in their 20s and early 30s who have not had children and have decided that they do not wish to ever have children. Doctors will frequently flat out refuse to do this procedure. The few who will do it, often will not do it unless the woman has undergone couseling.

I think that it's probably fair to request a young woman to be evaluated to make sure that her reasons are valid and that it is a decision that she will be able to live with in the future, but I have a problem with the fact that men in the same age group who wish to have vasectomies do not encounter the same road blocks.

[Edited on August 16, 2006 at 8:11 PM. Reason : quote]

8/16/2006 8:09:56 PM

well a vasectomy has decent reversal rates if that has anything to do with it

http://www.vasectomymedical.com/vasectomy-reversal-success-rates.html

8/16/2006 8:15:38 PM

bttt for skwinkle

11/21/2006 10:40:16 AM

Thanks.

Do you all see male doctors or female doctors? A lot of people in my family swear by men because they say they are more sensitive and whatnot, but I just don't think you can counsel women on women's issues as well if you're a man.

That being said, I just scheduled an appointment with a man because it's the only one I could get.

11/21/2006 11:01:53 AM

i prefer women

i'm sure men do a fine job

but i'm a sissy

11/21/2006 11:41:00 AM

after having both a male and female doctor--i'm sticking with female.

11/21/2006 12:09:25 PM

I've only had female doctors. There are a huge amount of OB/GYN practices in the area - I find it surprising that you couldn't find a female doctor.

11/21/2006 12:50:49 PM

^ could be insurance coverage in conjunction with availability of appointments

11/21/2006 12:59:14 PM

recommend more please

female near Rex

11/21/2006 1:25:23 PM

female at rex--Dr. Watson at Mid-Carolina OBGYN. very nice. the staff there is great too. i felt very comfortable upon first walking into their office.

and there's other female docs there too...

http://www.midcarolinaobgyn.com/index.htm

you can make your appt online

[Edited on November 21, 2006 at 1:33 PM. Reason : ]

11/21/2006 1:32:59 PM

I know of a great male near campus ladies

pm me

11/21/2006 1:34:42 PM

Quote :

"I find it surprising that you couldn't find a female doctor."

It's not that I couldn't find one, it's that I need to have the apt. soon and that's all that was available at the places I called. I'm thinking I'm going to call more until I find a woman.

11/21/2006 7:06:20 PM

another female at Rex: Dr. Paige Gausmann @ Capital Area OB/GYN
http://www.capitalareaobgyn.com/

11/21/2006 7:50:25 PM

so men aren't good enough to conduct pap smears?

11/22/2006 3:34:25 PM

search pls

2/23/2007 3:26:42 PM

I did. Sorry the search function is inadequate like other things on this site.

2/23/2007 3:38:19 PM

Highly recommend Associates In Womens Healthcare on Wake Forest Road, just north of Duke Health Raleigh. All of the docs are female and they are fantastic.

So anyway, thought I'd save some money and go to Student Health now that I'm eligible - looks like a bad idea?? My appt is with Mrs. Pressley. Advice appreciated.

2/23/2007 6:09:54 PM

I like male doctors

2/23/2007 8:07:31 PM

you would

2/23/2007 8:09:50 PM

Quote :

"I did. Sorry the search function is inadequate like other things on this site."

/message_search.aspx?type=topic§ion=1&searchstring=Gynecologist&username=&usertype=match&sortby=date&sortorder=descending&page=


now tell me this, you say the search function is inadequate yet here it is
looks like user error



[Edited on February 23, 2007 at 8:13 PM. Reason : shakes head]

2/23/2007 8:13:19 PM

I'm glad someone pulled up this thread-- I've been looking for a second opinion. It seems like many of you have also experienced the horrors of student health. I went for a yearly checkup & they sent me to get some expensive ultrasound stuff done. I return a week later and the lady says "I can't read these results, but when the doctor who can returns, I'll let you know" -- Now she won't return my phone calls. While she was out of the room I read what was sent over by Raleigh Radiology & looked it up online-- it said everything was fine-- so why send me over there and make me pay $400 for something... and then not be able to atleast tell me there's nothing wrong? Ugh. That's not my only qualm with Student Health, but whatever. Just thought I'd leave my experiences here.

2/23/2007 9:03:59 PM

Ok.. so I was thinking of going to student health for my annual... bad idea?

2/24/2007 12:52:33 AM

I'm looking specifically for a guy doctor.

Experiences?

2/28/2007 10:46:46 AM

I'll be your gynecologist. I am experienced at making vaginas feel better.

2/28/2007 11:14:51 AM