need advice

[bbtea]

I am from Hong Kong. Patient protection/benefit is not well developed here and I have no idea how to seek help/ advices in my home town. I have surf the net and did some reseach and decided maybe this forum can give me some advices.I have had ulcerative colitis since 21 years old and I am now 34. I have been struggling for an issue/ question for almost a year. Last April when I went to the hospital for check-up. After routine examination, my doctor then touched my clitoris.

To be honest, I don’t think he’s doing a check-up, what I felt is he was doing it just for his fun cuz when he was touching it he asked me if I have any feeling I said no. I was scared and in shocked. Then he asked me if I felt anything (he’s still touching it) if my lover touches me there.. I said of course cuz that’s my lover. I felt very disgusting and I told him I don’t like that. Then he stopped touching me.

I understand that ulcerative colitis might affect the vagina that there might be inflammation occurred (yes, he mentioned that before), so I am ok for him to check/examine my vagina..but clitoris?? That was the first time.
Since then when I think about that day, I feel very depressed and stressed. I am not sure if this will affect my sickness but I do feel sick more often.

Then one day I emailed him and asked if this clitoral check up is necessary and here’s his reply:

“I think there was some redness and secretion on that occasion. If it subsequently did not trouble you, I think we could just leave it at that. As inflammatory bowel disease and its treatment might occasionally cause inflammation at and around that area, I just routinely make sure that this does not happen to  you.”

Can anyone please advise if this clitoral checking is necessary?

[djcwiley]

In my 20 years of having an intestinal disease, never have I experienced any of my doctors examining my vagina.  Perhaps there is another related health condition that affects your vagina such as pelvic floor dysfunction which I developed as a result of my intestinal disease did I get examined vaginally.

My advice is to find a well-respected doctor who specializes in bowel disease. With my own experience in finding the right doctor and getting diagnosed properly, it became a full time commitment and deprives your mentally well being. I believe having a chronic illness promotes mental illness and becomes a vicious cycle.

Consider complimentary medicine and find a patient advocacy site or try forums that are designed just for people who have UC/Crohns/IBS.  I found the forums to be extremely worthy of my time.  The patients are willing to share their treatment experience and offer good sound advice.

Best of luck
Debra

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
I am sorry that you went through this. It is very difficult to say what the doctor was doing, but yes, repeated touching of clitoris may or may not have been required (depending on whether he was touching the area in general for examination or specifically with intention of touching the clitoris cannot be commented upon or proved). Still, this is a difficult situation to assess on net and positively comment upon.
The only advice I can give is that you can insist on having a female nurse or attendant with you while being examined by a male doctor. Please try and forget this incident as you did nothing wrong. The examination cannot cause a flare in your condition but yes, mental stress can. So, talk to someone you trust and try putting this behind you. Take care!

The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.