Worried about unsanitary procedures at obgyn appointment

[sunnydaysgirl3]

I recently went for my annual obgyn visit, in which the Doctor came in and shook my hand as I sat on the examination table and we chatted. He knows I am a big germ freak. He sat up and turned on the sink faucets on both sides, using two hands and let it run, saying he better get the hot water going since it’s like Arctic temperatures out! He then checked water under his finger and turned it off and wiped his hand with a quick paper towel (although he never actually washed his hands at all and actually came into contact with more surfaces than ever in doing so) and then instead of using the foot pump to open garbage he lifted dirty lid with his hand! I was surprised that he’d do that.

Then we continued our conversation and during this time he touched his eyes and even the heal of his shoe! I continued to tell him about my concerns since I had a recent horrible experience with a surgery and he laughed and told me not to worry as he opened the drawer below me to pull out the metal speculum. He said, look it’s all sealed and wrapped for your protection but in the meantime he was handling the entire outer wrapper all over with his filthy hands that were still typing on his laptop which I imagine is filthy. He then started to proceed with examination as he placed his laptop down but what gets me is that he NEVER attempted to wash his hands! He was going to feel my neck and check my glands and then go on to internal exam without hand washing after I had greatly expressed my cleanliness concerns. So I asked him to wash his hands. He then used a squirt of hand sanitizer and then I still asked him to wash his hands. He then did wash but touched faucets to turn off sink (oh well!). The nurse then came in and immediately grabbed some gloves. I quickly asked her to wash her hands as well as I’m well aware that she facilitates. She put gloves on the counter that she already had in her hand and then washed and went to put same gloves on and then I asked her to get new ones but very politely this whole time. She discarded old ones and did put new gloves on but then right as she did I noticed a red plastic biohazard bin with a plastic lid that she removed with her gloves on! This is the bin they place dirty speculums in after examinations and I don’t imagine they clean the bins ever and definitely not in between patients! I don’t know why she did this wearing the gloves that she’d use during my exam and why she did not wait until after exam to lift the lid. I raised alarm and she got snippy with me and said she’d never actually touch me for exam but mind you she handed everything to the Doctor like immediately opening the KY lubricating packet and squeezing it onto the speculum. And she also handed the Doctor the vaginal brush to scrape for the culture. I understand she handled the side that does not enter the vagina but realize the Doctor is handling that same side with his glove and after speculum is removed he puts that gloved hand in you for internal exam. I even thought about the Doctor opening the outer plastic wrapping of the speculum that was contaminated. The proper way to do that would have been for assisting nurse to do so but she probably did not knowing i was highly concerned over her gloves.

Could you please reassure me on this exam? Should i be worried about cross contamination and possibly contracting an infectious disease like HPV or even worse? I know that many diseases die off outside of the body but many do not and I know I notice things that many people would not but it is greatly worrying me especially since it is an invasive procedure and I did have spotting snd more cramping afterwards than I normally do. Please help!! Thank you!

[ttjess]

I don't mean to sound condescending - I honestly don't - but sexually transmitted diseases are called that because they are sexually transmitted. They aren't transmitted in other ways.

They also need human hosts, and gloves, speculums, etc., aren't human. The germs won't live on trash cans, transfer to the gloves, then to the instruments, then to you.

If you did get something (you didn't), you wouldn't show any signs of infection so soon that the spotting and cramping would be signs of it.

I agree with specialmom that this sounds like anxiety/OCD. If you aren't already in treatment for this, you should talk to your doctor about it. There is help out there.

  

[specialmom]

I'm going to be honest.  You sound like you have great anxiety or ocd.  Is this the case?  If so, it would be in your best interest to see a doctor to have that evaluated and treated.  Fully.  And if you are unsure, go talk to your doctor about it.  

good luck