Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So the week before i posted this, i had some very sharp stomach cramps. These stomach cramps kept coming in waves. It hurt so bad i thought i was going to die.  :(

I was shopping at Claire's when the first wave of cramps first hit and it was painful as hell. It would not stop hurting and one of the ladies who were working there had to call the ambulance on me after i literally dropped to the floor.

I lie there helplessly on the floor, writhing in exquisite stomach pain. To try and divert my mind's attention elsewhere i try to listen to what the lady is saying to the 911 dispatch. Thankfully, she did address me as "she." Mind you, i'm a pre-op trans woman. I haven't had any trans-related surgeries yet but clearly i'm dressed up as a female (well, neither of the two women knew i was trans, i don't think).

After she was finished telling 911 what was going on, i had to wait like... 30 or 45 minutes for help to arrive! Seriously? That's unacceptable! Because what if i would've died waiting for the paramedics?  >:( But thankfully the pain in my belly start to subside and i found the strength to rise and sit and wait outside the store (i was at the mall). That said, i got tired of waiting and so i started to get up and go to the doctors for my estrogen shot, but as i'm about to exit the mall, the two paramedics find me. I tell them that the pain in my stomach went away but not entirely. Because I'm going to the clinic anyway, i reject their offer for a trip to the emergency room and go to the clinic.

Unfortunately after i get my shot, the sharp stomach cramps return and the staff there had to schedule me for an emergency appointment to be seen by a doctor. After one nurse took my vitals, she left me alone in the room. I go to hang up my coat and purse up on the hook on the door, at which point the pain in my stomach intensifies and causes me to drop to the floor, and i actually lose consciousness this time!

I don't regain consciousness until the doctor shakes me awake. He and a female doctor tells me they will send a nurse with me to walk me to the emergency room. I tell them i just wanted to go home and lay down but i don't have a choice!

So the lady walks me to the emergency room. When she does i of course had to register at the front desk, with my male name! I couldn't give them my female name. They explained to me that it's okay and that because i didn't change my legal credentials I need to use my male name and gender market for my insurance info.

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If you're registered as a male at the hospital does that mean you get examined by a male doctor? I'm wondering because I was examined by a male doctor. He kept pressing into my stomach and it felt kind of uncomfortable in the sense that i would've like for a female doctor to do that to me.

Mind you, there was a female doctor in the room as well. I guess she was just there to make sure he wasn't doing anything sexual to me. They both know I'm trans. I was too shy to say something. I guess with me being a girl a part of me didn't mind being examined by a man.

Also, when he was checking my vitals and asking me basic medical related questions, he asked if i had surgery on my chest. I told him i didn't as I haven't had any surgeries yet. He was obviously essentially asking if i had breast implants. Was he out of line for asking me that? The lady didn't say anything. She was using this computer thing. But that, and the stomach pressing both felt really uncomfortable.

Sorry if this was too long. I really didn't mean to write a novel about it. LOL

Quote from: AnnaiyahStarr on March 07, 2016, 08:08:45 PM
If you're registered as a male at the hospital does that mean you get examined by a male doctor?

I think you get examined by whatever doctor happens to be on hand.

I'm glad you seem to be feeling better. I hope the pain subsides and doesn't return.

I hope you are doing better, did you get released?  So you didn't have to take your shirt off so they could listen to your heart and lungs?

I had a UTI and the doctor that took care of me was male. He didn't need to touch me so that wasn't an issue at the time. I received my HRT from male doctors and the examination you received is to check for sore spots. It could be your liver or appendix and if one was a problem, you would have felt it. I have been checked many times so there is nothing unusual about that examination.

The woman in the room may have been a nurse and not a doctor. While there are many women doctors, men still outnumber women so you need to accept the fact you may still get a male doctor unless you find a woman one.

Last, it is important to know your medical history. In my case, the doctor needed to know how my surgery was preformed because a woman would be treated for a shorter time with antibiotics than a man. Because some of the male plumbing remains, I needed the longer male treatment.

Quote from: Dena on March 07, 2016, 08:34:06 PM
I had a UTI and the doctor that took care of me was male. He didn't need to touch me so that wasn't an issue at the time. I received my HRT from male doctors and the examination you received is to check for sore spots. It could be your liver or appendix and if one was a problem, you would have felt it. I have been checked many times so there is nothing unusual about that examination.

The woman in the room may have been a nurse and not a doctor. While there are many women doctors, men still outnumber women so you need to accept the fact you may still get a male doctor unless you find a woman one.

Last, it is important to know your medical history. In my case, the doctor needed to know how my surgery was preformed because a woman would be treated for a shorter time with antibiotics than a man. Because some of the male plumbing remains, I needed the longer male treatment.

That does make sense. It's just that i was never comfortable with male doctors touching me in certain places.

When i was at the emergency room I did tell the doctor who saw me i'd been having digestive problems, which i think my stomach cramps are connected. He did say he didn't think anything was seriously wrong but it would behoove me to go to my local doctor's office and get a second option by getting a more thorough examination.

At the clinic where i get my hormones and shots, i do have a female doctor prescribing me my hormones.

I seriously hope my stomach problems are not stemming from a problem with my liver or appendix but I don't think so and neither did he. I'm not a doctor, so i won't know for sure until I schedule a follow-up appointment at my local doctor's office.

Also, like i said, i'm not a doctor so i wouldn't know for certain but it concerns me that the doctor didn't give you a physical exam on you when you had a UTI, you would think so they could detect if anything... felt wrong.

Quote from: mm on March 07, 2016, 08:31:10 PM
I hope you are doing better, did you get released?  So you didn't have to take your shirt off so they could listen to your heart and lungs?

Thankfully, no. I was not required to remove my shirt for him to listen to my heart and lungs. Otherwise, i definitely would have asked the woman in the room to do that and the man to exit the room.

Also, yes, i was released because i didn't need to stay very long. I didn't even need to change into a hospital gown and lay on a bed. They had me in a bedless room with just a curtain to the corridor. The exam was really short for an emergency room visit.

Quote from: AnnaiyahStarr on March 07, 2016, 08:59:50 PM
Also, like i said, i'm not a doctor so i wouldn't know for certain but it concerns me that the doctor didn't give you a physical exam on you when you had a UTI, you would think so they could detect if anything... felt wrong.

I knew before I walked into the hospital because I was passing blood. They took a pee sample and that is enough to determine what was going on.

It is not out of line for a doctor to ask if you have had surgery to your chest area if you are experiencing severe stomach pains.  If an implant starts to leak or migrate, it can cause all sorts of unusual pains and problems, some very serious and even life threatening.

I think you just have to try to trust that the doctor is going to be professional.. That said, I do get a lil paranoid about my endo. He's checked my breast growth a couple times before, briefly and with gloves, but it was only one breast so I know he wasn't checking for lumps or anything.. Makes me a bit wary. And when he checked my friend, who is also transitioning, he checked her breasts and genitals and I was in there keeping an eye on him. Not to sound sexist, but I don't generally trust men... So I understand the apprehension and caution.

Quote from: Ashey on March 07, 2016, 11:44:09 PM
He's checked my breast growth a couple times before, briefly and with gloves, but it was only one breast so I know he wasn't checking for lumps or anything.. Makes me a bit wary. And when he checked my friend, who is also transitioning, he checked her breasts and genitals and I was in there keeping an eye on him.

See, that's not right... at all. I'm sure that must have been very uncomfortable for the both of you. Think about this for a moment and let's take transgender out of the question for a moment: assuming everyone involved is cis, you would have a male doctor examine a female patient's breasts or genitals. A female doctor would do that. I mean, I'm sure there are cases where male doctors examine women's bodies but there would be a female doctor or nurse present to ascertain that he's actually doing his job and not molesting her or raping her or anything.

However, regardless what gender a patient is and regardless if she's trans or cis you would think a patient of any gender would have a right to request a specific gender of a doctor for a physical examination to avoid any degree of discomfort, especially when said patient is required to remove their clothes and the doctor needs to make physical contact with their private areas because by the end of the day, what are the odds of you wanting to have an examination done if you're not comfortable with the procedure if you really need it? It's not sexist at all. It should be all about comfort which is kind of what hospitals are for anyway.

I doubt it really matters , if your dying I'll take the nearest doctor.

i also feel uncomfortable with male doctors but also just with males in general, after growing up seeing how they are to women it just freaks me out.

i have a Female ENDO, and a few months ago she was like " can i do a breast exam?" there was an awkward silence seemed like for ever then i got a strange scared look on face then said um yeah sure ok.... then she was like ok take your top off!

i dont know what it is its really strange i could have dreams and fantasies about things happening but when someone dose happen... its like NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo

ugh i am bad

I am sorry that the examination made you feel uncomfortable.

However, you were at an emergency room.  The whole point of an emergency room visit is that you need care right now.  So, you pretty much get the first doctor that is available.  If a big emergency room is having a slow day, you might get a choice, but that is not normal.

It is different for a non-emenrgency visit.  You should reasonably be able to request a doctor of a suitable gender for non-emergency visits.

Quote from: KathyLauren on March 12, 2016, 10:25:06 AM
I am sorry that the examination made you feel uncomfortable.

However, you were at an emergency room.  The whole point of an emergency room visit is that you need care right now.  So, you pretty much get the first doctor that is available.  If a big emergency room is having a slow day, you might get a choice, but that is not normal.

It is different for a non-emenrgency visit.  You should reasonably be able to request a doctor of a suitable gender for non-emergency visits.

That makes plenty of sense that since i needed medical attention so urgently i get the first available doctor regardless of gender.

But to clarify, luckily i don't frequent emergency rooms that offer that i would be familiar with how that process works. I was thinking that since i haven't yet changed my legal gender credentials, the hospital listed me as a male and thereby had to use my male name. I also assume that because i had to be listed as a male, they appointed me a male doctor for that very reason.

But the thing about it is the times that when male doctors do examine female patients, they are usually accompanied by female doctor or nurse just to ascertain that the male doctor is actually doing his job and not molesting, raping, or doing anything sexual to her during the examination. I safely assumed that since the hospital knew i'm a transgender woman that's probably why she was there in the room with me as he conducted the examination but didn't do anything as far as examining me is concerned.

Also, i didn't feel terribly uncomfortable. It was just that it would not have felt as awkward if the woman would've conducted the abdominal examination but because I am a girl now after all, the thoughts and feelings of a male touching me does induce some sort of sexual sensation as i am that far in my transition. I just wanted to know that i didn't get the male doctor just because of my male credentials and i thought him asking about my chest was kind of inappropriate.

Lastly, i might need to have a more thorough exam done because at the time i posted this, i'm having menstrual cramps in my lower stomach. They're nowhere as sharp as they were before but they come in waves and it's quite bothersome and and my stomach is starting to swell up a bit.

I hope i won't have to stop talking my hormones.

I have a chronic medical condition so have had a lot of contact with doctors, and spent 30 years being examined as a woman. When selecting a primary care doctor, I was always (usually?) asked if I had a preference for male or female doctor. Any other time, including non emergency specialists and emergency rooms, you get whoever is available. Medical professionals are just that and are trained to examine all people. If a pelvic exam needs to be done by a male, you are asked if you would like a female present. And actually, I think they might ask if you want a second person anyway even if it's being done by a female doctor, but it's been a while for me. For no other exam is it customary that another person be present or offered regardless of the sex of the doctor.

So no, I don't think you were treated differently because you gave a male name.

Also, no, there was nothing inappropriate about asking if you've had surgery or implants. Doctors need to know your medical history. And the only way to know this is to ask. He wasn't asking out of any judgement or critique, he was asking for medical reasons.

For what it's worth, I did one time have an experience I felt was inappropriate by a doctor. And it was by a female doctor when i was believed to be cis-female. So no, exams are not safer or better when given by a woman. Though I will note that this is really rare, doctors are generally decent people.

Quote from: AnnaiyahStarr on March 13, 2016, 09:42:19 AM
But the thing about it is the times that when male doctors do examine female patients, they are usually accompanied by female doctor or nurse just to ascertain that the male doctor is actually doing his job and not molesting, raping, or doing anything sexual to her during the examination.

No, that's not true. Why do you think this?
The second person is probably a nurse or a maybe a med student, there to assist.

No, male doctors are not accompanied by female doctors to make sure they don't rape their patients. They are doctors, not sex maniacs. They are supposed not to molest or rape their patients. Most of their patients won't even be their type (if the doctor is even straight) and it they are, they have self control.

When it's not an emergency you get to choose the doctor, but usually the gender is not the biggest factor. Whenever I had to choose a doctor for a treatment I researched the available doctors and chose based on their resumes. Sometimes I got a man, sometimes I got a woman. Each time I got the best.

There's lots of male gynecologists out there. When you get assigned a female doctor it has nothing to do with your gender marker or your gender presentation. It's simply because there are women who are doctors.

None of what you are describing in terms of physical examination or questioning seems inappropriate. They are doctors, after all, not mechanics, they are there to take care of your body, that's what they do, that's what you want them to do.

Quote from: KarinMcD on March 13, 2016, 04:20:59 PM
No, that's not true. Why do you think this?
The second person is probably a nurse or a maybe a med student, there to assist.

Well, the lady that was in the room with us had like... this computer thing and it was on this stand, and it wasn't like she was watching him like a hawk. In fact, her attention was more on the computer than on him.

To answer your question, think about it: you're a female patient in need of an examination that requires that you remove your clothes - some of them anyway. Now let's say this exam has to be done by a male doctor (note my emphasis on "has"). Especially if he's going to be touching your breasts, abdomen, or pelvic area and your clothes (down to your underwear but you have a gown on) need to be off, wouldn't you at least want a woman present so you can feel more comfortable if she can't actually do the exam?

I wouldn't know much about this sort of thing because I'm not looking to get into the medical field but I heard when it comes to females being examined by men that there would be a woman there with him to make sure... y'know that everything's in order.

Quote from: Promethea on March 13, 2016, 04:54:40 PM
No, male doctors are not accompanied by female doctors to make sure they don't rape their patients. They are doctors, not sex maniacs. They are supposed not to molest or rape their patients. Most of their patients won't even be their type (if the doctor is even straight) and it they are, they have self control.

Oh, really? I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with you but Google the phrase "when male doctors examine women" because when I did it turned up interesting results.

I'm not trying to be sexist at all so I do apologize if i come off that way.

Quote from: RomeoEcho on March 13, 2016, 12:09:35 PM
For what it's worth, I did one time have an experience I felt was inappropriate by a doctor. And it was by a female doctor when i was believed to be cis-female. So no, exams are not safer or better when given by a woman. Though I will note that this is really rare, doctors are generally decent people.

When i was 12, i had to be examined... below the belt... by a man... with no one else in the room. Yeah... not a very pleasant experience at all.

At 17, back in May 2007, long before I began transitioning I had to go to the emergency room for chest pains. I was checked out by a male doctor with my mom present. He told me to take off my shirt and when i reluctantly did so, it was embarrassing as hell! He kept touching me too! I of course the my shirts right back on the instant it was done. I of course was too shy to ask for a woman doctor and for him and my mom to leave the room but looking back at it now, i would give about anything to go back and refuse to remove my clothes until i'm being examined by a female because I hated each and every second of it.

But then again back in January 2013, i went to the hospital for diarrhea (not an emergency room visit). It was a quick visit but without asking for one i got a woman doctor... and mind you, i didn't start transitioning or full-timing yet. Go figure.

But when i go to the doctors to see what's going on with my stomach, it won't be an emergency room visit but I will take whichever doctor I get only because I am full-timing after all and if I'm really uncomfortable... I'll be a big girl about it and say something.

Also, the thing about it is I actually like having stomach cramps, especially when it's accompanied by breast soreness because then i feel like i'm on my period. I just hope it's not something more serious.

Quote from: CarlyMcx on March 07, 2016, 10:37:23 PM
If an implant starts to leak or migrate, it can cause all sorts of unusual pains and problems, some very serious and even life threatening.

That's why I'm not getting breast implants. Ever.

All my doctors are women. Hugs Shannon