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Age: 24
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18/f
is it mandatory for me to get a pelvic exam/pap smear..?
like if i go to the doctor because of a cold, and then they say "we need to test you for pelvic exam" am i allowed to say no thanks?? because i'm really against it.
i remember one time i went to the doctor for a physical for school and my mom was with me and they said something about pelvic exam and i thought it was my hip or something and i remember my mom said no to it. is that allowed? do i have a right to say no to the exams? or am i basically forced into it by doctors??
don't tell me "its recommended". i know its recommended. i've tried searching online and thats all i ever get. "even if you dont like it you should get it" blah blah blah... i dont care if its recommended... i'm not doing it.
part of my problem with getting it done is because i've never had anything go up my vagina before except once. that was when i tried putting in a tampon and it hurt like a mother f**cker. from that day, i've never worn tampons because it hurt so badly and i never wanted to experience it again. i can't handle tampons. call me a baby. but there's no way i'm gonna let some doctor shove a giant Q tip up my vagina.. (link)
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You have the right to refuse any sort of treatment, testing, or medication. Nobody can force you to see a doctor or have the right thing done.
You have to know though that it means you might not be able to get appropriate treatment if you refuse something so basic.
There is absolutely no reason to be "against" pap smears. They are only put it place to make sure your reproductive organs are not damaged and you don't have cancerous lesions internally.
If you're afraid of the pain then talk with the doctor. This may seem shocking but they even have equipment small enough to do internal exams on infants. Yes, babies. Some women have smaller vaginal canals if they are virgins and a good, caring doctor will move to a smaller speculum is you say, "Hey, I haven't really had anything put up there before. I tried using a tampon once and it was too large and hurt. Is there something you can do to make this easier for me?" They'll switch to a smaller tool, use a little more lubrication, and even safely warm the tool up for added comfort.
I, too, could not handle tampons. I had a small vagina. My vagina was actually made so small that there were feminine hygiene products that were suppose to fit almost all women...but they were way too large for me and caused me a great deal of pain. I passed out more than once when trying to insert a tampon. Trust me, I understand your fear here.
And, I'm not sure if you've even seen the swab they use, but it's really just longer than wider. It might look like something huge to you but it's the least uncomfortable thing I've ever, ever had done to me. You barely feel it, if at all. It's only long so that the doctor doesn't have to put their gloved fingers into your vagina.
So, while you very well can say, "No, I don't want that done," you will get strange looks and you will miss out on A LOT of preventative female reproductive health-care. There is no magical alternative way to check vaginal health so if they suspect you have something wrong then you are just going to have to hope they're wrong. This means if you wind up with infections, pregnancies, or pain in the area then you won't be accepting treatment. Not such a great idea.
It's only a once a year thing. If you find a doctor who will work with you and use smaller tools then you won't have a problem. Trust me. I've had bad doctors and good doctors. At 13 I didn't know I could request special procedures. By the time I turned 18 I realized I could ask for specialized, smaller tools. My best pap smear I've ever had was in a small clinic where the nurse practitioner used a smaller instrument, more lubrication, warmed the tool, and actually talked to me during the procedure ("So, you said you were going to college..." I guess it's an odd conversation to have in that situation but it made a world of different for me).
A good doctor will accommodate you so you don't give up such a basic preventative care option.
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