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Gynecology, Doctors, and Why I Don't Go
I have a confession to make: I'm 29 years old and just went to the gynecologist for the second time in my life. The first time was when I was 19.
I don't go to doctors as a rule. I'm pretty much a cliche male on that front. If you don't go, they can't tell you anything is wrong, right? Or some sort of logic like that. I've been to the gynecologists' office at 19, the school infirmary in college for an allergy infection/cracked rib and for a twisted ankle after a fall, a general practitioner for allergies and carpal tunnel, and the allergist for allergy testing. The fact that I can actually list them says something. I don't go unless there's a *reason* to go.
Which means annual check-ups of any sort have been out the window.
So I did good (i.e., got fussed at by a coworker) and decided it was time to be a responsible adult and start the yearly GYN thing. I'm regular as clockwork on the period but have really crappy PMS (every symptom known to man - seriously).
The conversation with the Gynecologist went as follows:
GYN: So your period is pretty regular but your PMS can vary from month to month.
ME: Yep. The mood swings are the worst. I can't live like that.
GYN: Well, it's probably just anxiety, so we'll give you something for that.
(Anxiety: This disorder involves excessive, unrealistic worry and tension, even if there is little or nothing to provoke the anxiety.)
ME: *blinking, thinking surely hadn't heard that right*
ME: Anxiety? Oh, this is NOT anxiety. It's PMS.
What I failed to say?
ME: Since I have PMS right now, I could show you high levels of PMS that's not anxiety, as my mood swings tend to swing more "Let me rip the phone out of the wall and scream bloody murder" instead of worrisome/tense. There's no worry. None at all. This? Not anxiety. Alas, proving my PMS would do no good as this is an anger-provoking conversation and it's not provoking me to anger, because my PMS this month apparently is water retention, sore boobs and acne.
I have a confession to make: I'm 29 years old and just went to the gynecologist for the second time in my life. The first time was when I was 19.
I don't go to doctors as a rule. I'm pretty much a cliche male on that front. If you don't go, they can't tell you anything is wrong, right? Or some sort of logic like that. I've been to the gynecologists' office at 19, the school infirmary in college for an allergy infection/cracked rib and for a twisted ankle after a fall, a general practitioner for allergies and carpal tunnel, and the allergist for allergy testing. The fact that I can actually list them says something. I don't go unless there's a *reason* to go.
Which means annual check-ups of any sort have been out the window.
So I did good (i.e., got fussed at by a coworker) and decided it was time to be a responsible adult and start the yearly GYN thing. I'm regular as clockwork on the period but have really crappy PMS (every symptom known to man - seriously).
The conversation with the Gynecologist went as follows:
GYN: So your period is pretty regular but your PMS can vary from month to month.
ME: Yep. The mood swings are the worst. I can't live like that.
GYN: Well, it's probably just anxiety, so we'll give you something for that.
(Anxiety: This disorder involves excessive, unrealistic worry and tension, even if there is little or nothing to provoke the anxiety.)
ME: *blinking, thinking surely hadn't heard that right*
ME: Anxiety? Oh, this is NOT anxiety. It's PMS.
What I failed to say?
ME: Since I have PMS right now, I could show you high levels of PMS that's not anxiety, as my mood swings tend to swing more "Let me rip the phone out of the wall and scream bloody murder" instead of worrisome/tense. There's no worry. None at all. This? Not anxiety. Alas, proving my PMS would do no good as this is an anger-provoking conversation and it's not provoking me to anger, because my PMS this month apparently is water retention, sore boobs and acne.
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