That hasn't been my personal experience. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've been to a doctors office and they haven't examined there--- I have never been to an endocrinologist, but its been pretty standard primary care in my experience
I am not agreeing or disagreeing with this discussion as I have my own view. However, never in 31 years except when I have gone to a ob/gyn or asked my internal med doc have my breasts, or other parts been asked to be exposed. Now in a ob/gyn's scope of practice this is normal this is what they do. My internal medicine doc at the time was my only physician and I had no one else to check for the lump on my breast. However, I asked for the exam it wasn't immediate and he did not ask and when he did the exam he had a nurse in the room. I don't know like others have said we can debate this all day long but if the OP felt uncomfortable or taken advantage of in anyway it should be reported. Others may have had the same experience and be just as not sure as the OP at if they should report it.
I guess the standards must be different for men and women... 3 out of the 4 most recent annual physicals I've had for my work have been done by female practitioners. All of which did thorough genital examinations... and no there is no past history of any issue that would have made me think it was anything other than standard operating procedure.
The main reason why my GP doesn't do it, is because I get that part of my health care done by my Gyn. I see both once a year. I mean with the breast lump that was a new condition, so yeah lol I got examined by quite a few Dr's for that. Even my Oncologist. But there's no need if I'm seeing the Gyn for my female health, the GP needs to repeat it, especially if I'm not having any problems or issues.
A genital exam for a male is pretty standard for a physical though. Males don't really have specialized Dr's (OB/Gyn's) for that kind of thing, well maybe a Urologist, but that's usually MORE if there are problems. So for a male part of the normal physical exam by a GP would be a testicular exam, make sure there are no lumps or bumps anywhere, and even a prostate exam. But we aren't talking genital/breast exam as part of a routine physical here, we are talking about it as part of an diabetes work up, which to me in my professional opinion as a health care worker, kinda bizarre.
I am male and yes I have had a genital check when starting with a new Endo. For the male it was designed to obvious venereal disease, and I believe for a descending testicle. I was found to have the testicle issue and before anyone asks, and no no VD. Now i do not know the need to do this and it happened with a young Endo. My guess is that it is not standard. Was it abuse? I am guessing not. If these checks became a normal thing, then yes call the AMA. If not, and you see him regularity I would say no abuse.
That is just my humble opinion.
Rick
I have heard of a few cases of very YOUNG girls like 7 or 8 with a condition called precocious puberty, and sometimes an Endo might do a work up in regards to that, but the OP stated she was 18 and it was for Diabetes.
As a medical term, precocious puberty describes puberty occurring at an unusually early age. In most of these children, the process is normal in every respect except the unusually early age, and simply represents a variation of normal development. In a minority of children, the early development is triggered by a disease such as a tumor or injury of the brain. Even in instances where there is no disease, unusually early puberty can have adverse effects on social behavior and psychological development, can reduce adult height potential, and may shift some lifelong health risks. Central precocious puberty can be treated by suppressing the pituitary hormones that induce sex steroid production.
I doubt the Dr was concerned for this condition at 18.
The OP's question was if she had been taken advantage of. The doctor's behavior may not have been illegal, and technically have fallen into this very broad definition of "standard of care", yet can still be wrong and an abuse.
He did ask permission but seemed to push me even more when I asked why it was necessary.
This just doesn't sound right. In retrospect, probably a good time to walk out of the room. At 18, I'm sure few of us would have had the presence of mind to do so. Not sure if this is actionable, but yes, something wrong here.
I do not necessarily feel violated, I just feel that if he did overstep his boundaries he should not be allowed to go on without being held accountable. I also feel responsible to do so in the event that he has done this or worse to others.
I see several guys posting about a GP doing genital exams and all I can say is if they don't do it it probally won't get done because most guys would not see another doctor for that purpose. I know I wouldn't unless I thought there was a problem.
For the OP I do feel this was unusal and my question was did anyone else, such as a nurse, witness the exam. If so I would feel comfortable that it was legit. I would expect an observer to know if this exam was above board. If this was done in private I would have serious questions.
Rebecca,
I was in the same situation as you when I turned 18. I had to leave the pediatric endo and find an "abult" endo. I went to several different doctors before finding one that I was comfortable with. NONE of the initial appointments I went to had this type of exam. If you are still questioning the behavior of this doctor after all this time, then you definitely should speak up. I also had an encounter with a doctor that really creeped me out. It was with an eye doctor that I was told by my insurance company that I had to switch to. He put his hands on me during the consultation, an EYE EXAM consultation. I went home and didn't know what to do. The internet was not easily available to me so I called the insurance company. When they found out what had happened they were very helpful in making sure I never had to see this doctor again. I filed a formal complaint with them. They also gave me the phone numbers to the medical board if I chose to report him there as well. I was told by the insurance company that if there were other complaints, then they may drop him as a doctor that they will cover. You may not be able to prove anything in a lawsuit, but you may get this guy in the other place it hurts-his wallet. If major insurance carriers will not pay him or consider him "in network", that could be a major financial blow. I still urge you to talk to your local authorities and medical board, but contacting your insurance carrier might be another option for you as well. Good luck and make sure you do what YOU are comfortable with.
Great advice to Rebecca,Jackie. She should do what she feels comfortable doing.God bless,
Brunetta
Well, I looked into whether there might be a valid reason for an endocrinologist to be concerned about the development of a young woman of 18 who is diagnosed with diabetes. I found a monograph on the medical step-by-step best practice for diagnosing delayed puberty. It clearly lists diabetes as one of the key reasons for delayed puberty as well as stunted growth. High blood sugars can be present for years before a final DKA event lands you in the hospital, and having untreated diabetes during your teen years can result in delayed puberty. The standard assessment starts with history and if at 18, your were of short stature, that may have been a flag. And then essentially the next step is an examination of the nature you described.
I am not saying this justifies the examination you received, nor does it say anything about your feelings on the matter. It is a plausible explanation for the doctor's behavior, nonetheless what really matters is whether you felt taken advantage of or violated.
I'm sorry this made you uncomfortable but I think it was totally normal. When I was first diagnosed I was sent to the Children's Hospital in Vancouver for training. Not only did it happen there - there was a group of interns standing around! For a few years after we would take yearly trips back to the hospital for a check up and it was done every time.
Keep in mind this was back in the late 80s and things were different. For example I was trained to pull back on the plunger of the syringe while injecting to make sure I wasn't in a blood vessel. Most diabetes now have never even heard of that. This might be similar - an older technique that is rarely used now-a-days.
I'm still leaning to this was weird, and especially if it makes the OP feel uncomfortable and taken advantage of, then it should be reported, and YES definitely filing a complaint with your insurance company as well is a good step to take along with the board of medicine. I would think at 18, and IF there were no obvious problems with delayed puberty. Such as being 18 and not menstruating yet, then MAYBE. But still it ALL boils down to the OP had been followed by a pediatric Endo and was switching to an adult Endo at 18, this WASN'T a newly diagnosed person. We are also talking about something that happened 3 years ago, not something that happened in the 70's or 80's where practices MIGHT have been different. A simple history of when was your last period in my opinion, could have solved the question. If the menstrual cycles are normal, and occuring on a normal basis, to me puberty is not delayed. And what the heck does looking at one's genitals tell you anyway. I mean not ALL women are big breasted, a LOT Of women have small breast. Does that mean a diabetic woman with small breasts has a delay in puberty??? I just think it was WAY off base.
Don't you think that it being a standard practice in a major hospital for many years means that there is probably a medical basis? Perhaps it was off base for current practices but WAY off base - I don't think so.
The opinion of a practising endo could change my mind though.
But we aren't talking YEARS ago, this happened THREE years ago. I just think as a LONG time diabetic, who was diganosed when I was 10 and am now almost 40. This was strange. A simple medical history such as age of menstruation, how regular are you cycles could have answered a LOT of questions. What does what your genitals or breast look like have to do with it? The OP posted herself that no pelvic exam was done. I have NEVER had any Dr Endo, GP, etc wanting to see my genitals or breast in relation to my diabetes. And once again, is it seems to have made the OP very uncomfortable, and appears she feels she was ? taken advantage of. I don't care how "medically necessary" something might be, NONE of us should ever feel uncomfortable with a Dr's practice or leave feeling like we had been taken advantage of.
Maybe there MIGHT have been some reasoning behind it, not being there or knowing the full medical history. But regardless the OP was made to feel uncomfortable, and if nothing else, maybe it will bring that to the Dr's attention (if it truly was an innocent exam) and this Dr might rethink his practices about how he approaches female patients in the future. And if he's just a perv, then it needs to be brought to the proper attention. Thats the last thing we need is more people in authority figures who are pervs.
I'm most definitely not saying she shouldn't report it. That's her decision and I agree that it's not good to feel uncomfortable with a dr under any circumstances.
I am merely pointing out that, despite the OP, you and many others never having had this exam, at one time and place it was routine. Take that as you will :)
I don’t recall ever feeling anything but uncomfortable while standing in front of a doctor with pants down and them fondling my parts. I still think this is normal. Maybe he was thorough, maybe he was old school… But it is not beyond any physicians scope of practice to look at genitals during a complete physical. I had a physical by a very attractive young woman about my own age done a couple years ago. she was thorough, I can assure you I felt uncomfortable… But she was professional and just doing her job. Doctors exam rooms are often a place people feel uncomfortable.
Oh I can assure you it's NEVER a fun experience. Nothing I enjoy more than going to get the lady parts checked out. And yes it is certainly part of a thorough examination, but usually reserved more for yearly physicals/Gyn type exams. If it had been a yearly physical by a GP it wouldn't be so odd to me, I just find the situation odd when its been done as part of a diabetes examination and if my Endo asked me to see my female parts, in that situation, it would probably be the last time I'd go see that Endo. Yes in some circumstances its perfectly part of a normal physical examination, a yearly check up type thing, and it's certainly not the funnest or most comfortable of examinations for anyone. I used to work in family practice and had to assist the Dr's in both examinations for males and females, and Dr's of the opposite sex performing these examinations.
But like I said as part of a Diabetes examination, if my Endo wanted to see the lady parts, I'd be like thanks but no thanks, my Gyn does that, and I'd seriously be looking for a new Endo. Thats just strange. And there is uncomfortable, and then there is UNCOMFORTABLE. And uncomfortable feeling like you've been possibly taken advantage of by someone in a position of trust is a totally different kind of uncomfortable, then having the parts exposed for a routine exam. It seems to me, something about this exam made this OP feel more uncomfortable but UNCOMFORTABLE feeling this wasn't right. Sadly but just like in the Church, there are perky people in all sorts of areas of practice they shouldn't be in: teachers, medicine, police, etc.