"Being made to feel dismissed and embarrassed"

I recently attended a gynaecology appointment and unfortunately left feeling dismissed, upset, and frustrated.

At the start of the consultation, I was told a trainee nurse would also be present, which I was entirely comfortable with. The nurse asked me a number of questions, and later relayed these to the doctor when returned. However, the doctor then repeated several of the same questions. While I understood this may have been part of the process, I found the doctor’s reactions to some of my answers troubling. On several occasions, the doctor seemingly shrugged, laughed, or pulled a face, which made me feel uncomfortable and as though my concerns were not being taken seriously.

When I explained that I had been referred due to heavy periods, tiredness, and other symptoms. I also mentioned that I was currently on the mini pill and had not had a period since restarting taking it. The doctor’s response was that if I was there for heavy periods and my periods have stopped on the pill, then why was I there? I explained that I did not want to remain on the pill forever and wanted to understand the underlying cause of my symptoms instead of masking it. Despite my referral stating that scans or further investigation might be appropriate, I was told there was no need as my symptoms were not getting worse and had been the same for many years.

I also raised that I had been experiencing pain during intercourse and bleeding afterwards, which is very concerning for me. The doctor’s response was if that bothers me. This felt dismissive and inappropriate, especially given the sensitive nature of the issue. It was only after I specifically requested it that the doctor agreed to carry out a physical examination, during which I could hear laughing and whispering behind the curtain. This further added to my discomfort.

I left the appointment with no clear answers, no investigations arranged other than sending me back for another scan which I’d already had, and feeling that my concerns had not been taken seriously. I was in the consultation for almost 40 minutes, and I was very upset afterwards.

I am not usually one to complain, but I felt it was important to raise this experience. Being made to feel dismissed and embarrassed during such a personal appointment has left me with very little confidence in the care I received.