"Vulval dermatology Lichen Sclerosus"

I had the misfortune of having to have my Lichen Sclerosus checked by a woman at Dermatology at the Churchill Hospital,

Oxford a few weeks ago.

I’m not even sure she was a qualified doctor or nurse!

I was initially put in a room and asked to undress an lie on a bed and put my legs up on a couple of struts.

I was not even offered a cover or anything to cover my bits and felt i had no privacy as she sat there while I undressed and didn’t shut the curtain.

There was nothing available to cover my bits and I had to lie on a bed with paper on it.

had to lie with my legs in a plastic contraption that made it easy for the woman to examine me, as she hadnt shut the curtain or offered me anything to cover me as I undressed either, I felt

I had absolutely no privacy.

I was lying on a bed with paper underneath that tore when I moved to end of bed so my bare bottom was on the bed with nothing between my bottom and the material of the bed.

It felt disgusting lying there with my bottom against the bare bed.

After the examination I was left with legs akimbo on the contraption so she could go get a senior doctor to check my vulva and give me an extra examination and she didn’t even shut the curtains while she was gone so any Tom, dick or Harry could have walked in the room and seen me lying there with my bits on show and there was nothing to cover my modesty, I felt vulnerable and uneasy and tearful by the end of the examination.

The lady doctor came in armed with a camera and proceeded to take photos of my ‘on show’ naked vulva and told me the photos would be used for training purposes and was I happy for them to be used???? I felt incredibly awkward and upset and I wanted to say no I wasn’t happy.... but, because it was so awkward that I said I suppose so (later once i got dressed, i signed a form to give consent but felt unhappy about it) and all the way through I felt pressured to do so!

As for the consultation, my concerns were not listened to and I felt my condition (Lichen Sclerosus) was not taken seriously when I was explaning how it made me feel and having the photos taken made me feel even worse.

The way it was talked about made me feel dirty and stupid for trying to deal with it by using natural remedies and i was made to feel stupid and silly for even asking questions about the concerns i had about using petrolium and steroids in medication i was prescribed!

I felt strongly that I was not treated with dignity or respect and the lady who was very dismissive and patronising and made me feel stupid and she gave me no respect or privacy when I was getting dressed again as she sat at the desk and didn’t shut the curtain to let me get dressed.

I came away feeling tearful and dirty and i never want to go through that again! I would not recommend your Vulval Dermatology to anyone.

The lady needs training in how to treat people with respect.