Something a bit different

Something slightly different happened to me when I had my physical with my new VA NP. I went in, the nurse took my vitals and then gave me a flu shot while I was there. I was sent over to wait by the exam rooms until they were ready.

My new NP is a relatively short, middle aged woman. Her voice is kind yet firm, a no nonsense type of person. Just what I like in a practitioner.

She looked over my records, asked some questions, then had me sit on the table, which was down low (about level with my knees.) the back was raised, almost like a recliner. She did the HEENT, then had me remove my shirt, listened to my heart and lungs, then She lowered the head of the table a bit had me lie back. So I had my feet on the floor, and my body was at an angle, and she palpated my abdomen.

She went back over to her desk and made some notes, and saw that I had just turned 50. She asked if I had ever had a prostate exam, and I said I had. She then said "Next time you come in, I'll check your prostate, or, I could do it now." I told her whatever she preferred. She said that some men preferred to have some warning. (Why would any man need six months to prepare for a rectal exam?) So, I dropped trow, she rolled over and did a quick genital check. I knew the drill, so before she told me to, I turned around to bend over the table while she rolled over to lube her glove. The odd thing is that, as I said, the table was about knee height. I shrugged, bent at the hips, and put my head on my arms. She came over, stuck in her finger, felt around and told me that my prostate was not enlarged.

I have never had to bend so far over for a DRE before, and the position made me feel exceptionally vulnerable.

Has anyone else ever had to bend over so low to have their prostate exam, or was this just a fluke of circumstance?

Depends on the doctor. I've had one tell me the only "correct" way to do the DRE for the prostate is bent over deeply...

The way you described it, it sounds similar to being on the exam table on your knees and then bending over to rest your arms and head on the table. You're basically head down and ass up. I've had it done that way (my personal favorite position) and you feel really, really vulnerable and exposed!

I always understood that standing and bending at the waist over the exam table was the most common position for a prostate exam. Were you basically in that position, but bent over much further because the exam table was so low? I see how that would greatly increase the exposure and vulnerability. The couple of "real" prostate exams I've had were all standing and bent over the table in the customary or most common position. Now...for the play exams I've conducted, it is a different matter entirely.

I have had to bend over the normal way arms on the exam table but the last few times my doc has asked me to roll over on my side after doing the abdominal exam an then asked me to raise my knees up to my chest and done the prostate exam. I have to say that personally I like the bend over position better and wouldn't mind bending over really far. If he wants a wide open shot of my butt hole I would rather give that to him then having him open up my cheeks to find the hole.

Dlynn79 is probably the description of how I was positioned. Usually the Usually, table is about waist high, but this was much lower.

JimmyJohnson said it best...Head down, Ass up.

The military phrases "BOHICA" (Bend Over, Here It Comes Again.) or "Reach down and grab your ankles."

If the table is waist high, you'll have to do a bit of scrambling to get up on it. Ideally there should be a step or steps to help one get on with looking too undignified. But if there are no steps or if the patient is old and not so limber, then maybe a lower table makes sense.

Most of the exam tables I am familiar with have a step at "business end." This "table" looked more like a dental chair,with the back inclined, and no place to put your feet, except on the floor. When you lie back, you are inclined, but the abdomen was pulled tight enough for palpation.

I don't know if the VA is supplying these new tables, if the can be raised, etc.

As I said, the NP is somewhat on the short side, so maybe it is simply easier for her to use.