I was violated by a doctor

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, ED, Psych.

Let start off by saying this - This was a nightmare from HELL and I do not wish this on my worst enemy. Please excuse the typo's - I am not a good speller. Some backround information - I had tonsil pain/sore throat for about 10 days before seeing this doctor. I thought nothing of it really as I had no other flu-like symptoms and the pain was bearable. I wanted to be R/O for tonsilitis and recieve a course of antibiotics and some rest....no big deal. I belong to a health insurance company where the medical offices and the doctors are mostly Seventh-Day Adventist. The SDA's usually abstain from alcohol, smoking, caffiene, coffee and meat. MOst of them seem to be positive and nice people....This is not going to be a bashing vent. I saw this doctor, told him of my symptoms and he proceded to do an examination. The exam was fine....nothing out of the ordinary. WHen the doctor reviewed my medical record....he asked me about my sexual health history. "Mr._____, I see that you came to our clinic a few months back for STD/HIV testing. Are you wanting to get tested today?" No, I was recently tested and i am fine. "Mr._____, You are a homosexual and you are sexually active...there is a possibility that you may have an STD and your tonsils may be sign of Primary HIV infection".

This was uncalled for for SEVERAL reasons... 1- I came to be seen to r/o acute tonsilitis - I have recurring tonsil problems I know my body cause its MINE 2- My sexual health history has nothing to do with why i am being seen TODAY 3- He is implying that I practice unsafe sexual relations....As my dad always said -"dont be a fool wrap your tool" 4- he statements leads one to believe that hetrosexuals do not have the same risks.

Thuis doctor continued to press me for a STD/HIV test. I told him i was tested in July at the public health department....Why the public health Dept Mr.____? Because this is why people hate coming to an Adventist health clinic....you people shame them and make them feel like crap. At least at public health, they have seen it all and dont care. At county health it goes like this:"So you just came back from Pride weekend in San Francisco, hope you had fun...here is the lttle brown bag of condoms...have fun be safe",

I told him that i was fine and this issue was NOT why i was being seen....."Well, Mr.____, this is a public health issue you may have been blah blah blah". Long story short.....I asked to have the chief attending come to assess me right then and there.....after some red tape BS he saw me. I was not given any hassle about my sexual health and was treated professionally. Dx: Acute Tonsilities Tx: Z-Pak antibiotics

Let me vent here.....This is why I hate going to Seventh-Day Adventist doctors (but my insurance trap me in a system of Adventist Health network). In my opinion Adventism is a modern twist on racism and discrimination....It makes you feel like an outsider and a loser....in there minds you need to be perfect. Nodody is perfect. This experience made me fell violated at the medical community as a whole.....I may be gay but i am deserving of respect and equality. I should have been treated for my presenting symptoms, not my previous visits history. I am proactive in my healthcare but never agin will i let myself be degraded and humiliated like that. Just needed to vent....sorry if i offend anyone on here but my voice needs to be heard and this is how i feel....but i am also still in the trauma phase so in a few weeks i should be okay

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I can understand why the doctor might ask you ONCE if you wanted to be tested, as you are homosexual and it is an identified risk factor of HIV. (I can see why a doctor would ask that as a routine question, but it doesn't excuse being tacky) However, he was very unprofessional to ignore the fact that you had already went to get tested on your own, as well as showing little sympathy to what you WERE suffering with, not what you 'might' have in his mind.

I am very sorry this guy was such a jerk. I hope you can at least switch to a doctor that is more like the one who actually gave you treatment.

I was thinking about going to Loma Linda University (SDA school) but for reasons almost identical to yours I have decided I'd rather relocate to go to a better school.

Good luck in the future.

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OMG,I'm speechles!!! Doctor from hell!!! Write complain asp!!!

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I can understand why the doctor might ask you ONCE if you wanted to be tested, as you are homosexual and it is an identified risk factor of HIV. (I can see why a doctor would ask that as a routine question, but it doesn't excuse being tacky) However, he was very unprofessional to ignore the fact that you had already went to get tested on your own, as well as showing little sympathy to what you WERE suffering with, not what you 'might' have in his mind.

I am very sorry this guy was such a jerk. I hope you can at least switch to a doctor that is more like the one who actually gave you treatment.

I was thinking about going to Loma Linda University (SDA school) but for reasons almost identical to yours I have decided I'd rather relocate to go to a better school.

Good luck in the future.

No this doc had no right to suggest such things..gay or not gay there are plenty straight people who have unprotected sex and I bet you this doc dont speak to them in such manner.Sorry to burst the bubble but I really smell discrimination on the MD part!!

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Specializes in Derm/Wound Care/OP Surgery/LTC.

"Mr._____, I see that you came to our clinic a few months back for STD/HIV testing. Are you wanting to get tested today?"

This was an appropriate question to ask. You had been tested before and he offered you the opportunity to take another test. My primary care doctor asks me this at every well care visit. However, your reply of "no" should have been where this line of questioning ended. Everything thereafter was harassment on the part of the doctor.

I am SO sorry you were treated this way and made to feel like some sort of pariah due to your sexual orientation. I absolutely long to see the day when this will no longer make a difference, where you will no longer be seen differently in the eyes of society. It literally breaks my heart.

I am so happy you stood up for yourself and did not allow yourself to be treated in that fashion. It's amazing to me that, for all their education, that so many MD's lack common sense...along with common decency.

If I could leap through the monitor and give you a hug...I would. :)

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No this doc had no right to suggest such things..gay or not gay there are plenty straight people who have unprotected sex and I bet you this doc dont speak to them in such manner.Sorry to burst the bubble but I really smell discrimination on the MD part!!

That's what you would think, but my microbiology teacher has worked in public health for years and she said that it is routine to ask people who have risk factors (men having sex with men is a risk factor when unprotected) to get retested. Don't get me wrong, I am NOT supporting this rude doctor's behavior... like I said, I can see asking the question once as harmless, but to then delve deeper into the matter is just inappropriate.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Actually, I don't think he needed to ask about STDs at all. Discrimination is when you are treated differently than any other person who came in with a sore throat. That whole line of questions assumes gay people are promiscuous. Would I be hounded like that if I came in for sore throat x10 days? I suppose maybe if he had a sore throat that had been treated with abx and not improved, you could consider the STDs, but you would also have to consider the same testing in a heterosexual person with the same history. Specifically, multiple partners and unprotected sex.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, ED, Psych.

I would like to clarify that i get rountinely tested for STD/HIV Q3/Q4 months.....This issue is beside the piont of my post. I was degraded and violated.....This "Medical Professional" assumed i am a loose cannon. This was degrading....I went to see the doctor for possible tonsilitis....And he made me feel like a specimen and a sub-human. I find it unprofessional that he focused more on my past tests and my sexual orientation rather than my presenting problems......I see his point that I may have been exposed, but then again what about common sense? What about cold/flu season? What about patients i care for? There was no need for him to constantly and repeadedly harrass me about my sexuality and safe sex practices. The gentleman asked me very personal questions about my private acts of foreplay.........Its is harrassment pure and simple! I am not a easy target because of my sexuality.....I am a person deserving of respect. How many straight men and women will this idoit ask about there sexual health and expousure? Slim to none i guess. But because gay men and lesbians are associated as being sex addicts, the questioning is like the Spanish Inquisition.....Its unfair and discrimination ....This is why I hate going to some doctors

Sorry for the rant

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Abbaking,

As a Seventh Day Adventist I find your post extremely offensive. It is ironic that you imply that you feel stereotyped by Adventists, yet you do the very same thing. BTW, many denominations and religions have similiar views on homosexuality unfortunately. The ony reason I mention that is because your generalized comments are geared toward SDA's only.

Maybe that particular doctor was stereotyping your lifestyle. Maybe he was attempting to look at the whole picture and honestly thought he was being helpful. I don't know. I would never want to minimize your feelings of the situation. You were there I wasn't. I just think it is unfortunate that you feel you can sterotype a group of people when you perceive yourself on the receiving end as well.

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I don't have a prob with the doc asking if you wanted to be tested. That was a fair question. It should be asked. I also don't have any prob with him asking about your past medical and sexual history as it could have played a part in your current symptoms. This was a fair question as well whether you are gay or straight. He should however have asked once and then let it go. Glad you changed docs.

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I tried to edit my post to add some comments to my post. For some reason it's not working. Just wanted to add:

I can't help but be long-winded....sorry lol.

I read over my post and wanted to add something. The negative perception that SOME people have towards homosexuality is seen across societies, cultures, and religions. I know many non-church goers that view homosexuality as "wrong". I also know many church goers including Adventists who could care less about another person's lifestyle. Their "mission" is to share their church's message with as many people as possible no matter what a person's life situation is.

It is very unprofessional for your doctor to stereotype you if that was his intention. Just remember that due to your experiences you may be a bit sensitive in that area. Is it possible that maybe you perceive injustice where it may or not exist?

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, ED, Psych.

Clearly I have made a mistake here....I would like to apologize for my generalizations and my stereotyped attitude i presented in my OP. In no way did I intentionally mean to offend anyone in this post... I have oversteped my boundries and I sincerley apologize for this.

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