First gynae visit

Compared to dentist visit, I think gynae visit is scarier by 2000x
After dragging for the longest time,
- waiting for my social security to be approved
- finding courage
- searching for english speaking gynae
- Finding more courage
i finally went for my gynae visit!

I think my last visit was few years back for pap smear
I told husband that I really need to find someone who speaks english
because the last thing I want to struggle with is French
while being naked and in a very vulnerable state.
Lucky that i live in Paris that English gynae is quite accessible
however, most of english gynaes are private and charge a higher rate
types of doctors in france:
- Type 1) Public: fully subsidised by the state (Fees set by state)
- Type 2) Conventional : Partial subsidised
- Type 3) Non subsidised
Sadly, most english gynaes are type 2/3 and located in the expensive neighbourhoods

Our family doctor recommended me to go for a type 1 hospital with english gynae
sadly, the earliest appointment is in September
So, i decided to just google and chose 1 English gynae of type 2
Made the call and appointment was in a week!

I started researching about gynae visit in france
and is quite scary of all the stories that i read online
- gynae who lost the case file
- gynae who overcharged crazily
- to strip totally naked for the check up (no growns etcs)
- to strip in front of the gynae
- being persuaded to have a baby
etcs etcs etcs...
Well, sounds like my fear of gynae visit will be worsen by the cultural differences!

Anyway, my main concerns will be:
- pap smear
- my irregular (non exisitent) period
- any possible checks / tests for fertility

Surprisingly, there was a receptionist in the clinic
i announced my arrival and sat at the waiting area
The doctor was on time and i was in her office at the scheduled time
despite being declared online as an english gynae, she informed me that she speaks a little english
So, we sat at her desk for about 15mins
To go through medical history and my reasons for coming
She was a nice old lady about 50+
but speaks more than i answered
Doc: are you trying for a baby? How long have you been trying? 6months?1 year? 2 years?
after, she asked me to go the tiny room (feels like an attached toilet) for the check

As expected, there is no special room to strip
So, i was to strip totally at the desk area and put my clothes on the chair i was sitting
The crazy thing is there is a huge window with a thin curtain (I can see the opposite building) 
Well, i guess i try to remind myself this is France
and being naked is  nothing

What i do like about the check was that she match each movement with a statement
so, i know exactly what she was doing and kinda make it less embarassing than in a silence room
Such as when she used her fingers to check me
And the tiny details to warm up the the opener (i call it the duck mouth)
closer to the body temperature before using it
The crazy thing is at first try, she say she cant find my cervix?!
I guess there must be still some difference between asians and french women
Anyway, it was completed in like 5mins
and i get to be naked with my legs closed, haha
She proceeded to check my breast  
Explaining her each actions again
while i was a little paiseh that my armpits were wet with sweat, opps
Then i was asked to dress up
and i rushed back to the desk to dress myself up

She then informed me that she will refer me to a infertility clinic to do a scan
The dreadful full-bladder-dont-pee scan
just to ensure that my ovaries are fine
and if there is any follow up, i can do at the clinic (Type 1)
I was quite surprised that she is refering me to a clinic instead of asking me to follow up with her
as she said that it will be much cheaper to do all the scans and follow ups at the clinic

Then came the surprise,
she passed me an envelope that constains my pap smear cells
and asked me to include a euro20 cheque and mailed it to the lab?!
The results will be mailed back to the gynae and me
Since i didnt carry any cheque book, i brought it home and mailed it the next day
Husband was equally shocked that i was to mail the cells
Like, what if i forgot to mail it till a week later?
or the weather is so hot that the cells wont be affected?
I can imagine the amount of cells in the postal system

Finally, was the scary moment of billing
Since is a type 2, i was worried that the bill will be more than euro150
After the subsidy, the bill came up to euro75
It is unsure whether our insurance will be covering more
but at least its not a crazy amont
Phew

Then i was ushered out of the office
and another lady went in after me..
And i realised the whole visit took only 30mins but felt like eternity..

The bad news is i wanted some medicines to let me have my period now
my last period was months ago and i have been suffering from PMS without it
Then i had a "lecture" on how she is not going to prescribe me any medicine
because i am trying for a baby and how i should let my body have it naturally etcs
The good news is physically i seems to be good in the check up

Oh, im prescribed with folic acid for 1 year
i went to the pharmacy to buy it with the prescription
and realised that the folic acid is fully subsidised by the state and our insurance
Well, free folic acid for the year!