OB-GYN (Obstetrician-Gynecologist) | Gynecology Questions OB-GYN

What should I do next?

I realized (while menstruating) that I needed to remove a tampon. I can’t pull it out. The tampon I entered was faulty and stringless. I went to the gyno and she said she couldn’t find anything and sent me to an ultrasound clinic who located it.

She forwarded those photos to my gyno who hasn’t been to work in a week. No one else can access them. I was seen by someone else who said she didn’t see anything and referred me to a gyno that specializes in oncology. I only know this from looking at the paperwork. Also, the paperwork states that during my first visit with the other gyno she diagnosed me with vaginitis and prescribed me Zithromax. If I had acute vaginitis why wouldn’t she tell me at the visit? Also, I have NEVER been prescribed anything.

Female | 30 years old
Complaint duration: 14
Medications: None
Conditions: None

5 Answers

It's absent, you probably passed or forgot. You can call the radiology doctor to get your results.
It may be in your rectum, but you need to see a competent provider!

Sincerely,

Dr. Janice Alexander, RN, MD
Not sure from your question whether the tampon has been removed because first off, that has to come out. And culture is done to rule out possible infection. Zithromax is a good choice to cover possible infection from the retained tampon.

I can’t answer why a doctor would tell you she prescribed something when she didn’t; except she may be overworked and mixed your note with another pt’s note who was similar but I’m speculating. Whenever a tampon is ‘lost’, it will continue to hold blood and vaginal bacterial and fungus that continue to grow on that bloody tampon and it can cause a very odiferous (smelly) discharge which can be very irritating to both the vaginal vault and to the urethral opening/bladder. Many times, an oversized metal speculum placement is needed to properly visualize that lost tampon and then retrieve it. And many times this entire affair causes so much irritation that bathing the vaginal vault in an iodine wash is needed to finish cutting down the risk of any infection. So many docs will list vaginitis because of its high rate of occurrence because the insurance company will certainly pay for your visit when the insurance company may not pay for your visit if only a ‘lost tampon’ is listed; then the cost of that visit is totally on you.
See a new gynecologist, ask them to do a bimanual exam, not just an exam with a speculum (foreign bodies and tampons could be missed sometimes with a speculum exam). They should be able to feel the tampon with the examining fingers during bimanual exam and remove it.
Take care!
Stay Healthy!