OB/GYN Discussion Thread

Hannah Hernandez9 said:Dr. Brnčić was alright, though her exam felt a bit rough (just something to endure).
She listened to my panic story calmly and really comforted me.
I’ve known her since my time working at the University Hospital, and I think she’s much more specialized and experienced than those other doctors who jumped straight from residency to primary care. I suppose she might be one of those people you have to grill with questions to get all the info, but maybe that's just her personality...

Honestly, I'm hoping that next time—since I plan on seeing her strictly for consultations—I can smooth over the bad impression she left because of how blunt the physical exam was. For me, it was genuinely too painful.

I've been thinking about how to suggest she could be a bit gentler without making her feel insulted.

I'll definitely give her a few more chances before I eventually decide to switch providers.

Hey, I could use some help... I'm looking for a gynecologist on the West Side of town who has a really good ultrasound machine. I'm pregnant, and the one at my social services clinic is using this ancient piece of equipment where you can barely see anything... Thanks so much.

Rachel Morris42 said:Hey, I'm also from the area, so I was wondering if anyone knows what Dr. Leko is actually like? I've heard she's good, but when I finally saw her, she just seemed so... confused? It was only two visits. I had a miscarriage and she sent me straight for a D&C. But the way she handled it—it felt like it should have been a quick fix, you know? And then boom, done. I didn't even get a chance to ask her a single question before she was ushering me out. I ended up going to see Dr. Laušinka instead, and those women walked me through everything in detail. They actually helped calm me down a bit (as much as you can in a situation like that) and gave me some solid advice for the future.

😬 Yeah, I pretty much ghosted her after a few days. Honestly, I think that speaks volumes, doesn't it?

Maybe she isn't a total disaster, maybe she’s just drowning in patients and rushing through everything? I always get this vibe that she's pushing me out the door. Or maybe she's just superficial? Actually, now that I really think about it... yeah, she's bad.😁

placidscout10 said:I really need some help finding a good OB-GYN in the West Side area of the city who has high-quality ultrasound equipment. I'm pregnant, and the machine at the local social services clinic is so ancient that you can barely see anything on the screen. Thanks so much.

Oh, I’ve heard people talking quite highly about that one doctor, Dr. Arap—everyone seems to vouch for him. He’s actually my cousin's physician, and he handled his entire pregnancy and delivery process. He does tend to be a bit more expensive, but you aren't stuck in a massive hospital ward with everyone else... well, at least not until you're actually in the delivery room.😁 😉

Good luck.👍

I’m 20 years old, and I’m a virgin—and no, I don’t mean that in a zodiac sign way 🙂.
I don't have any actual symptoms or anything, and my period is totally regular...
Still, I feel like I should go in for a gynecological exam—just for preventative maintenance, you know?

What I’m wondering is, can I specifically ask to just get an ovarian ultrasound? I’m planning on seeing a private doctor, so I assume it works on a "pay for what you want" basis, but can I skip the full physical and just do that?

Also, how do they even perform an exam on someone who hasn't been sexually active?

And is it possible to get a Pap smear? My boyfriend and I engage in oral sex regularly, so I just want to be sure I haven't picked up any bacteria or something similar.

I had an appointment today with Dr. Tihana Mazalin... she is truly wonderful; her explanations were thorough, her bedside manner during the exam was incredibly gentle, and she didn't make me feel rushed at all. We spent about half an hour together, and she answered every single question with such patience. Since this was my first time seeing any gynecologist here, I can't speak for the others, but I was so impressed by her that I'll certainly be returning to her in the future.

Regarding social gynecology, I checked in with Dr. Danke Mirić-Tešanić and happened to meet the famous Nurse Marina... she was absolutely lovely. I mentioned that I wanted to register with them since I haven't had a regular gynecologist until now, and she immediately agreed, handing me the necessary paperwork and directing me toward the insurance office. She noted that I wouldn't be able to expect a full exam until the end of next month, but once I thanked her and explained that I had already completed everything with Dr. Mazalin, she told me I could just come in tomorrow for my referrals and prescriptions. I suppose she was having a particularly good day.

Morgan Young4 said:I'm 20 and a virgin (not according to my horoscope 🙂 ).
I don't have any symptoms, my period is regular...
Still, I want to go for a gynecological check-up—just for prevention.

Can I just ask for an ovarian ultrasound? (I'm planning to see a private doctor, so I assume it works on a "pay for what you want" basis), rather than a full exam?

How can they even examine me if I'm a virgin?

Can they do a Pap smear? My boyfriend and I engage in regular oral sex, so I want to make sure I haven't picked up any bacteria or anything.

Of course you can request whatever you want—like a standard exam and an ultrasound.
(Since you're a virgin, the exam would be rectal.)
As for the Pap smear, I'm not sure if they can perform it on you. Maybe they can.
But if you're looking for bacteria, you need swabs; a Pap smear isn't designed to detect those.

darkmaker said:Regarding the OBGYN situation, I actually signed up with Dr. Danke Mirić-Tešanić and got to meet the famous Nurse Marina... she was honestly such a sweetheart! I told her I wanted to register since I haven't had a regular gynecologist before, and she was all like, "Of course!" She handed me the intake forms, pointed me toward Social Security, and mentioned I wouldn't be seen until late February. I felt bad and told her I'd already finished everything with Dr. Mazalin, so she just said I could swing by tomorrow for my referrals
and prescriptions... I guess she was just having one of those lovely days!

Hey, you are literally reading my mind! Do you happen to know where that new doctor came from? Apparently, she’s super young too... since Marija Gregov isn't practicing there anymore, I just automatically jumped over to Tešanić's office. Believe it or not, I actually managed to snag an appointment for early January! The nurse was incredibly kind on the phone as well, so I'm thinking it might be the same lady.

Has anyone actually met the doctor yet? Also, what are the vibes like at that student health clinic regarding the OBGYN services? The whole reason I signed up there is because I figured it would be way easier to get lab orders and everything handled right on-site... I won't have to drive all over town just to get bloodwork done and stuff like that... or am I totally off base?

I see there's already been some chatter about Dr. Tešić—well, specifically about her sister! Honestly, I think the sister is a total airhead. Anyway, quick question: if my appointment is set for 6 PM, does that mean I should actually show up at 4 PM, or can I just roll in at 6 and wait until 8? Any help would be amazing!

What’s her vibe like as a doctor? Is she stingy when it comes to ordering lab work? Besides the Pope, I definitely need a few more tests done, so I'm wondering if she'll just order them or if I'll have to practically beg her for them!
How does she feel about referrals for hormone panels?

wiredrider2 said:I see there’s already been some talk about Dr. Tešić—well, her sister. Fine. Apparently, the sister is an idiot. I have an appointment at 6 PM, does that mean I should show up at 4, or can I roll in at 6 and wait until 8? Help?

What’s she like as a doctor? Does she skimp on lab work? Besides the basics, I need some extra tests done, so I’m wondering if she’ll just order them or if I’ll have to beg...
How does she feel about referrals for hormone panels?

Show up a little before 6, hand over your insurance card, and then just wait for your turn. It all depends on how busy they are...
She doesn't skimp on testing, actually. She's very thorough.
I think you'll be able to get everything you need without any issues...

Honestly, sometimes she doesn't even look at the scheduled time. She just grabs the files, checks who's on the list, and calls names in order. Which means you could show up earlier, though I'm not sure if it's worth the risk...
I had to show up much earlier once, and it turned out fine. It was early enough that the usual crowd hadn't arrived yet.

Michael Jones23 said:😬 yeah, I actually stopped seeing her a few days ago. I think that speaks volumes on its own!

Maybe she isn't quite as terrible as I first thought, but she just seems so overwhelmed by her patient load and always talks way too fast, which honestly leaves me feeling like she’s constantly trying to rush me out the door. She can be a bit superficial too, though when I really sit down and give it some thought, maybe she actually is just bad. 😁

I heard there's a doctor, I think her name is Galovic, over in the South Side. A few of my friends go to her and they say she's actually great, so I might consider making the switch. As for me, I had to wrap things up with Dr. Leko because I didn't have much of a choice; it was summer and everyone was away on vacation, but I had an urgent matter that couldn't wait. She was the only one still working.

Dana Brooks3, oh my gosh, you're seriously the best, thank you so much!

wiredrider2 said:Hey, you’re reading my mind! Do you happen to know where the new doctor came from? Apparently, she’s young too... since Maria Gregov isn't practicing anymore, I automatically ended up with Dr. Tesanic... It sounds hard to believe, but I managed to snag an appointment for early January! The receptionist was incredibly kind over the phone, so I assume she's the one.

Has anyone actually seen this doctor yet? Also, what’s the deal with the student health center regarding gynecologists? My only reason for signing up there was the hope that getting referrals for lab work would be easier since they have everything on-site... I was hoping I wouldn't have to drive all over town just for blood tests and things like that... or am I mistaken?

My own doctor—who also works at the student clinic—recommended her. She mentioned I shouldn't run into any issues with prescriptions or referrals because Dr. Tesanic isn't stingy with them... She apparently transferred over from Mercy Hospital and is supposedly excellent. A few of my friends see her and are quite happy; you can ask her anything, she isn't rough during exams, and according to my physician, she's highly skilled.
It’s also a major plus that they have a lab right there, so all your results come back quickly... at least that was my experience when I had other tests done... though word is they only accept internal referrals.
As for the actual exam, the nurse, Marina, told me I wouldn't be seen until February... it's honestly exhausting how long the wait times are... which is why I ended up going to a private practice instead. I wouldn't dream of waiting like that if it were anything urgent.

I feel like I’ve already asked this, but honestly, I have no idea if anyone actually got back to me—I was off the forum for a bit. So, anyway, what’s the deal with Mirena? My doctor is pushing it on me because my iron levels are absolutely trashed, but I’m still totally on the fence about it. Anyone actually used one?

Thanks.

I was actually thinking about booking an appointment with Dr. Miller, but these recent awkward experiences have me second-guessing everything. Does anyone have a recommendation for another gynecologist in Seattle? Ideally someone covered by insurance.

William Rodriguez30 said:I was actually thinking about switching to Dr. Brncicka, but I’ve felt a bit discouraged after these unpleasant experiences. Does anyone have a recommendation for another gynecologist in San Diego? (via insurance)

Unfortunately, I don't really have anyone else I could recommend to you... my only experience has been with a private OB-GYN at Cedars-Sinai and one specialist at UCSD (everything was fine—the exams, the Pap smears, the bedside manner—but after visiting Dr. Ljubojevic in LA yesterday, I realize they missed half of what needed to be done 😠).
Before considering Dr. Brncicka, I had thought about seeing Dr. Ksenija Stefanic Dukic based on recommendations from an old classmate and two friends who saw her regularly, even for prenatal care. However, since I wasn't entirely sure where her office was located—only that it was somewhere near the Pehlin area—I never actually went looking for her.
For routine check-ups, she should be perfectly fine based on what I've heard. But if you ever face anything more serious (specifically regarding HPV or CIN issues), it might be worth making the trip to LA... Dr. Ljubojevic is truly the best. 🙏
As for these local doctors, I feel like I should have walked away from them a long time ago (since they didn't even see or address half of my concerns in the first place).

Joshua Clark said:I highly recommend Dr. Findri Gustek. She’s an amazing OBGYN. Truly GREAT. She's located over in West Hills.

Never again!!! I went to her for two or three years... I suffered so much with fungal issues and none of her treatments helped me even a little bit. Even though I'm not a doctor, I can SEE they aren't going away—they just keep coming back. Honestly, I would have just prescribed myself Diflucan, but she didn't even think to suggest it, even though that's what you need for serious fungal problems. As for her personality, she’s cold as ice; the second you walk in, she's already looking for the exit... just a terrible experience overall... 👎 👎 I ended up seeing a private specialist who charged a fortune, but at least she actually helped me... she was so thorough and really cared about getting me healthy! 🙏

Seriously, does absolutely nobody have anything to say about Mirena? Or am I just invisible here?😢 😢 😢

I need some actual firsthand experiences, please. Like, real talk.

I vividly remember seeing some thread on here once—can't find it now though, damn it—where one person was absolutely tearing Mirena to shreds while someone else was totally defending it.

seamless said:(seriously) has nobody mentioned Mirena, or did I just miss it?😢 😢 😢

I need some firsthand intel here, please.

I distinctly remember some thread—can't find it now, though—where one person was absolutely tearing Mirena apart while someone else was totally defending it.

Honestly, you'll probably have better luck looking in the birth control threads. I definitely remember people talking about her over there.

I don't know if anyone else has brought him up yet, but for a few years now, Dr. Končar has been my absolute favorite gynecologist. He actually sees private patients at the Dr. Bates clinic over in the States too...🙏 🙏