i sense your frustration -- and empathize with it. as women age they need to reassess which screenings are appropriate and which are not. you're clearly in reassessment mode. only you can decide whether or not to continue having pelvic exams. all individuals have the right to refuse treatment at any time. i am not advocating that you do so however. a pelvic exam covers more than simply evaluating the vagina. during a pelvic exam your health care provider can gain valuable information about other abdominal structures such as your bladder and colon. conditions like prolapsed bladder and rectovaginal fistula (a not-uncommon complication that can occur years after a hysterectomy) often are first discovered during a routine pelvic examination. you may be thinking "for heaven's sake i think i'd know it if i had a prolapsed bladder! " to which i would reply "you might be surprised how many women live with a prolapsed bladder for a long time before they're aware of it. " also i would point out your question is not simply "yes or no. " for example you and your health care provider could agree for you to have a pelvic exam only every-other year. or every five years. or whatever you and your provider are comfortable with. if your provider is doing a pap smear of your vaginal tissue during these exams it's worth noting the research doesn't support doing this. vaginal cancers are extremely rare while performing unnecessary pap smears add to the overall cost of health care delivery. if you had a hysterectomy due to cervical or uterine cancer that's a different story. again every woman has individual needs and should take her family health history into consideration before deciding what exams and screenings make sense as she ages. wishing you well!
must i have a pelvic exam? i have had a complete hysterectomy. i have never had any vaginal problems. i am 74.