Dr. Michael Abel, MD

I went to Dr. Abel to have a large, stage 3 anal carcinoma removed. At the visit, Dr. Abel said the tumor had grown after inserting his finger into my anus and conducting palpation. During the exam, I was lying on my side away from Dr. Abel who initially only said he was going to take a look at the area, never mentioning he was also doing palpation, which startled me and was uncomfortable to the touch. A previous time when a physician penetrated my anus, she made sure to tell me before the procedure that this would happen, which prepared me and did not surprise me. After Dr. Abel's visit and considering the size and location of the tumor, which obstructed any bowel movements and caused increasing pain as a result, I requested pain medication while I waited to have an MRI scheduled and performed. Dr. Abel's response was NO, he didn't prescribe pain meds, I was told. I was ridiculously told to enroll in a pain management program, a total non-sequitur. I didn't return, of course.