|
What to Expect When You Visit Your GYN
(12/26/2006) by Annette Owens
Your annual check up is a time to address your overall health status, use of medications, birth control, menstruation pattern, whether you are experiencing any pain or discomfort during sex, and life in general (including any work or relationship stress). Some of these topics I will address in more detail below:
General Health:
Your health practitioner will check your heart, blood pressure and lungs and palpate your neck to feel for any changes in your thyroid gland. This may be followed up with blood work (this is usually not done annually but that depends on your health provider’s recommendation) to establish thyroid function, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. A breast exam is also part of the annual visit, and your breasts will be checked manually for any changes or lumps. Depending on your age, you may get a referral for a mammogram (either base line or routine follow up). You will be asked whether you have experienced any abnormal bleeding (between periods or after intercourse), abnormal vaginal discharge, or pain during sex. In fact, if you ever experience any of these symptoms, you should schedule an appointment with your health provider right away. If this is your first annual visit, your provider will take a detailed sexual history, usually inquiring about any negative sexual experiences (molestation, rape) in your past. These are routine questions that are meant to help address your overall sexual health.
Pap Smear:
Regular Pap smears are important for preventing cervical cancer. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that Pap smear testing begin within three years of sexual intercourse, or by age 21 if not sexually active. Pap smears should occur annually until age 30, when women with at least three consecutive normal Pap tests can begin to have the test every two or three years, or as often as the health practitioner recommends.
Pelvic Exams:
Even though Pap smears may not be necessary every single year (see above guidelines), an annual pelvic exam is still important in order to check for any other changes or infections that may be present. Your health practitioner will check your lower abdomen by placing two fingers inside your vagina, while palpating your lower abdomen with the other hand (this is called a bimanual exam). During this part of the exam any irregularities in your ovaries (cysts or tumors) or uterus (endometriosis, fibroid tumors) can be detected (please note that endometriosis can only be confirmed by laparoscopy). In the case of ovarian cancer, it can be life-saving to detect it early, because the particular cancer has much space to grow unrecognized in the abdominal cavity. If it is allowed to grow large enough to be felt by the woman herself it is often too late.
Prevention:
Finally, the health provider should address guidelines for healthy living, including how to prevent sexually transmitted infections through safer sex (condoms, dental dams, etc.), and how to keep cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure healthy. Women over forty should inquire about getting a fecal blood occult test for possible colon changes.
Final Tip:
Keep a health diary where you note when you have your period, as well as any changes you may want to discuss with your health practitioner during your annual visit.
Source:
www.loveandhealth.info This article appears in the following topics:
|
