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Preparing For
My Appointment
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Preparing For
Your Appointment
The Best Time To See Me
When is the
best time to schedule an appointment?
If you are like most women, you
set up your annual gynecological appointment to fit your busy schedule and
your doctor’s. But there are times that are better than others for
having a Pap test done, because it is easier to get a clean sample. The best
time to have a Pap smear is two weeks after the first day of your menstrual
period, if you are still having periods, so try to set your appointment up
for then. If you are no longer having periods, any time is fine.
Things To Tell
Me About
I never feel
prepared for my appointments. What should I do beforehand? What should I
bring with me?
You don’t have to do
anything special to prepare for the exam itself, but there are some things
you should not do before a Pap test:
- douche for three days beforehand
- insert any vaginal medicine or lubricants for
three days beforehand
- have sex, even with a condom, for at least a
day
To make it easy for the
cytologist to see the cervical and endocervical
cells on your smear, you want to have as little extraneous material as
possible end up on the slide. So if you are having your period, or even
spotting, you should postpone your Pap test.
To get the most out of your
appointment, there are some things you should think about and write down
beforehand. The thing everybody forgets is the date of their last menstrual
period, so make a note of that.
I like my patients to write
down any questions they'd like to ask me, since it's hard to remember
everything when you are being examined.
There are lots of things that patients
think a gynecologist doesn't treat, so they don't bother to mention them. And
sometimes, people don't realize that what they have is actually a medical
problem that they can get treatment for. Headaches that are caused by hormone
problems, as we discussed above, are a good example of this.
Headaches
I have had
really bad headaches about once a month for a couple of years. Over-the-counter
headache medication doesn't even touch them. I have to lie down in a dark
room until I can throw up, and then I feel fine. Is there prescription
medicine available for these kinds of headaches?
It sounds like what you are
having are migraines. The fact that they occur once a month makes me think
that they might be hormone-related. Many types of migraine are due to
estrogen fluctuations. Of course, I'd have to examine you to be sure. But
estrogen-related headaches are easily treated with birth control pills, if it
turns out that it is just a matter of regulating your estrogen levels.
There are lots of types of
headaches, and different treatment methods for each. If you have a history of
frequent headaches, you should keep a diary of when they occurred, under what
circumstances, how long they lasted, what got rid of them, if anything, and
what your symptoms were (i.e., pain between your eyes or on one side of your
head, auras, sinus pain, nausea).
I know that most women wouldn't
consider making a special trip to the doctor just because they're having
headaches, but in some cases, they should. Especially if the headaches are
frequently and debilitating. It is important to give your doctor as much
information as you can about your headaches, so she can treat them properly.
Make sure you bring your headache diary, and a list of any questions you
have, along with you on your next doctor visit. There are many new
medications on the market, both prescription and over-the-counter, that can
help.
Depression
I have been
really depressed lately. Things are not going well at work, and I just broke
up with my boyfriend of seven years. I don't even remember how to meet guys,
and I don't really feel up to it. I just go home and sleep after work. I know
things aren't going to get better by themselves, but I don't even know where
to start to get help. What kind of doctor should I look for?
If your gynecologist is your
primary care physician, you should start there, with a complete physical.
Your gynecologist will be able to compare your current test results with past
ones to see if there's anything physical going on that needs to be treated.
Things like perimenopause and low thyroid function
can cause symptoms of depression. So can the kinds of stress brought on by
major life changes, such as the breaking up of a long-term relationship, or
constant job pressure. Once the physical side of things has been evaluated,
your doctor may give you medication, or recommend a psychiatrist/psychologist
for talk therapy, or both.
Weight/Eating
Problems
I have
gained a lot of weight since I quit smoking. I am hungry all the time. I
wonder if I have some kind of thyroid problem, or a tapeworm or something.
What should I do?
When you inhale cigarette smoke,
nicotinic acid releases sugar into your bloodstream, so you don't feel
hungry. Your body keeps looking for this continuous sugar rush after you've
quit smoking, and when it doesn't find it from smoking, it looks for an
alternate source--food. This is why people increase their food intake after
they've quit smoking.
If you haven't been in for a
physical lately, you should have one, just to rule out any other physical
causes for your hunger. If eating is becoming a serious problem, you should
discuss going on a diet with your doctor. Also ask about the possibility of
taking a prescription diet aid, such as Wellbutrin, Zyban, or Meridia,
which help you control your appetite, or Xenical,
which blocks fat absorption. Weight gain can cause so many serious health
problems that it is a good idea to combat the problem before it gets out of
control.
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