What can I expect during an annual physical?!
Question: I'm going for my first physical ever. I'm 26 and I do not recommend that anyone else wait as long as I did for a physical! Anyway, The receptionist mentioned a cholesterol test (she wasn't exactly sure what all would happen in the exam room....go figure), but what other tests would they give me and what should I expect? I'm not nervous at all, I just have TONS of questions for the doctor.
Thanks in advance.
Answers: I'm going for my first physical ever. I'm 26 and I do not recommend that anyone else wait as long as I did for a physical! Anyway, The receptionist mentioned a cholesterol test (she wasn't exactly sure what all would happen in the exam room....go figure), but what other tests would they give me and what should I expect? I'm not nervous at all, I just have TONS of questions for the doctor.
Thanks in advance.
Well I would assume since you're a 26 yo female, you'll get a pelvic done. They'll first take your blood pressure, do the knee reactions, listen to your lungs with a stethescope, ask a bunch of questions of you (like diet, exercise, smoking, drugs, etc). If you get the pelvic, they'll have you put on this little paper smock and the doctor might first do a breast exam on you while you lay on the table. After that, they'll do a pelvic exam by inserting their fingers and feeling around while pressing on your abdomen. Finally, they insert a device called a speculum so they can take a swab of the cervical cells. That's basically it. It's usually pretty quick. More waiting around than actual time w/ the doc!
Things like cholesterol tests and other blood work is usually ordered by your doctor and you'll have to go to another lab to have your blood drawn, most likely. For certain blood tests, it requires fasting.
don't be scared your going to be in for a bit of an uncomfortable position when they do the pap your legs will be in stirrups and your bottom will be hanging off and they will push around and fill inside and scrape some cells and MASH your tummy and mash your breasts and have you breath and have you talk ( it's hard to talk when someone is looking at your privates ) I hate yearly. As for the cholesterol count and stuff they will more likely do a blood test. Lots of luck don't be nervous and make sure to tell them It's your first time so they will explain it as they go. My first time I thought I was never going to walk right again.
if you have tons of questions for the doctor i recommend writing them down on a little notepad and bringing that with you....whenever i have questions for my doc, i always go there and the doctor is so rushed that i can't even think about the things i wanted to ask!! since doctors are so busy and it takes forever to schedule an appointment, and then you have to wait forever in the waiting room, it's best to be prepared and use the appointment to the fullest. with that said, at the physical, the doctor will check your weight, height, temperature, blood pressure with the cuff, then shine a light in your eyes, check your throat, test your knee reflexes, have you lie down on the bed while he/she presses on your abdomen and asks if anything hurts. during this entire time the doctor will also be asking you questions about anything that's bothering you .
since you are 26 and haven't had a physical yet i think most likely you will get a pelvic exam...if they don't give you one then they may have you make an appointment for a full pelvic since it's very important for every woman to get them!!!!!