3 Tips To Improve Your OB/GYN Appointment

Health & Medical Blog

Seeing an OB/GYN might not be your favorite part of the year, but having an annual appointment is important if you want to be screened for STD's, if you want to have your pap smear and if you otherwise want to focus on your health. Luckily, there are a few ways that you can make your appointment go better each year.

1. Switch Doctors

If you find that you always have a sense of dread every time that you schedule your OB/GYN appointment, you may want to consider switching to another doctor. This type of appointment can be a bit more personal than your average doctor's appointment, so it's extra important to choose a physician who you feel fully comfortable with and who you trust. One option is to try a solo practitioner or a very small office, which can feel a bit more comfortable than a large, sterile office that is packed with patients and overworked doctors and nursing staff.

2. Keep Track of Your Menstrual Cycle

In the months leading up to your annual appointment, make a point to keep track of your menstrual cycle. You can do this the old-fashioned way with a calendar by simply marking when your period starts and ends, as well as taking down notes of interest, such as if you suffer from worse-than-usual cramps or a heavier flow. There are also smartphone apps that are designed to help you track your menstrual cycle. Your OB/GYN can use this information to look for any changes in your cycle or to give you tips about fertility and getting pregnant, if that's something you're interested in.

3. Be Honest About Your Sex Life

Sure, your sex life is personal, but if you have an OB/GYN who you feel comfortable with, it might not be a bad idea to share the details. Your doctor needs to know about things like unprotected sex, pain while you're having sex and other similar issues. If you tell your doctor that you have not been sexually active since your last appointment, for example, he or she might not feel the need to run an STD test, which could put you at risk of not catching an STD or STI that might be present.

As you can see, there are ways that you can make your OB/GYN appointment go better. If you follow these tips, you might find that you don't dread your yearly appointment after all. For more info, contact a clinic like Florham Park OB/GYN Dr. Donald Chervenak MD.

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30 January 2017

Outstanding In-Home Care

When my mother fell at home and broke her hip, we all thought that we were going to have no choice to put her in a nursing home when she got out of the hospital. My mother had always asked us kids to avoid putting her in any kind of home, but we didn’t know what else we could do. None of us were capable of giving her the kind of rehabilitation and care that she needed. Then her doctor suggested that we find out if her insurance covered in-home care. I didn’t even know that that was an option. I was pleased to discover that in-home care was covered by her plan. Now she gets great care from nurses and nurse assistants that come right to her in her home, where she wants to be. It’s a great option, and I’m so glad we have it.