Any other ladies having difficulty getting an annual exam?

Going for my first one since February of 2020 due to covid-19 restrictions. I called many different docs and the soonest appointment is mid November just for a regular check up! Any other ladies having difficulty?

Going for my first one since February of 2020 due to covid-19 restrictions. I called many different docs and the soonest appointment is mid November just for a regular check up! Any other ladies having difficulty?

Why are you worried?

There is no rush.

You consulted in February 2020: did you undergo a Pap smear?

What are the results ?

If you don't have any worrying signs of CIN, a next appointment in 6 or 8 weeks is well on schedule.

If you need to refill your pill, your prescription can still be issued to you.

Obviously if you have worrying signs (bleeding, pain, ...) do not hesitate to consult the emergency room of a maternity hospital near you, otherwise quietly wait for a follow-up date without worry.

After our doctor of 30 years retired at midnight of Dec. 31st 2013 when Obamacare became the law of the land we had to find a new doctor. We found a female doctor in a group connected with the hospital and we both went in to see her for an initial checkup. I have been scheduled regularly every 6 months for a visit. She has been in once when she fell and broke her wrist. She feels they just don't care about her.

Deviant1 and I are having problems getting appointments for three basic reasons, all related to the pandemic.

First, many people put off getting health care when the pandemic began, so many of them seem to be trying to get in with their docs now. Second, it seems that a few practices in the area have closed due to financial issues during the pandemic, and a couple of older docs that we know were prompted by the pandemic to retire. Finally, docs here in northern New England are once again pushing out non-emergent visits and procedures due to the rise of the Delta variant.

Put those three factors together and you have the perfect storm of appointment unavailability.

And don't bother trying to become a new patient at most primary care practices. The wait times for a new patient appointment can be up to six-eight months, if they are available at all.

My wife just made her appointment for her annual gyn exam and it is is two and a half months out. That was the soonest appointment available.

Annual exams are becoming a thing of the past.

if you get a HPV test at the same time as your PAP then the interval to retest is five years.

and they no longer recommend routine internal pelvic exams. and i read that many agencies are recomending that Clinical Breast Exam is no longer advised on a scheduled basis.

so there really is nothing that they want to do anymore.

Skin cancer screening still and a PAP/HPV every five years.

they are really taking the fun out of women's health.

when we met thirty years ago my wifes doctor insisted on seeing her and touching her everywhere at least once a year. it was awesome

If there are any ladies that are having difficulty getting an appointment for their annual exam just contact me and I will make myself available to perform any exams needed.

Thank you.