Annual Physical

Had my annual physical yesterday. Arrived 5 mins early for my scheduled appointment. Was given paperwork to fill out, mostly questions to gauge drug/alcohol use and mental health. After waiting about 25 mins I was called back by an attractive younger nurse with grey scrubs on. She first took me up the scale in the hallway. After my weight registered she took me to an exam room at the end of the hall. She took my blood pressure manually and checked my pulse ox on my right index finger. She asked if there was anything specific I wanted to discuss with the provider today and I said no. She then said Christine would be in shortly and left the room. After about a 15 min wait the PA came in. She sat down and discussed by blood test results and past medical history. She commented that I still have not gotten my colonoscopy that was recommended last year. I told her yes I have been putting off due to the prep anesthesia, we discussed and was suggested I try cologuard which I agreed to. She then asked me to sit on the exam table. She checked my ears, looked up my nose, had me open and say ahhh. Next she listened to my heart and lungs. She listened to my next with the stethoscope, placed her cool hands on my neck and felt for any abnormalities and asked me to swallow. She then dropped the head of the exam table so it was flat and asked me to lay back, while I was laying back she pulled out the end of the exam table to support my legs. Next she palpated and percussed my abdomen, then listened to my bowel sounds. Was told all was good and I could sit up. She asked if I’d like testicular check and prostate exam (I usually request them) I said yes, so she said you can stand up and get ready. I stood up and undid my belt and unbuttoned my shorts but did not lower them yet. She got things ready (gloves, lube, occult blood card) then she turned to me and asked which I’d like first, I said whatever you’d prefer. She chose the testicular check, she has her gloves on so I dropped my shorts and underwear. She did a quick check of my testicles and did a hernia check. I did not get an erection but there was some growth. I was then instructed to bend over the end of the table, she changed gloves applied line and inserted her finger in, did a quick sweep of my rectum then pressed her finger on my prostate. I was told everything felt normal and I could get dressed. Then she washed her hands, asked if I had any other concerns. I said no to which she told me the nurse would be in shortly with my paperwork and I was all set. Sorry for length I just thought some might like the detail.

Thanks for writing this. I enjoyed reading it.

Great story

You are a lucky man. You got a "real" physical exam and that is rare today. And PAs are usually better than doctors. My experience with most physicals is that you remain completely dressed, they listen to your pulse and heart, and maybe sometimes listen to bowel sounds under your clothing Now, please just tell were I can find your PA/Drs office!

Yes, I agree that is better than most. I have been getting better physicals as I age. After 50 the Doctor's nurse's seem to give me the vitals and then "take everything off but underwear", which is getting back to when I was a kid in the 1970's and 80's.

I haven't had a real physical in several years. I go to an internist and he talks to me and listens to my heart and lungs. He hasn't checked me for a hernia or done a prostate check in at least 5 years. He basically refers me to a specialists for anything that requires and exam. I have been going to him for 20 years and he used to do a real physical. He would listen for bowel sounds, do a hernia check, a prostate check, and palpate my abdomen for masses or pain. None of that anymore.

My last one was maybe thirty minutes of talking to her, fifteen of her checking me. Everything stayed on.

A lot of the specialists aren't even doing any kind of a "thorough" exam anymore.

Please don't put off the colonoscopy. The prep is not nearly as horrible as people advertise. Get it done!

Please don't put off the colonoscopy. The prep is not nearly as horrible as people advertise. Get it done!

I'd love to have it but after watching my wife spend a night on the toilet getting no sleep, every time, I have opted for the cologuard. I don't think I would survive that much sleep loss. Having them shove something up inside me doesn't bother me a bit but that sleep loss would be a killer not mention the sore ass from wiping it 500 times.

I have my annual physical on Friday. Expecting pretty much what you experienced. Half an hour of questions about drugs, alcohol, suicide and gender identity and 5 minutes of actual physical examination.

Roscoe, you better man up and get it done. My family has a history of colon cancer, so I've had it done multiple times. I start the prep earlier in the day, 2:00 PM or so. I'm done with all the craping business by bedtime. Get a good night sleep, the rest is a piece of cake!

@roscoe I don't know if I would trust cologardi. They clearly state there can be false positives and negatives.

@roscoe I don't know if I would trust cologardi. They clearly state there can be false positives and negatives.

And if you get a positive with Cologuard, you get a colonoscopy anyway. So you may as well just schedule the colonoscopy.

And if you get a positive with Cologuard, you get a colonoscopy anyway. So you may as well just schedule the colonoscopy.

Yup. And cologuard only detects 42% of large precancerous polyps. So a negative cologuard test doesn’t mean “totally” negative.

Colonoscopy prep is easy. I doubt it would keep you up all night, but even if it did you can sleep the entire next day! It’s worth it!

Haven’t had a testicular or rectal check during any check up for 20 years. Seems providers won’t do it unless you specifically ask.

Haven’t had a testicular or rectal check during any check up for 20 years. Seems providers won’t do it unless you specifically ask.

The doctor I had for 30 years retired 10 years ago and I've had to ask ever since.

@roscoe If there's a place near you that does colonics, see if you can do that as your prep. My last town had such a place and they advertised it as a benefit that you could fast and go there instead. I bet they took longer and were more thorough too.

Just had my annual physical this morning. Was a very good appointment. The nurse at the front desk took me to the scale and weighed me and checked my height. She even suggested I remove my shoes and jacket for a more accurate weight. After that the nurse lead me to one of the exam rooms down the hall and took my blood pressure twice. I was nervous so it was a little higher than normal but nothing to concerning. The nurse then gave me a 4 page medical history questionnaire to complete and then left the room and closed the door. I completed the questionnaire and waited for my doctor to arrive. After about 10 minutes, he came in and we talked about my medical history and if I had any concerns that I wanted addressed. The only thing I mentioned is that I wanted my testosterone levels checked this year. He said that he would add it to my lab requisition. He then excused himself and asked me to strip down to my underwear and socks and he would return shortly. After he came back, he proceeded to listen to my heart and jugular veins and asked if I had any chest pain when I exercise. I said no. He then had me swing my legs onto the table and then listened to my lungs as I breathed through my open mouth. He said all sounds good and then had me lay on my back on the table. He then pressed around my abdomen and asked me about my bowel and urinary habits. Finally my doctor asked me to slide my briefs down to my ankles and then he checked for hernias and felt my testicles. He then asked me to lay on my left hand side and then proceeded to examine my prostate. After he was done, he said everything looked good and left the room so I could get dressed.

@RTguy77 and @Boxers50, great stories and thanks for sharing! As others have said, you guys were lucky to get real physicals in this day and age.

Sounds like the exam lasted longer than the novel. The days of the hands on physical are over. There's no more thinking about what kind of underwear, if any, I should wear.

Well done Boxers50! Our docs must have gone to the same med school since their approach is nearly identical. When it’s over, you realize that an exam was provided and then hurry to retrieve your clothing.

My exam tends to vary slightly. The nurse tells me to strip and leaves the room while I proceed to take it all off except my briefs. After what feels like an eternity, she returns and has me provide a urine sample, get weighed and takes vitals. She then directs me to wait for the doc which can feel like forever! I get rather self conscious and wonder if my penis will venture from its shriveled state of affairs. What was the status of your penis prior to meeting the doctor?

The exam with the doc is much like yours. Once he gets to the abdomen, it’s going to become very personal and I shall have to remove my briefs, spread my legs apart so that he can check femoral pulses and begin to check each testicle as well as feel my sack. This is a mix of feelings as I do become semi erect to erect. Did he feel your shaft and inspect your meatus? The glans area is highly sensitive for me. I am known to leak during this part of the genital exam. Does he feel behind your sack as well? All of this is done with me lying prone and spread. My hands are at my side or behind my head. He won’t tolerate any interference.

Being told to turn onto my side, makes me anxious and I surely clench up. Did you? Raising my upper leg to my chest allows for my rosebud to come fully into view. Does he ask you to pulse your anus three times? Seems so embarrassing to do so but again I will. Then I feel the tip of his finger and a full insertion and swirling in my rectum. How do you feel then? It is like no other feeling for me. I am then told to stand up and he will conduct a hernia exam which is borderline unpleasant. My penis continues to bob and has remained erect or not depending on how I have reacted. What follows is a final finger up my bottom with me bending over the exam table. He also cups my testicles and feels them again prior to the finger. For whatever reason, this part of the DRE feels more invasive. My penis does leak then and makes me totally aware of what is going on!

Thanks for sharing.

I just had my annual exam, and before she got to those stupid questions, I told her the same answers to the questions you asked me last year. She let it go and we moved on. 😃

I have to call soon to make my appointment for my annual physical exam soon. I will more than likely always strip to my shorts. Then have to pull my shorts and underwear down to my knees for the testicle and hernia exam.