Preparation for a doctor's visit

There's a thread about prepping your pussy for the doctor. This is much more general.

Men or women, what do you do different that the average day when going to the doctor. I'm not talking about being clean and wearing underwear without holes or skid marks. What do you do SPECIAL and for what kind of doctor?

For me, I might wear underwear, depending on the type of exam expected. For example, if I'm going to the orthopedist for my back and might be asked to walk, bend or go over to the x-ray room, underwear is probably the polite thing to do. I don't change my hairstyle - including pubic - for a doctor, but I will be as sure as I can about hygiene including carrying wet wipes for my ass. Finger and toenails, clean and clipped except for the podiatrist. I want them to professionally cut my toenails. Teeth brushed and listerine breath strips used no matter what.

How about you?

Fleet enema. Not because it's required, as it was for one doctor as posted long ago, but because I want to know that when he checks inside that area, even if he anticipates finding something which might be of medical use, he'll find things squeaky clean. Which is odd because a few bodywork clients would ask me if they should use one prior to my prostate work, and I would honestly tell them no, that the body is good about moving things along. It might even be a weight issue, although I'm thin, I won't be carrying excess weight.

Poet,

The problem with that is, if the doctor checks for occult blood from the stool on his finger after DRE, you reduce the chance of a true reading.

If I am having a pelvic exam I shave all my pubic hair. This is not for aesthetic preference. I am high risk for melanoma and I have two small moles that I am aware of. Removing my pubic hair allows my skin in the pelvic area to be thoroughly examined very easily.

Finger and toenails, I have them trimmed and filed. No paint or nail art. The condition of your nails can reveal countless things that may be going wrong with your health in relation to how your nails look and the health of them in general.

I do not use any extra lotions, perfumes etc. This disguises anything that may be potentially important to be noticed by my physician.

I also skip the wearing of cosmetics if I am having a skin check by my dermatologist including hair spray etc in my hair on my head.

Skin cancer, melanoma being the worst type, can grow anywhere, internally and externally. If I have any type of skin cancer lurking anywhere, if it can be noticed visually and or through tactile means, I am in 100% support of it being detected.

Clean teeth, clean clothes, clean and showered etc a must for me!

I also will take a list of concerns, questions etc to make sure I don't forget something and waste the time of my Dr trying to remember everything. I will also have pen and paper to write down info received by my Dr if the need arises.

Depending on which Dr I see and for what reason, all of this can be specifically tailored to that appointment. I have listed generalities.

...must not forget to have my ID and health insurance cards, form of payment and such etc with me for the appointment. This also includes any copies of tests, chart notes from another provider that are possibly or directly related to the appointment I have. Referral letter and insurance authorization for the appointment and or procedure if those are needed for the appointment. Another person to drive me home from the appointment if I won't be able to drive after seeing my Dr.

Don't have regular examinations from a doctor as I'm not registered with a GP but during the summer I have been examined in the groin area by my sister-in-law a few times. It only happens occasionally if I'm visiting on my own that she asks me if she can examine me for a rash which has not reoccurred since the summer but as I don't know before I go I always make sure I'm very clean as you'd expect but I also like to wear white socks. I know if she asks I'll be undressing for her but I keep my socks on if they're white but take them off if they're dark socks. Probably sounds weird to you all but I feel much more comfortable that way even though I'm sure she is hardly likely to notice.

Well I must say for me I must clean my teeth, have clean clothes, and take a shower before I leave for the appointment. In addition I ensure that my fingernails and toe nails are cut and clean and I dress appropriately. Unlike the US you don't get a gown you disrobe only the areas to be examined.

Andie makes an excellent point "I also will take a list of concerns, questions etc to make sure I don't forget something and waste the time of my Dr trying to remember everything. I will also have pen and paper to write down info received by my Dr if the need arises." As quite often you forget to inform the doctor about some symptom or you cannot remember what was said ( this is a well known phenomenon especially if the new is bad).

As Andie mention it is always advisable to have a folder with copies of all your test results, referrals, Dr's letters etc that way it saves a lot of time in case your doctor has to communicate with another specialist and chase up reports, test etc.

For my annual physical I shower and shave my face. I have no body hair because I had laser hair removal from the shoulders down. Brush teeth and rinse with mouth wash. All nails are trimmed and clean. Since this is my annual visit I get a digital prostate exam and to be sure I am squeaky clean I do a series of enemas a few hours before.

Since this is my annual visit I get a digital prostate exam and to be sure I am squeaky clean I do a series of enemas a few hours before.

I would not recommend the enemas before an exam. They may want to do a fecal occult blood test.

For my annual check-up, I try to make sure my rectum is clear. That could be as simple as having a good poop before I go, checking with my finger for poop low in the chute, ar a small rinse.

Didn't get the finger this year because he knew I was having a colonoscopy within a month.

For any doc, I try to be clean and respectable.

For my annual check-up, I try to make sure my rectum is clear. That could be as simple as having a good poop before I go, checking with my finger for poop low in the chute, ar a small rinse.

Didn't get the finger this year because he knew I was having a colonoscopy within a month.

For any doc, I try to be clean and respectable.

Wait, no prostate exam because of an upcoming colonoscopy? Makes zero sense. The colonoscopy doesn't involve the prostate.

BTW, doctors expect to find fecal matter in the rectum. THAT'S WHERE IT LIVES!

Didn't get the finger this year because he knew I was having a colonoscopy within a month.

They are for two different things. The finger (DRE) is to check the prostate and the colonoscopy is to check for/prevent colon cancer.

You were shortchanged.

(Jds beat me to it)

Just to follow up. I will do all lab work: blood draw and fecal test well before I go in for my annual exam. This way we have all the results in hand so we can talk about them during the time of the exam.

For many years I used to do the blood draw at the time of the exam and fecal test kit was handed to me as I went out the door. Then maybe a week or so later you got a note from the doctor saying all is well with no real chance to discuss anything even when things came back negative.

I much prefer this method of doing lab work before the exam.

The Hemocult brand of fecal occult blood test takes 60 seconds. Yes, it can be done at home, involving taking a stool smear from two different areas of the stool and placing them on the card with the supplied 'ice cream stick,' bringing the card to the doctor for developing, then hearing the results.

It's much more efficient for the doc to obtain the sample during routine DRE and develop the test right there. Developing and reading the test isn't rocket science. Three drops of developer (two sample sites and one control site), if it turns color, it's positive for blood, no change is negative.

That's interesting JDS4mds, I have never been offered that option. But one time I did not go to my regular doctor for my annual physical and the doc did smear a test patch after my prostate exam. I really did not know that could be analyzed in the office- I just thought it would be sent out just like the home kits. I don't mind the home kits and just as long as I get the results back by the time I come back for my physical exam then it doesn't matter. But maybe next time I will ask about it. Thanks for sharing.

Jds4med,

The Hemocult brand of fecal occult blood test takes 60 seconds. Yes, it can be done at home, involving taking a stool smear from two different areas of the stool and placing them on the card with the supplied 'ice cream stick,' bringing the card to the doctor for developing, then hearing the results.

It's much more efficient for the doc to obtain the sample during routine DRE and develop the test right there. Developing and reading the test isn't rocket science. Three drops of developer (two sample sites and one control site), if it turns color, it's positive for blood, no change is negative.

I am thinking you may have found possible new careers for all of our former NASA employees, scientists and astronauts laid off...LOL!!!

Andie

I can only imagine the invasive tests that the early astronauts went through. THE RIGHT STUFF was probably just a hint.

My only preparations are:

- take a shower that morning

- put clean clothes on including new underwear - even if everything comes off again that day!