A Long Overdue REAL Physical

Next month I will have my long over due physical exam with my doctor who I haven't seen for a exam in at least 4 years. I'm kind of wondering for during the exam instructions from the nurse when she says ok here's the gown remove everything but the underwear and put it on should I ask for the sheet or just use the gown as the drape like sheet ? Or remove everything included my underwear and use one of the above mentioned in the same manner? Naked and gown on or naked and gown/sheet draped ? I do have a slight hemorrhoid /anal fissure that I DO Need looked at so to already have my underwear completely off makes for easier access.

This topic has been discussed a lot already however because I haven't seen him in a while maybe I could use the excuse that Oh I forgot what preferred level of nudity was his. Seeing as how much doctor before at the same clinic I was underwear only and a half a white sheet barely draped. Got lots of attention at that visit from the medical students and my regular GP. If needed I can repost this in different topic line like male sexuality

Thing is to I would much rather be just in my underwear and no gown or any kind of draping but not sure how the doc will react. One time during my very first exam at that same clinic different doc I refused the sheet and just the gown but when he came in he ended up using the sheet I mentioned I'm not bashful or cold and it just falls off or gets in the way. Well after that visit my future physicals were always just a gown and sometimes just a sheet as a draped (which was my last physical with that doc who always had the medical students do my exams first once over then he came in and did a follow up once over )see one of my writings ).

It's your choice. Yes, I won't flex from this long held opinion. When I was your age, it was a given: 'Take off everything except your underwear and the doctor will be in.' The nurse, sadly, was escort, only. Height, weight, etc. were done by the doctor. I was in briefs. Before gowns and drapes. So it doesn't matter what you are told. Put the gown and drape aside. Strip to your underwear and take a seat.

It's your choice.

Absolutely, it is your choice. First and foremost, you need to do what makes you the most comfortable. That being said, you also need to work within the bounds of what your particular doctor's office will permit, or what they will find acceptable.

My preference would be to strip completely, including removal of all underwear and socks -- completely means everything comes off. Then either cover up by laying the gown or a paper sheet over your lap, if either is offered. The nurse will likely give you instructions as they are leaving, telling you how much clothing to remove (or not) and handing you a gown or a gown and a sheet. Based on those instructions, and your level or comfort at that moment, you can make your decision. You can choose to completely ignore the nurse's instructions and just do what you like, or you can address the instructions. By that I mean, if they tell you to leave your underwear on and put on the gown, you can nod in agreement when they're in the room, not causing a scene or arguing with the nurse, but then strip completely after they leave. Or, as the nurse hands you the gown, you can engage them in conversation, telling them that you probably won't use it since you feel more comfortable without it. Just say that you've found that you're much more apprehensive about the exam when you have to wear a gown and that you're more relaxed if you just get all of the undressing out of the way from the start. Whenever I've said that they usually acknowledge my preference and indicate that it's fine, that whatever makes me feel better is OK with them. Of course, once the doctor enters the exam room, there's really no need for a covering at all. If you're really brave, you can set the lap covering aside completely, saying something like "oh, I guess now that the door is close we won't be needing this at all".

Good luck and please let us know how it went. 😃

Unfortunately, it's likely these days that the nurse will take your vitals and weight while fully clothed then leave you - fully clothed - in the exam room to wait for the doctor. The doctor will probably just expose you in small bits for targeted exams.

If you're offered the gown with disrobing instructions, strip naked and lay the gown over your lap. It makes the suggestion that you expect a full exam, not what I mentioned above.

If they give you a gown, just take everything else off. Period.

This isn't something to make a big deal over.

As Susie says take the gown and take everything off. The nurses do give a sheet to our patients and if they don't comply they don't get examined. (This is not true for an emergency patient obviously.) I don't make patients totally disrobe though. I pull the gown up to expose the part examined and cover the rest with the sheet. Remember--we have seen it all before and for us it's just business. I try always to make the patient feel comfortable. I always talk to them ahead of time and try to make them feel at ease.

^^^^ While WE have seen it all before, the patients unfortunately sometimes feel that we haven seen THEM nude before.

We can thank out puritan society for that.

As Susie says take the gown and take everything off. The nurses do give a sheet to our patients and if they don't comply they don't get examined. (This is not true for an emergency patient obviously.) I don't make patients totally disrobe though. I pull the gown up to expose the part examined and cover the rest with the sheet. Remember--we have seen it all before and for us it's just business. I try always to make the patient feel comfortable. I always talk to them ahead of time and try to make them feel at ease.

Unfortunately, what many professionals THINK makes the patient feel comfortable actually does just the opposite. I'm more self conscious with gowns and drapes because they give me the feeling that I need to keep them in place making me more aware of my exposure.

How was his last exam?

The exam is Jan next month end of.Jan and I will for sure update this post

I'm looking forward to appointments in my new location with a nephrologist and a urologist next month. We'll see if anything is different. The new PCP was the same incomplete nonsense as I'm unfortunately used to.

But Jds the exam rooms are cold! That's part of the rationale for using a gown and sheet.

I'd welcome even a gown and sheet. Recent history for me has been that everything is done with clothes on.

And the first bad sign is an 'exam' table without paper on it. The next is being left without instructions to wait in the 'exam' room. The final is the smile on the doctor, because you might be there for an annual 'exam,' but you haven't bothered him or her with a problem, so there's nothing to 'examine.'

As the patient, you could reasonable assume that since you're there for a full physical exam, you need to undress. So when the nurse leaves, do that, getting down to whatever you're comfortable with. If the doctor makes an issue about it when they enter the room, you could just tell them that you assumed you'd need to undress for your exam. Then tell them that you're more comfortable that way in any case.

I'd say if your comfortable with it off just go for it haha. Have seen some drs and staff that are more concerned about how your taking everything in and comfort level than others. After an auto accident was getting xrays with just a gown on, and the male nurse seen me fiddling with keeping everything closed while on my side and cracked some joke like "dont worry if I see too much will take you out to dinner". But felt comfortable around him seeing it didn't mean one way or another with him. Lol but won't say how long its been since my last physical, just say been more than ten years. But last one was just underwear, no gown or drape or anything and underwear was removed when necessary .

I think if they would hand over a gown to me without given more instructions, I would disrobe completely (even undies off) and put then the gown on!

Why should they give you a gown, if you can keep your undies (perhaps even your undershirt) on? In my eyes, when they give you a gown, they expect you to be totaly naked underneath!

Well I think it's going to be a toss... Underwear with just a gown draped or sheet draped. Or gown and no underwear. I will keep this updated as the time draws near maybe take it too a vote ? and I won't be the decider either.

I almost rushed back last night to post this: there I was on a personals website, where a premium member, new or old, I can't tell, who lives in a gay town on the east coast had posted three pics, the main one being full body wearing blue or green briefs only. Yes, his work area is 'medical.' Not a doctor or pa who is going to panic should his male patients choose to disrobe to their briefs. Not a doctor or pa, in his 50's, who didn't go through med school with this concept, predating gowns and fully clothed concepts. Knowing the prices in the area, not a receptionist since he owns a house there, although he could be in mental health, I don't recall those services available there. If he humors me, I may have his feedback to post.

If the staff leaves you with no instructions, no sheet and no gown, it would be inappropriate to disrobe. If the appointment was for the annual physical (extra time scheduled), then it'd be appropriate to confront the doctor with your concerns.

I would like to point out that annual physical exams should be "history and physical" exams. It's really the history which helps us to know what to concentrate on in the exam. Also don't forget screening lab tests such as PSA and cholesterol.

One of my biggest concerns is my skin. I'm a melanoma survivor. I get annual skin checks but I'd also like any trained eyes to look whenever appropriate. That can't happen in a clothed physical.

You are putting a lot of thought into this, perhaps too much. Do as you see fit. When I have my yearly physical I think in terms of what makes it go easier for my doctor. I am old school and modesty at the doctor has become less of an issue for me over the years. The way I see it is probably easier for my doctor if she examines me in my boxer briefs. I see the gown on the table when getting undressed. I ignore it as it just gets in the way.

You are entirely correct about skin exams. However my acumen with skin exam pales in comparison with a real dermatologist.

I've never thought otherwise, but my experience as a massage therapist tells me that every pair of eyes is valuable. I found a few atypical moles while massaging. A couple of those turned out to be malignant, stage 0 or 1. If that person got the modern dressed physical and no massage, the ultimate outcome might have been very different.

I'm not putting too much thoughts into it. As I know many threads have been on this over the years. Was just adding a fresh current event out there.

You animal Jds. Good for you for picking up a skin Ca. Keep up the good work!

Let's say the nurse has you strip to your shorts and put the gown on. You could do that, then when the doctor comes in, you could say, "Don't worry too much about my modesty, Doctor. When it's time to listen to my chest, let's just take the gown off completely and be done with it."

I've done similar. They get freaky. Except at the dermatologist.

One of the problems is that the vast majority of the time, there is no gown, there is no sheet, there is no direction or expectation to disrobe.