What you MUST tell your gynaecologist
MANY women fear visiting the gynaecologist more than any other doctor; however, to ensure good health, these visits are a must. And apart from being honest about your sexual history, gynaecologist Dr Charles Rockhead said knowing your full medical and psychological history is also important.
“A woman may have difficulty getting pregnant and may have had a thyroid problem, a ruptured appendix or pelvic surgery in the past which can affect the normal process of the Fallopian tubes, but if that information is withheld, it can cause problems,” Dr Rockhead said.
“A lot of [the fear] is ignorance, and patients might have a myriad of questions but only come with the current issue they want to solve. What they fail to see is that we are investigators trying to put pieces of a puzzle together.”
Moreover, he said sometimes patients have done things that, if revealed, would help doctors to not duplicate tests or medications and it would also save patients a lot of time and money if they were more open about their situations.
“Giving information is absolutely necessary to get a proper diagnosis,” the doctor said.
So don’t withhold information about:
1. Sexual partners. Be completely honest about your number.
2. Unprotected sex. If you’ve even done it once, your gynaecologist should know, as you may have a sexually transmitted disease like HPV (human papilloma virus) that can remain dormant for years.
3. Bleeding after sex. This may be a sign of cervical cancer, an infection or your vagina’s inability to lubricate naturally.
4. Your medical history. If you’ve had past surgeries, been diagnosed with a condition, or have psychological problems like depression or anxiety, your gynaecologist should be made aware.
5. Medications. Whatever pills you take for whatever reasons, be sure to inform your gynaecologist. You could be taking something to get pregnant and it throws off your period, your libido or causes some major side effect.
6. Your libido. If your sex drive is low or high, it may also be a result of medications you’re taking.
7. Your smell. You may have an infection or a pH imbalance. Your gynaecologist can usually treat this issue.
8. How often you menstruate. If your cycle is irregular it could be a sign of early menopause or stress. Your gynaecologist can help you deal with this.
