 |
•
Frequently Asked Questions |
If your question pertains to one of the ones listed below, simply click on that question to take you to the answer. 1. How often do I need a pap test? 2. At what age should I get a mammogram? 3. How will I know if I am going through menopause? 4. What can I do to help with hot flashes or night sweats? 5. How can I best lower my risk of getting osteoporosis? 6. My periods have recently become irregular. When should I make an appointment to see my doctor? 7. What do I do if I need my prescription refilled but my appointment is not for a few weeks? 8. I think I might be starting to get a bladder infection. What can I do? 9. What should I do if I think I might have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease?
We recommend that every woman obtain a yearly pap test starting at age 18 or the age at which she becomes sexually active. Older women, or women who have had a hysterectomy may need pap tests less frequently. Recent national studies are currently investigating new recommendations for paps, but, at this time, annual pap tests are still the norm.
Current national recommendations are for all women to obtain a baseline mammogram at age 35-40 and yearly mammograms after age 40. If you have a strong family history of breast cancer or have a personal history of breast problems, you should speak with your Kingsdale physician to see if any further testing is needed.
Women who are perimenopausal (the period of time just before the cessation of monthly cycles) may experience irregular periods, hot flashes, or night sweats. Some women also experience vaginal dryness or mood swings. Symptoms are highly variable, with some women having only mild complaints that diminish with time, while others have relatively severe symptoms that may disrupt their daily lives. If you experience irregular or heavy cycles, or severe menopausal symptoms, we recommend a consultation appointment with your Kingsdale physician to determine the best course of action.
Hot flashes and night sweats can be the two most frustrating symptoms affecting women going through menopause. Thankfully, these symptoms will eventually diminish, even though it may take up to a year to do so. Meanwhile, studies have shown that a balanced diet and regular exercise can help to minimize symptoms. Daily vitamin E and dietary soy can also help. Women with severe symptoms that do not respond to conservative measures should speak with their doctor about any further options.
Adequate daily calcium and vitamin D intake coupled with regular exercise is the best prevention for osteoporosis. At a minimum, you should have 1000 milligrams of calcium and 400-800 IU of vitamin D. These recommendations are higher for adolescents, postmenopausal women, smokers, and women with a strong family history of osteoporosis. For women who do not have an adequate dietary intake of calcium, over-the-counter supplements are an easy way to ensure your daily intake.
Irregular cycles are a common problem with a wide variety of causes. Stress, hormone disorders such as hyper or hypothyroidism, weight changes, fibroids and even undiagnosed pregnancy can result in irregular bleeding. Given the wide range of causes, it is best to see your doctor for an examination to ensure there are no underlying problems.
We make every effort to provide our patients with timely appointments for annual exams, however, we realize that at times, patients may need one or two months of medication refills until their appointment. Unfortunately, new federal guidelines for privacy and health care safety prevent us from refilling prescriptions over the phone. Instead, we have afforded our patients with several options. First, you can have your pharmacy fax us a refill request for your medication, and we will review it and do our best to return it to your pharmacist as quickly as possible. Usually this can be done within a few business days, and be sure to follow up with your pharmacist to be certain the request was sent, and that they have received our refill authorization. Our fax number is 457-9733. Secondly, you can mail a self addressed stamped envelope to our office. Please be sure to leave information on what medication, the dose, your address, full name and date of birth. Thirdly, you can personally drop off a request with a self addressed stamped envelope to either our Lane Avenue or Sawmill Road office during regular office hours.
Bladder infections are a very common problem affecting women and can occur sporadically for a variety of reasons. If you think you may be starting to get a bladder infection, we recommend that you call our office for an appointment. Because infections can progress upwards into the kidneys, our nurses will make every attempt to schedule you an appointment with one of our physicians or with our nurse clinic as soon as possible. At that time, we can obtain a urine culture, and, if needed, we can write you a prescription for antibiotics.
If you have any suspicion or concerns about a possible sexually transmitted disease exposure, including gonorrhea, chlamidia, herpes, or HIV, we recommend making an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible as some infections can become severe if left untreated. Our schedulers and nurses will be able to assist you in a timely and completely confidential manner.
If symptoms are mild, you can try an over-the-counter vaginal medication (such as Monistat). Other measures you can take include eating yogurt, decreasing dietary sugar intake, and avoiding douching or scented bath or body soaps. Since not all vaginal symptoms are due to yeast, we recommend an appointment for an exam if symptoms persist or are severe.
|
|
