[Laurie1966]

I haven't been to an ob-gyn in years, and I'm about to make an appointment. I just wanted to know what to expect since I'm over 40 and I haven't been in a while.

When I was younger I had a breast exam that went real quick and I was lying down the whole time. I had another one where the doctor looked at my breasts from different angles while I was sitting up before doing the breast exam.

I had one exam where a doctor did an external exam for what seemed like several minutes. The doctor had me push down, then contract, and then felt for glands. I had another exam where the doctor did the pap smear right away without any external exam at all.

I also heard about the anal exam, although I have never had one. How often do doctors do them?

Should I expect a more thorough exam since I'm over 40, or would it go quicker because I have been married for a while? Am I more likely to get a more thorough exam being a first time patient?

[LanaBear]

Obviously each Dr is different.

Although being over 40 and having not been to one in years, they may spend some more time with you. My mom went for the first time in YEARS and they spent a lot of time with her.

I've only had one anal exam during my yearly, that was a long long time ago. I was struggling with fertility and apparently, I think, one of our ovaries is easier checked rectally. I think that's what it was, I can't quite remember.

Generally my exams consist of, weight, height, blood pressure, temperature by the nurse, sometimes a urine test but not often. Then, I go into the exam room and put on the gown, everything off. My Dr comes in and does the stethoscope stuff. I lay back and he does my breast exam. After that, he puts the speculum in and he does the swab, then he removes the speculum and does the exam over my uterus, etc. All said and done, he is wonderfully quick with it all.

More than likely, depending on how he/she feels the exam goes will depend on further tests. They may have you go in for a full blood panel, but maybe not.

[Laurie1966]

Thanks, that makes me feel better about making an appointment. I hope mine goes as quickly as yours. I just wanted to know what to expect in a worst case scenario.

Do they even need to do an external exam on a married woman over 40? I don't have multiple partners, and I would be very surprised if I had something like genital warts. Can't they just do an external exam by looking at the outside of your vagina while doing the pap smear?

[LanaBear]

I think the external is just visual. I'm assuming so anyways, since I'm sure my Dr just does a visual inspection while he's doing the internal exam.

I'm 33 and have had the same partner since I was 17, so, I'm definitely not high risk for anything and I assume a visual is all that is needed unless he says otherwise. I've never had anything else going on down there that would warrant anything else anyways.