I’ts one appointment you dread and in the rush to get out of your gynaecologist’s office, you may miss out discussing potentially crucial health issues from cancer tests to sexual satisfaction. Use this checklist and your next annual check – up will be more relaxed and informative.

List Your Thoughts.
Being in a sterile room amidst shiny, sometimes obscene – looking instruments, it’s natural to feel anxious during your gynae visit. You may even forget what you’ve planned to discuss, so note down all your concerns and queries before your next check – up.

Patients tend to get flustered and tense during their gynae check – up. They may have a lot of questions they want to ask before the visit but during consultation, they draw a blank and leave with questions unanswered.
Keeping a diary of unusual symptoms as well as complaints is helpful. Things to note down depend on what the presenting problem is. For example, if there is a menstrual disorder, then the frequency of menses, amount of bleeding, number of pads used in a day, associated pain, and type of medication taken would be useful information for the doctor.

Bring Records.
If you’ve doctor – hopped, be sure to bring past medical records to your new gynae. Knowing your medical history allows the doctor to give you proper care. Further – more, medical records, especially of Pap tests or biopsy results, can help you avoid repeat tests or misdiagnoses. Take, foe example, Pap test results: As cervical cancer is usually slow – growing, some doctors adopt a wait – and – see approach after one inconclusive Pap; if your next Pap is normal, you won’t need further treatment. But if your records aren’t seen by your new doctor, she will not know about your prior abnormal Pap and may not be overly alarmed by your second abnormal results.
The best thing to do is to keep at least two years’ worth of gynae – related records. Test results and scans are usually returned to the patient. Be sure to file them as you will need them for future reference. For a formal medical report, some doctors charge a reporting fee depending on how complicated the report is.

Know The Basics.
Each check – up lasts 20 to 30 minutes. It should include history taking, physical breast exam, manual pelvic exam, and an ultrasound of pelvic organs to check for cysts or fibroids.
If you’re under 30, get a Pap test to check for cervical cancer. If you’re older and have had abnormal test results, you’ll need to get one annually too. Otherwise you need one every two to three years.
During a Pap test, a spatula or brush is used to scrape the cervix. The cells are then transferred onto a slide for a lab examination.

Tell The Truth.
Women are known to lie about whether they’re sexually active, the number of pregnancies they have had, or whether they’re had an abortion. But honesty is the best policy if you want a healthy relationship with your gynae.

What Your Gynae Wants To Know.

• The Start Date Of Your Last Period.
  Everything your gynae is concerned with – from breast lumps to vaginal secretions – is linked to hormones released by your ovaries; what’s normal at one time of the month may not be so at other times. This info could suggest a missed period, pregnancy or tubal pregnancy.
• Your Medical History.
  If you won’t recall when you had that cyst removed or the name of the Pill that gave you nausea by the time of your next gynae visit, note it down. Keep a medical diary and bring it along.
• Your Family’s Medical History.
  Instead of saying in passing that your aunt has this illness that her daughter has too, get proper info, so your gynae will do the proper screenings when you’re pregnant.

Although you may never have suffered from fatigue, all of us have experienced mid – afternoon slump or weeks where we never felt totally rested. Yet fatigue is often misunderstood. It stems not only from lack of sleep – though that plays a major role – but from a host of physical and emotional factors.

While persistent tiredness can be a symptom of disease, doctors say the cause is more likely to be lifestyle – related.
The number of times you actually find causes like anaemia, thyroid disease or depression is relatively unusual. For most women, there are other factors like stress, lack of sleep and juggling too many things at once.

You can stop feeling tired – battle fatigue with these action plans:

Get Regular Exercise.
More than 70 per cent of people polled last year say they’re too tired to exercise. Yet, working out, which reduces stress and anxiety, is an effective energy booster. Even moderate activity will suffice. Aerobic exercise increases the flow of blood to the brain, which makes you feel more alert – and studies suggest regular exercise may also improve sleep quality. So make time for a 15 – minute walk three times a week, and your energy levels will improve within just two to three weeks.

Check Your Plate.
Food allergies play a bigger role in causing fatigue than most people realise. Many people are allergic to common foods like wheat and dairy products. When they eliminate these foods from their diet, they feel lightened up and less sluggish.
Some have found Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) like ginseng and cordyceps extremely effective at alleviating fatigue. Taken as a general tonic, these herbs cause no side effects, but check with a licensed TCM practitioner first.

Purify Your Office.
Exhausted after a day at work? It may not be your job, but your office that’s wearing you out. You may be exposed to a host of fatigue – causing airbone substances. For example, many of us are allergic to mould, mites and pollen, and may experience fatigue, malaise and depression due to exposure. The so – called “sick building” syndrome is no myth. In a “sick” building, concentrations of harmful chemicals like formaldehyde can be much higher than normal as the air is continually re – circulated.

Get Your Vitamins.
Shortages of the following nutrients can cause fatigue:
- Iron: Delivers oxygen to working muscle.
- Vitamins B2, B6 And B12: Help break down carbohydrates, protein and fat to unleash energy.
- Vitamin E: A potent anti – oxidant that supports a healthy cardiovascular system.
- Magnesium: Helps your body convert food into energy.
- Zinc: Assists in the growth and repair of cells, particularly muscles.
A healthy diet should provide you with these vital nutritients, but you can also supplement your diet with a multivitamin.

Fuel Your Body.
Doctors say the second main reason for fatigue in women is under – eating. Frequent dieters are especially prone as their bodies do not have enough fuel to operate at peak efficiency. The average 55 kg woman in her thirties should consume about 2,000 calories a day, and heavy exercisers, about 2,300 calories. Consuming significantly less than that will leave you feeling tired and cranky.

Change Is Good.
Some of us don’t realise there are better ways of doing daily tasks – or we may be too stuck in routine to make changes. For example, a daily must – do is our skincare regime. Instead of a 30 – minute nightly cleansing ritual, step Skincare System. Cleanse, tone, moisturise and hop straight into bed in less than five minutes – and all you need to supplement that routine is a twice – weekly exfoliation and mask.