Do’s, don’ts before a doctor’s appointment

We sometimes need to see a doctor, either for an annual checkup, a review or when not feeling well. However, many never prepare for these visits, hence get unpleasant results that would have been avoided. Just like you would prepare for a job interview, you need to prepare for a doctor’s visit so that you can get the best out of them.

Drink lots of water
Hydrating is a great idea for our health. Therefore, whether you are heading for an appointment or not keep your body well hydrated. In the case of going for a medical appointment, Dr Agnes Anyait, a general practitioner, says hydration allows for easy pulse and pressure taking. “When one is poorly hydrated, a urinalysis or blood pressure test will not give the right results owing to some abnormalities in the urine and blood composition,” she says.

Stick to your normal diet
When going for a medical test, it is important that you eat normally since the doctor needs to know about your lifestyle. “An annual medical checkup is meant to help you know which health habits to change so altering your normal habits means the doctor will not advise you well,” Dr Anyait shares, adding that changes occur over the long term, so it is best to eat healthy all of the time.

Write your questions
Medical tests can make one nervous, hence forget about some things. However, Dr Micheal Male, a general physician, says writing down a list of things you need to ask or discuss with your doctor will help you benefit from the visit. “With your list, despite the nerves that may sometimes leave you tongue tied or a piece of information that may frighten you, you will be able to discuss with your doctor and get all the information you needed,” he says.

Take a shower
Going for an annual medical checkup means a whole body analysis. “Therefore, to ensure you are clean enough to save the doctor any form of discomfort. A shower will also allow for your comfort when examinations are being done,” Dr Anyait shares.

Don’ts:
Stay away from coffee
Just like any other energy drinks, coffee has caffeine, which increases your heartbeat. “So, in case of a blood pressure test, it will be artificially higher, prompting a wrong diagnosis,” Dr Male says. He adds that tobacco products have the same effect so they should also be avoided.

Over-the counter medication
When you have a medical condition that you need the doctor to diagnose, it is better to avoid over-the-counter medications, such as pain killers. “Some medicines can alter the results, making it almost impossible for the doctor to assess your condition,” Dr Anyait says. 
However, if you must take medication before the visit, it is important that you tell your doctor what you took yet also be able to describe your symptoms. 

Avoid manicure or pedicure 
In most cases, a dermatologist will examine your nails as they say a lot about your health. However, when covered in nail polish or acrylic nails, Dr Male says, it will impossible to see any clues that they would use to point to medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or anaemia. 

Avoid skin covers
In this case, the focus is on makeup such as eye shadow which would make your doctor miss, say spots on your face that need medical attention. 

Keep away from alcohol
In case of a cholesterol test, taking anything that changes your triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood) makeup is not good. “The ideal thing is to avoid alcohol, sweets, and those in the same bracket a day to the test as they cause a temporal triglyceride fluctuation,” Dr Male says.
It is such things that will help you get the best out of a medical appointment. Moreover, you are assured of correct results.

Deodorant before a mammogram 
It is a scary moment when one goes for a mammogram that they cannot help but sweat. However, Dr Agnes Anyait, a general practitioner, says one should avoid using a deodorant as most have aluminum, which will give you positive breast cancer results. “On a mammogram, aluminum is similar to breast calcification, synonymous with breast cancer,” she says.