This is your reminder to go to the gynecologist. Not only is it important to do a regular checkup every year, but it’s necessary in order to maintain your body healthy and happy. It’s also very important to get checked out if you’re experiencing any kind of irregularities in your period, breasts, and/or vaginal area. Now I am no expert, but I can confidently say that going to the gynecologist is one of the most important things a person with a uterus must do.
My most recent trip to the gyno was in the sprout of one of the worst periods of my life. I’ve always had really bad periods with the usual symptoms, but this particular month was very different from the rest. Within the first few hours I threw up the little food I had eaten, I had cold sweats, insane anxiety, and the absolute worst cramps of my life. They were so bad I was screaming and shaking. I thought I was gonna give birth or something. It was so terrible and scary that my family wound up taking me to the hospital, something that had never happened before. So the following days my mom scheduled an appointment for the both of us. I am begging you all, please do not wait until it gets this bad to go get checked!
- Sometimes cramps can just be really bad, but other times they can be caused by more serious issues like endometriosis, cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, and more. It’s important to get yourself checked out to make sure there aren’t any irregularities in your ovaries or uterus that may cause you more pain than normal.
- If you are or have been sexually active, make sure to get tested for STDs regularly. It doesn’t matter how many partners you’ve had or if you used protection or not, you’re always better safe than sorry.
- The routine full body check is odd at first but goes by pretty quickly. The doctor checks your breasts, abdomen and does a full pelvic exam. This includes a check of your vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, ovaries and pelvis, as well as a pap test. The instruments used are a bit uncomfortable but you’ll only have to deal with that for a few minutes.
- Vaginal infections are as normal as the common cold. There are all sorts of causes for it, and it can be taken care of by a prescription from your gynecologist. Some things you can do to prevent them are: avoid fragrance-filled soaps (your vagina cleans itself) and use warm water or gentle cleansers instead, wear cotton white panties or none to bed, and wear loose clothing to keep the area breathable.
- Pubic hair is normal and, most importantly, necessary! If you feel the desire to shave once in a while you can do so, but remember that this hair is here to protect you from infections and unwanted bacteria. Constant shaving can cause irritation on sensitive skin. Do not feel pressured to look one way or another on your trip to the gyno, they couldn’t care less about that.
- For very bad period pains, try taking anti-inflammatory pills, like Advil, 6 to 12 hours before your scheduled period. Keep taking these pills routinely until the end of your period. The idea behind this is to attack the pains and cramps before they’ve arrived. Now at first this may delay your period for as long as a week, but it can help you take care of the cramps early on. Another great option for cramps are heating or electric pads that can help ease the pains. A more popular approach is birth control, whether it be pills, patches or implants, these contraceptives are made to decrease pelvic pain as well as cramps.
- Make sure to ask as many questions as you want, as dumb as they may seem. This is your body and you have the right to know as much as you can to take proper care of it.
Schedule your appointment now and take good care of yourself—the pain doesn’t have to be forever, folks.