Preventive Care
A preventive care exam is usually a yearly checkup with your PCP. He or she will check things like your blood pressure, weight and more. It’s also a chance for you to tell your PCP about your health since you last saw him or her.
He or she would want to know things like:
- Do you take any over-the-counter medicines, diet pills or vitamins?
- Any changes in exercise or activities
- If you had any falls or balance problems
- If you went to the emergency room (ER), urgent care or to any specialists
- Any problems with depression (being sad for a long time) or anxiety over life events (life events can be things like a loved one dying, losing a job, etc.)
- If you got flu or pneumonia shots or any vaccines
- Any issues with bladder control
Your PCP may have things that he or she will need you to do after your visit. So, before you leave, make sure you know:
- How to take any medicines
- How long to take medicines
- How to do any treatments
- How long you will need to do any treatments
- Go over all of your medicines to see if you still need them
- How long before you should feel better
- What to do if you don’t feel better
- When your next visit is
- If you need lab tests or X-rays
- If your PCP wants you to see a specialist