Page 48 - Tonilee & Bobbye Social Media Special Edition Oct Nov 2011 (1)

Ask Dr. Sudi
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Photography by Jaime V. Habert
Q: Dear Dr. Sudi,
I am 50 years old and had a hysterectomy when I was in my 40’s after
having my children. My girlfriend who is also in her 50’s goes to her gy-
necologist every year for her annual . I haven’t been to the gynecologist
since my hysterectomy. I thought since I don’t have my uterus anymore
I did not need to see my gynecologist. What is your advice?
A: Dear patient,
I wish I had met you right after your hysterectomy; it seems like you may have
a lot of catching up to do with your gynecologist. Here is my advice to you
and to any woman in San Diego, regardless of whether or not they have had
a hysterectomy. Being a woman, from birth to death, requires extra medical
attention and care. The field of OB/GYN is dedicated to the health of women
and their bodies as a whole. In 1997, American insurers finally recognized
that women need to see a primary care doctor and a gynecologist on an an-
nual basis and cover the visits as preventative care. The visit to a gynecologist
can be done in addition to your regular annual visit with your primary doctor,
as long as they work as a team.
Every woman goes through hormonal changes during her life from puberty to
menopause. These hormonal changes affect a woman’s health, including car-
diac health, bone health, sexual health, mental health and memory in addition
to the quality of her skin and hair.
Remember the pelvis is a very complex part of your body with many parts in
addition to the uterus and ovaries. A gynecologist is trained to examine the
pelvis thoroughly and understand the changes that occur as a woman ages.
These changes could include development of a pelvic organ prolapse, inconti-
nence, or a tumor or cancer of the organs or the surrounding skin.
In my practice, at an annual exam visit I check my patient’s hair, skin, thyroid,
breasts and lymph nodes, abdomen and pelvis. I also collaborate with my pa-
tient’s primary care doctor and order labs in concert with him or her. I like my
patients to have an annual visit to their primary care physician for their cardiac
health and other health screenings that pertain to the non-reproductive parts
of the body.
If you do not have a primary care doctor, your gynecologist can also screen for
primary care issues. I personally have a primary care doctor and a gynecolo-
gist who I visit annually and my insurance covers the visits completely.
I always use the analogy that you want a doctor who does a lot of pelvic
exams to check your pelvis and the same applies to your needs for a primary
care visit.