Male Advice Preferred: Question About Seeing an Adult Doctor

[Loving Linux Penguin]

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're all well, and I hope this is the right place for this.

I'm planning on (probably) transitioning from a pediatrician to an "adult" doctor this summer, and I had a question about typical physical exam procedures.

Is it common for doctors to give male patients a rectal exam at an annual physical? I know that prostate cancer isn't very common until age 40+, but I just wondered if some doctors do this anyhow? I just want to have an idea of what I should be prepared for.

Thanks.

[Celyn]

I know I’m not the best person to reply to this (aside from being female, we don’t have annual physical check-ups where I live) but after having looked online, I guess it varies. You’ll probably have the basics such as heart rate, blood pressure etc., but doctors might not give a rectal exam unless you are in an ‘at risk’ group such as being over 40. On the other hand, if you wanted to have a rectal exam done, you could always ask.

Is it possible to ask a doctor what kind of things they check at an annual physical? That might give you a better idea.

[Samuel]

I'm well under the age for needing one, but I talked to my dad a while ago about it cause he had them done. Said its no big deal, the doctor just had him lay on his side looking away, pulled down his underwear and he stuck his hpfinger in his bum to feel his prostate. I don't think it's very far in so wasn't like painful or anything, is what he said anyways. More a little embarassing I think than anything else

[Proud90sKid]

Probably not, but I have heard of doctors asking men that young to do that. You can always just refuse. Prostate cancer is really rare at your age, and has a 99% survival rate. It is one of the least deadly cancers and almost nobody dies from it.

I imagine that the doctor will just get your history,feel your abdomen and neck, take your blood pressure/pulse, look into your eyes, and draw blood.

[Loving Linux Penguin]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies.

If the doctor wants to do one, I'll let him. I figure it doesn't hurt to make sure stuff's okay back there.

The blood draw would be the part I might have to refuse, as I'm a needle phobic and have certain coping techniques that I need to use to avoid freaking out (being alone with a doctor I'm unfamiliar with isn't one of them). Hopefully it's unnecessary, but if they really want labs, I can have a friend go with me to a lab at some point.

[Nightblood.]

If they want to draw blood they'll have you go to a lab after your doctor visit, and you most likely wouldn't have to go the same day so going with a friend and preparing yourself shouldn't be a problem

[Ennui.]

The blood draw would be the part I might have to refuse, as I'm a needle phobic and have certain coping techniques that I need to use to avoid freaking out (being alone with a doctor I'm unfamiliar with isn't one of them). Hopefully it's unnecessary, but if they really want labs, I can have a friend go with me to a lab at some point.

Here, my doctor refers me out somewhere else to do the labs. She gives me a piece of paper to give to the lab tech. I don't know how all lab places are so you might want to call and double check, but the one I go to you can either make an appointment or walk in. Obviously with appointments you'd probably have less of a wait time. But at least that way you'd be able to see if a friend can go with you.

I have had to go for bloodwork for a while although I've unfortunately been putting it off due to being busy. They just want to check Vitamin D because most teens don't have enough of it and then things like cholesterol and some liver function related tests. Routine stuff.

[Loving Linux Penguin]

Hey Dez,

Yeah, I had to have vitamin D checked a couple times last year, because there was concern it wasn't actually the vitamin D level, but parathyroid, that might have been off.

Luckily, it was just vitamin D.

[Lelola]

Highly unlikely they will do a rectal or prostate exam without thinking something is wrong.


Even unlikely you would get a blood test without something specific going on. Maybe they may want to check for diabetes or cholesterol but not a guarantee.