What Can I Expect at My Routine Follow-ups?
Generally speaking, all routine follow-up visits will include your doctor’s talking to you about any changes since your last visit (taking a history) and examining you (performing a physical exam). The physical exam may be very brief or very thorough, depending on the type of cancer you had and how you are doing. Routine exams often include blood tests and sometimes an X ray.
Some of your follow-up visits, such as your “one year after completion of treatment” checkup, will entail a complete reevaluation. These comprehensive checkups usually include a thorough history and exam, as well as more extensive testing (blood tests, X rays, scans).
At the end of each visit, your doctor will review his or her conclusions about how you are doing, and any plans regarding future follow-up and treatment.
What Do I Need to Know about My Follow-up?
In order to optimize the benefit and efficiency of your follow-up visits, know
• the proposed schedule of visits
• the proposed schedule of tests
• the purpose of each visit (some visits will be quick rechecks and others will be comprehensive reevaluations)
• whether you should fast (not eat or drink anything) before the visit (many times you are allowed water or black coffee when fasting)
•whether you need to do anything special about your medicines just prior to your visit (some medicines, such as diabetes pills, should not be taken when you are fasting; some may interfere with your tests)
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