How to Prepare for Your Annual Checkups and Appointments

When it comes to improving our overall health, prevention and early intervention are extremely important. That’s why regular checkups are key elements on the journey to better wellness. If they aren’t already on your calendar, it’s time to schedule your regular appointments— specifically your general practitioner and dentist.

If you are not a regular patient of either of these doctors, now is the time to read some reviews or ask your friends, family and coworkers who they visit. Finding a doctor you trust and see consistently is a big part of improving your general health. Depending on your age, wellness goals or specific health concerns, you may also need to see a specialist. Specialist schedules tend to fill up quickly, so you may need to book those appointments months in advance.

Even if you haven’t kept up with annual checkups in the past, there’s no better time than the present to get a new start on your wellness journey. As your appointments approach, it’s a good idea to sit down and gather up certain information—not only will it help your doctor better understand your health status, but it will also help you get the most from your appointment by preparing you to ask better questions. Read on for a few tips for being proactive as you get ready to visit your doctor.

Create a Checkup Checklist

Once you start gathering information for your annual checkups, it can be tough to keep track of everything. That’s why we recommend keeping everything you need organized and together. Some people like to have physical, printed copies of their information, organized in a folder, notebook or file. Others might choose to create an electronic file with their information. Regardless of how you organize your information, make sure you keep it somewhere secure where it’s easy to locate.

So, what items should be on your checklist, and why? Here’s what we recommend.

1. Past medical information and any current medications you’re taking.
Make sure you notify your doctor of any prescriptions you’re taking, along with any supplements or over-the-counter medications you’re taking regularly. Medical information might include things like lab test results, allergies, past significant procedures and injuries or family history regarding genetic conditions.

2. Any symptoms or concerns you have regarding your health, or any questions for your doctor.
There isn’t much worse than remembering a question you were going to ask as you’re getting in your car to leave. If you’ve noticed anything that you’re worried or curious about regarding your health, write it down. Use time with your doctor to educate yourself—maybe you want to ask about specialist care, weight loss suggestions or supplements that can help with your energy. Ask away!

3. Vitamins, supplements or medications you’re interested in.
If you’re curious about certain medications like GLP-1s or other general health products, see if your doctor thinks they might be a good fit for you. Maybe you’ve recently hit a milestone birthday—find out if there are any procedures or vitamins you should be taking.

4. Health goals.
They can be specific (“I want to lose 30 pounds before my sister’s wedding”) or generalized (“I want to get better sleep”). Either way, your doctor can provide suggestions to help you achieve them.

You shouldn’t need to create a new checklist every appointment—just add to or subtract things from it as needed.

Be Proactive in Your Health Maintenance

Give yourself a head start before your appointments—Haleon has a number of products to help you on your wellness journey. Are you concerned about dental hygiene, nutrition gaps or gut health? These products could be just what you need.

• Dental hygiene: Sensodyne Clinical White Stain Protector Toothpaste Sensodyne is the #1 dentist-recommended toothpaste brand for sensitive teeth, and it can help you achieve a whiter smile when used as directed.
• Nutrition gaps: Centrum Men Multivitamins or Centrum Women Multivitamins Centrum daily multivitamins are made with the key nutrients and vitamins your body needs.
• Gut health:Benefiber Original Benefiber is a prebiotic supplement that dissolves into beverages and helps nourish the good bacteria that exists in your gut.

Make sure to speak with your doctor to see if these or any other Haleon products might be the right fit for you in helping you meet your health goals. If better wellness is part of your future plans, making annual checkups is a big part of helping you get there. Get your information together and start working toward your health goals today!