WOMEN’S HEALTH BY YOUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER

We now offer genetic testing!

When you turn to your primary care provider for your women’s health concerns, you turn to someone who is trained to provide continuing, comprehensive health care for all ages, each organ system and every disease entity. Family medicine is a specialty that integrates the biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences for the benefit of your overall care.

In practice, this means well-woman exams by a family medicine provider are comprehensive in nature and address every aspect of your health whether or not it is a female specific concern.  Together, we devise a personalized care plan that is right for you including referrals to specialists as needed.  Then, we help you integrate any specialist recommendations into your overall care.

At Gagon Family Medicine, we have five nurse practitioners and two physicians trained to provide a full range of healthcare services to women throughout all stages of their lives. Dr. Gagon and Dr. Valdez also provide obstetrical care including prenatal visits with an in-office ultrasound.  They  deliver all babies at Castleview Hospital whether vaginal delivery or C-section.

Dr. Gagon and Dr. Valdez perform “Welcome to Medicare” and Medicare “Annual Wellness Visits” and all providers perform physical exams including pre-mission physicals, sports physicals and wellness exams including periodic pap smears for those over 21 years of age.  We also offer STD testing, referrals for mammograms starting at age 50 for those at regular risk. We offer referrals for dexascans (bone density testing) for women every 2 years after age 65 and sooner if individual risk factors are present.

We also provide family planning and birth control options including oral contraceptives, Depo-Provera, Nuvaring, Nexplanon insertion and removal, IUD insertion and removal, and in-office vasectomies (for your significant other).

Family Planning/Birth Control Management

There are many forms of birth control.  All our providers will be happy to help you find the one that is right for your body and lifestyle.

Nexplanon Insertion/Removal

Nexplanon is a thin plastic rod placed under the skin in the upper arm.  It releases progestin to prevent pregnancy for up to 3 years. Some spotting and bleeding may occur for the first three months.  Some women have irregular and/or shorter periods and may stop menstruating altogether.

IUD Insertion/Removal

The Mirena IUD is a hormone-releasing system placed in the uterus by a certified healthcare provider.  It is effective for up to 5 years. Immediately after placement, you may feel some cramping, spotting, and/or dizziness.  This should not last more than about 30 minutes.Your periods may be irregular and the number of bleeding days may increase during the first three to six months after insertion.  You may also have frequent spotting or light bleeding.  As your body adjusts to the Mirena, the number of bleeding days will decrease.  Your period may remain irregular or stop altogether.

Depo-Provera Injections

Depo-Provera is a medication that is injected every twelve weeks to prevent pregnancy. We provide these injections during immunization clinic or during regular office visits. Most women just starting the injections experience some abnormal bleeding which may include spotting, irregular periods, absent periods, and occasional heavy bleeding.