Don’t let fear keep you from taking care of your health, experts say.

Many people put off medical tests - from colonoscopies to mammograms - because they are afraid of what a doctor might find.

But getting the tests could be the key to early intervention and treatment.

“They’re afraid of cancer, so they skip the test that can diagnose it,” says Cynthia Koelker, an Ohio doctor and author of “101 Ways to Save Money on Healthcare.”

Brian Kidman, a family practice physician at Destiny Medical Clinic in Sioux Falls, recommends an annual physical. Most people only go every few years.

Guidelines for tests have changed throughout the years, so it’s a good idea to get updated and make a plan for what you need each year, experts say. Keep a record of what you’ve had and when, Koelker says. And bring it with you to the doctor. Web sites provide another way to keep track of your medical history. Koelker recommends www. mayoclinic.com/health/personal-health-record.

Then check with your insurance provider to see what is covered, and make a plan with your doctor, Kidman says.

Tests vary by age and gender, but after the age of 50, a woman should get a pap smear, mammogram, colonoscopy, cholesterol or lipid panel, a dexascan to check for osteoporosis and a sugar (glucose) screening, says Mark Lounsbery, internal medicine physician with Adult Medicine at Sanford Medical Center. Men can include a prostate PSA.

Be sure to have the doctor or office nurse check your blood pressure and weight, too. A significant weight loss can mean serious illness, and significant weight gain needs to be monitored.

A “Vitamin D test is the newest test on the horizon,” Lounsbery says. Studies point to the lack of Vitamin D being the culprit in a wide range of problems, including heart disease and cancer.

Finally, it’s always a good idea to get your skin examined yearly to check for sores and changes in moles, Lounsbery says.

To complicate matters, guidelines of various medical organizations often have different advice about when to start screening, how often and when you can stop. “As long as there is a discussion between the patient and doctor, they can come up with a plan using a set of guidelines,” Kidman says.

Here’s a look at some common tests.

-In November, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), a voluntary medical panel funded by the federal government, issued revised guidelines regarding mammography for the detection of breast cancer.

-New guidelines suggest annual mammograms begin at age 50.

Not all doctors agree with this. Experts urge patients to talk to their doctor to develop an individual plan depending on their own personal health history.

“There are lots of nuances in the recommendations. It’s hard to apply them to your own life. You need a family doctor who’s able to discuss things with you in light of your own health,” says Kidman.

-Colonoscopies might be the most highly avoided test when a person turns 50. But if everything comes back normally, you won’t need another one for 10 years.
Acceptable alternatives include having a stool sample checked for occult blood every year and a sigmoidoscopy done every five years. Sigmoidoscopies are not as extensive as a colonoscopy. However, if anything shows up in any of the tests, you’ll have to have the colonoscopy anyway, Koelker says.

-Not everyone has to get a pap smear. If you’ve had a complete hysterectomy and didn’t have cancer, you don’t need one at all, Koelker says. If you are 65 to 70 with three prior normal paps, you don’t need to have them anymore unless you are high risk.

-Yearly mammograms are recommended for every woman older than 40. Free mammograms are available in every state; ask your health care provider for information.

-PSA tests can produce false-positive results. The jury is still out if you need a PSA test if you’re younger than 75, and the test is not recommended if you’re older than 75. If your doctor says you should have the test, ask him why. But if your father, brother or son has had prostate cancer, you should get tested. Otherwise, it’s your preference whether to do it all, Koelker says.
However, most doctors still recommend getting a PSA test, Kidman says.

-You do not need a doctor’s order to get your cholesterol checked. There are even home tests to check it, Koelker says.

-Don’t forget vaccinations. Get your yearly flu shot and any extras, such as H1N1 this year, says Mark Lounsbery, a physician with Sanford Health.

-If you are 60 or older, consider the shingles vaccine. It costs about $200 and isn’t covered by all health plans.

-Others to consider are hepatitis B and tetanus, Lounsbery says.

-Don’t forget dental exams, experts say. “Oral cancer most often occurs in people over age 40, but can occur at any age,” says Paula Jones, Chicago dentist and spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry. “See a dentist immediately if you notice any red or white patches on your gums or tongue, sores that fail to heal within two weeks, or an unusual hard spot on the side of your tongue.”

-Include a visit to the eye doctor for a yearly eye exam and to screen for glaucoma.