El Presidente Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I was reminded in an pm today of the importance of regular medical checkups. I am a shocker for it. My last was over a year ago. Who here does have regular medical checkups? I know our ages vary but at what age would you recommend a 12 monthly checkup as an absolute "must". If you have any personal stories or stories of friends, please let us know. It is an important reminder to members. 1
OZCUBAN Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Who can afford to see a doctor these days ignorance is bliss especially for us over the hill gang
OZCUBAN Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Seriously I should go more than I do due shortly though the list is getting longer LOL
Drguano Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I turn 62 next month (crikey!) and I have a regular check up every 12 months. The last two checkups went well but each time the doc has called me back for further testing for cardiac issues. Both times this has happened, it has scared the crap out of me and both times the further tests have shown that everything is working fine, just a little different than the last time they checked. I must admit, I do look forward to the visits because I have a crush on the nurse and as she put it, if they find a problem, they can fix it. If you don't go in, they are not going to find it and…
GernBlansten Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 When the warranty expired at 40, I go every year now. We have decent healthcare and the annual physical does not carry a co-pay, so why not? It's kind of nice to build a long term relationship with an MD you trust and like, IMO. Doctors are not scary. Just remember that not only are you the patient but you're the customer too!
Stanislaw Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I have a wife who actually likes me and wants me to live to 100 (she isn't a fan of cigars, heheheh) so I have yearly physicals and have been doing it for a few years... thanks to Obama I get one free physical per year so I take advantage.... as you get older, the physical begins to morph from basic heart/pulse/weight checks to (gulp) prostate exams.... had my first last year, was quite traumatic, especially since it wasn't my usual doctor but instead his 86 year old superior who didn't tell me he was going to check my prostate and then suddenly did... i haven't been the same since.... wait, I'm supposed to help convince you to go right? How's this: CANCER.... 'nough said... GO GET CHECKED
Skyfall Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Ha! Yeah Right! I guess we should buy water in a bottle too and pay a **** to listen to our problems now? Good one Rob. My liver sends me an email when it needs a pat on the back, and I just give it another Employee Of The Month plaque. 1
hounser Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I work in air traffic control. Mandatory medical every second year for now, with ECG. After 40 medical every year. My wife is a big fan of this as she knows I probably wouldn't go if I didn't have to.
Laxman Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Ever since I hit 40 a few years ago I do yearly full check ups. Over the last 5 years have seen a few guys I know in there mid to late fifties to early sixties drop dead of heart attacks or cancer that probably could have been prevented but they had not had check ups or been to a doctor in decades. I want to be around to smoke as many cigars as I can till its my time to go.
sharks Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I Just settle into a new doctor and next thing you know he's off to practice botox somewhere. Go when I have to not when I should, unfortunately
Carts Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I go every year. Started when I was 18, better safe than sorry
PapaDisco Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 How often? I suppose it all depends on how much you like the 'ol poke up the pooter . . . aka "digital rectal exam." Like some others have said, in the U.S. the annual physical comes as a freebie with most health insurance. I started going religiously since I turned 40 a decade ago. I'm never sick otherwise and it helped get my doctor and I on the same wavelength. When I started doing regular travel to obscure and infested places, that relationship came in handy: my doc picks up my calls, answers my emails and is very proactive with travel/emergency meds. Saved me twice from a brain eating parasite before symptoms even showed 'cause she tested 'just in case.' Later on, the slow creep up in the usual suspects (like cholesterol) was something I handled with diet and exercise whereas with a Doc that didn't know me as well I would have been more likely to just get prescribed pills. You track this stuff for years and years with the same person and you're more likely to have a useful conversation about it rather than a wham-bam-here's-your-pills solution. At my annuals we have a 45 minute chat about stuff, unusual amount of time for a US Doc. One thing that is helpful: they usually have you go in for your physical and THEN do your blood workup. Tell them you want to do it the other way around: blood test, get results, do physical. Like that you and your physician have all the data in front of you to discuss at the physical. Bend on over baby!
El Presidente Posted February 13, 2014 Author Posted February 13, 2014 How often? I suppose it all depends on how much you like the 'ol poke up the pooter . . . aka "digital rectal exam." Like some others have said, in the U.S. the annual physical comes as a freebie with most health insurance. I started going religiously since I turned 40 a decade ago. I'm never sick otherwise and it helped get my doctor and I on the same wavelength. When I started doing regular travel to obscure and infested places, that relationship came in handy: my doc picks up my calls, answers my emails and is very proactive with travel/emergency meds. Saved me twice from a brain eating parasite before symptoms even showed 'cause she tested 'just in case.' Later on, the slow creep up in the usual suspects (like cholesterol) was something I handled with diet and exercise whereas with a Doc that didn't know me as well I would have been more likely to just get prescribed pills. You track this stuff for years and years with the same person and you're more likely to have a useful conversation about it rather than a wham-bam-here's-your-pills solution. At my annuals we have a 45 minute chat about stuff, unusual amount of time for a US Doc. One thing that is helpful: they usually have you go in for your physical and THEN do your blood workup. Tell them you want to do it the other way around: blood test, get results, do physical. Like that you and your physician have all the data in front of you to discuss at the physical. Bend on over baby! Good advice Papa D
dpodiluk Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I go every year also. I'm 39 now and starting at 40 I'll be getting an extra close inspection of my colon... Being in Canada all my poking and prodding is free so why not do it? It is easier to have something fixed if is caught earlier then later.
mbrody Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Funny, just had one today. 40 seems like the reality check for me...once a year from here on out!
TiminBC Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 The big killers are cancer, heart attack and stroke these days. You can survive these fairly well by catching them early so a checkup is really a must. I turn 50 this year and a check up will be a yearly event from here on in just to ensure I have a good chance of spending all the money I have saved for retirement. Consider it an investment.
jdo2110 Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 As a fireman, my check ups are a mandatory annual thing. As mentioned above have them do blood work ahead. For us, the "digital rectal exam" begins at 40 (four more years for me), as we have a higher than average potential for prostate cancer. Gents (and ladies), if you really want to humble yourself have them do a full ECG with cardiac stress test. There are those of us that like to live in a "ignorance is bliss" sort of way. Believe me, I LOVE food, drink, and cigars!! But it's a humbling reminder every year mostly because the results have a LOT to do with my own self-discipline. If you like driving that Ferrari fast, your gonna need to change the oil and re-fuel it if you want to keep enjoying that ride...
ramon_cojones Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 If you don't take care of yourself by eating right and exercising then you should definitely go but the best advice is that food is medicine. 1
Fuzz Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I see my quack every 3-4 months (mainly to get new scripts) to check my blood pressure, get a full blood exam and ECG. Had a cardiac stress test for the first time about 10 years ago, the last was 5 years ago, and I'm due for one this year.
Ken Gargett Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I was reminded in an pm today of the importance of regular medical checkups. I am a shocker for it. My last was over a year ago. Who here does have regular medical checkups? I know our ages vary but at what age would you recommend a 12 monthly checkup as an absolute "must". If you have any personal stories or stories of friends, please let us know. It is an important reminder to members. absolutely - at your age and especially the way you've treated those ruins you call a body. you need to find a doctor you really trust and then let him decide how often he should see you. not the other way. 6 or so years ago, had blood clots from too much flying - not DVT but next level down. not life threatening but not good. went to the local doc. lovely bloke but a smidge weird. when i first went, he said okay, let's google this!!!! alarm bells. he had me on all sorts of this and that. my aunt and uncle both specialists and i was always talking to her. eventually she said enough. i had to sack him and she put me on to a bloke. hated to make the call but when i did, the nurse said, 'haven't you heard? last night, without warning, said goodbye to us all and took off. has not been seen since". no idea what happened. my current bloke is fabulous. he is not a GP but some sort of specialist GP - not sure what you call them - but it means i need a referral. originally i was every few months but now close to every 9 months. he is extremely thorough (aunt says he is the doc that all the other docs use and they are all scared of him) but that is what you want. very practical. first visit he asked me every possible question, including did i take anything. only various vitamins and things. he suggested i put the lot in the bin and buy a better class of red wine. if i enjoy a cigar occasionally, fine. he has been terrific. i'd struggled with cholesterol for years. he whacked me on one tiny crestor pill a day. halved it within 6 weeks and i have been good ever since. realised my lifestyle would never let me fight it naturally. i dread the day he retires.
Ken Gargett Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 ps - he has me do the blood work every time, before i see him. had me on the 24 hour blood pressure test recently - i am apparently not a dipper (how the hell can you tell from one example when you have a thing on your arm blowing up every 30 minutes through the night), but i have pretty good blood pressure generally (average 120-105/90-70). but i have a machine and test almost every day. WARNING - do not take your blood pressure ten minutes from the end of a close state of origin game. through the heavens! he stresses the losing weight (i may have failed him on this) and exercise (not bad with that).
PaulP Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 See the GP every 12 months since 40. See the cardiologist every 6 months since 50. 1
BradNC Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I hadn't had a physical in about 20 years until the end of last year. I'm 41 now. Found a great doc and he is quite thorough. We are working on fixing a few things but nothing major. The prostate exam was my first. I didn't recall his fingers being that large when I initially shook his hand. Afterwards when he handed me a box of tissues, I asked him, "Are these for the tears?" He laughed. I plan to go on a regular basis now - not due to the prostate experience but due to finding a good doc.
Lotusguy Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I go once a year. Better safe than sorry, plus I actually get a slightly higher company contribution to my health plan if I do it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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