Routine annual exams and pokings and proddings.

[Spartana]

Do you do annual routine medical exams - blood work, urine, various orifices poked and prodded - or do you only go to the Dr if you are ill or injured? Do you think that an annual exam helps find those hidden things like cancer and other illnesses lurking down deep but yet not effecting you physically, and allow you to treat them early? Or do you think the tests can actually be deterimental to your health in that they may find (and treat agressively) things that really don't exist (false positives) or may be small enough not to need treatment or will resolve themselves on their own? How much does having good or bad medical insurance coverage or high out of pocket expenses play into your decisions to have annual screenings and tests?

[kitten]

I try to go for a physical each year. I know people who were saved by tests that caught their conditions at a treatable stage. I do hate going in to get poked, prodded and squeezed, but I always feel super virtuous when it's all over! I've had some scary moments post-mammogram when they found something dark on the photo. I sat there bargaining with God, etc. But it turned out to be okay. Sure there's the possibility of a false positive. Worth the risk. My family was pretty much decimated by cancer and heart disease. As an adoptee I'm not biologically related to them, but I am human. So yep, I get the tests! - Hubby had a stroke scare, which turned out (some $20,000 worth of testing later) to be sarcoidosis. There's don't no cure for this fibroid/lung condition, which can either go away, stay the same, or get worse. I'm glad I know now why he coughs all the time, though there's nothing to be done about it. And we know to be monitoring his condition (which the doctors caught by accident when they scanned his head to eliminate stroke stuff, and a portion of his enlarged lymph nodes in his chest was captured on the film). Anyway, he's being monitored for changes in the sarc, which he'll probably be able to live with. I feel so much better knowing what it is. - We both dislike our jobs, but one thing that has been super sweet is that both of us having health coverage means one plan fills in the gaps of the other. And with both, we haven't had to pay a dime for these expensive tests. I don't think this would have been the case if we were relying on just one income-earner's insurance plan.

[ctg492]

YEs I get all the advised tested done yearly, grumbling all the way. I think I know more then the Doctors, but I still get them done because I probably don't.

[Jilly]

It would be my preference to have more regular and preventative care, but my insurance does not provide any of that. I get a yearly checkup for two, chronic conditions, only because I would be classified as a non-compliant patient if I did not. That has the potential to mess with the minimal insurance coverage I have. Other than that, I have to be too sick to do anything before I will see my doctor.

[catherine]

I spent the decade of my 50s only seeing the doctor once. The reasons were a) I was too busy and my travel schedules were always a barrier to making an appointment--I'd had so many instances of making appointments and then having to cancel them and b) denial.

So, this year, I've turned 61 and I went for my first physical since 2008. I actually was compliant and went for every test the doctor ordered--including an MRI because my mother had a near-fatal brain aneurysm when she was just 50. I think I'm pretty good to go for a while now, as nothing turned up other than what you might expect for a woman getting older.

[ApatheticNoMore]

No, not much, I mostly only go to doctors when I'm sick. It's mostly having to dedicate time to take off work to go to the doctor (because they never work on weekends right). Yea I'd have to take days off specifically for that, so it seems it never happens unless I'm sick. Even if going to the doctor should be more important than work, it seems not to happen.

[awakenedsoul]

No, I don't go for routine health exams. I've been fortunate to have had excellent health my entire life. On my insurance, it says I will have to go for tests once I turn 50. I'd really rather not. I'm good about going if something is wrong...but I'd rather practice self care, if possible. I've had doctors tell me that I needed surgery when I didn't feel it was necessary. (My knees and my eye.) Both have healed without invasive treatments. I avoid doctors and hospitals if at all possible.

[Mrs-M]

Preventative medicine, IMO, is a good thing, though I appreciate the idea behind staying away from doctors if one can.

[goldensmom]

I'm not a proponant of yearly physicals and only go to the doctor if I am really, really sick but my insurance pays for it so I get a yearly physical. This year, as the result of routine tests, a pre-cancerous cyst was found. I had no symptoms so if it had not been for the yearly physical I would not have known about the cyst until maybe too late.

[bae]

Do you do annual routine medical exams - blood work, urine, various orifices poked and prodded -

The fire department subjects me to annual tests that are....extensive and intrusive. The round I did a few weeks ago took a whole day+. They'd cost a fortune if I were paying for them.

We've saved a lot of department members over the years by noticing yearly variations and trends, and getting people to treatment well before they were in deep yogurt.

[redfox]

Once I turned 50, started getting recommended tests; and have always done my reproductive health care on schedule. And I am quite tuned into my body, so when I had uterine cancer symptoms, I noticed & went in immediately. I will find out on the 29th if I caught it early enough for surgery to have been the remedy. Sure hope so!

[puglogic]

Most preventative is free with my health insurance, so I go -- without grumbling -- to have various sorts of tests done whenever they ask.

But do I take my doctor's "advice" all the time on what she thinks needs to be done? Not if there's a nonsurgical, non-pharmaceutical remedy.

[Rogar]

I go in for routine exams but am a little irregular with them because I dislike going to the doctor and tend to procrastinate, but every year or two. I think that most of the preventive diagnosis and early detection tests are good ideas, and have a couple of friends who claim they were life saving. I am not totally convinced of some of the traditional treatments requiring long term prescription medications or surgery, but have been lucky to not have to make many of those decisions (knock on wood). I would at least like to know if there is a possible health problem and then go from there. There are some tests that can produce false positives and others that don't, but fortunately anymore people can search much of that out on their own.

My family has a history of glaucoma and other eye problems that get worse if left untreated, so go in for yearly eye exams. And also dental check ups.

My insurance is pretty good, so money really doesn't come into play. I think if money were an issue I would maybe do less but not go without. Family health history would probably play a role in how often.

[Wildflower]

I've been living with a chronic disease the past 20 years. I have to have bloodwork and physical exam done every 3 months. It's a pain, but necessary. I would never skip it since my health and life depend on it...

[Blackdog Lin]

No, I only go in for a rudimentary annual exam every year - and that only since my physician insists on it (he won't renew my blood pressure med without seeing me). He and I have now agreed that my annual pap and mammogram tests only need to be performed every 3 years, and he only does a full blood-test workup on me every 2-3 years. I am fortunate to so far have excellent health - I seldom get sick, and when I do it never requires a trip to the doctor, I just wait it out with home remedying. I have some fairly wicked arthritis, but there's nothing a doctor can do for me there.

He does keep telling me it's time for a colonoscopy, which advice I've ignored for the last 5 years. :(

[Float On]

Even when we had good insurance I wouldn't do the yearly exams/check-ups.
We only go when needed.
Just last night the 15 year old asked me why he'd never been to the Dr. I replied with"You've never been sick or had any symptoms that would lead me to believe you have diabetes or heart problems. But if you ever feel like something is 'off' let me know and I'll find you a Doctor. If you want to schedule an exam and bloodwork, we can do that".
I did take both boys to the dentist yesterday (we only go once every two years - good strong teeth/gums in my family) and the report was everyone was great, no build-up, no gum problems "keep doing what your doing".

[pinkytoe]

I had my fill of doctors and tests a few years back so am holding off till I get my courage back again. It is like going to a torture chamber for me as I am one who no one seems able to draw blood from. It usually takes 3 or 4 tries in different locations before they can get any.
I did make dh get a physical this month as he has gained weight and his bp has gone up. All tests came back perfectly normal other than bp. Yeah for now!!!

[Rogar]

One of a friend's father is in his early nineties, sharp, living in assisted living but active and healthy for his age. As the story goes, when asked what he attributes his health and longevity he says, staying away from doctors.

[SteveinMN]

Exams and tests on a nominally-regular schedule? Sure. Treatment options? I take those under advisement.

But I'm also in Lin's situation: doctor won't renew certain meds without seeing me even though the numbers she wants to see haven't changed (either way) for more than four years.

[treehugger]

I started getting annual pap smears when I was 16, and an exam comes with that, but never had a physical as an adult until I turned 30 and figured I should have one. I asked my doc to do whatever blood tests she saw fit, and lo and behold, we discovered I had really high cholesterol (turns out it's hereditary for me). Thank goodness the doctor I had at the time was willing to work with my desire to avoid prescription meds. She prescribed diet and exercise changes, and a high dose of niacin, and all of that got my numbers to an acceptable level. Almost 9 years later, I am still just on fish oil and niacin with no plans to go on statins, even though my numbers are higher than what is listed as optimal.

When I was 35, I started getting tested to be a kidney donor for my husband. That led to six months of intensive tests, at the end of which it was determined I was in great health and cleared to donate (they check everything!). And yes, I thanked my parents for giving me good genes. :) I donated in December 2009 and now I go for an annual exam and get all my blood work checked related to my kidney donation. I make my appointment around my birthday, so it's easy to remember.

I continued annual pap smears until my early 30s, but have never had an abnormal one, so now that's only every 3 years. Every third year, when I see my OBGYN, I have her order the kidney blood work; I save a copay to my general doc that way.

I do understand why some people have a distrust of doctors and therefore avoid them, but my personal philosophy is that routine maintenance is a sensible part of taking care of myself, just like eating well and exercising. A simple blood test can find a disease that has no symptoms. And, if diagnosed, then I get to decide what treatment I think I need. I don't have to accept any prescriptions I don't want or go through treatments I don't agree with. But knowledge is good. My husband's kidney disease is a great example of a deadly disease with no symptoms that I have seen first-hand. He was diagnosed with 30% kidney function, out of the blue, at age 31.

I haven't yet reached the age for other recommended tests like mammograms or colonoscopies, but I plan to get them done, at reasonable intervals, when the time comes.

Kara

[larknm]

Treehugger, how inspiring to me to hear you donated your kidney. I don't go to the doctor for major tests but it worries me that I don't. Had a lot of destructive health care earlier in my life and zillions of x-rays in later life.

[Spartana]

Once I turned 50, started getting recommended tests; and have always done my reproductive health care on schedule. And I am quite tuned into my body, so when I had uterine cancer symptoms, I noticed & went in immediately. I will find out on the 29th if I caught it early enough for surgery to have been the remedy. Sure hope so!Good luck with that redfox - hope everything turns out OK. Have some friends dealing with breast cancer now and I see how tough it is for them so can imagine how difficult it is for you. I personally don't thinkl I could handle surgury, chemo and radiation but I know it's just one of those things you have to "get through" in life to be healthy.

And yes I do go for testing (including an annual physical) because I have too (have to go twice a year or more to check out a condition I have) but would prefer not too even though I do think it helps catch things early. In all honesty I probably wouldn't go at all but because I have to go to the VA hospital to get checked for the other things, they insist I do a complete annual physical too. So I usually comply. But I have often skipped many years of annual physicals in the past - especially on the pokings, proddings and squeezings.