@yakkoTDI my doctor is always way too excited for that part. Maybe it’s just to relieve tension for a socially uncomfortable process, but it always comes across as creepy.
I have to say it’s the drive to his office. I like my doctor and his staff is also great (the nurse who takes blood is amazing!). But it’s a ~1 hour drive from my home to his office. When I was working, I was commuting to the same area anyway but now that I’m retired it’s a special trip. Especially not fun if I’m in pain or not feeling well. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of doctors (particularly good ones) in my local area and I really don’t want to switch. Fortunately, most years it’s just the annual physical for me.
@macromeh The shortage is everywhere and it’s getting worse. When I lived in the Central Coast of California you could wait 6 months for an appointment and still not be able to establish with that doctor is a primary
@macromeh I had a similar situation, except I’m not retired, so I had to admit that it wasn’t feasible. I thought I had found my next “forever doctor,” but I got a letter saying she’d left the practice, so I have to decide whether to try another doctor in that practice or switch practices. I’m considering moving sometime next year (near enough that could still conceivably still use that practice but it would be a lot longer drive and yet no closer to the original doctor), so I have to factor that in, too.
I really love my PCP. He is incredibly thorough and time is of little concern to him. Therefore, if I don’t get one of the first appointments of the day, forget it, there are 3 hours of my day possibly gone. In fact, I have had his nurse praise me for my patience (this is not something that happens often in my life) because “you are seeing ******! You know it is going to be a wait! You keep coming back.”
My annuals? Always first of the day. The not-routine, I suck it up and get in when I can.
@2many2no But conversely, if you go in with a particular concern, they seem to stop looking once they find a possibility. Even if it doesn’t sound right to the patient.
… they seem to stop looking once they find a possibility
I have seen the effects of this up close, a case of pancreatic cancer that was not correctly diagnosed for nine long months after the first warning signs cropped up. By then, it was inoperable, and had metastasized. Chemo knocked it back for a while, but that only bought a bit less than a year.
That no matter how good you feel, they’ll keep looking until they find something wrong. No one cares what’s right with you, there’s no money in that.
Sometimes, that would be the best thing they could do. But more often, they’ll simply decide that something is wrong based on some slightly out-of-spec lab result - or just your age or gender - and prescribe something to “treat” it. And often that will have side effects which get misdiagnosed as something else being wrong, adding more meds to treat that. Lather, rinse, repeat, and you’re on a dozen things that you don’t actually need, each engaged in a battle to suppress the effects of others. (This has happened to several people I know.)
Have you seen the recent preventive check guidlines? They’ve been pushed out to 45+ for I think everything for men who aren’t at increase risk. A few for women like cervical cancer because of HPV.
@Kyeh technically I’m not refusing because there is no one to refuse to? So? Also why go to the doctor if you don’t need a diagnosis/there are no recommended checks?
@unksol Well, he’s got various complaints, but if we suggest he see a doc he just won’t do it. If you’re feeling fine I guess it’s less of a problem, although there are some things that aren’t necessarily obvious until they get pretty advanced.
@Kyeh@unksol What frosts me is that if I really need to see “my” doctor, I can’t get an appointment sooner than I’d probably either get over the whatever-it-is on my own, or have gotten so bad that I end up in the ER anyway. For that reason, I consider “having a primary care provider” to be an oxymoron so fecking ridiculous as to bugger the entire concept. If I can’t get care from that person when I need it, then they are in no fucking way my “primary” anything.
@Kyeh I should eat better/less, drink less, exercise, and start sleeping like a normal person. Maybe work less and take a “vacation”. All of which would improve how I feel I’m sure. But. These things I know. So. Not telling me anything I don’t know. One of these days. Maybe.
I’m sure other things will crop up as age goes down hill but. At least for now I know exactly what’s wrong with me. Will I fix it… Eh. I keep saying I’m going to. But…
Maybe I’ll get a blood panel at 40 or something. My blood sugar has always been a little weird but certainly not diabetic.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@Kyeh@werehatrack IDK since that’s never been a thing I do. I guess I would consider a PCP more long-term health/chronic conditions/management/cordination?
If I needed something now it would probably be in network urgent care, then follow up with the PCP if more was needed?
I guess I forgot I did “see” a doctor when I broke my ankle in 2010… But that was workman’s comp/surgery. Not exactly a check up lol. So technically 13 years
@Kyeh@werehatrack there are a lot of issues with US healthcare. Like many things in the US it gets weirdly political quick when demonstrably for the money spent we actually should have the best healthcare in the world. And could. But corporations/politicians don’t want that.
What’s really really wrong are the charge masters. And how fees are negotiated with insurance companies
@Kyeh@unksol@werehatrack That’s like the take on SNL’s political cold open this week – more frighteningly accurate than funny pointing out how frighteningly accurate this hell is.
All of the above and more!
The public prostate exam.
@yakkoTDI my doctor is always way too excited for that part. Maybe it’s just to relieve tension for a socially uncomfortable process, but it always comes across as creepy.
What’s a routine checkup with the Doctor?
I thought everything s/he did was unusual.
When the rubber glove is used. I took a shower this morning.
@hchavers yep, I can so relate
https://xkcd.com/2850/
the bill
Heart attack you get when the check comes. It’s like financial roulette. You never know how much it’s going to be, and now you owe it.
@katbyter And the bills keep coming every 2-3 months, for years. For the one visit.
In the case of the clinic where my PCP practices, dealing with their designed-to-be-incompetent-and-impenetrable bureaucracy.
Catching some sort of sickness while I’m there.
Having my blood pressure checked. It’s normal. But when I get in the doctor’s office, I’m always scared it going to be high…which make it higher.
“Turn your head and cough.”
Time passes, and you have to do it again
White Coat Syndrome, where your blood pressure is high just because you are in the Doctor’s office.
I have to say it’s the drive to his office. I like my doctor and his staff is also great (the nurse who takes blood is amazing!). But it’s a ~1 hour drive from my home to his office. When I was working, I was commuting to the same area anyway but now that I’m retired it’s a special trip. Especially not fun if I’m in pain or not feeling well. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of doctors (particularly good ones) in my local area and I really don’t want to switch. Fortunately, most years it’s just the annual physical for me.
@macromeh The shortage is everywhere and it’s getting worse. When I lived in the Central Coast of California you could wait 6 months for an appointment and still not be able to establish with that doctor is a primary
@macromeh I had a similar situation, except I’m not retired, so I had to admit that it wasn’t feasible. I thought I had found my next “forever doctor,” but I got a letter saying she’d left the practice, so I have to decide whether to try another doctor in that practice or switch practices. I’m considering moving sometime next year (near enough that could still conceivably still use that practice but it would be a lot longer drive and yet no closer to the original doctor), so I have to factor that in, too.
I really love my PCP. He is incredibly thorough and time is of little concern to him. Therefore, if I don’t get one of the first appointments of the day, forget it, there are 3 hours of my day possibly gone. In fact, I have had his nurse praise me for my patience (this is not something that happens often in my life) because “you are seeing ******! You know it is going to be a wait! You keep coming back.”
My annuals? Always first of the day. The not-routine, I suck it up and get in when I can.
Internal exam… Or should I say, “the finger”??
That no matter how good you feel, they’ll keep looking until they find something wrong. No one cares what’s right with you, there’s no money in that.
@2many2no But conversely, if you go in with a particular concern, they seem to stop looking once they find a possibility. Even if it doesn’t sound right to the patient.
@2many2no @xobzoo And they will prescribe drugs for it. Because they always find something that needs prescription drugs.
@2many2no @xobzoo
I have seen the effects of this up close, a case of pancreatic cancer that was not correctly diagnosed for nine long months after the first warning signs cropped up. By then, it was inoperable, and had metastasized. Chemo knocked it back for a while, but that only bought a bit less than a year.
@2many2no
Sometimes, that would be the best thing they could do. But more often, they’ll simply decide that something is wrong based on some slightly out-of-spec lab result - or just your age or gender - and prescribe something to “treat” it. And often that will have side effects which get misdiagnosed as something else being wrong, adding more meds to treat that. Lather, rinse, repeat, and you’re on a dozen things that you don’t actually need, each engaged in a battle to suppress the effects of others. (This has happened to several people I know.)
Healthcare? What’s that?
@pakopako It’s something they have in other countries.
@pakopako @rockblossom ah God bless you commies.
One more annoying thing to keep me from doing something I actually want to do.
And that joke image
Forgetting to complain loudly enough about a legitimate health concern.
The what now???
Have you seen the recent preventive check guidlines? They’ve been pushed out to 45+ for I think everything for men who aren’t at increase risk. A few for women like cervical cancer because of HPV.
https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation-topics/uspstf-a-and-b-recommendations
Realistically I know I should go. Maybe at 40. is been almost 20 years. But they’ll just tell me to lose some weight. And I agree with them. So… Meh?
@unksol Typical male! My brother refuses to go to doctors too.
@Kyeh technically I’m not refusing because there is no one to refuse to? So? Also why go to the doctor if you don’t need a diagnosis/there are no recommended checks?
@unksol Well, he’s got various complaints, but if we suggest he see a doc he just won’t do it. If you’re feeling fine I guess it’s less of a problem, although there are some things that aren’t necessarily obvious until they get pretty advanced.
@Kyeh @unksol What frosts me is that if I really need to see “my” doctor, I can’t get an appointment sooner than I’d probably either get over the whatever-it-is on my own, or have gotten so bad that I end up in the ER anyway. For that reason, I consider “having a primary care provider” to be an oxymoron so fecking ridiculous as to bugger the entire concept. If I can’t get care from that person when I need it, then they are in no fucking way my “primary” anything.
@Kyeh I should eat better/less, drink less, exercise, and start sleeping like a normal person. Maybe work less and take a “vacation”. All of which would improve how I feel I’m sure. But. These things I know. So. Not telling me anything I don’t know. One of these days. Maybe.
I’m sure other things will crop up as age goes down hill but. At least for now I know exactly what’s wrong with me. Will I fix it… Eh. I keep saying I’m going to. But…
Maybe I’ll get a blood panel at 40 or something. My blood sugar has always been a little weird but certainly not diabetic.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@Kyeh @werehatrack IDK since that’s never been a thing I do. I guess I would consider a PCP more long-term health/chronic conditions/management/cordination?
If I needed something now it would probably be in network urgent care, then follow up with the PCP if more was needed?
I guess I forgot I did “see” a doctor when I broke my ankle in 2010… But that was workman’s comp/surgery. Not exactly a check up lol. So technically 13 years
@unksol @werehatrack I blame insurance companies for making it so hard to get seen and for making the appointments so rushed when you finally do.
@Kyeh @werehatrack there are a lot of issues with US healthcare. Like many things in the US it gets weirdly political quick when demonstrably for the money spent we actually should have the best healthcare in the world. And could. But corporations/politicians don’t want that.
What’s really really wrong are the charge masters. And how fees are negotiated with insurance companies
/youtube Adam conover charge master
/youtube John Oliver health insurance
@Kyeh @werehatrack not the John Oliver I was going for but. There are many on health insurance
@Kyeh @unksol @werehatrack That’s like the take on SNL’s political cold open this week – more frighteningly accurate than funny pointing out how frighteningly accurate this hell is.