Anyone else not go to doctors?

[featherz]

I rarely go as I am rarely ill and I hate going, but in my defense I am a nurse and work at a clinic so doctors 'see' me all the time.

I can get hallway advice for minor things and I can check my blood pressure whenever I want (it's fine). I eat nothing but fruits veggies and grains and the occasional egg, so my cholesterol is probably fine - but my insurance won't pay to check it for three more years anyways so why bother. Last 'physical' I had (first one in at least 5 years) I could have done myself. I'm not even close to overweight and don't smoke, drink, or have any chronic illnesses (yet). I do go to the eye doc and I just called my regular doc and asked her to order a mammo without seeing me and she did. That said, I have an appointment next week with my doc just to have 'face time' - it's good to go every few years just so your MD knows who you are. Makes it easy if you end up with a UTI on a friday at 5PM and she can just call something in for you!

My DH on the other hand hasn't had a physical or seen a doc in 20 years and he really needs to go.. but I have been unsuccessful on that front.

 

[ChikeeMomma]

I go to the doctor when I need, too. My family doc is leaving the area and I have to find a new one.

I loved her and absolutely hate finding another! I went through a couple of docs before finding this one. I am overdue for a yearly (by three years) and I am going to my midwife for that. So much more comfier with her!

 

[australorpchick]

I go to the dentist every 6 months, see my OBGYN every year and get my cholesterol checked when I donate blood. We've moved out to the country and the atmosphere at my work is much, much better, so my stress level is a lot lower. I haven't had a cold in years, even when everyone else in the house does. I don't like going to doctor, almost seems like a waste of my hard-earned $25.

 

[calicokat]

Yeah, I'm bad too. I have to go to my family practitioner every 6 months to get my depression meds renewed, but he doesn't check "health" then (other than wt., blood press, temp. when the nurses check me in) during those visits.

I know my cholesteral is not good (and DARN the person who lowered the standards several years ago - I at least used to be kinda sorta borderline

)

We do have a clinic with DH's work that lets us see a nurse practitioner for free, but I'm not sure they always get it right. Seems like half the time they fix us, but half the time we end up going to our family practitioner a week later, getting a different diagnosis and different treatment to get better. I'm going through that now. I was just at the clinic last week because I've been coughing since I was sick in January. They said I likely had allergies start up about the time I would have stopped coughing from January. They gave me an Rx for allergy meds and a cough syrup for night, so I can sleep.

But I haven't seen much change or improvement really. I'm still coughing, and it's phlemy, and then today my throat is getting sore

ugh. I'll wait it out another week and then probably have to go see the "real" dr.

 

[Glenmar]

Quote:
Yes. You can add on bloodwork. Most of those tests are stable at least 7 days in blood already drawn. They just wanted more $.

 

[homesteadmomma]

just found this thread after poking around this evening (who am I kidding, it's almost midnight)...

I do not go to the dr. unless it's something that I just can't shake. I went two years ago when I was 30 weeks pregnant with my 3rd. Four months ago, I started having heart palpitations, and I'm not talking a couple times a day, but every 5th or 6th beat all day and all night. I blamed stress for about three days, but I wasn't feeling good and was borderline dizzy all day long. So I made an appointment. The only dr. that I could get in to see that week is the most arrogant and evil person I know. I wanted to hold off, but with three little ones at home and it being my heart, I went. He told me I was anemic, I told him I was not. I have been telling the dr.s for 4 years now that my thyroid is the issue, but all blow it off, chalking it up to caffeine, new babies, post-partum or some other crappy diagnosis. He orders bloodwork, and of course I have to make the 40 mile round trip the next day, because no one can take it while I'm there, and of course I offered. I told him that my white count would probably be slightly elevated because I had just gotten over a cold/sinus issue the last week. Of course, my white count came back slightly elevated and my red counts were excellent. He told me I was still anemic and told me to take iron, and then handed me a Rx for a beta-blocker! Geesh, here I am thinking I'm a goner. He told me just to take them if I was still having the palpitations the next day. They were still there and never filled the Rx. About two weeks later it quit, but I still cannot convince anyone to check my thyroid. And now I'm on my second bladder infection since April. Cured the first one with a liquid diet for three days and some home remedies. This one is being a big pain and Im worried that it's going to take antibiotics. I just hate going to the dr.....

 

[Amyable]

I need to have broken bones or be near death to go to the doctor. Don't really appreciate the snide attitudes towards homeopathy and natural remedies.

 

[desertdarlene]

I haven't had health insurance just about my whole adult life, so I don't go that much. But, if I have the money and there is something that is truly wrong and affecting my life, I will go see the doctor. I also have chronic conditions that are under control, so I still need prescriptions now and then. But, I don't like to get all those intimate exams even if I had the money or insurance! I hate going to the doctor and have them pressure me to get those exams. They're uncomfortable and embarrassing! I know they can help screen for cancer early, but still! I can't wait until they can test for cancer with a blood test or something simple.

 

[newfoundland]

My mother was a great one for not going to the doctor. She fell over and cut her head, as an old lady, and we took her to hospital to get some stitches. They asked me when did she last see a doctor and I had to admit that was twenty eight years earlier when she had broken her arm. Everyone thought she was marvellous and came to see her in the cubicle whilst we waited for the doctor. She told him charmingly that she didn't want to waste his time and she was sure he had far more important cases to attend to. There were tears in the eyes of this young Indian doctor as he kissed her hand. She was a real lady my mother, and bless her, she lived to be 94, almost entirely without the aid of any preventative medicine! Makes you think.

 

[Glenmar]

Quote:
Bless Her.