General Health Check

faceman

Have you ever had a general health check up with your GP? Its funny, within my circle of friends, only one has had it done. Yet we visit the dentist for a check up, the optician for a check up but never our GP for a check up.

Do you do it? If so what checks does your doctor perform and how much do you pay?

Pherekydes

When I was in the army, we'd have an annual medical which was a bit of a joke: "Cough, touch your toes..." We did have an annual x-ray, though.

When we turned 40 things changed. Lung function tests, full blood count and chemistry, eyesight and hearing tests, fairly comprehensive. Even an ECT and a feel-up for breast lumps, too. On one lung function test I scored 53 (i.e. I had the lungs of a 53 year-old). I didn't realise it, but I had a slight chest cold. A few weeks later I got back to 42, which was my age then. Blood count and chemistry were mostly normal. I found out why my eyes got so tired while driving at night (I needed glasses), and what the stupid buzzing in my ears was (tinnitus). My hearing is also damaged. After an ECG seemed abnormal I had to wear a monitor for 24 hours. What a pain that was. Heart turned out to be A-OK. I have a much slower resting HR than normal (50), due to all the running I used do.

All for free!

Since I left in 2003 I haven't had a full medical check-up. In fact, bar a dog bite and an inner ear infection, I haven't been to the doctor at all.

I_am_Jebus

What's even more scary... I haven't had an eye check for two years and haven't been to a dentist in 13.. teeth still straight, fairly white looking and no pains...

DrIndy

Many people think that since they feel "normal" for them - they are well and then disease hits them when they land in the emergency department.

However, because illness can creep up on you - you don't realise you are going the wrong road until its too late - the high cholesterol and diabetes may have been possible to treat years before and not best after a heart attack.

Popping down for a health screen with a GP is easy and very reassuring to hear you are healthy and if something is caught - it can be dealt with early - possibly with only lifestyle changes! This is long before the eventual damage.

Make sure you tell your GP you want a health screen and they will allocate extra time for you - not doing this may result in a rushed appointment as they normally allocate a double slot to go through it all.

Jimmytnin

No

celestial

I_am_Jebus wrote: »

What's even more scary... I haven't had an eye check for two years and haven't been to a dentist in 13.. teeth still straight, fairly white looking and no pains...

On your teeth - that means nothing, trust me!! By the time you start getting pains (if you do) it could be too late and what would have been a filling could be a root canal - advise you to go asap! Essential to get a check up at least once a year.

mkdon05

http://www.healthwatch.ie/index.html

You can get an overall health checkup with blood results in the same day from the above. I had it done about a month ago and found it very good.

I never had any check ups with regarding health and was constantly being nagged by herself to get one done. Glad I did, found a few things to be investigated but generally all was good.

CDfm

Yes I had one around a month back plus full blood tests. It showed up a few minor things like cholestoral a tad high. I thought from my former lifestyle it would bad but - weyhey:D

I have only gotten into going to the Doctor recently and had low blood pressure - the cure was to drink more water. I even got a good patient badge.

tommmy1979

mkdon05 wrote: »

http://www.healthwatch.ie/index.html

Off topic but the chick on the frontpage of that website is H-O-T!!