Sunday, January 9, 2011

Is it really important .........

I've been reading through some of the blogs seeing how others are visiting their doctor's for check-ups, getting things taken care of, etc and it got me to thinking about the last time I actually had a complete physical (along with blood/urinary workups) and it's been about 3 years.  I do stop in about once every 6 months to get prescriptions refilled or if I get a bad sinus infection and need antibiotics.  Other than that I usually feel fine and am always of the mind that if it isn't broke don't fix it.  Not sure if that is the right attitude or not but due to the problems we have had with getting hubby looked after I have a sour taste in my mouth for doctor's.  Also, it is hard to find a family practitioner here in Alberta that is taking on new patients and I absolutely refuse to go back to the one I was using before.  So just how important is that "yearly checkup"?  Some say really important, others say not so much.  I get my yearly mammogram done because of my Mom's breast cancer but I can do that without going to a doctor and I get a letter with the results.  I get my eyes dialated once a year to keep an "eye" on my macular degeneration, again I can do that without a doctor.  So what exactly can a doctor provide once a year if you are not feeling ill in anyway? 

It's still blizzarding here, I shovelled the driveway this morning and it took me 4x as long as normal.  We have drifts 4 feet high and the snow is packed hard from the blowing wind.  It's great exercise and I love shovelling snow just didn't anticipate how long it was going to take me.  Still blowing out there so will probably have to do it again tomorrow, not going out there again today.

Sitting here listening to the radio and there is an ad for Herbal Magic that advertises they will pay you $11.00 for every pound lost between now and I think the end of February.  What they neglected to add was that the program costs $600.00 a month for the all the vitamins, etc that they want you to take, so you would have to lose 60 pounds a month just to break even......ironic isn't it.

06:45   orange, cranberry bran muffin w/butter
10:30   french vanilla cappichino
13:30   chicken noodle soup w/crackers, 2 baby bell cheese portions w/3 Ritz crackers, cup of tea
17:00   smokie w/sauerkraut and quinoa

3 comments:

  1. I personally think it's important to do the bloodwork every year.. but that's me. I guess if you know the issues (if there are any) you can work on what needs to be fixed. My hubby, on the other hand, thinks you only go to the doc if you don't feel well. But I made him go for a physical.. guess what? high cholesterol. He was able to bring it down using Omega supplements and changing his eating habits a bit. (He wasn't overweight at the time.. so ya never know).

    I am in Ontario, and I know how hard it is to find a good doc that is taking patients. We started out, when we moved here, going to a doc 45 minutes away.. because no one else was taking patients. Our family doc now is 30 minutes away.. but I would drive 2 hours to keep him. He is completely involved with our care.. and I appreciate him so much. He knows our history, and I just feel I get better care than just going to a walk-in when I need it.

    Just my 2 cents. :)

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  2. Without insurance it is impossible to afford to go to the doctor here. I know Canada is different - but unless we get really sick - Pooldad and I are unable to afford a doctor visit for something as simple as a check up. How would we afford if they found out something [more] was wrong.

    The girls get physicals every year of course and have their eyes tested and their teeth are taken care of [braces for Wallene next yikes!] - but otherwise - it isn't doable, not that I don't want to, but.....

    You aren't kidding about the Herbal life thing. That cracked me up. Such a scam. :)

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  3. Tessa, it is VERY important to go to the doctor at least once per year! That doctor might need another brand new car, or boat ya know!
    lol :)

    I'm the same way, if something happened I would go, but otherwise I don't. I go once per year for my fun female appointment, and that's only because I HAVE to to get my prescription for the pill!

    All I've had is bad experiences with doctors. I guess if I had a good one that I trusted I'd go once in a while...

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