Asking a doctor for a check-up... please help?

Question

I'm from a lower middle class family, and health care was nearly unmanagable for us growing up, so I only really visited the doctor for required shots, check ups and emergencies.

Now that I'm older and able to care for myself, I'm more health-conscious and want to have regular tests for cancer, diabetes, athsma, and the like. I want to make sure I'm healthy, because as far as I know, I could be living with some disease and not even know it.

I know many of these tests require special doctors, and I have no idea where to start. I don't want to walk into my family doctor's office and make a fool of myself because I don't know what I'm asking for. I want to test for everything. There's no such thing as a complete check-up that covers all diseases and illnesses, so I don't know what I should do.

Who should I go to? What are the most important things I should routinely check for? What are the names of some tests that are important? Please help. Any information would be appreciated.

Answer 1

You go to an "Internists." They are in the phone book and are specialists above a general family doctor. This isn't at all the same as a "Medical Intern" that is just learning. They are actually called "Doctors of internal medicine." You don't even have to ask them the tests to run as they put you through a series of tests (more than you would ever imagine) sending you to their favorite specialists depending on the test they think you need and want to see. You usually have about a 100 to 300 questionnaire that you answer (mailed to you in advance) so they can understand your lifestyle.

IOW, you go to your family doctor and say you have a pain in your chest. He/She gives you an EKG and says things are fine.

You go to an Internist and say the same thing, then next week you will find yourself in a cardiologist office on a treadmill with tons of tests.

That's how it works... you take your Chevrolet to the local PepBoys, Goodyear, or Firestone store to get it fixed or you take it to a Chevrolet dealership.

An Internist is the "dealership" and studied more and are actually specialists, just like a brain surgeon or a cardiologists. They "manage" your care by sending you to the right specialists if necessary. They also are use to treating the most complicated patients that have a lot of different things going on with them at different times.

Also be sure you don't have depression. Depression is VERY common and shows it's ugly head with those thinking they may have many different illnesses. Again, if this may be a fit for you, an Internists will be the best bet for you, as well.

Answer 2

You begin with a 'primary care' physician.

These are medical doctors (look for the MD or DO after the name) who specialize as being 'first line' clinicians and are typically who do referrals to specialists.

Unfortunately, testing is done to the excess in some countries. Early on the physician was taught to diagnose and then verify with testing. Nowadays it is a frequent rationale to test to ascertain the diagnosis.

Be all this as it may, you can certainly get testing for anything you are worried about or have indications for. There will be stark differences between the way your case is handled if you live in socialized medicine providing countries or if medicine is just another industry.

Also, care differs between patients having HMO (health maintenance organization) coverage and others will 'insurance'. The HMO reputation has taken a beating in the statistical records for providing substandard care in an effort to cut costs regardless of the consequences.

Routine tests are typically age dependent -- as are many disease processes. For example you will normally want to get blood counts like the CBC (complete blood count), UA (urinalysis), and some automated blood chemistry panel like the SMA-18 or something similar.

You should always have your vital signs and cardiovascular health checked routinely as well as regularly scheduled pelvic examinations if you are female and prostate checkups if you are male.

Aside from that there are things called 'protocols' that medical people utilize to ensure that compliance with appropriate testing measures on a scheduled basis are followed.

It is inappropriate to go to Emergency Rooms for routine medical checkups and urgent care facilities (aka "Doc in the Box") simply are outpatient departments where you get minimal treatment for maximum charges.

I hope this helps.

Answer 3

You have a doctor who knows you as a patient already? Why go someplace else? All check ups must start with the basics. Blood tests to check your blood cell counts, your cholesterol, electrolytes, liver enzymes. The doctor will listen to heart & lungs. Your blood pressure will be taken along with height, weight, & temp. You can talk to your doctor about family history of illnesses & what you can do to test for any. This doctor can arrange for these tests. There are also tests which are done at specific ages unless family history or personal history require a test done earlier than average. (Such as colonoscopy at 50 years old) Begin your quest for optimal health with some one who already knows you. (Unless you don't care for this particular professional) The general practitioner will help you arrange further testing & recommend specialists making this journey a little easier on you. Best wishes & Best of health!

Answer 4

Start out by asking your parents what diseases run in the family (diabetes, heart problems, cancer, high blood pressure, etc). Then make a routine appointment with a family practice doctor for a routine physical. the doc should check blood pressure, routine blood samples, check heart, lungs, breast lumps, skin, look in your eyes & ears, schedule you for a PAP smear. Also the doc will have you fill out a questionnaire asking if have any problems..shortness of breath, dizzy, heart palpation's, blurry vision etc. Depending on what the doc finds from the routine you may just need to have yearly check-up or may need further testing.
Also your age will determine what other test you may need; over 40 you might need a mamogram, (men get prostate checks), EKG.

Answer 5

first off if you are that worried that you might have everything or even just half of the things on your list..then you need to seek psychiatric help. If you are not exhibiting symptoms of asthma or diabetes they why would you even be worried that you have them?? A regular check up with your doc should be sufficient. That way they can do the run of the mill blood work and urine tests and physical and if there are any abnormalities in any of those tests then they will investigate further. IF you have anything that you need further testing for or any need to see a specialist for..then your doc will know who to refer you to. There is no reason to have every test out there unless you want to spend thousands of dollars on un-needed medical tests and procedures

Answer 6

Just go see your family doctor and ask his / her opinion in the matter. They will more than likely tell you that you are overreacting. They will ask you what kind of problems you are having, if any. They will check your body temperature, blood pressure, listen to your heartbeat, possibly mash your stomach, check your reflexes and draw blood to check for various things such as high cholesterol, blood sugar, etc. If you show any signs of something wrong then they will go from there. Good luck! Oh yeah, they'll look in your ears and throat.

Answer 7

Just get a blood test that checks for diabetes, thyroid disorder, etc..... Usually such a test can also uncover something you never even suspected. They aren't neccasarily cheap, however. Expect to spend around $80-$90 w/o ins.

Answer 8

ask around for a good family doctor,when you go , he or she will do a family history. then the appropiate tests will be ordered. the family doctor will send you to aspecialist if needed. ask friends to reccomend a good doctor. you can also look in the yellow pages for physicians referral. good luck.

Answer 9

when you go to your doctor ask him...he will tell you what test should be run at what age and he will point you to the right places to get the test done, he will probably give you a referal anyways. Good luck!

Answer 10

There are many kind of dr's people need for different reasons.
You may first want to go to your family dr.s get a physical exam first. To get some idea , by getting a urine sample, and blood work done, As the urine sample can check for some thing like pregnancies, and diabetes, or drung level.
Your blood work and check your cholesteral level, iron, and other things, that are improtant to your health. You can tell in someways if your anemic, by your fingernails, ( anemic mean low iron levels in your blood) this can be recitified by eating foods like green leafy vegetables, grape juiice, and other healthy foods, you can look up the information , on WebMd.com , You can ask your dr for the name of a good gyn/ ob dr. as You'll want to get a pap smear, & mammogram ( a test to make sure your breasts are clear of cancer or growths to watch , to ensure they are not a cancerous growth that can spread) You should do a self examinations of your breast once a month as well.
You should also have a good eye dr, to make sure your vision remains good for you. As some diseases or problems can affect the eyes.
So to take your first step. Talk openly to your family dr, about anything that hurts you, like headaches, or severe cramping, or other personal problems, like monthly troubles, lack of monthly periods, or severe cramping at that time, or severely heay flows or clotting. If you havent had any major problem you should be ok, but you should still ask him to reccomend a good gynecologist (women's dr) , eye dr. , So you can keep their names handy, Some family dr.s can do the pap smears , and schedule a mammogram for you. They'll also tell you how often you should have them done.
You can look up the types of test needed for good health, and what kind of dr's you need for each exam. www.WebMD.com is a good place to find answers to some of your questions and concerns.
Don't worry to much about things that may not be there. But not little changes that do happen in you body or health to tell any dr's you see.
If you have insurance, some of them have books with the dr's they use in them, and that helps narrow down which ones that are in your area that take the insurance you have,


Once you are set up with each dr. Make sure to keep their numbers handy , like in your purse , directory or wallet in case of health issues, or accidents, * also something you'll need to keep handy and up date as needed , is a list of any medications you take often, from headache, cramps, or health problems , like seizures, or diabetes, or heart conditions anything. When you are first getting set up with dr's be sure to give them your entire family history of ailments, like cancers, or heart attacks, and tumors, epilepsy, and such. As some of those things can be hereditary factors, from one generation to the next.
This doesnt mean you'll have them but it does mean it's something to keep in mind.