How often do you go to the doctors in a year if you are NOT sick?

[COcheesehead]

For the folks not seeing a doctor at all, is it a money, fear or ignorance is bliss issue?

 

[LOL!]

I have to chuckle for those that are taking prescriptions and then kinda think "there is nothing wrong with you."

I take no prescriptions. I go to my family physician about once every 2 years for a physical.

My family physician is not a gatekeeper and cannot perform orthopedic surgeries nor remove kidney stones, so if something like that comes up, I just go to a specialist when needed.

 

[6miths]

I am healthy, low-risk and on no meds so I have gone years without seeing a doctor for 'routine' care. A broken bone, torn muscle or vaccination here and there for episodic care. I do get recommended screening tests which now means I am down for every 5 years or so. Definitely not money as it doesn't cost me anything at the time. Perhaps a healthy respect for what medicine is and isn't capable of?

 

[dirtbiker]

My doctor (GP) wants to see me every 3 months need it or not. All he does is spend 5 mins asking how I am, renews any prescriptions I may need and then proceeds to bill the insurance for $227.

As a result I have stopped going as I feel fine and my BP is in Check. I check it every day at home.

I do see my Cardiologist Tech every 6 months to get my Pacemaker checked as it is due for replacement next year.

Lately I have not been to see my GP for 9 months and he refuses to renew my prescriptions without an office visit. Not an issue yet as I have about 6 months supply of my BP meds.

Whaddyall think? I am tempted to change docs.

I'm a family doc. I ask my patients to come in once a year for a checkup if they are healthy and take no medications. If they're on medications, I ask that they come in every 6 months at a minimum. If they're on a lot of medications, on controlled meds, and/or have a lot of other medical issues, I ask to see them every 3-4 months, on a case-by-case basis, sometimes even more frequent. Based on the limited information that you have provided (IOW, without actually being able to review your chart), I would ask you to come in every 3 months. If you told me you really didn't want to every 3 months, I'd compromise and make it every 6 months, but no longer than that.

As a physician, my license is on the line for every action or inaction I take. If I'm prescribing a medication and don't see you in the office for an extended time, and then you end up with complications that could have been prevented with proper monitoring, I'm likely liable in a court of law. What you may see as an inconvenience or a money grab, likely isn't (not saying there aren't unscrupulous doctors out there). It's much more likely that your doctor wants to make sure the meds are working properly, there aren't side effects, that proper monitoring is done, and that no new problems have cropped up, before he/she puts their license on the line to write out another prescription.

I sometimes have to remind my more difficult patients that I'm not just a pill dispenser at their beck and call. I have dedicated many years of my life acquiring my education and expertise in my field in order to best treat my patients. The best treatment is sometimes refusing to prescribe a certain medication or requiring regular monitoring in order to prescribe a medication.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My GP makes me come in yearly or won’t renew my medications. The CPAP doctor won’t order supplies if I don’t go yearly. I go yearly for skin check to a dermatologist.

 

[RetireAge50]

Every couple years preventative visit since about age 45. Prior to that for high school physical. No medications.

 

[dirtbiker]

And I would also like to touch on the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" crowd. Every person is absolutely entitled to live their life as they see fit, and if they don't like seeing doctors, that's absolutely their choice.

This being said, waiting until something is wrong often means that it can't be fixed. Big issues are often caught during a physical exam or on routine tests when they are rather minor and can be treated/cured and before they cause any symptoms for the patient. The "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" group often comes in once it is too late, and treatment options are rather limited. The issue is that you probably don't know if it is broken or not.

I don't know how many times I've seen a patient who says he/she is "healthy" with no medical issues, yet hasn't been to a doctor in 5, 10, 15, 20+ years. It's not that they're healthy, they are just unaware of their medical problems. When I see them, their blood pressure is sky high, they've been an undiagnosed diabetic for a long time, and their cholesterol is through the roof. Often, they have kidney disease as a result, vascular disease, etc.

Please don't wait until it's broke to go to a doctor. It may be too late then.

 

[easysurfer]

Once a year for annual physical with GP .

Also, more recently, annually with dermatologist and ophthalmologist.

 

[kcowan]

I have my schedule down pat.
GP/PC once a year after doing blood tests
Cardiologist once a year
Ophthalmologist every few years
Dental tech for cleaning once a year
Dermatologist every four years for mole scan

Other appointments as dictated by findings or other need.

 

[ABQ2015]

I am 64 this year. See PCP once a year for brief checkup, renew prescriptions (statin and ACE inhibitor/diuretic for high BP), and to get bloodwork done. But also visit dermatologist once a year, periodontist once a year (with cleanings every 3 months), ophthalmologist twice a year (early macular degeneration), and an annual mammogram. Then there is the dentist and optometrist.

Had visit with new PCP last week. Will now have a third prescription for acid reflux - was previously on OTC medication. Was referred for a colonoscopy, a bone density scan, new shingles vaccine, and physical therapy (sciatica). The medical stuff just keeps increasing. The good news is that the next PAP exam will be at age 65 and my last one. I would not be surprised if my PCP asked me to come in every 6 months. She did not mention this but may be waiting for my blood test results to decide.

 

[NW-Bound]

Once a year. Annual physical.

This, I used to do. Now that I am on medication for "essential high blood pressure" and it is the only medication I take, I may have to come every 6 months for the prescription. Don't know yet.

 

[bushpilot]

GP, never. Dentist, when I feel like it, generally about 5 years. Eye doc, when I need new glasses, 3 or so years.

So far it works for me.

 

[W2R]

I see my internist/endocrinologist every six months to get new prescriptions for my BP, cholesterol, and Type 2.

Before I was 59 I didn't need any regular medication, and I only went in when I was sick or needed medical approval for a (working) cruise.

 

[gerntz]

Am I sick if I have ongoing conditions treated such as glaucoma risk, allergies/asthma, dermatitis? I do have these conditions & so I make some 20+ visits/yr.

 

[pb4uski]

Once a year...annual physical.

+1. Sounds like OPs GP is milking him to me.

 

[ls99]

Once a year after much nagging by the nurses for wellness check. Otherwise stay away, ther are sick people in the waiting room.

 

[grasshopper]

I went down the rabbit hole with cardiologists. My GP thought I may have some leg vein issues. I went to a cardiologists he does a EKG and exam and sends me to another cardiologists who does ultrasound of the veins in my legs. Than my first cardiologists than does a stress test and echocardiogram. So far no problem is found my blood work perfect my blood pressure perfect my CRP says I should never have heart disease, but everyone wants to see me back in 6 months. Go figure, Ms G says go you never know when you may need a cardiologists. PS on medicare and Supp G and have not had a dine of out of pocket.

 

[Walt34]

Up until a few years ago it was once a year, but at the time I didn't have any ongoing issues. It started with high BP, then progressed to having two stents put in for a clogged heart artery followed by afib, more drugs for that and then an ablation, which worked. Lately it is back pain; I'm good for 30 to 60 minutes of doing something that requires bending or standing, and then I'm done. So now I see the doc every three months. It does not seem excessive to me.

And worse, last visit the guy had the unmitigated gall to tell me he's going to retire in a couple of months! Another doctor is coming in to the practice to take over his patients, so I'll have to see how that goes.

 

[kgtest]

Once a year, annual physical. Although now I have to go for colonoscopy yay. 37 and fairly active / healthy though. My numbers all looked good but a little worst than the prior year so I made some personal changes to try and get those numbers in check.

Eye dr once or twice a year depending on if I get a new prescription or glasses etc.

 

[OldShooter]

OP: You need a new doctor. One that you trust and with whom you can have the kind of discussion that @dirtbiker just gave you for free.

We pay to be in a concierge practice. I go once a year for the official Medicare check and other times if there are problems that justify it. Because of the concierge program I also have 24x7 telephone access to one of the three docs (they rotate taking the cell phone home), though I haven't had to use this. During a normal day I can leave a message and my regular doc will call me by the end of the day to discuss/answer questions, etc. I probably take advantage of this once or twice a year..

 

[ShokWaveRider]

OP: You need a new doctor. One that you trust and with whom you can have the kind of discussion that @dirtbiker just gave you for free.

I must confess I tend to use My Cardiologist for this. He is great and really does not mind being treated as a GP by me. His staff are efficient also and rarely make mistakes. I saw him exclusively for a long time when I first had the PM installed and adjusted. Then when the ACA Copay went up to $50 from $20, I started to see the GP for $5 CoPay. Now with Medicare and part G it does not matter, so I may go back to him.

 

[unclemick]

Medicare wellness check when ever my email sends me a time to renew BP and cholesterol prescriptions.

heh heh heh - 6 months? Or the pharmacy says see the Doc to renew.

 

[msieweke]

For the folks not seeing a doctor at all, is it a money, fear or ignorance is bliss issue?

None of the above. Since I was a teen I have seen doctors for a number of issues (from acne to warts to cat scratch disease) and in almost every case the diagnosis or treatment was out of proportion to the ailment or downright wrong. In self defense I study nutrition and isolated bits of medicine on my own. I've long since passed the point where I know more than my doctor about the true causes of chronic illness.

I check my blood pressure regularly and order blood tests every year or so. No doctor needed.

 

[REWahoo]

My doctor (GP) wants to see me every 3 months need it or not. All he does is spend 5 mins asking how I am, renews any prescriptions I may need and then proceeds to bill the insurance for $227.

DW had a doc like that and decided to find someone else when it became obvious the doc was requiring a quarterly visit just to run up a bill.

 

[Dawg52]

Up until a year ago I saw a nurse practitioner, eye doc and a dermatologist once a year. After a year of flakey health problems I now see a GP, cardiologist, neurologist and dermatologist twice a year. Eye doc now 3 times a year due to glaucoma. In time the neurologist and cardiologist may go away or no more than once a year on each.