Routine tests recommended?

[jetpack]

I'm curious what routine tests you'd recommend for a male who's 40, and basically never sees a doctor. BP is normal, only slightly overweight, exercises a few times a week, and feels fine.

 

[Alan]

Have you tried answering a few questions at the Mayo Clinic website to see what they recommend. (Note that I am not a medical professional)

The attachment is what was recommended for a 40 year old male.

Health screening guidelines - MayoClinic.com

 

[RAE]

Well, if you mean blood tests, these are the ones I generally get when I have my annual physical (I am 58, in good health, take no meds):


Cholesterol
HDL/LDL
Triglycerides
C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
Homocysteine
Vitamin D Hydroxy
PSA
Vitamin B12
Thyroid (TSH)

They also routinely do a Complete Metabolic Panel, which includes things like Blood Glucose, Sodium, Calcium, Albumin, etc.; and a CBC, which includes things like Hemoglobin, Basophil, Lymphocyte, etc..

If you are interested in things like heart disease risk, the ones to make sure you get are Cholesterol, HDL/LDL, CRP, and Homocysteine. You could take it one step further and get the particle size LDL test also, but I haven't had that done yet. I would do it if I thought my heart disease risk was relatively high, though. If your blood glucose number comes back relatively high, you could have them do an A1C test, which I believe measures blood glucose over a longer period of time (previous 2-3 months), to see if there is any indication of diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Perhaps MeadBH or one of the other doctors will chime in with their recommendations........these are just the tests I get.

 

[Midpack]

I'm not qualified to answer so Should You Get an Annual Physical? - DukeHealth.org

• If you’re under 30 and healthy – don’t smoke, no disease risk factors (including being overweight) and don’t take prescription medications - get a check-up every two to three years. If you’re a woman and sexually active, get a Pap smear to screen for cervical cancer starting at age 21 and discuss how often you should screen with your provider.
• Age 30-40, healthy individuals should get a physical every other year. Baseline mammograms are now recommended for women once they turn 40, and should be repeated every 1-2 years.
• Annual physicals start around age 50. That’s also when men and women should undergo colonoscopies to screen for colon cancer. Repeat every 10 years unless there is a family history of colon cancer, colon polyps, or the test results are abnormal.

I would think comprehensive blood testing would be wise if nothing else.

 

[Meadbh]

Perhaps MeadBH or one of the other doctors will chime in with their recommendations........these are just the tests I get.

This is not Meadbh's area of expertise so I will not comment except to say that you could do worse than to follow the Mayo Clinic's list that Alan provided. Be aware that more screening is not necessarily better.

 

[jetpack]

Ok, thanks for the links and the caution. I do see a dentist regularly, it's just other doctors... Around here they sorta suck, and it's like $100 just to say hi, not to mention the crazy test fees. (and that's with obamacare) I do heart, BP, pulse oxy, urine test at home. I'll add in a colesterol test. Other than that, I guess they just want to look up my colon.

 

[Midpack]

Ok, thanks for the links and the caution. I do see a dentist regularly, it's just other doctors... Around here they sorta suck, and it's like $100 just to say hi, not to mention the crazy test fees. (and that's with obamacare) I do heart, BP, pulse oxy, urine test at home. I'll add in a colesterol test. Other than that, I guess they just want to look up my colon.

Not until you're 50 normally...

 

[Alan]

Other than that, I guess they just want to look up my colon.

No they don't, not unless there is a reason. From that document I attached from the Mayo Clinic:

Colon and rectal cancer

Ask your doctor about colon and rectal cancer screening if you're at high risk of colon cancer or rectal cancer
— if, for example, you have a personal or family history of colon or rectal cancer or polyps
or if you have inflammatory bowel disease.

 

[audreyh1]

Ok, thanks for the links and the caution. I do see a dentist regularly, it's just other doctors... Around here they sorta suck, and it's like $100 just to say hi, not to mention the crazy test fees. (and that's with obamacare) I do heart, BP, pulse oxy, urine test at home. I'll add in a colesterol test. Other than that, I guess they just want to look up my colon.

This preventative stuff has no extra charges - it's included in your premiums under ACA. So there shouldn't be any additional fees unless they find something.

 

[audreyh1]

No they don't, not unless there is a reason. From that document I attached from the Mayo Clinic:

He may be talking about the prostate check.

 

[Amethyst]

IMHO, it's good to get a full baseline at some significant age (35, 40, 50, whatever). Even if you have to pay full freight - which if you have insurance, you probably won't, because insurers usually prefer to pay for prevention over cure.

That way, if something seems wrong in future, the Dr. can see if there's been a big change in any area since the baseline tests were done. Then the Dr. can investigate whether anything has changed in your lifestyle, stressors, etc.

Amethyst

 

[Alan]

He may be talking about the prostate check.

He did say "look into my colon" and the prostate check is a combination of the DRE (Digital Rectum Examination ) and a blood test, which are trivial compared to a camera up yer bum

 

[audreyh1]

He did say "look into my colon" and the prostate check is a combination of the DRE (Digital Rectum Examination ) and a blood test, which are trivial compared to a camera up yer bum

True.

 

[Buckeye]

Ok, thanks for the links and the caution. I do see a dentist regularly, it's just other doctors... Around here they sorta suck, and it's like $100 just to say hi, not to mention the crazy test fees. (and that's with obamacare) I do heart, BP, pulse oxy, urine test at home. I'll add in a colesterol test. Other than that, I guess they just want to look up my colon.

If you don't currently have a doctor, you will be charged approximately $100 to do an 'initial visit' and get into their system. Once you are in the system (and this could be on the same visit but I would clear it with the staff first), tell the staff and doc you are there for your free annual preventative visit. DO NOT mention any complaints as your appointment will then become something other than a free annual preventative care visit. Blood tests done as part of a preventative visit are free. Be sure to ask for a copy of your test results to review.