Doctor saying you should have a physical

Has anyone had a doctor tell them they should have a physical? How did they say it ? What was your reaction / response?

I see my doctor 2 times a year to monitor my blood pressure and cholesterol. The nurse takes my bp and pulse and they draw blood. The doctor then comes in, he asks about my diet and exercise and then checks my heart and lungs. He then usually says that he will let me know the results of my blood work and he will see me in six months.

I was in recently and the visit went as usual. However, this time he said that he would like me to make an appointment in 6 months so he can give me a physical. I was a bit surprised by this, but it had been a while (had a physical with another Dr in the practice just prior to covid) so I said that I would. A couple of days later I logged onto the patient portal to get my lab results. In addition to my lab results, he had a comment “advised patient to schedule a physical exam”.

Since what happens an my regular appointments is sadly the typical physical/wellness exam, I am cautiously optimistic that my physical will more comprehensive.

@JonathanC i hope that's what happens for you. look forward to hearing the details of that exam.

@

Since living in Belgium, and that was from 1963 onwards, I do not believe any family doctor has ever insisted that we have regular, yearly or bi-yearly or whatever physicals.

In Belgium, the custom was that if you were sick or ill, you went to the doctor for treatment, but that otherwise they did not push their services. Belgians, Europeans in general I surmise do not like being subjected to such practices.

I know that when we lived in the US my mother often became incensed and really worked up when the dentist sent cards saying it was time for our yearly check-up. She found such behavior to be unscrupulous, grubby money-grabbing, undignified, crassly beneath an educated person's dignity and only meant for the personal enrichment of doctors/dentists. She couldn't stand it. She found it a sort of advertising and in most Euro countries, doctors, lawyers, notaries and such are forbidden by law to advertise their services.

The only time I was told to get regular check-ups was after I had a pneumectomy due to a benign cancer. Then all doctors recommended regular check-ups as follow through. At least bi-yearly. But by the 5 or 6th year the check-ups became less frequent and when my regular oncologist moved elsewhere, they sort of fell off altogether.

And here I still am. 45 years later without getting regular physicals or checkups.

I guess it's like 'no news is good news', 'let sleeping dogs lay' and 'you've surpassed your predicted date of passing anyway, so count yourself lucky.'

So, I still only go to a doctor if something is wrong or to fulfill medications.

And I guess that I've been pretty lucky so far as well.

I ve had regular annual or bi-annual checkups all my life. Up untill 10 years ago they were physicals, now mostly wellness checks with referrals to specialists if needed. My docs have told me to get regular blood checks and check for changes. My wife sees doctors much more frequently for routine surveillance. Angiograms every three or four years, oncologist every three months, neurologist twice a year, urologist monthly, gastroenterologist once a year. We each see our PCP twice a year

I do get tired of going to see docs, but they have found things in the blood work and managed them. For both of us.

Since living in Belgium, and that was from 1963 onwards, I do not believe any family doctor has ever insisted that we have regular, yearly or bi-yearly or whatever physicals.

Many thanks for this comment !! - it is also me, not a fan of " going to the doctor ", when not absolutely necessary !!

Maybe wrong, but my way of live !!

The customs was that if you were sick or ill, you went to the doctor for treatment, but that otherwise they did not push their services. Belgians, Europeans in general I surmise do not like being subjected to such practices.

I know that when we lived in the US my mother often became incensed and really worked up when the dentist sent cards saying it was time for our yearly check-up. She found such behavior to be unscrupulous, money-grabbing and only meant for the personal enrichment of doctors/dentists. She couldn't stand it.

The only time I was told get get regular check-ups was after I had a pneumectomy due to a benign cancer. Then all doctors recommended regular check-ups as follow through. At least bi-yearly. But by the 5 or 6th year the check-ups became less frequent and when my regular oncologists moved elsewhere, they sort of fell off altogether.

And here I still am. 45 years later without getting regular physicals or checkups.

I guess it's like 'no news is good news', 'let sleeping dogs lay' and 'you've surpassed your predicted date of passing anyway, so count yourself lucky.'

So, I still only go to a doctor if something is wrong or to fulfill medications.

I have had regular annual physicals since I was 11. My parents made sure I went every year until I left for college. My mom is a nurse so there wasn't much choice in the matter but I was ok with going because my pediatrician was kind, caring and professional. She has a subspecialty in Adolescent Medicine.

I have asthma so I am no stranger to an exam room. I tend to see the doctor a few times a year due to the asthma or the occasional running injury (Yes, asthmatics can be runners.). She will look at my file and remind me to schedule my physical when I check out

Yes, when I became a new patient with my current internist he had me schedule a physical since I was new to his practice.

I've never had a doctor say this to me, but for the last several years I get a phone call from my pcp's office saying I need a wellness check before the doctor will renew the prescriptions for the medications I take.

I once had an orthopedic specialist tell me to get a primary care and have a physical because my blood pressure was a little high. I hadn’t seen a doctor in like 5 years at that point and was only there because I sprained my ankle. 😅

Yes, I've had a doctor suggest that I have a physical exam. The first time was many years ago at the student health center at the university I was attending. I wrote a blog account of that experience, in case any of you are interested:

https://en.zity.biz/index.php?mx=blog;ox=showpage;pg=6657

Years later, I went to a PCP because of chronic eye irritation from allergies. My bp was elevated during the appointment, and so the doc suggested that I return to have a general physical exam, which I did. I've been having annual physical exams ever since, and it seems like there is almost always something to discuss with the primary care physician.

I would come every 3-6 months to get my meds refilled and whenever we’d hit 12 months since my last one, the doc would just tell the receptionist to make my next visit a physical. Then she’d give me the lab orders.

Yes. Here in the USA when I was younger they wanted a physical now called a wellness exam every 2-3 years unless I changed doctors then they wanted one right away. In some cases I think it’s to make money because they can get your previous records. Now in my 60s I have more chronic problems that need to be addressed and agree with a wellness check every year.

I went in for a regular office visit for a chronic condition and mentioned my concerns about being mid-forties and that my father had prostate cancer. The female doctor responded and said that my next visit should be scheduled as a physical rather than an office visit so there would be a prostate screening involved. I did that, and sure enough, I did get a DRE and genital exam at the next appointment. Sadly though, it was the fastest DRE I can ever recall and she didn't want to spend any time looking at the penis and testicles herself, instead asking me to feel the testicles in her presence and asking if I felt anything abnormal, while describing what that would be. I felt like I was doing her job for her, so I was quite disappointed after the exam, if one can call it that.