For as long as I can remember I have dreaded going to the doctor. I’m not sure when it started but if I had to guess it has to do with the fact that my Mom was sick most of my childhood. She had Multiple Sclerosis and I watched it destroy her body over the course of almost three decades. Sometimes it felt like she lived at the doctor’s office and the sad thing was they could do very little to improve her quality of life. My fear of going to the doctor is so bad that when I get my blood pressure taken it usually skyrockets into the high blood pressure zone. I eventually was diagnosed with “white-coat hypertension” after being monitored for weeks and taking my blood pressure at home daily.
White coat sucks because the fear seems to feed on itself. Every time I felt the blood pressure cuff constricting around my arm I can feel my pulse quicken and it gets harder for me to breathe which then results in an abnormally high reading. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Anyway, this has lead to an irrational fear of going to the doctor for me. I’m always worried that they will find something wrong and the days waiting to get test results are the absolute worst. After some internet searching I can convince myself that I have any disease/condition that I read about. One time I had convinced myself that I had a thyroid issue. My results came back negative.If you have anxiety about going to the doctor you should go anyway. As you get older it is important that you have a baseline of your health when you aren’t sick.
I just had what is known as an “executive physical” which is a regular physical on steroids. It is a day long physical where you go through a battery of tests including:
- All kinds of blood work/screening
- Fitness assessment
- Immunization review
- Cardiovascular scan
- Physical exam
- Nutrition/diet assessment
- Comprehensive medical history review
The best part for me was that at the end of the day a doctor reviews the results with you so you don’t have to wait and build up scenarios in your mind. Not sure if I will do this again as I don’t plan to be a corporate “executive” much longer and from what I understand these types of exams cost $5K-$10K. Don’t get me started on the problems with our medical system in the U.S. but I can definitely understand that this type of test is inaccessible for many people.
That being said please take care of yourself and get your annual physical. This is especially important if you are a 40+ guy like me. Here are some of the benefits.
Benefits of Getting a Regular Physical Exam
Set a Baseline for your health
Your numbers from your blood work may be different that the standard range even when you are healthy so you want to have a baseline. My bilirubin count is slightly elevated and has been that way for years and is normal for me. Same with my A1C but even though it is slightly elevated I am not pre-diabetic.
Build a Relationship with Your Doctor
A strong trusting relationship with your doctor can be key to helping you prevent health issues before they arise.
If There is a Problem you Increase Your Chances of Catching it Early
This is probably the most important reason for getting your regular checkup. My Dad died from colon cancer several years ago. He never went to the doctor for himself and by the time he went to the doctor due to the pain his colon cancer had progressed to stage 1v and had spread to his liver an lungs. Now compare this to his younger brother (my Uncle). He went for his regular checkup and was scheduled for a colonoscopy due to his age and risk factors. The doctors found some polyps and removed them before they could become cancerous. My uncle is still aound and doing well and as of this writing my Dad has been dead for 12 years.
This was also a wake up call for me and I get a colonoscopy every 5 years.
So my advice to you is that if you are stressed and have tons of anxiety about going to the doctor for your checkup because you are worried that they might find something that is even more of a reason for you to go. I look at it this way. If you have something you already have it and the doctors can hopefully help you manage the problem. Or you could find that you are healthy and you will feel so dang good about yourself you won’t know what to do! I thank God for my recent clean bill of health. If you’ve read my other posts you know I try to eat healthy and exercise daily. But you just never know especially given the medical history of my family and both of my parents dying relatively young.
You will also find that most of your fears of going to the doctor are irrational. This is what helped me to get my white coat hypertension under control. If you are embarrassed, don’t worry about it your doctor has most likely seen and heard much worse! Also the more often that you go to the doctor the less alien and strange it becomes and you will get more comfortable over time.
So what are you waiting for. Make your appointment today!
