Going to the doctor

[camellia0]

Sadly, I had spoken to or heard of way too many people who are, for one reason or another, not going to yearly doctor visits. For those who don't want to go because they don't want to hear bad news, you gotta think of your loved ones.

[patycake56]

That is so true

[samrhett2]

I am not sure if people are not going because they don't want to hear bad news or because they can't afford it.  Both of my parents are elderly with major health problems.  If they were not pretty well off there would be no way we could afford to get some of the medicines and care that they need.  Even with medicare and supplemental insurance.   Some prescriptions are $300 for a month's supply.  Who can afford that?  I need to go to the dentist, but at $150 or more for a cleaning, who really wants to go.

Plus, it is so terribly unpleasant dealing with most doctors and hospitals.  There are a few that we use that are fabulous, but for the most part you have to sit in a waiting room sometimes for hours even though you have an appointment and would get charged for missing it.  Several of them seem cold and uncaring.  I think they are overworked and just burned out.  

Recently my dad had open heart surgery and my father started vomiting while a nurse was in the room.  She was helping him as best as she could and I got up to go get a towel to try to help clean my dad up.  She yelled at me and told me to sit down and let her handle it!  She later apologized.  I think she was so burned out that she snapped.

My father also had renal cancer and is facing another surgery as soon as he is well enough.  I have waited some times for that doctor to return a phone call for over a week.  I call the office over and over and the staff actually gets embarrassed that he doesn't call back.

You might say that we should find other doctors...well, I would but there is a shortage of doctors in the area.  If I try to switch my dad would wait for weeks or months just to get in and see another doctor for a consultation and it would be like starting all over again.  My mom has to have a shot every six weeks from a retinal specialist.  Each time we wait at least two hours before they call her in.  He is the only retinal specialist for 90 miles.  If she doesn't get the shots she will go blind.  He knows this apparently so he doesn't seem to care at all or even apologize for making his patients, many who are elderly, wait for hours.

[tammypete]

Its sad that its come to this.  So many people don't and won't go to the Dr because it costs so much money!  This is so sad.  Insurance companies are charging so much more for coverage and in turn they are reducing benefit coverage!!

[ljrjess69]

that is true,,i dislike going to doctors my self 

[Cuppycake]

Sadly, I had spoken to or heard of way too many people who are, for one reason or another, not going to yearly doctor visits. For those who don't want to go because they don't want to hear bad news, you gotta think of your loved ones.

I don't pay doctor's to "practice" on me. I have lupus and have had more then my fill of incompetent so called experts. 

[lguzman1]

Your right, I'm one of the ones that always wait tell the last resort to go to the dr. It just takes for ever and when you sick well it take them around 2 weeks to see me; by then I recoverd and don't need to see him anymore. Have that ever happen to you? 

[dlyon1]

I haven't been to the doctor in years. I probably should start going to head off any major illnesses. I have a community clinic that i could go to but the waiting list is 6 months to a year before they will even see you.

[Nancy5]

I have to agree, I don't think most people don't go to doctors because of hearing bad news, I think many times its the cost.

A regular family doctor visit here is at least $100.00, now a specialist can be anywhere from $200.00 and up.  Sadly a lot of people don't have insurance, or if they do their " out of pocket" is high.  And is you have no, or poor insurance and need surgery forget it.  Have you looked at the high cost of some meds.  thats why you hear of seniors not taking their meds, it is either meds or food, electricity, heat, etc,.  I think with the high cost of necessities, health care for many (especially seniors) is put on the back burner.

[drandall]

How bad is this? I generally don't go to the doctor unless absolutely necessary. That means really, really sick or because it's time for my physical for work. And it has nothing to do with cost or anything like that. It's because (knock on wood) I am fortunate enough to VERY rarely ever become ill and I don't trust waiting rooms or hospitals. I hate the thought of going in healthy and next thing ya know you contracted something there while you're waiting. So you go in healthy....come out with some type of germ or bug. And let's face facts quite a few people do not cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze, and that's usually the reason they are there.

[queenofnines]

Considering the doctor doesn't really do much at a yearly checkup, who can blame people for skipping it?

[Delphyne]

After all that we have been through, my family does not trust doctors in the slightest bit.  Nor would I recommend anyone going unless it is an emergency.  Doctors are not in the business of making us healthy, they are in the business of keeping us sick.  Otherwise, they would make no money. 

We use herbal remedies, have altered our diets, and only go when absolutely necessary.  Since going off medications, my health has improved.

I whole heartedly believe people should learn to take care of themselves. 

 

[Delphyne]

Sadly, I had spoken to or heard of way too many people who are, for one reason or another, not going to yearly doctor visits. For those who don't want to go because they don't want to hear bad news, you gotta think of your loved ones.

I don't pay doctor's to "practice" on me. I have lupus and have had more then my fill of incompetent so called experts. 

I have MS and feel the same way.  They destroyed my health further.  Not a single doctor I spoke to told me that diet alone could ease many of my symptoms.  When I asked about dietary changes, they wanted nothing to do with me.  Doctors only wanted to treat me if I took the pills. 

[samrhett2]

Sadly, I had spoken to or heard of way too many people who are, for one reason or another, not going to yearly doctor visits. For those who don't want to go because they don't want to hear bad news, you gotta think of your loved ones.

I don't pay doctor's to "practice" on me. I have lupus and have had more then my fill of incompetent so called experts. 

I have MS and feel the same way.  They destroyed my health further.  Not a single doctor I spoke to told me that diet alone could ease many of my symptoms.  When I asked about dietary changes, they wanted nothing to do with me.  Doctors only wanted to treat me if I took the pills. 

I tend to agree with this.  I am not big into holistic stuff, but probably because I don't understand it.  I know of a holistic drug that my dog takes.  If she doesn't take it she gets urinary tract infections, so I know for a fact some of them work on animals.

I just have a horrible attitude right now towards doctors and hospitals because of how often I have had to deal with them lately.  The cardiac surgeon probably saved my dad's life, but his bedside manner sucked.  The same with the urologist that is supposed to do my dad's upcoming kidney surgery.  They tell him he has a cancerous tumor to size of a grapefruit on his kidney that will kill him if they don't remove it, yet when I keep calling to find out when the surgery is, I can't get anyone to call me back and sometimes when I call they tell me that there is nothing in his file about it.  Sooooooo frustrating.

And one more .....How about having to fill out reams of paperwork every time you go?  I mean these doctors all have access to my dad's hospital records and he signed a form that allows them to access his records, so why do we have to fill out paperwork with the same information over and over again?

[rghvac69]

I try my best to avoid going to the doctor. Instead, I try to eat right, exercise, and use herbs and supplements.