I’m wondering how often we go to the general physician for a check up that’s not diabetes related. In a year in which you don’t get sick, a person with diabetes is supposed to go to the endocrinologist three-four times, the ophthalmologist once, the dentist twice, and for the ladies, the gynecologist once. That’s six to eight visits without even being “sick”. Do you get a yearly physical on top of all that?
I just goto my primary care for referals. After that I only go to the specialist. My Endo does plenty of blood work so there really is no point going in for a physical. Most of the important issues should be caught by her. I go to all the doctors you mentioned and I stopped going to the gynecologist after they gave me a funny look-Just kidding!!! I feel that I am more on top of my health with diabetes than pre-diabetes. I pay way more attention to my body and what it is tellling me.
I go to the endo 4 times a year and the gyno one time but that doesn’t count the “sick” calls I have which honestly is about once a month…Oh and I forgot to tell you anout the nef…ugh kidney Dr that’s 3 times a year and as for a physical I have my endo do that on one of my 4 yearly visits to him!
Physicals are a complete waste of time and money. If you are seeing an endo, you’ve already had the tests that you’d get for a physical. The one’s I’ve had in the past years were very rudimentary. They’d listen to my heart and lungs , squeeze my spleen and test my cholesterol.
I see my endo 3 or 4 times a year, and my family doctor once or twice a year if something comes up. I see the ob/gyn once a year. I have seen specialists about my joint problems a couple times, but those appointments were a complete waste of time, too, since I can’t tolerate cortisone injections and that is invariably what they prescribe. I see the eye doctor once a year too.
I wound up getting an unexpected physical when I had to change my primary care doc (my doc is retiring) about a month ago…did I mention physicals are never good, they always find problems. I’m starting to feel like I’m good job security for them. LOL.
Before this past year, I hadn’t been to the doctor in more than a few years. Funny, I’ve never really been a sick person, but I know I’m now making my insurance work for my money!
I forgot the eye Dr thanks Jenny! And like Chloe I feel like I’m good job secerty for them! LOL
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/sickintro.html - an interesting read, about how doctors are prescribing more these days, and how lowering recommended levels for cholesterol, weight etc is selling more pills. hmmph. I thought it might be relevant to this topic…
I see my GP only when I have to - but I’m there (for 30 seconds at the front counter) every few months to pick up prescriptions. I see my Endo once a year - but I wouldn’t have to see her at all if it wasn’t for the fact I’m on Lantus, anyone on Lantus here has to see an Endo regularly because it’s not an easy insulin to get - needs approval - and it’s supposedly only for those with very bad control. Hasn’t worked out that way thanks to Endos & other health professionals seeing how good it is and trying to get everyone on it!
I get my annual free diabetes check up (a1c check, foot check, BP check, height and weight check, general chat) with my GP’s nurse (BTW GP = General Practitioner, same as MD in America, I think).
I get my eyes checked every 2 years.
And I see my Diabetes Educator Nurse when I need to - which these days is never (a shame, coz I love her, she’s soooo wonderful).
They’re all there and available if I need them, but I don’t need to see anyone regularly except my chemist to pick up the never ending run of prescriptions.
When it comes to NON D related stuff, I don’t see anyone at all ever… so far, touch wood!! I never used to see my doc unless I absolutely totally HAD to, so all this D stuff is a little overwhelming. I’ve never known a doc by first name before. sigh
Same here, endo 4x a year and general doctor maybe 1-2x.
I have to take Tony in once a year for “well baby checkups”, which are basically crap but looks good on paper just in case! Last time he saw his pediatrician the guy went on and on about diabetes care, as if I were stupid so I’m putting off his two year appointment, just get annoyed thinking of that.
My GP keeps calling me wanting me to come in. I think I just need to explain to him how much time I spend at doctors’ offices. I actually have to go to the eye doctor twice a year, so that’s 9 visits for me.
I do understand why my doctor wants me to come in. I’m a new patient, and it’s helpful for him to see what I look like when I’m healthy so he has something to compare it to when I get sick. It probably doesn’t help that I don’t like him either.
i just got diagnosed this year. so after i got discharged from hospital, i’ve seen the endo thrice, gynae twice (to do with some pills i’d been taking) and i’ll see the ophthalmologist next month. i also had to see a surgeon for follow up for about 2.5 months after my surgery for follow up. but now my main doctor, aside from the family GP, is my endo.
i don’t think i need a yearly physical, seeing as how my endo has told me that she’ll run one on me every anniversary of my diagnosis? i just had my first one 2 months ago and all my levels were great! 
i haven’t seen the GP since the day before my diagnosis when i thought i had a chest or lung infection…which turned out to be kussmaul breathing and yep, DKA. hope i won’t see him very much.
I just realized I don’t even know what a physical entails. Is it just all the bloodwork my endo runs? Cholesterol and lipids and all that? And checking your eyes and ears and reflexes? And listening to your organs? If that’s all it is, there’s no way I’m going.
That’s exactly what it is. All of the above.
It very much depends on your endo and GP. Some endos focus only on diabetes related care, some are more thorough. In men, for example, prostate exams are not generally part of an endo’s exam, but are likely part of a GP’s (in men over a certain age).
Generally, there is a lot of overlap and a regular physical is probably overkill, but it really varies from person to person and specific health situations.
I would love to see my internist the 3 times a year instead of my endo. She is a very intelligent MD and treated my diabetes for years and helped me with all my issues diabetic related or not. Now that I have been pumping for the last 4.5 years, she says she does not feel comfortable treating my diabetes as she is not knowledgeable about the pump. My point is that I go to the endo 3 times a year and then I don’t go to internist, because I am sick of seeing MD’s and then my other issues don’t get addressed, because the endo only treats the diabetes.
I saw the endo today and brought up a lot of issues and she said I should refer back to my primary for that, grrrrr.
Eye doctor once a year, but I have not gone for 2 years and that is my goal to accomplish before the year is done.
Oooo and a 6.6 today and she turned on my bolus wizard on my new pump that I was avoiding, geesh how simple was that, smacking myself.
She also suggested I revisit with the CDE to help with my lows and exercise, and how I am avoiding exercise and gaining weight. I told her I was always hungry and she said it is not the insulin floating around in me, but my anxiety about lows and that leads to emotional eating. Ahhhh!!!
I don’t go to my PCP unless I am sick for some reason that is not diabetes related. My endo does a complete blood work-up on me and all my other visits to specialists check me out too. So I figure that is as good as a physical. I just know that I don’t want to go to the doctor anymore than I have to.
Sometimes I think the Drs don’t know how much anxiety we have b/c of those low bs it is something that keeps me eating even if I don’t want to but when I went into the hospital last week from a really high bs I had lost 4 pounds. How did I do that? When I went to the DR a week before I had lost 3 and not even trying…well working out and all that stuff. It’s finally about 85 degrees here in TN and not in the triple didgets here and the humidity is ok so it’s time to get back out there!
I go to the endo once per year, and my internist about every 3-4 months. I also have a gyno I go to once per year, and my retinal specialist 2x per year.
I see a shrink maybe 3x per year unless we’re changing antidepressants.
If I should happen to get something where I need antibiotics, I go to urgent care.
Sorry, I didn’t read your entire question.
Seems like the whole concept of “yearly physical” has really faded. At my primary clinic, on a patient file, they have what tests need to be done at what interval - if you’ve me the requirements, then nothing more is done.
I’ve got the same problem as you. My endo only runs clinic on Wednesday mornings and I’ve had to skip classes to see her. Good thing they are lectures, so I can borrow notes from a friend. If they were tutorials I’d be in trouble.