Getting an annual physical at the doctors

[EddieWalker]

Dealing with my Brother and my Dad's passing in the last two years, I've found that ten copies of the Death Certificate is more then enough. I scanned them into the computer and used those copies to send in the mail to most of the people wanting money. Everyone I met in person made a copy and gave it back to me. The few places that required an original be mailed to them, mailed it back. I can't think of any place that kept one. Even the lawyers made copies and gave back the originals. With my brother, I think I paid for 20 of them. With my dad, I we paid for ten and still have most of them, if not all of them. Having extra is nice when you mail them off, so you still have some with you. But you really only need one when you go to the bank, or wherever. They take it, scan it, and give it back to you.

 

[MattB4]

I understand why they don't want you driving, but why can't I take a taxi? When I had prostrate surgery I rented a motel in town, dropped my truck off for warranty work then took a cab to and from the hospital. He even stopped by the pharmacy so that I could pick up meds.
...

Heck if the medical people weren't so stuck in a simplistic mindset they would arrange to transport a person to a local hotel afterwards for those not having a driver available and living a considerable distance from town. There are solutions but there is no desire for them to make any available.

I think a lot of it is the fact the medical establishment does not understand that they are a business with customers. They figure the customer needs them therefore they do not need to provide a good experience. They can keep you waiting hours but heaven forbid you do not show up 15 minutes before your appointment.

 

[MossRoad]

During my annual checkup, I got the referral for the colonoscopy. My goal is to get one done this year; I've been avoiding it for years.

I doesn't hurt. It isn't even uncomfortable... because you're knocked out!

The worst part of it is the prep. If you every had a really bad case of diarrhea, that's about it the night before.

The benefits of early detection well outweigh the one day of sitting on the can.

 

[EddieWalker]

I did my first and only colonoscopy in Jan of 2020. The juice that I had to drink the night before wasn't horrible. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad enough to complain about it. Kind of a chalky flavor to it.

Probably the only thing that was kind of annoying was having everyone involved come over to talk to me and ask the same questions. I think they did this four times with four different people.

Once I was in the room, and they where ready, I went to sleep and woke up in another room all refreshed. No pain, nothing uncomfortable. I couldn't tell that anything had happened at all.

My wife drove me home, and I did stuff around the house that day. I think the results came in fairly quickly. It was all good, and I should come back for another one in ten years. So in 2030, I'll do it again.

There isn't any reason not to get one, it's quick, simple, easy and very beneficial.

 

[ultrarunner]

I really wonder why such a draconian policy about this seems to infect the medical world. It has stopped me from ever getting the procedure though I tried a few work arounds and just ended cancelling from the age of 50 till 65 and still have not had it done. It is stupid bureaucratic nonsense.

5 seconds after, the supposedly responsible adult you brought with you could hand you the car keys and off you go. However if you could arrange a taxi to pick you up they would know that a responsible driver was involved. Or if they would simply allow you to recover for several hours in a the waiting room and than decide if you appear able to function. Sign a liability Waiver that covers the facility.

Luckily my family history has no one ever getting colon cancer so I can risk it more than most and simply keep getting the stool sample test. But I imagine this policy is causing cancers to go unchecked simply because of it.

It’s for all procedures with general anesthesia.

Similar to laws applying to host or bartender when a person’s capacity is diminished and no preventative action taken.

It’s a combination of standard of care combined with minimizing liability.

Anyone crafty enough can come up with a work around… and my suspicion is it happens all the time…

A second somewhat related is once anesthesia administered the patient can easily claim diminished capacity… and would be correct… so anything signed or actions taken would come into question.

Things happen… a patients ride was in a traffic accident and there was no alternative so plan B was to keep patient long enough for the effects to wear off and Doctor cleared.

Only once did we call the police… patient was out of control and insisted he was driving home and got in his car, drove over curbs and landscape… police cited for under the influence and he claimed we should not have let him leave???

Short of restraints or medicating no way can 100 lb nurse or nurses safely prevent a 6’4” 280 lb man from walking out the door?

Just an aside… last week the son of an 85 year old cataract patient returned to the hospital asking why his mother did not have surgery?

Mom said they gave me some eye drops and sent me home… patient has no recall of the procedure whatsoever…

 

[Jstpssng]

I think the results came in fairly quickly

I knew before I left the hospital... actually, the doctor told me the results before the anesthesia had worn off.
When it came time to leave I was walked out by a cute black girl and we had a conversation about camping. That's what I remember the most about the entire process, except for sitting on the toilet reading a book until the time came for another drink.
As somebody else said it really wasn't THAT bad tasting... but for the second half of the gallon it was like drinking sandpaper.

 

[RandyT]

I did my first and only colonoscopy in Jan of 2020. The juice that I had to drink the night before wasn't horrible. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad enough to complain about it. Kind of a chalky flavor to it.

Probably the only thing that was kind of annoying was having everyone involved come over to talk to me and ask the same questions. I think they did this four times with four different people.

Once I was in the room, and they where ready, I went to sleep and woke up in another room all refreshed. No pain, nothing uncomfortable. I couldn't tell that anything had happened at all.

My wife drove me home, and I did stuff around the house that day. I think the results came in fairly quickly. It was all good, and I should come back for another one in ten years. So in 2030, I'll do it again.

There isn't any reason not to get one, it's quick, simple, easy and very beneficial.

My dad went through it twice. The first time he couldn't eat 24 hours prior to the procedure and had to do the drink prep. the started the procedure and determined that the prep wasn't adequate so they had to cancel the procedure and reschedule a new procedure with a 48 hour no eat before the procedure and the drink prep again.

 

[Oaktree]

During my annual checkup, I got the referral for the colonoscopy. My goal is to get one done this year; I've been avoiding it for years.

My wife avoided getting one for years, finally (mostly to appease me) she had her doctor order a Cologard kit. It came back positive, so she had to get a colonoscopy anyway. Fortunately, the cancerous polop was in the very early stages, and they were able to remove it successfully, but now she has to get one every 5 years.
I've come back clean every time and the doctor said given my age (73) and lack of any history of cancer on either side of my family I shouldn't need to get another one.

My wife devised a good trick for the prep. Contrary to the instructions, why of course.

The instructions said to mix the nasty Fleet formula in a huge amount of water-- like 1 to 2 gallons. Then drink the entire contents of the putrid nasty water, with each sip nearly provoking a barf. No way.

She said "screw that." Put the entire nasty formula in a glass, since it is only a small amount. Add only a small amount of water, and chug it rapidly like a big shooter. Once it is down, the trouble part is done. Then simply drink the remaining water, over time, which is easy since it is untainted and normal tasting.

The gastroentrologist we see doesn't use that stuff anymore, instead he has patients get a couple bottles of Miralax, and drink it with Gatorade (no red or purple flavors). Not that Gatorade tastes all that great either, but it's better than the prescription stuff.

 

[MossRoad]

I recall laying on my side in the procedure room. They were going to start the procedure. The anesthesiologist said you may feel a bit warm. I said I don't feel any different than I did 10 minutes ago. She said that's ok. Mr Moss, It's over.

I was in a different room and my wife was sitting in a chair laughing at me because I was passing so much gas. I felt like I just had the best sleep of my life. We had to hang around for about 1/2 and hour before they let us leave. Wife drove us to a local restaurant, we split a large sub sandwich, then drove a couple hours to a casino, spent an hour gambling, drove around a nice lake and park, and came home.

I've had worse days in my life!

 

[Oaktree]

I really wonder why such a draconian policy about this seems to infect the medical world. It has stopped me from ever getting the procedure though I tried a few work arounds and just ended cancelling from the age of 50 till 65 and still have not had it done. It is stupid bureaucratic nonsense.

Personally, I never thought it was that big of a deal. When I was single, I'd just ask a friend do the honors.