Yearly Physical...

VIEJODINOSAUR · Jun 20, 2008

Just went to the Thailand hospital the other day and had a complete physical (nothing mental) Had everything checked and I am happy to know everything is OK...the hospital here is first rate and as clean as any in the states...the staff is professional and it took around 3.5 hours...they give you the findings the same day and also give you a CD...the cost? I paid 250 bucks for a complete examination and blood work. plus an eye examination...a doctor goes over the results with you at the end of the exam and tells you what you need to improve your health...just a reminder to us older guys to check ourselves every year.... :103631605

joeyfitzclick · Jun 20, 2008

I hope the guy with the plastic glove was gentle with you.

barman · Jun 20, 2008

Probably so. I've heard they have smaller index fingers Over There.

bookie · Jun 20, 2008

barman said:
Probably so. I've heard they have smaller index fingers Over There.

Barman, you crack me up.:missingte

bookie · Jun 20, 2008

bookie said:
Barman, you crack me up.:missingte

NO pun intended.

Dante · Jun 20, 2008

VIEJO DINOSAUR said:
Just went to the Thailand hospital the other day and had a complete physical (nothing mental) Had everything checked and I am happy to know everything is OK...the hospital here is first rate and as clean as any in the states...the staff is professional and it took around 3.5 hours...they give you the findings the same day and also give you a CD...the cost? I paid 250 bucks for a complete examination and blood work. plus an eye examination...a doctor goes over the results with you at the end of the exam and tells you what you need to improve your health...just a reminder to us older guys to check ourselves every year....

good advise Viejo... men must go once a year for the full physcial... but sad to say 90% do not go ..as they are either scared or in denial that they need it

max1234 · Jun 20, 2008

Viejo,

Glad to hear all is well... and the yearly thing is a wise investment.

wilheim · Jun 20, 2008

Very glad to hear you are in tip top shape...

Great job VD - smart move although proctology can get you're attention a bit more than a guy would like..

wil..::drink:

punter · Jun 20, 2008

I went for mine a few months ago.

Doc told me that if I didn't quit drinking that my life expectancy was months not years.

Thought about betting him that I could make it 2 years but discretion was the favorite over valor so I quit.

Feel a lot better but not as much sharper mentally as I expected.

texansfan · Jun 20, 2008

I believe you made the right decision punter. Have you been a life long drinker? If you have any children then you for sure made the right decision.

CapNCash · Jun 20, 2008

Yeah I had to quit drinking at 30. Something wrong with my pancreas. Triglycerides at 2500 when they were supposed to be under 150.

quantumleap · Jun 20, 2008

VIEJO DINOSAUR said:
Just went to the Thailand hospital the other day and had a complete physical (nothing mental) Had everything checked and I am happy to know everything is OK...the hospital here is first rate and as clean as any in the states...the staff is professional and it took around 3.5 hours...they give you the findings the same day and also give you a CD...the cost? I paid 250 bucks for a complete examination and blood work. plus an eye examination...a doctor goes over the results with you at the end of the exam and tells you what you need to improve your health...just a reminder to us older guys to check ourselves every year....

Good to hear Viejore. I just had mine last week and I'll be posting the results of the blood test in the Health and Fitness forum like I did last year.

Don't forget to have the colonoscopy if your'e 50 or older. I'll be getting one soon.

ParanoidAndroid · Jun 20, 2008

The yearly physical is solid advice. Way too many men skip it and end up with problems that are only serious because they LET them become serious.

texansfan · Jun 20, 2008

I get a yearly physical every August. I think what I would really like to have done is a stress test where they measure how blocked your arteries are. High cholesterol runs in my family.

GoSooners · Jun 20, 2008

texansfan said:
I get a yearly physical every August. I think what I would really like to have done is a stress test where they measure how blocked your arteries are. High cholesterol runs in my family.

Tim Russert had the stress test done just before he died..It didn't show anything abnormal..I recommend getting the full heart scan test..It only takes a couple minutes..Most big city hospitals carry this machine..It takes an x-ray of your upper body and spots literally every clogged artery of any kind around your heart. I had it done a few years ago and checked out alright..I'm going back again probably next year..They recommend having it done every 5 years. Your insurance doesn't cover the test..Last time I had it done it ran around $200. But it's worth it..The doctor will go through the results of the test with you after it's been done and tell you exactly where you stand..The doc told me that he's had people come in and get the test done, and were immediatly put into the hospital because of a 80% or more blockage in their arteries..That test has literally saved lives on the spot..If Russert had done this test instead of the stress test he would still be with us today.

texansfan · Jun 20, 2008

Yea sooners, $200 is definitely a small price to pay. Didn't Russert have something break loose in his arteries and it blocked his heart? I remember my wife telling me what happened but I can't recall exactly.

Thanks for the info, I'm definitely going to get one done.

GoSooners · Jun 20, 2008

texansfan said:
Yea sooners, $200 is definitely a small price to pay. Didn't Russert have something break loose in his arteries and it blocked his heart? I remember my wife telling me what happened but I can't recall exactly.

Thanks for the info, I'm definitely going to get one done.

Yeah, I believe Russert had a calcium deposit break off in his artery. The eye opening thing about this test is when your showed the picture of your heart you see literally every calcium deposit that is built up around the arteries of your heart..I only had something like a 30% blockage, which I think they told me was around normal for somebody my age..But it was still a little freightening to look at. It made me want to go home and naw on a celery stick instead of a Big Mac.

SportSavant · Jun 20, 2008

VIEJO DINOSAUR said:
Just went to the Thailand hospital the other day and had a complete physical (nothing mental) Had everything checked and I am happy to know everything is OK...the hospital here is first rate and as clean as any in the states...the staff is professional and it took around 3.5 hours...they give you the findings the same day and also give you a CD...the cost? I paid 250 bucks for a complete examination and blood work. plus an eye examination...a doctor goes over the results with you at the end of the exam and tells you what you need to improve your health...just a reminder to us older guys to check ourselves every year....

much much much better service than we get here with our apparently 'FREE" healthcare system.

Id much rather pay 250$ and get a thorough appointment, without having to sit in the waiting room for hours, and a rushed doctor who doesnt give two shits, coz he has to process so many patients in order to make a reasonable amount of money with what the government pays him for one patient.

Sure, I leave there without having spent 250$, but ive spent a heck of alot more than that in taxes and have basically received useless service.

In developping nations such as thailand, those without much cash are left behind, but those with cash or medical insurance get much better service than here in Canada.

quantumleap · Jun 20, 2008

GoSooners said:
Tim Russert had the stress test done just before he died..It didn't show anything abnormal..I recommend getting the full heart scan test..It only takes a couple minutes..Most big city hospitals carry this machine..It takes an x-ray of your upper body and spots literally every clogged artery of any kind around your heart. I had it done a few years ago and checked out alright..I'm going back again probably next year..They recommend having it done every 5 years. Your insurance doesn't cover the test..Last time I had it done it ran around $200. But it's worth it..The doctor will go through the results of the test with you after it's been done and tell you exactly where you stand..The doc told me that he's had people come in and get the test done, and were immediatly put into the hospital because of a 80% or more blockage in their arteries..That test has literally saved lives on the spot..If Russert had done this test instead of the stress test he would still be with us today.

I get an echo-chardiogram every 4 to 5 years. It's like an ultrasound of your heart except that it measures blood flow as well. I had a damaged heart valve when I was in 1st grade so they keep an eye on it to see if too much blood is leaking. It's almost healed itself. For the rest of you, a heart scan test like you mention would be sufficient.

As far as a stress test is concerned, my Mom had a stress test done (she's 74) and found that she needed a stint placed in her heart. My doctor said stress tests are only necessary for people with symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain or heart palpitations. Also, people over a certain age should get one as well.