canuckguy

Well I recently turned 30 and my wife has been on me to get a physical. She wants my cholesterol level checked (don't know my families history). I'm pretty health, rarely sick (shit should not have wrote that! better knock some wood), 6ft 170lbs, could lose a couple pounds i guess but i like my size since I use to be skinny all my teen years. I eat balanced meals, watch how much I eat and get alot of exercise taking care of my kid but not any programs.
The last physical I had was when I was playing hockey about 11 years ago so I am not sure what to expect? Any questions should I ask, or what tests should I be expecting/ask for. Any tips or info would be great. thanks!

pan6467

At your age you really are more into preventative than expecting. I'd ask for a blood test (a lot can be seen in that), if you are worried about your heart try a stress test, your lungs the breathing exercise and always have your prostate checked.

It really sounds like you should be good to go, especially if you don't smoke and eat meat in moderation.

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gonadman

Exam, fasting lipids, BP check. You don't need prostate checked until age 50, 45 if there is a family history. Stress test is usually only done(and only paid for by insurance) if there is an abnormal EKG and cardiac symptoms, as it is a very expensive test.

Nothing else really needed at this age unless the physical turns up anything abnormal

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-Carlos Castaneda

thingstodo

I think it is good to check the prostate at and after 40, not 50. They need to do a full CBC checking everything in your blood. Most tells them how all your organs are functioning. An EKG isn't bad just to begin developing a baseline for the future. Of course, they listen to everything inside. A stress test isn't needed but a lot of quality gyms have people on staff that can do this for you just to help you understand where to work your heart when you're doing cardio. Most people overwork, which does no good, and also do cardio without a heart monitor and so don't really know what they are doing to measure activity and results.

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raeanna74

Depending on your skin type. If you're fair skinned, and if you have any/many moles. Take note if they've changed size. They may check out any moles larger than a pencil eraser.

They will likely ask you questions about lifestyle and habits. Exercise, smoking, family status, stress levels, job situation - things that affect your stress and your emotional health. I personally especially want Thyroid (TSH and T3,T4) Hormone levels checked, and Iron/Anemia test done because I and my family have a history of problems in those areas. Also because I'm fair skinned they will check any moles that are larger than a pencil eraser. They have found moles that would have turned dangerous if not removed. At your age, depending on your skin type and how much you tan/have tanned, you should keep an eye on that.

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canuckguy

I do have alot of moles! I defo need to make sure he looks at them. Have not noticed any changes in any of them, but something to watch out for.

Thanks again everyone for all your input!

BigBen

Hahaha...

Brian, go to bed tonight and thank the Deity of your choosing that you live in Canada, where doctors exams and tests are free!

I would contact the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons and ask them if there is any public information they can provide about the doctor you are going to. They will tell you how long he (or she) has been in practice, what their specialization is, any reports of misconduct/discipline measures et cetera. You need to know what you are getting into. That information is free and public, and many people don't do this step out of laziness.

A CBC stands for "Complete Blood Count" and there is a whole lot of information about your circulatory system in that little test. Remember, that is only the blood talking.

A complete physical will include an EKG and a chest X-ray as well. Eye and ear exams, Oral and rectal. Yes, be prepared for the "Wandering Happy Finger": A rectal exam is not just to check your prostate, but for other abnormalities of the colon and anus. Dont scream "I'M NOT FORTY, GET THAT LUBED GLOVE OUT OF HERE, YOU QUACK" because there is a purpose to it.

If you are getting your cholesterol checked, they will tell you not to eat for 12 hours. That sucks.

Expect about 20-30 minutes of face time with the doc... if they miss something, ask. The human body is made up of many organs which are grouped into different systems. Respiratory, Circulatory, Digestive, Endocrine, Sensory, Reproductive, on and on.

Complete physical means just that. Head to toe. Bring any symptoms you have had in the last year to the docs attention. Dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, indigestion, blurred vision, headaches, diharea(sp?, 'the squirts') constipation, tingling in hands or feet, sharp or continuous pain anywhere.

Any medications you are on include multi-vitamins and other over-the-counter stuff. Tell the doc what you take.

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gonadman

There are literally thousands of tests that can be done, but the question is, are they needed? Prostate cancer is usually not seen until late 50's or early sixties so is prostate check needed at 40? Not according to the american cancer society. Chest X-ray? Again unless there are symptoms of a problem, the cumulative exposure to radiation on a yearly basis is not worth the rare x-ray that shows something. A physical is a general check up with attention/tests paid to specific complaints. It is not a fishing trip to perform every test you can think of, nor are the resources(wherever you live) available to do every test. That is why organizations such as the American Cancer Society list testing guidelines.

I have some experience in this area- as a family physician I perform 4-5 physicals a day.

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For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, ...breathlessly.
-Carlos Castaneda

canuckguy

you know this bugs me, sorry i have not been to a doctor in years, ALL I wanted was some general info as to what tests would be good for me at this age range. you know its not like i'm pushing someone with cancer out of the way so i can have a doctor look a fucking hang nail!
I never knew visiting a doctor every 20 years was such a terrible thing!

BigBen

Okay then, Gonadman, tell us;

When a company is paying for a full physical on one of their executives (mid 30's, male) and money is not an object, what tests do you perform, and in what order?

The full physical is needed for company insurance reasons.
Said person is an orphan and has no family history of anything.
Said person feels good now, and has had no reason to go to the doctor for in the past 10 years.
Said person has never had a full, complete physical.

I submit that the last full physical I had was a year ago. All of the tests I described above were performed. I felt that the exam was complete in every aspect (sometimes too complete ) and the information provided to me was clear and appropriate.

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gonadman

First of all, let me clear something up. Money is not part of the decision making as I get paid the same no matter who I examine or what their insurance is- that amount is based on the government Medicare rate.

Next, to make an analogy, when I get my car inspected yearly, I can get new tires, change the oil, new battery, etc. but is it all necessary? Some things are more important than others, and we need to decide what is necessary and what is not according to evidence based medicine.

Evidence based medicine is now the prime determinant of how medicine is practiced today. If one thousanth of one percent of all persons aged 30 had a heart attack, should we stress test everyone? Of course, that tiny minority who had the heart attack would say yes, but since we do not live in a vaccuum, we know the tens of millions of dollars those stress tests cost could better be applied to malaria medications in a third world country and perhaps save thousands, maybe tens of thousands of lives. That is why a discussion such as this needs to address the resources available as a limiting factor to what is ordered.

Getting back to your question, a mid thirties male without complaints should have a good physical examination as you mentioned but without the rectal. Fasting bw for trig, chol, LDL, HDL. I usually add homocysteine and C-reactive protein levels as independant risk factors for heart disease. Discussion regarding diet, exercise, tobacco, alcohol, and safe sex, and the importance of yearly physicals.

What we do during the physical depends on age, sex, family history, prior personal history and risk taking behaviour(IV drugs for instance). This exam is for the healthiest segment and certainly is not a guide for all 30ish men.

And why does this discussion bug you Brian? It is certainly appropriate you get a physical. I think the last couple paragraphs would be a good guide as far as what would be done for you( I would ask for the homocysteine and CRP)

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For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, ...breathlessly.
-Carlos Castaneda

canuckguy

thanks for the great info and comments. The discussion of getting a physical does not bother me, it was your comment that seem to suggest I was wasting the doctors time in getting one as i am healthy. And your assumption that i wanted all the tests that people listed above done to me is false. I merely asked what tests I should expect to get. Meaning what should i be mentally prepared for and physically, as I am not looking forward to going. As for the test, if I was single I would not be going, but my wife wants me to get one. And our couch is really not comfortable to sleep on.

gonadman

Thank God for caring wives

__________________
For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, ...breathlessly.
-Carlos Castaneda