Let's compare notes
By solxee
@sol_cee (38224)
Philippines
July 5, 2017 9:40am CST
Health is wealth, goes the old adage. But with the yearly physical checkup coming soon, I found some of my coworkers grumbling about it. Made me wonder why so I unleashed my inner Sherlock and digged a little. And now the curious cat wants to share my anxiety to all of you.
Apparently in Japan, (or maybe in other countries too), as one gets older, more tests are required by the doctor. Forget about the 'standard' medical checkup we are familiar with but rather more in-depth procedures which my coworkers describe as an ordeal they have to undertake. Year after year after year. I can name a few but the one that really scares me the most is this stomach camera that is inserted through the nose (or mouth) which goes down the throat. Yikes! I can imagine myself choking!
Anyhow, the company will shoulder the expenses. All I gotta do is to let the doctor dissect me and pray I live another year or so. Dreadful thinking.
What's a yearly medical checkup like in your country? Let's compare notes.
Photo is from Google.
20 people like this
18 responses
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
5 Jul 17
There is nothing "mandatory" in our country, there are some tests that the doctors suggest after 50 years, like blood test, stool analysis, mammogram for woman, prostate exams for men. We have at home the small thing to test blood pressure.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45125)
• Canada
28 Jul 17
I'm retired and so unless I go to the doctor no medical checkup is required. By the way, a few years back I had the procedure you describe and I them knock me out as I would have choked for sure.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45125)
• Canada
28 Jul 17
@sol_cee I had a serious acid reflux problem and a change in diet helped a lot but I still have to keep an eye on the problem.
@sol_cee (38224)
• Philippines
28 Jul 17
@1hopefulman your health-related posts make sense now.
1 person likes this
@Genipher (5405)
• United States
9 Jul 17
Pshaw. We don't bother going to the doctor unless there's something wrong. No need to expose ourselves to germs unnecessarily!
I am so glad check-ups aren't mandatory here in the U.S. Well, unless a person is going out for sports or, perhaps, for life insurance purposes. Then it's required.
1 person likes this
@manasamanu (3746)
• Bangalore, India
5 Jul 17
The medical check up here is to check BP, sugar, and some other examines too as for I know. Not really much I know about it. But it is really essential to get the whole body checked and stay fit for the whole Year.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
25 Jul 17
Oh, that is endoscopy. My hubby, my boyfriend then had a problem of bad breath. So we went to Chinese General Hospital and he had this endoscopy. It was then so choking. I felt bad for hubby when that stethoscope thing was inserted into his stomach through his mouth. He was made to lie on his side, with a tray to catch his saliva while that thing is in his mouth.
Physical examination here depends upon the Health care provider. It could be as simple as an x-ray , 2D echo and blood chem. But others have treadmill exams, 2D echo and ultrasound for the stomach and a lot more.
Yaiks I don't want endoscopy. But I salute Japan for having a through examination of employees.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70040)
• United States
25 Jul 17
It is non existent for me here as I do not have money to get this done. So oh well, going to pass away without doctors checking me out.
1 person likes this
@jobelbojel (34731)
• Philippines
8 Jul 17
Yesterday I completed my Annual Physical Exam. Urine, BP check, Eye Check-up, physical exam, ECG (oppps! I'm getting old) blood extraction and lastly X-ray. Unfortunately, the x-ray apparatus stopped working. My colleagues told me not to go down to the mobile xray because I will wasting my time.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
11 Jul 17
I don't think there are mandatory procedures for the elderly here, only the ones they opt to undergo or as suggested by the doctors.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
25 Jul 17
@sol_cee It can be both. But no one seems to be complaining about it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul 17
I don't think there are any checks like this in Australia unless you want them. Of course for some occupations you might need checks. Vince has to have regular checks because he has a licence to drive a large vehicle but also has diabetes. I think you might need eyesight checks once you reach the age of 80 and still want to drive a car.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
24 Jul 17
Oh dear. That camera thing sounds invasive. At least your company pays for it, but still. Here a yearly physical is height and weight, blood pressure, chat about your health and then a detailed exam of your.... uh..... undercarriage. Not fun, not too bad compared to the stomach camera though
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20272)
•
7 Jul 17
Never have to go thru that stomach checking procedure before so I wouldn't know (let hope I will never have to experience that), but it sounds terribly awful. Lots of fasting prior to that I assume?
My doctor only checks my blood pressure, doing a normal blood test and that was it (normal routine check up).
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66861)
• Philippines
6 Jul 17
that is endoscopy - the EGD (esophagogastroduodenoscopy) wherein the tube is inserted through the mouth down to the esophagus to the upper part of the stomach. here in the hospital where i work, when the elderly needs to undergo an executive check-up, he should be asked if he wants to undergo EGD because it may be harmful to his health.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22932)
• India
6 Sep 17
My college does not have any yearly medical plans...So you have all these hospitals offering full health check up at discounted rates etc.
Hubby's co has this yearly check up for its employees though .