What is your attitude to physical health abnormalities?

I do some research on the web. I wat to see if it resolves itself. If necessary, I go to the doctor. I don’t worry about it though.

I generally wait until I’m really sick to go to the doctor. More often than not things pass in a few days. I don’t ever look stuff up on WebMD or Google though because I don’t feel like spending the afternoon reading about how I have cancer, lukemia or some rare and exotic disease.

I’m not a panicky type, I also am pretty medical savvy and know whether or not something needs immediate attention. I had my first ever, gallbladder attack a month ago and was pretty sure that was what was going on. I waited 3 days until the pain was really getting to me ( I have a high pain threshold ) then went to the ER. Had an ultra sound and CT scan, no stones, no sludge, most likely just a flare up because I had over indulged while out of town on a little girl party get away in Tahoe that weekend.

I ate a lot of rich food and fat which I usually don’t and that set it off.
I am getting a Hida scan this next week just to be sure there are no blockages but I am not worried. I worry much more about the animals than myself.
Last week we tried a new pain medication on our old, crippled and blind goose and he turned blue!

His entire beak and knob were blue! He has a heart murmur too and even at a low dose this medication was too much. I think he was so stoned that his circulation was slowed down and he had been lying on his pillow on the porch too long without moving because he was out of it on the drugs.
I went out several times during the night to check on him and he was fine.

Never again poor little guy!

As a 61-year old male who takes zero daily medications, almost no pain relievers, and has a relatively wide range of motion and no particular disabilities – I can’t do all of the things that I used to do, or for as long as I used to do them (that’s not a veiled reference to sex, but I have no problems there), and I do tire while shoveling snow or mowing the lawn, etc. – I still have near-daily “physical abnormalities”.

“Stuff happens” all the time, but in general it’s stuff that has already happened, and I lived through it then without awful pain or permanent deformity, so if there isn’t significant pain involved then I just let it run its course. Pain, though, pain that won’t go away or resolve itself in a day or two, that will send me for treatment. Toothaches sooner than most other pain, to be specific.

The best example of my attitude is from 12 years ago when I had abdominal pain and felt like I had some intense constipation. Nothing worked: prunes, laxatives, fiber, water. But I did go to work.

The next day was worse, called in sick. But no doctor.

The third day I woke very early, and told my then wife I had to see the Doctor. She called and got a midday appointment. About 9 am she walked in to the bedroom and saw mo in absolute agony, and said “we’re going to the doctor now, not later.

I had appendicitis.

So I tend to defer concern until it gets really bad.

At this point I know the things happening in my body pretty well. I have good idea when something is a problem I can’t handle on my own and in that situation I get help fast. Delaying might mean ending up in excruciating pain later. But I’m also pretty good at handling things on my own now. Usually when I go into the hospital or my doctor’s office I am going in to ask for something that I know I need. It’s been long time since I’ve gone in not knowing what was happening.

At my age, as long as I recognize the acronyms, I skip the doctor’s and continue to try to eat well, lose more weight, exercise moderately, and stay cheerful. (Tooth problem is the exception.) I take no meds. and forget the D3, B12 and Omega-3 half the time.

Old friends;

PND
DDD
GERD
BPPV
PTSD
HPV
OA

It depends what kind of “abnormality” it is. If it falls within the category of things I understand and can take care of myself, I do that. If it’s something I understand, but can’t deal with myself, I make an appointment. If it’s something I don’t understand, I’ll do a bit of research, then probably make an appointment depending on what I find out.

I don’t really “worry” about this sort of thing. Since I’m in Canada, I have no reason to avoid seeing my GP; she’s there to help me deal with whatever medical ailment I might have. I’d far rather err on the side of caution, instead of potentially letting a situation get worse. And I’m prepared to listen to her advice; I don’t get stressed out that she will have missed something, or spend hours on the internet looking for problems I don’t have.

I’ve been to the ER on only a couple of occasions, for stitches or a tetanus shot; once for a migraine, because I’d never had one before – it was affecting my vision, and I didn’t know what it was.

^ Totally agree with @dappled_leaves. It depends on what the ‘abnormality’ is. If the problem is something like a cold or a bit of a stomach upset, I’ll ride it out. If it’s an ache or niggling pain, I might look on the net to see if I can find some information about how I can resolve it. If it’s something I’m concerned about prior to doing research or after, I’ll make an appointment to see my doctor. If it’s something that I feel needs immediate attention, say extreme pain, I’ll go to the ER.

As with @dappled_leaves and her experience in Canada, I’m in Australia. I can visit a doctor with no out-of-pocket cost. I don’t have to worry about whether I should visit a doctor. Despite the ease of access to a doctor, people don’t abuse the option. They just know it’s available if necessary. I only go to the ER if I’ve got a broken bone, or I’m experiencing pain that is extreme and seems urgent and/or of a type that could indicate a serious problem requiring immediate attention. I don’t want to tie up health resources that are designed for emergency care with minor ailments.

I keep it to myself, unless I can’t stand it any longer or I know that my parents are gonna find out someday. If its something I can probably fix, (like something under your skin that i can scratch off) then I would try. I’d call the doctor if theres nothing I can do.

I will home-treat and ride it out if its something like a cold/flu/allergies/upset stomach/muscular or joint aches and pains. If it’s anything related to my bladder I will go in straight away because my bladder is seriously broken and any problems there will need immediate attention. Ditto if I get stomach ulcer pain again – that pain was totally unique and I would recognise it immediately if it happened again. For anything else, I’ll research first, and go in or not based on what I discover.

I cannot trust my senses, nor more often than not my reasoning. I don’t have to be pretty but I demand functionality. My first reaction is to make myself comfortable, it’s the best way I know how to stay out of trouble. 2–3 days later I’ll see my GP.

I realize weight is a very important, just a couple pounds makes a difference in the impact of your feet while walking. It displaces internal organs and can ruin posture. The climbing obesity rates are well known.
However, there is something of a mass hysteria going on. I came across this one user, not on here, that had made an extensive list on why it’s a personal burden to be fat. Assuming he’s fit, why does he sit down with pad and pen and ponder this. The hysteria is propagated in many ways, not the least shadowing the seven deadly sins. Sloth and Gluttony. So now it’s a moral issue.
It’s totally turned me off to the point were I dream of sitting down with a 40 oz. of Colt .45 and a dozen Twinkies.