Hi. I just turned 18 last week and had a question. Actually I realized that I have not had a "real" physical or check up or anything like that since I was last 5 years old. I have had physicals for like school sports and stuff that need papers signed for, but those I believe are not complete physicals cause it's just basically checking to see if ur heart and lungs, and ears and stomach are fine. I don't think I've had a urine/blood test since I was last five...or anything like that for awhile. The thing is I still have a pediatrition because just recently I turned 18. My pediatrition is always super busy so it's not like I've really gotten to talk to her or anything at all. So I was talking to my mother telling her I need to find a new doc because I am no longer a pediatrics case anymore. And she just basically said not many people have regular general/family practioners and that I really don't need one cause I don't get sick. But for me, I'd really like to find a nice doctor that I can get to know, and that can get to know me, so I can see them regularly when I need to. Because I'm still 18 and am still a college student, I don't have my own insurance or anything so all of my doctors visits and stuff are billed to my father, and my insurance is the one that my father's company provides, so I can't just go all out on my own and hunt, cause then they'd end up with a bill and ask why I went and stuff. I'm not sick or anything at all, I don't drink, have sex, smoke none of that bad stuff. I just like to know what's going on with my body and myself. So what approach should I take to this? Thanks so much in advance.

Sounds as though you have two objectives: a) getting a baseline of your health; and, b) getting your own doctor. Here are some ideas/arguments:

Baseline -

Despite the expense, having baseline readings [while healthy] can be very valuable information should you become ill. This is especially true if there is a family history of a specific illness or condition. The medical community is on record as saying that it encourages early detection for the purpose of obtaining optimal results as well as for the reduction of the TOTAL cost of therapy. To achieve this, ideally you should have a baseline as well as regular follow-ups. ['Baseline' ties in very neatly with the concept of 'continuity of care', a health policy buzz word that has emerged within the past five years.]

Getting your own doctor -
In the U.S. and Canada, adults [families] are encouraged to have a family doctor for two key reasons: 1) to provide continuity of care and 2) to reduce the burden on hospitals, esp. ERs.

Baseline, again -
If you're into policy debates, you might posit that your need for a personal medical baseline is analogous to the Bush administration's argument to the U.N. re:Iraq's inspection compliance, i.e. one cannot know what the situation truly is if one does not inspect it.


[This message has been edited by Jay Tor (edited 09-17-2002).]

I totally agree with Jay Tor. You don't know if there is anything wrong until you get checked out! To give you an example, a very good friend of mine is 21 and just stopped seeing a pediatrician (a little late in life, but OK). It wasn't until he got to see a General Practicioner that he found out that he has hypothyroidism. He didn't know anything was wrong with him, but the doctor did some basic blood tests that were all part of his physical, and he found out that he has this disease and needs to take medication for it.

Plus, now that you are 18 you need to start taking charge of your own health. It is no longer up to your mom to see to it that you go to the dr, etc... You said that you don't think you have seen a dr since you were about 5 years old except for school physicals, right? Have you had all of your vaccinations and booster shots? I think it is very important that you find a good General Practicioner now, when you are healthy so that you are already familiar with each other, and if you ever do get sick you have somebody to rely on that you can trust. Plus, you want to establish yourself as a patient in that office so that if you ever do need to see the doctor, you can get an appointment right away. Ask around to your friends to see what doctors they all go to, and get some recommendations. Even though you have health insurance through your parents, they still do not have the right to tell you when you are allowed to see a doctor. And if you have insurance, your parents don't have to pay anything except their monthly premiums, regardless of whether or not you see a doctor. You might just have to pay a co-payment when you go to the office. But $10 or $15 is not too much to pay for good health and peace of mind.

Your mom said that not many people have a General Practicioner? Mostly EVERYBODY has a GP. Does your mom also skip on her dental cleanings and gynecological exams? If she follows the same reasoning for that aspect of her health, then if she doesn't feel there is anything wrong, she probably doesn't go for any of that either.

Hi, thanks for the replies...ummm JayTor kind of confused me...haha but it's all good. Ummm I do know for a fact that we have Co-Pay, cause when I was chosing an allergist I got to do it off of a list...haha, and luckily I ended up with a very nice allergist. I had to do the same with my optometrist, and once again I luckily ended up with a very nice optometrist...maybe I just have a knack for chosing off lists? Lol... I have been doing my own research on Family Doctors though actually, because I'm quite picky and prefer female doctors (sorry male docs, but I'm a female so I feel more comfortable with female docs).
My only issue is that I would like to find a good family practioner in my area. But I am moving to college this weekend...sooo I'm going to be a bit of a ways away if I chose a doctor in my area (by a bit meaning like an hour plus). Sooo I haven't a clue how I would end up finding a new doc, and making sure they take new patients...and I probably have to call my pediatrition and get all my medical records? See lol, I have not an idea how to do this...
Oh and my mom does go to the dentist every 6 months like she is suppose to...but I am SURE she hasn't seen an OB/GYN since she last had my brother...12 years ago? My dad has actually been telling her that she should go and stuff...but also again I am 18...so I feel that I should go as well, but I'm not going to go tell my FATHER that I should see an GYN...anyway I'm babbling, and I'm lost...haha...so thanks for any help/advice you are giving me!!!

A general practice doc can handle all of your health needs including your GYN needs. While you are in college if you live on campus you will be using their medical services so you won't have much choice in the matter. You do still need to find a good doc at home though so ask around and see what doc your friends recommend or if you feel comfortable asking an older family friend ask them. Do you know anyone who works in the hospital or clinic near you? They can always tell you what is good about certain doctors. As for getting your medical records transferred you have to do that in person and sign a release form. As for getting an exam yes you would be wise to do this while you are still home and while you are at it why not mention to your mother that you are scheduling an exam and wondered if it was almost time for HER to schedule her yearly exam.

Hi, thanks...umm let's see I don't think I'll be utilizing the Medical Center at college unless I get really sick or need a prescription or something. Just to schedule regular exams and all, I can come home, since I am like an hour away...depending on traffic, sometimes not even an hour away...I just need to find a way to get home...haha. But I'm still lost at how to approach this.

Do you mean you are lost as to how to approach it with your mother and tell her that you are going to be seeing a doctor? Or do you mean you are lost in that you don't know what doctor to go to and how to go about setting up an appointment, dealing with the insurance company, etc...

And mlgable is right, just because you are going to be away at school that does not mean that you shouldn't have a good doctor at home to rely on. Actually, if you use the health services at school, you will probably not be seeing a doctor very much, but rather a nurse practicioner (one step below a doctor, they can diagnose and treat illnesses under the direction of a doctor). Most of the time the school will have one or two days a week where you can set up an appointment to see the doctor on staff if you really need to. When I was away at school I was in the same boat that you will be in. I was about an hour away. I had my own doctor at home, but when I was away at school and I got sick, I went to the health center and they were pretty good. Of course, if they diagnosed me with something, I always spoke with my own doctor or his nurse practicioner after getting the diagnosis.

The benefit to being away at school will be that you can see their nurse practicioners and doctors without having to discuss it with your parents first! Most of the time you can just call and say that you are sick and they will see you within a few hours. If you make all of the copayments on your own and you have full insurance coverage, your mom can't say anything.

It is good that you want to take such a pro-active approach with your health. By the way, did you need to get a physical exam for college, and if so, who filled that out for you? Do you have all of your hepatitis vaccinations? Because some colleges require that you have that. If you don't, you can just get them at their health center.

Good luck with college and keep us posted! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Hi! Thanks for all the replies! Umm lemme see I don't know how to approach this meaning all of the above? (That Purple states). I have tried looking for a doctor in my area by searching in yellow pages, and also on AMA Physician's search, but all I can really tell by searching on that is where they went to school, and when they graduated and stuff. Sometimes there is even no phone number. That's basically how I've been conducting my search and stuff, but I have no idea what they're insurance plan is and all (I need a PPO).
I did have to get some vaccination and papers signed for college. I got the meningitis vaccination, and I also got the Hepatitis A (first one) vaccination. Also I did opt to get a physical, but it was seriously nothing. It was not even 5 mins...and all it was, was my stomach, spine, heart n lungs, ears n throat...something like that a school nurse can do...(lol sorry I had no other examples). I am up to date on all my vaccinations because I make sure that I am, and me and my friends talk about it...haha (we are not that weird...). But yeah that's it basically. Like my pediatrition used to prescribe antibiotics over the phone and stuff even for my ear infections, so I rarely saw her. I saw her when I was young alot because I used to dislocate my elbow, and get sick alot. And I got a complete physical when I was 5 for kindergarten, and after that I think I went when I was...8, or 9 for a bad ear infection...and uhhh when i was 15 for a school sports physical...yeah that's serisouly about it. But anyway now that you know my medical history...hahaha, that's about it. Thanks for all the help!

Okay...it's late I know...haha...I actually finally found a Family Practitioner that I might like. I was doing this huge online search, and finally came accross someone that I will (A) Probably feel comfortable talking to (B) Probably feel comfortable seeing (C) That is of similar race to me (half Asian . . . I am part Asian, so it makes me feel comfortable to know that they know about Asian herritage and stuff). I guess for me it's a huge comfort issue as I found out while searching...I remember going to an allergist once after breaking out in a rash...I didn't really feel comfortable with her so I barely talked...but then again that was years ago...Anywho yeah I have searched and found someone that I will possibly like...Now what? Can I call the office up and find out about the insurance they take, stuff like that? Do I have to schedule an appoitment with her considering i'll be a new patient? Whoa...so lost...hehehe maybe tired...anyway thanks so much for everything!

How can you be sure you will be comfortable or if this doc is any good when you haven't heard anything about them? A better approach is to ask people you know who a good doctor in your area is and stick with someone that others are comfortable with. Once you do decide on a doc call the clinic to see if this doctor is accepting new patients. If they do then let the appointment desk know that you wish to change to this doctor and that you will get your records transfered over and that you would like to make and appointment for a complete physical including a pap and pelvic exam. Then you need to head over to your old docs office and sign the release to transfer your medical records to the new doctors office. Just out of curiousity I assume to do not like the doc that your parents use?

Yeah I don't like the doctor that my parents rarely use when they get sick...Like I told my mother that I would never see him unless I am on my deathbed or something...I've met him a few times, and just something about him makes me feel uncomfortable...uneasy, kind of like...does this guy really know what he is doing? I have asked around my friends about their docs and some of them still go to a pediatrition because they're pediatrition accepts patients until they are 21. For others, some go to male docs, and I'm not too keen about having a male as a doctor. Other than that alot of my friends have doctors in their family (mom, dad, uncle, aunt, grandparent), so they just reffer to them, even if they are a specialty doctor. So my friends haven't really been of much help...haha. I've done mostly everything looking for someone, so I think I'll have to go on word of mouth or gut instinct...cause for my eye doc and my allergist it was completley random as well the way they were chosen and they are great.
If I do transfer doctors, do I need to schedule an appointment with them? Do I have to get a physical? I just got a college physical from my pediatrition back in June, but then again as I have said, I didn't feel it was very thorough. It'll just be really hard for me to schedule something considering that I will be going to college this weekend, and I am dorming, but I am planning to come home on weekends and stuff. Anyway I am going to call this doc and see if she even still works there and also if she is accepting new patients. Thanks for all your help!

Sorry about the confusion - you wanted a step-by-step guide and I gave you a policy position.

According to the information at this link, your first step should be to contact your HMO and find out which doctors are on their list.
http://www.denison.edu/economics/consumerecon-2001/FindingaFamilyDoctor.htm

Okay here's what really sucks...the doctor that I found that I wanted to see moved...so she's like in a place 2 hrs away now...so that's out of the question...I STILL cannot find anyone at all...I'm lookin. The nurse at my docs office recommended a person so imma look into that. Oh yeah and JayTor, we don't have HMO, we have PPO, thanks anyway!

You do not need to have a physical right away but the reason I suggested one with your new doc is because you are 18 now and need a pap and pelvic exam. I assumed you would probably get this done when you found a new doc so that it was out of the way for the year and you wouldn't have to think about it till next year again.

Wouldn't one want to see an ob-gyn for a pap and pelvic though?? I mean, I know that GPs can do them, but don't most women see an ob-gyn for that stuff?? I would not feel comfortable allowing my GP to do a pelvic and a pap on me. No way! Anyway, that's just my opinion. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Isn't there a phone number similar to that 1-800 number for dentists, that you can use to find a doctor?

Picking from a list or from the phone book has also worked extrmemely well for me too. Although I don't recommend it, my family and I have had A LOT of luck doing that! Lemme see, my mom picked my allergist from the back of a book about allergies (list of contributors) and he has been absolutely wonderful, I've been with him for about 15 years. Then about 12 years ago my brother needed an appendectomy, and we had just switched to a new insurance company and my parents didn't know ANY of the doctors. So my mom just took out the provider book and looked for a name that she liked. It turns out that she picked the chief of surgery. Then, this is the best one of all, sometime last year I started having itchy eyes. My regular ophthalmologist had been on vacation and wasn't going to be back for 2 weeks. So I took out the phone book and found an ad for an office with about 5 doctors. I figured that I was bound to get an appointment! I got in to see them within the hour, and it turns out that I could not have made a better choice. My new ophthalmologist (well, he's not so new anymore!) is a corneal specialist, one of the only ones in my area, and it turns out that is exactly who I needed to see! And he has been so wonderful, I have been his patient ever since and I would never go to anybody else ever again.


So as you can see, picking a dr out of the phone book is not such a terrible thing. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wink.gif I mean, if you go to a new dr and you don't like her, you can always go to somebody else. There is nothing that says you absolutely have to stick with this dr forever.

Good luck in college!
Elyse

P.S. Me and my friends (I'm 21) talk about medical stuff all the time, so you are not weird!

[This message has been edited by purple2067 (edited 09-19-2002).]

Well let me see I actually did pop a few names out of the phone book...more like off this website, it's really good, I reccomend it to people, it like tells you about the doctor, and it has reccomendations people can make about the doctor and all. So I just basically kind of picked and chose of that, I ended up with like 7... then I narrowed it down to about 4 based on their age, what college, where they are located, how much info I have on them. Oh yeah the website is located here: http://www.webmd.thehealthpages.com/
So now it's narrowed down to four...I put them in order of choice, so incase one of them isn't accepting new patients or doesn't take my dad's insurance plan then I can go down the list. I had a hard time chosing between my first and second choice, but I decided by location, and school, and age. Anyway...lol blabbing on...
I haven't told my mother about my madd search, and I do want to call them and ask them if they are taking new paitents and everything, so I might just do it in my own and tell my mom later that I found a doc and they are accepting me. I mean I do have to take my 18 year old stand...and act like an adult...lol. I think I'll call tomorow because she won't be home in the morning, and I also have all the information about our insurance plan so that'll help me as well.
About the...female reproductive organ exam...do most family/general practioners do one? I was wondering about that...cause I know if they don't they'll probably tell me to get one...but the thing is that my dad gets the bills...yeah and my NAME would be on it...so it's just a BIT embarassing...cause he might think I'm having sex or something maybe...but yeah my dad gets the bills that has everything that was done written...sooo...Anywho, everything one step at a time...I just need to gain my independence...I'm the first child out of two and am the only daughter, so I think it's hard for my parents to see my growing up making my own choices...they will have to adjust though!!! Thanks for everything!!!

Yes family docs do pelvic and pap tests. The do everything a specialist does only if a problem comes up that they can't handle that is when they will refer you to a specialist. My primary healthcare provider handles all of my medical needs from annual pap tests to all the problems faced by a women as she starts to enter menopause. The only time she refers me to a specialist is when something very abnormal pops up that would best be handled by a specialist.

Wouldn't your dad realize that even though you are getting a pap smear or going to an ob-gyn, that doesn't necessarily mean that you are having sex?

It's probably going to say it on the insurance bill regardless of what doctor you go to. It's good that you are taking a stand and deciding for yourself that you need to go to a doctor. I'm even going to check out that website to see if there is anything posted about any of my own docs! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Well okay, so I'm hoping I have everything reserved, ready, and done for the time being. I called the office today of the doctor that I picked out...semi randomly...they take all new patients that have a PPO plan, so that was fine. And then they asked me what my cause was, so I just told them that I out grew pediatrition, so I needed to find a new doc. So they asked me if I want to come in for a physical, and I asked them if it's advised, and they said probably yeah since you haven't met the doc. So I scheduled one for November 11th, cause that's the first available date I have that is a no school day, and they are open. They also asked if this would be for a Pap Smear too, and I literally said, "Uhhh not a clue." So they said okay we'll put you down for that too. So anyway...that scares me...like alot alot...lol...they're going to diagnose me with high blood pressure and a fast heartbeat cause imma be SOOOO nervous, that I might puke or something...lol...let's hope not...I dunno how I'm going to keep myself under wraps and calm...oye vei...lol. Thanks for everything!

Well congratulations on finally accomplishing everything you needed to. Just be sure to get your records transferred to your new doc before your appointment date. As for being nervous......this is normal. As for how easy a pap and pelvic exam are just check the womens health boards here and there are plenty of replys to other posters as to just how quick easy and painless this simple test is. Good Luck in college.

Good for you! That's great! As for being nervous about the pap smear and pelvic, there is really nothing to it. It is nerve racking the first time you go for it because you don't know what to expect, but it really is not bad at all, and it is over in 5 minutes. If the dr is good then you won't even feel it. Have you thought about maybe bringing a friend along with you if you are nervous? Do you have a best girlfriend who you could ask to come with you? My best friend and I do everything together, and it really makes things a lot easier sometimes, just to have somebody there for moral support. Of course, she doesn't come into the room with me, but you know what I mean!

And no, they are not going to diagnose you with high blood pressure just because you are nervous, silly! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif Trust me, I get nervous when I go to the dr sometimes, and they take my pressure and it is a little bit high, but they will know it is because you are nervous. I mean, if it is REALLY high, then they would diagnose you with high blood pressure, just because being nervous couldn't make your pressure go THAT high! But believe me, you are not the first nervous patient they have dealt with, and you certainly won't be the last.


Have you thought about how you are going to bring this up with your parents??

Once again, congratulations on finding a doctor and taking care of things yourself. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Take care,
Elyse
http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif