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Doctor Visits per Year?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 11/4/2009 7:00 AM (GMT 0)
Wow! I added up the number of days I've been/will go to doctors and clinics this year and it's 31! 27 of those were related to CD (GE, Cimzia trial, blood draws), and 4 due to an upper resp infection. And that's not counting routine vision and dentist visits. Or many, many trips to pharmacists. Oh, I also went to support groups. So, how many visits does everybody else have?

Post Edited (GDen) : 11/4/2009 12:14:10 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/4/2009 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
I just added mine up - I included all doctor visits related to crohn's disease (GI, rheumy, hematologist, primary care doctor, blood work, and acupuncture) and came up with the grand total for 2009 of...64! Wow, thank goodness for my company's health care!!! (note: these aren't total days but total visits...some days had 2 visits in one). This also doesn't include my many trips keeping Walgreen's in business this year, or other doctor stuff, or support groups.
Posted 11/4/2009 5:58 PM (GMT 0)
I don't think I could add mine up. I just know that most weeks I have at least one doctors visit and some weeks I have more than one. If you add in the occasional "problem" like physical therapy where I have to go twice a week for 8 weeks, it gets out of control. But those aren't just for CD related issues. I think that because we are all a bit more aware of our health, maybe we are more on top of all aspects of our well being. I know that my husband doesn't go for regular eye exams, or physicals, but I do. If you add all the "regular" screening exams in, I could spend my life in some waiting room.
Posted 11/4/2009 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
I couldn't add mine up either as 1) I have had too many 2) I also go get B12 shots every 2 weeks. I see my GI every 3 mos, unless I have problems, family doc every 6 mos, ortho doc every 4 mos. And then like Zanne said their are eye exams and well exams etc etc etc. :)
Posted 11/4/2009 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
All my appointments are cyclic ,
Gastro-3 months
GP-3 months
Dentist-3 months
Derm-3 months
Remicade-8 weeks
Colonoscopy-every other year(I pleaded with my Gastro)
What is nice is my GP does my blood work at his office,
and fires off the results to myself and my other doctors.
The pharmacy doesn't count for me because of mail order
and phone orders to my supermarket...
(*Hospital*-hopefully zero)
Posted 11/6/2009 2:08 AM (GMT 0)
That's a good question!

I've never really thought about it before - although I knew I must have gone the hospital alot, when a nurse stopped me in the street to say hi!

It's varied over the years, sometimes I would be at the doctors or hospital everyweek for blood tests or iron infusions and so on and then go a few weeks with no visits at all.

At a guess, I'm reckoning this year alone I've probably had about

22 hospital out-patient visits (including hospital tests like MRI Scans, Bone Density Scans etc)

20 doctors visits (including blood tests and Swine Flu/Seasonal Flu Vaccinations)

10 days hospital in-patient stays (divided into 2 stays)

I'd never have considered that I'd been to so many - wow!  That's really shocked me. shocked

 

Posted 11/6/2009 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
Ha! Fergeddit. I'm in 2 research trials for COPD which involve a visit every 3 months. My gastro once, maybe twice a year. They are "well visits", when I'm having problems I can get in sooner w/my family doctor. The pulmonologist wants to see me for 2 "well visits" a year, the sleep doc wants to see me for 2 "well visits" per year, my Endo is great, he only insists on 1 well visit a year. My ob/gyn sees me once a year for PAP, etc. I have blood draws every 3 months due to being on Imuran. I've got all my doctors trained, if they want a blood draw, schedule what you want w/one of my 3 month blood draws. *wicked grin* Thank goodness, my only hospital visits have been for imaging or procedures. My dentist just twice a year teeth cleanings. My eye doctor .... due to glaucoma and some medication changes .... that can vary from annual eye exam to as frequent as every two weeks to 3 month pressure checks.

This all ran thin in a hurry so .... I'm not particularly cooperative about re-scheduling cancelled "well visits" w/the specialists. *wicked grin* I'll call them when I need them. If they aren't available my good ole family doctor always is. If these dang specialist would limit their "well visits" to just once a year they MIGHT be able to get their NEEDY patients a timely office visit WHEN needed is my philosophy. Who the hay wants to go to a doctor when they are feeling well??!! I'd rather they be available when I NEED them because I am NOT feeling well. So - I cancel and schedule according to how I feel any more. They can schedule that 2nd well visit if they want, that doesn't mean I'm not going to cancel it - in a timely manner in consideration of their needy patients.
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