Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Medical Checkup

Medical checkup may be a nightmare or even brought fear to some people. This is the time where most of us would fear that something nasty is found!
Over the years, I realised that the normal checkup is almost quite useless because the doctor would ask you "Do you feel anything wrong?" or some other questions which are really "symptoms" related. In another word, if there is no symptom, you are ok. So, they will ask you to take x-ray, lie down and "knock knock here and there". Then they will declare you healthy.
My recent medical checkup change my perspective about medical checkup. Medical checkup is time for the doctor to find out or detect abnormality. But how?
Due to my age, I went for a treadmill. The doctor monitor the traces on the screen and also take my blood pressure. Before that, he will ask me a series of questions.
After the treadmill, he will analyze the traces and look for "clue" of potential problem. As my blood pressure behave in an interesting manner, eg, 130/80 in steady state and jump to 230 under stress. He suspect that I may be suffering from high blood pressure. So he scanned the wall of my heart to find whether one side of the muscle wall is thicker than the other. Ok, it is 1mm thicker on one side. So, the question is whether to take drug or not.
He also scanned my other organs and that was when something was found! Read my earlier post for answer. There is totally no symptom but the stone is there. Another doctor has since confirmed the "extras".
So, if you go for medical checkup, do a holistic one rather than "no symptom = no problem". You can never tell. Depending on individual, I think a treadmill is quite useful but this depends on whether the doctor knows how to interpret the result. Also get the vital organs scanned. I had a simple ultrasound scan.
In the last 30 days, I knew of two persons of my age literally drop dead. So, are you going for checkup? Don't go to "any" doctor but one who is prepared to spend time and do a good job for you. May the new year bring you good health.

5 comments:

Janice ♥ said...

daddy go exercise! go swimming!!

suituapui said...

And pray! Pray a lot that God is merciful and kind! These tests are not 100% foolproof! I know people whose test results looked good...and after a while, I heard that they'd dropped dead all of a sudden!

Gabriel said...

yea...consistent exercise is one of the ways to keep ourselves healthy also i think. :) yea, like STP said, pray for health! :)

ian said...

Just curious, where did you go for this checkup , and how much does it cost?

P.S. Drink more water too for prevention of kidney stones

William said...

Actually the bible gave a simple formula to health as commanded by God. We have to work on the land and sweat and eat what it produces!
Gen 3:17 And to the man he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
Gen 3:18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.
Gen 3:19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return."