I’m not a huge believer in physicals just for the sake of physicals. I’ll definitely get scoped when I’m 50 and probably have bloodwork done at the same time. I also think it is vitally important to keep an eye on one’s blood pressure, but I can do this at home. Other than this I just go to the doctor when there is something worth going to the doctor for which is rare. I most certainly won’t go to the doctor for antibiotics unless I get strep or something else that antibiotics can help. If a doctor prescribes them without actually culturing a harmful bacteria first he’s essentially saying “Here’s something that probably won’t help, probably won’t hurt, but will definitely make you go away.” I’d like to blame this sort of idiocy for causing resistant bacteria, but farmers are more likely to blame for most of it. Even more interesting a lot of antibiotics are prescribed for sinus and ear infections. It turns out these don’t do much either. Not because there are no bacteria present, but because the bacteria aren’t accessible by your blood. It makes sense really. Sinuses are just big holes in your head. If the infection was in your blood it would be a blood infection not a sinus infection. It would have been lovely had we studied this before giving out antibiotics by the fistful.

I remember this part of my childhood. My friend Larry when he got the sniffles his mother would take him to the doctor who would run a battery of tests, say “Larry’s white blood cell count is a little high.” Really? No way. High white blood cell count and a cold? What a coincidence! (Even as a 10 year old I knew this was stupid). Larry would be prescribed antibiotics and be sent home where he would recover in 3 to 5 days. When I got a cold I’d be sent to my room where I’d recover in 3 to 5 days. I wish more mothers were like my mom.

Congrats on the weight loss! Eating right and exercising works for so many things. Maybe you’ll find your own visits to the doctor decreasing. 🙂