So, what's a complete physical entail these days?

In My Humble Opinion
1

A couple of weeks ago I had to go to my doctor to get a minor throat infection taken care of.

At that time, the doc suggested it was time to get a complete physical.

I have to go back to see him tomorrow since the throat infection has resurfaced, albeit on the other side of my throat. I’m gonna have to bite the bullet and schedule the physical.

Now, I know the doctor has seen umpteen people and one more out of shape guy is not going to mean a hill of beans, but I’m still apprehensive.

I know it’s the smart thing to do. What, with hitting 40 and all, but I still don’t WANT to do it.

So what do I have to look forward to?

I figure blood work, the old “turn and cough”, the “bend over, here’s comes my gigantic finger” bit, and the head to toe lookover.

Even though I believe I’m in fairly good shape other than the whole don’t exercise thing, I secretly dread the possibility of bad news.

2

My last one included all that you mention as well as x-rays, an EKG, urinalysis and interrogation about the conduct of my life, As in:

• How do you exercise?
• How much do you drink in a week?
• What are you going to do about smoking?
• What’s your typical breakfast? Lunch? Dinner?
• How do you feel?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, rate the degree to which your life is stressful.

Doctors can have short attention spans, so it might do you well to know your answers to those questions iin advance.

I’ve been advised that at 50 thay add the 'scope to the finger drill and possibly a cardiac stress test.

3

To these questions I would answer:

Ex-er-cise? What is ex-er-cise? (the only exercise I can stand is walking. Unfortunately, the weather sucks here for walking. By the time I get off work, it’s cold and dark in the winter, and hot and horrifyingly humid and bug-ridden in the summer. I am tempted to get a treadmill. I have free use of the hospital’s gym, but by the time I get there, the wait for a machine is really long.)

I don’t drink.

Or smoke.

No breakfast. Lunch is usually some horrible frozen food concoction, leftovers form the night before, or a sub sandwhich (no mayo)

I feel pretty good most of the time.

Stress level? 3 or 4 usually. I try my damndest to avoid unnecessary stress. I don’t let my job get the better of me (about 95% of the time) or my home life (about 75% of the time).