Tuesday, 10 November 2009
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Poll: How Sick Do You Have to Be Before You'll See a Doctor?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency room visits among women under 40 have shot up 37% in the last decade and are still on the rise. A leading cause of this is that many women are not seeking medical care until their symptoms reach the emergency level. It seems that many women feel they are just too busy to take time out to be sick.
How sick do you have to be before you’ll see a doctor?
a) I have my doctor’s home phone on speed dial. She knows about my every cough and sniffle.
b) I go to the doctor if I’m running a fever or don’t seem to be getting over a cold in a week or two.
c) I mostly try to treat myself with over-the-counter meds. I’ll go to the doctor if I feel really terrible and have exhausted all of my other options.
d) I only see the doctor in the emergency room, after nearly collapsing with illness.
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About the Author
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- From: lindsaya
- Name: lindsaya
- About Me: I am a teacher/writer who lives in New York city and I am always on the go. In between my various jobs, obligations, and activities, I try to make time to lead a healthy and balanced life. I love to run, swim, do yoga, and try new activities. I am also a long-time vegetarian who is constantly struggling between my desire to eat healthy foods and my love of all things made out of bread or covered in cheese!
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Comments (71)
C. Last year I walked around with strep throat for 2 weeks before I went to the doctor because I just tried to medicate myself. Needless to say, the doctor wasn't happy with me when I finally went.
C, but rarely with OTC stuff. I opt for natural remedies. This is mostly for colds and such though. If I have something terribly out of the blue that's beyond all prior experience of mine and my family's, something that's purely a mystery and/or something I feel I can't treat (properly), I'll make an appointment with the family doctor.
Not when I'm wheezing my last breaths of course.
I never see a doctor when I get sick >.> if I'm not so sick that I can't go to school then I don't need a doctor xD Last time I went for real was 8 years ago when my thumb got crushed by the car door >.>'' other than that just check ups once in a while.
@pinkdagger@xanga - I'm in this category, seeking natural meds until I'm sure that they aren't working for me. I'm option c.
I would never avoid going to see the doctor, also the practise I go we get our injections for our holidays if we need them.
I'm a mix of B & C.
Even though I can't stand hospitals.
Wow, I can't even remember ever going to the doctor for being sick.
I don't like to use any medications either, but I'll take echinachae, goldenseal, zinc, and the occasional cough drop.
if my throat is burning to the point where I know i have strep, or if i'm throwing up.
that's when i'll go to the doctor.
or if something seems... not quite right.
but if it's a sniffle and a sneeze, no way am i going to the doctor haha.
Usually I'd get really sick before I could pick up the phone to arrange an appointment with my doctor. Last year, I collapsed in the campus after 3 weeks of constant cold, and yeppp, I wish I had gone to the clinic earlier. So I guess, it's either C or D.
C. I hate going to the doctor especially since I'm broke and have no insurance, but sometimes I can't avoid it. Especially if I have a really bad cold, it will almost always, without fail, turn into an ear infection. OTC medicines can't really help me there. Now if I had the means to go to the doctor all the time without worry, you bet your ass I would practically live at the doctor's office.
Have to be on my deathbed. I can't afford that stuff.
I'm C. I don't go to the doctor unless I have to. It takes months to get an appointment with my doctor anyway.
I say a mix of B & C. The only times I go to the ER is if I cant control my asthma but thankfully during those times I was at school & they called for me, or my mom was home & she drove me. The other time was when I was sick last year & I started getting horrible body pains all over to the point I was driven to tears because I had a relapse of the sickness I had.
Thankfully now there's clinics open on weekends I can go to instead. An ER cant refuse to treat you but the bill you get is very high, atleast the clinics charge a flat rate for things (not including medicine) & it's more affordable.
@MsKittyCatty@xanga - MONTHS?! Gosh, your doctor must be popular. That's not good to have a primary doctor you can never see. Have you tried looking for another one?
@Shinbi_Belldandy@xanga - Well, since I never go to the doctor hardly, it's not a problem, lol. I go once a year usually for my "female" appointment. If I'm throwing up, I'll go to urgent care. If I'm sick, but it can wait, then they can usually make an appointment in 2 months. But yeah, if it can't wait I go to urgent care. It's hard to find a decent doctor around here...
@TakingxOverxMe@xanga - Have you looked into Clinics or nurse practitioners? They do everything a doctor does except surgeries. Clinics are just as good but way cheaper. The MD Now clinics by me usually are never higher than $50 & you're in & out in about an hour but they dont rush you. They do check ups, physicals, pregnancy care, immunizations, just about everything you need. And they take insurance too if you get some. Each state is different but look up MD Now, you may get lucky!
@MsKittyCatty@xanga - Yeah I know how you feel. My doctor isnt that hard to see but for money reasons, I usually go to clinics unless it's severe. If it is, I see my doctor because he has my case history & prevous test results.
d) I only see the doctor in the emergency room, after nearly collapsing with illness
@Shinbi_Belldandy@xanga - Right. And I'm extra picky b/c I want a female doctor which could be a reason she's so popular.
none, I never ever get sick. I have an immune system of a god.
D) i hate going to the doctor >_>
D)
In my family the second you get sick or admit you sick you are called a pansy so I always tough it out. That being said I almost never get sick and I think its partially because of that.B. I hate doctors, but when my throat hurts or I have a fever, I go. Other than that I'm cool off that creepy doctor shit.
Pretty darn sick since I hate going to doctors. They usually never tell you anything useful and I would have to pay the copay anyway.