Let’s say you have your six-month checkup with your Internist next week and you are a bit nervous. A majority of seniors will arrange for a ride (or take themselves) and will be happy when they are done with the appointment. If you take anything from this book I hope it is this: View the appointment as an opportunity to feel better and get more out of life. It is not a secret that our bodies break down some as we get older and we just have aches, pains, and don’t feel as good as we once did. Some people are fine to just accept this and go on. I don’t agree with this train of thought and want every senior to enjoy life. So how do we do it?

How to plan for your 6 or 12-month checkup:

1. Good place to start is to list all of your medications and ask yourself if you are feeling any unwanted side effects from them.
2. Ask yourself, how I am feeling? If I have heartburn 3 times per week then write it down. If you can’t walk up stairs anymore due to your right knee then write it down. If you are diabetic and twice per week your glucose shoots up past 200 then write it down. A good time to mention your ailments is the beginning of the appointment so the physician knows what to look for. 

You should have a plastic bag of your prescription drugs with you when you go to the checkup. If you do not know why you are taking a pill then ask? 

This is your appointment for your health and the goal is for you to have many more of these check-ups. Take control of the appointment and your health.

Golden Nugget: Are all Doctors created equal – I spent over 25 years calling on and working with physicians and they are just people like we are. You will meet some brilliant ones and many that you respect but like any profession there are some lemons. I can’t stress enough to find one that you respect and believe in (liking is extra). Choosing a physician is an important decision and please do not feel compelled to stay with one that you do not feel comfortable with.