Tap Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) Have you had a medical issue caught at a 'well-check' appointment, that you had NO idea was a problem before hand? Say yes, if a medical issue was diagnosed due to a well-check which you had no idea was occurring. Say no, if it was something that was a known concern, but addressed at a well-check. Multiple answers allowed so you can answer both yes and no to each question if you want for different people in your house. Edited June 21, 2012 by Tap, tap, tap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I assume you mean for the kids? Yes. Ds's hernia was caught at a well-check (where the doctor touched his privates no less, which so many people here have posted with suspicions about). I had no clue. It needed surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) Is it a poll? Yes. My son was dx'd with hypotonia and referred to early intervention at his 6 month well check. I know he was "on the radar" of the pediatrician from birth likely but I had no clue. I didn't even know what hypotonia was or what was and wasn't normal baby. We found anemia in a routine well check too in the same child. The other son had an issue caught too but I don't want that one out on the web! A friend had a her child's hip issue caught and she didn't know there was an issue there either. But, in my experience, well checks can be useful even beyond the lead and iron checks and other routine things. I can't answer for the adult thing as neither of us do physicals however parents on both sides have had things caught (blood pressure, high cholesterol, a skin cancer, a heart defect, and another cancer) via routine physicals. Edited June 21, 2012 by sbgrace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Adult-yes: ds is high risk for a hernia that we were not aware of. I don't know exactly what the issue is because I wasn't with him, but his doctor said he shouldn't do any excessive heavy lifting. Adult-no: Dh and I have never had an issue caught. Child-no: My kids have health issues discussed and diagnosed at well-checks but they were not a surprise. Female/pap: nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Yes for both me and for dd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I was having a well woman visit and after listing my complaints my Dr handed me a pamphlet about an illness and referred me to another physician. I had some more tests and it turned out that my Dr was correct, I did have the illness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) In my son, yes. He was born with a small, relatively common and benign hole in his heart. We went in for our yearly check up with his cardiologist and it was discovered that he had a relatively rare (in the way it presented), congenital lung defect along with some vasular issues and an aeortic tie in... that needed to be corrected with a lobect immediately. On that note, despite our repeated complaints (for over a year) of a chronic cough and difficulty gaining/maintaining weight, his regular pediatrician never once even asked for a set of x-rays; just kept prescribing reflux medication. She missed the ball incredibly on this one and I still have a difficult time not resenting her a bit for it (his lung condition would not have been so serious and required such immediate intervention had it been caught earlier). But I'm aware that I'm projecting on some level. Lol. Edited June 21, 2012 by AimeeM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 No in all three categories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Yes. I went in for routine labwork and some markers came back really high. Several months later was finally diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis. When they did the biopsy, I was at a 3 for inflammation and scarring on my liver (4 is cirrhosis). I'm so thankful it was caught early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danybug Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 My votes: No, for the children. No, for the adults. Yes, for a pap test. I had an abnormal pap that caught Level 3 precancerous cells that lead to a LEEP procedure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 No to all three. But, I keep going. Same with dental. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 No in all three categories. Same. And I have had very obvious things, for which I made the appointment, go "uncaught". :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Me- Yes. I had hypothyroidism diagnosed at a routine exam in residency. I actually had all the symptoms and even had a goiter but had not recognized the symptosm in myself. I attributed the extreme fatigue and weight gain to being a resident. Kind of ironic after all the hypochondrical self-diagnosis that went on in medical school (We all had brain tumors, lupus, sleeping sickness, whatever we were studying at the time.) Kids- Yes. Even being a pediatrician myself. :) Ds was diagnosed with pretty severe anemia as an infant at a well-check. Pap- No Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhomemaker Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 No for the kids. DH and I have both had vitamin deficiencies diagnosed at a well exam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 My mom had a cancer discovered during a routine heart workup (by the abdominal imaging). One surgery and she is fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 In my kids, we have found many ear infections that were asymptomatic and pretty bad. We discovered 2 children were severely anemic, 1 child had hearing loss, and another came back with a UTI, and 2 kids needed steroids for wheezing that we thought was just an irritating cough. One child also was found to have strep (throat) but I'm not sure if that counts. We were there for a sick visit for another child and the Dr decided to check all the other kids just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 There have been some things that were more of a wait and see type things where every visit we discuss them. If they didn't look at my DD yearly and I brought her in at 8 with the issue, would they the diagnosis been the same or would they have started at 8 and done a few more years of wait and see. I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) I guess the poll is a little awkward because if they said no, does that mean they never had or have a problem, or if you had a problem is the well check the way they found it? Because I can say no to DD's well check because nothing was found but she didn't have issues either. KWIM? So are you saying when you feel fine and you do your annual well check did they find problematic issues because the well check results weren't right? Yes. I'm just saying that the results could be scewed if someone answered no. Edited June 21, 2012 by alilac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 No to all. I had irregular readings for a pap and mammogram but upon a recheck six months (and many gray hairs later!) all was well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 On the contrary. My mom at age 60 had to beg her doctor to do a colonoscopy because my sister told her that she had the symptoms of colon cancer. Doc never thought to suggest a colonoscopy (I thought that was routine after age 50?). Mom had emergency surgery days after the colonoscopy. Hate to think what would have happened had she not demanded the test. Myself, I had a pap test (my first) around age 37(?) and it came back inconclusive, so I had to have another one. This one came back normal, but they said I should go every 6 mos just in case. No thank you. Being poked like that every 6 months can't possibly be healthy. I felt it would cause a problem sooner than it detected one. My kids: I've been told various kinds of nonsense at well visits, and they even prescribed an anti-fungal cream for a patch that turned out to NOT be fungus. But my kids have not had any real medical issues come up at a well visit. Mostly the docs just laugh at me or blow me off when I want to explore things. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 I guess the poll is a little awkward because if they said no, does that mean they never had or have a problem, or if you had a problem is the well check the way they found it? Because I can say no to DD's well check because nothing was found but she didn't have issues either. KWIM? So are you saying when you feel fine and you do your annual well check did they find problematic issues because the well check results weren't right? Yes. I'm just saying that the results could be scewed if someone answered no. I had a hard time wording it. LOL If you went in, thought everything was fine, and came out with a diagnosis for a problem you didn't even realize was there.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Yes, my family doctor caught dd's scoliosis and my high blood pressure. Oh, and ds' blocked duct, since I didn't realize it needed medical attention. :blush: She has also answered many questions and been there for us during emergencies, because we have established a relationship (we rarely go to the doctor other than for well-checks.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Scoliosis, both kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 On my oldest I had one asymptomatic ear infection that I was told to watch, he didn't even get a script. I don't do regular well visits now. I do go in when I see a concern or there is an illness/injury. Dh & I both have never had anything found at appts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) This sort of thing has happened more than once, but the most significant was just this time last year. The ped found what seemed to be a new murmur in my ds9. That finding led to the cardiologist and much testing. He has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is often the cause when young athletes die suddenly (one of the other common causes, WPW, was also thought to be in the mix for ds, though the heart cath ruled that out for now; that would have been a very bad combo). (Ironically, the murmur was probably from a tiny VSD that is not expected to be problematic.) So, now his activity is somewhat restricted. This was quite likely a life-saving finding by the ped. His next well checkup is next week :tongue_smilie: Edited June 21, 2012 by wapiti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 No. Every issue with my kids has been something I've noticed, looked up online, then made an appointment for. Consequently, I don't keep up with well child checks at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Myself - HPV was caught at routine physical (Pap), and a pre-cancerous spot was caught (and later completely removed) at annual dermatology visit. Oldest dd - We found out she had vision problems and needed glasses at a well-child check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 No in all three catagories; anything that has ever been caught has been noticed at home first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Yes. It was a completely non-symptomatic, high grade cancer. Had it gone undetected, it would have been beyond treatment by the time any symptoms showed up. If you need more info, you can pm me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I guess the poll is a little awkward because if they said no, does that mean they never had or have a problem, or if you had a problem is the well check the way they found it? Because I can say no to DD's well check because nothing was found but she didn't have issues either. KWIM? So are you saying when you feel fine and you do your annual well check did they find problematic issues because the well check results weren't right? Yes. I'm just saying that the results could be scewed if someone answered no. I agree it can be a bit hard to interpret this kind of thing. For example, if someone hadn't gone to the well-check, would it have been caught when it began to show symptoms, or when they went for a visit for some other condition? And are they actually better off to have caught the thing at that time? I said no, though the only kind of well checks we do here are paps and baby checks, and I guess mammograms and prostate as people age. The only things we have had were things we noticed as well, like an umbilical hernia in my daughter, which eventually closed on its own. We did have to go through all kinds of tests and go to ped with my eldest because the GP didn't like the way her weight was plotting out on the percentile chant. It was total bunk though and we got a bunch of ridiculous grief from the ped. I wouldn't have taken her as seriously now and would have stopped seeing her a lot sooner - what a waste of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I voted Yes/pap, because I happened to already be going in for a pap when I needed to be seen for MRSA. The appt was still treated as a annual pap, but it is was more like a symptom appt. Dd's last well check, her ped noticed some things relating to ADHD in girls. I didn't want to listen and he backed down, but now it is becoming apparent that I was just really in the dark about the symptoms in girls. We will be going back in after they get back from kids camp. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixjen Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Adults - yes. (I don't think I ticked the right boxes in the poll) I made my DH go in for a well visit, because he never goes to the doctor. His last complete physical was when he got out of the Navy about 20 yrs ago. :001_huh: They did find some blood and ordered a colonoscopy, which fortunately turned out to be nothing serious. I have other medical issues I deal with daily, so I go once a year for blood work and physical. My doctor has caught borderline BP issues, and very low Vit. D levels. He also ordered baseline bone density scans since I'm medically post-menopausal, and they've discovered a bit of bone loss for my age. None of these are particularly serious, but I'm glad my doctor tries to keep us in good working order. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 No for myself and my kids. However, my sister's pediatrician caught at a well check that my oldest nephew had amblyopia (lazy eye) and was able to refer him to the ophthalmologist before too much damage was done. It was this same doc that years later diagnosed a potentially very serious kidney problem that the same nephew had caused by non-symptomatic strep infection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 For adults, yes. Subclinical hypothyroidism and prediabetes. No symptoms whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I voted .. I live in a country that doesn't do well checks. instead we can just go tot he doctor any time we are concerned about anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoundAbout Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Yes for child - slight leg length discrepancy. Currently just monitoring but would not have noticed this myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 DH has once/year exam for work, and one year they found some elevated somethings, he had to change his diet to get it under control. He's fine now. We had no idea prior to that. For the kids, we had one who never showed signs of ear infections though he had them often as a baby. Always discovered at his well-baby checks. That same son *twice* had inguinal hernias, both times needing surgery. Discovered at well child check-ups. Female stuff, me, no. But my mom, yes. I have family history of female issues, so I go to my check-ups just in case. So far I'm fine, but various family members have had pre-cancerous stuff and my mom, sister & all my mom's sisters have ALL had to have hysterectomies for one reason or another; some for known issues, some for stuff discovered at the well-check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I am saying no, nothing that I didn't already have on my radar has been caught, but I'm not including the initial newborn exams in that. Initial newborn exam did catch a minor heart murmur in my current baby, which we later had the doctor check, and then an echocardiogram ruled it normal. Basically, they told us they wouldn't do anything about it unless he showed symptoms (turning blue, etc.), so I'd have noticed if there was a problem, even without having the midwife notice it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Having been a nurse for over 2 decades, I would never skip a well check. There are many "silent" conditions that can be found with a well check or routine blood work such as high blood pressure which left untreated can wreck havoc on the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I voted yes, for children's well-check, but then I realized that all of the things that were raised as red flags during check-ups never panned out to be anything after pursuing with other specialists. Lots of wasted trips to err on the side of caution but how do you draw that line? I sometimes feel like the peds are just too scared of being sued to just make a decision on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 My middle ds's elevated lead level was found at a routine check when he was 12 months old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 NO! Things only diagnosed or caught when I went in for a specific symptom, not a well visit. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Yes. My dd's pediatrician found a hole/rupture in her eardrum at her 4yo check-up. He had us follow up with an ENT who monitored it to see if it would heal itself, then did surgery to repair it before she ended up with hearing loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Not ever. My pediatrician jokes they see us once a year unless something is wrong. She's dead right. I miss her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Ten years ago my Dad went in for a physical and had routine bloodwork done as he had every year of his adult life. The bloodwork included a PSA test which was standard at the time for his age. Between his test the previous year and the one that year, an aggressive form of prostate cancer developed. He had surgery to have it removed and made it seven years before it came up again. He went through a course of radiation and is still alive and with us to this day. Without a yearly physical, my Dad would not be with us. The cancer was that bad and came up so fast. By the time he would have experienced symptoms or thought something was "wrong" it would have been too late. My kids would have never known their grandfather and my sisters wouldn't have had their father there to walk them down the aisle. We still live in six month intervals between PSA tests, but thanks to preventative care (yearly physicals) he's still with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicAnn Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Yes, by the pediatrician. A naturopath would have discovered it too, but we weren't seeing one at the time. DDs Celiacs was brushed off by the ped however, and that had far worse effects than the issue that was found previously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I have had medical issues addressed to me when I brought my kids on for their well child visits. Does that count? Twice she said, "YOU need to be seen". Once was for my enlarged thyroid, turned out I have Hashimotos and a second time for coughing, turned out I had pneumonia. Never for the kids though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Have you had a medical issue caught at a 'well-check' appointment, that you had NO idea was a problem before hand? Say yes, if a medical issue was diagnosed due to a well-check which you had no idea was occurring. Say no, if it was something that was a known concern, but addressed at a well-check. Never. I'm the one who catches things. I research it to the point that I can discuss it intelligently and I tell THEM what is going on and what I have narrowed it down to check on. I've never been wrong yet as to the areas that need attention, though thankfully, it hasn't been worst case scenario! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supertechmom Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Yes, oldest's nearsighted was caught at well check Daughter's celiac caught at 12m because of the lack of growth from 9m. The issue took several months before we solved it but the ped labeled it at 12m before I even thought there was any problem at all and the ped was right. For me, nope, I dx myself, research it to death, and tell them the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 We discovered my high blood sugar at a well-check for me; it was high enough that they checked me again and I had to lose weight before they had to flag me as pre-diabetic. My children had their ear berries (long story) discovered at a well check. Female check? Nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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