Wellness

[Effie54]

I wouldn't gamble on potential health issues. Whether Medicare covered it or not, I'm going to have one every year. My doctor says I don't "need" one....but I also don't want any surprises down the road either by skipping it.

[granddi]

YES, I'm 71.

I said to my gyn doc "gosh, I thought by now I would be finished with you !" She said "as long as you have 'parts' you are not finished with me."

[SeaMaiden]

After a certain age, they set guilde lines to having certain tests done or no longer having them done.  It does not mean that you do not NEED  the test.... the insurance companies lobby the powers that be to set a cut off date for tests they usually pay for after you reach a certain age. 

It is all about MONEY.  Your life is not important.  They figure You are soon going to die anyway....why bother.  Harsh truth.....BUT THE TRUTH. 

[tends2dogs]

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@aubnwa01 wrote:

I'm 68 & had a hysterectomy in '93, but I'm still on a very low dose estradiol patch, so my gyn has me come in for a pelvic exam & pap (even though I no longer have a cervix) every 2 years when he renews my Rx for the patch.  He has no problem with me being on the patch all this time & I've never had an abnormal pap & I get an annual mammogram.

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When I booked my appointment I asked the girl on the line about how often for a pap etc......she said that if you are on any type hormone replacement therapy, they recommend every year for a pap and pelvic.  I no longer take hormones and haven't for quite a few years.  I figure that it will be recommended that I still have a pelvic exam.  I only have Thermograms.  I haven't had a mammogram for years.

[tends2dogs]

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@PINKdogWOOD wrote:

@tends2dogs   If you're 65+ and on medicare, medicare thinks it's okay for women to NOT do this test at 5yr intervals. This means they only pay for our paps every 5 years. My NP who I see indicates for her it's good to do every 3 years. I see her every year as I always have, this year again we chatted about this & medicare. While she still examined me, we did not do the actual pap test.

Last year I chose to have NP to do this test and I paid for it. I can manage the cost of $185.00 to pay for it myself and so I did.

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I am 66 and on Medicare.  I also have Blue Cross as my supplemental.  Won't they pay for an NP to do this yearly exam?  I see a PA for all my needs and have for years.  I had my choice between the PA and the NP.  I chose the  PA because I have seen him before.

[tends2dogs]

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@PilatesLover wrote:

My doctor switched me to every three years, but the last one this spring was horrible. It made me bleed later and I hurt for almost a week. She said that could be my last one ever, then the results came back with not enough to show anything conclusive one way or the other. She wrote a letter that she'll repeat next year, I'm going to ask her never to do it again.

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That is my main dread about the use of the speculum and the pap "scrape".  I alway have bleeding afterwards.  They have to use the smallest speculum on me and it still hurts.  Once my hormones diminished, I closed up shop in a way down there.  I couldn't tolerate the hormones that are suppose to help all that. 

[ECBG]

I've had a full hysterectomy.  I quit pap tests then.  As long as you haven't had the uterus and ovaries removed, you need to get tested.

[SilleeMee]

No, I don't get Pap smears done anymore. But I still get pelvic exams every year.

[Drythe]

Yes, every year, mamogram too.

[BirkiLady]

@tends2dogs  According to my GYN, if you are sexually active continue to have those PAP's. Medicare currently pays for them every other year and IMO this is preventive health care. I schedule PAP tests and mammogram at the same time so it's never overlooked. 

ETA: I think my GYN mentioned that 75 was the suggested stopping age (I'm 71) during my exam this year for her patients with no previous problems for both PAP's and mammograms. I've only had two surgeries for Endometeosis at ages 50 and 51 with successful results. Menopause simply tapered off without mood swings or hot flashes.

I have, however, had many, many problems with breast lumpectomies and the treatments that follow since age 29. Have a feeling, I'll go for mammograms yearly since my latest biopsy was this spring.