Is it normal that my GP won't do anything but testing across the hall?

You should consider switching to another doctor. This is definitely not standard practice.

Change doctors. Mine always does his own blood work, strep throat swabs, pap smears and other routine stuff. He is also happy to piggy-back my yearly CBC when I have it done at the oncologists.

I make sure that the blood work results arrives at my PCP’s office in under two weeks from the actual drawing. Everyone is happy.

There is also the theory that you don’t need either a prescription or samples after every visit.

You mean your doc actually draws your blood? Mine has a girl do it each time.

No. The nurse does it but it is part of normal office procedure.

I triage myself to the dermatologist’s when necessary and my oncologist’s once a year.

ok; he has someone do it for me also as part of normal office procedure as stated in my question. But he does not do anything else except take my pulse, listen to my heart and that stuff. Oh; and ask lots of questions.

I wonder why they don’t do dermie stuff themselves? Surely they know how. My doctor was the head of a large local hospital for years and worked the ER. Evidently he wanted out of that pressure cooker so now he just sits and takes notes. );

If I wasn’t comfortable seeing my own doctor, because I have a feeling that says something is definitely off, and I feel like I’m not getting the proper care I’m entitled to, then I would just switch doctors. I pay good money, I should receive good healthcare.

Your question may have two answers.

1. Your doctor is checking all his patients for drug addiction or AIDS virus.

2. He or his group may be money hungry.

My doctor never does this, unless there is a justifiable reason.

Why not ask him what the heck is going on and why?

This will be your only true answer.

I think there are many ailments that one doctor can’t fix. And this , if one is willing to do it, ends up with a patient seeing a dozen doctors. I’d have to be half dead to do such a thing. Or in agony.
Maybe a CBC was the right thing to do. It did nothing for me, though, of course . It’s not a cure or medication. It an exploratory thing.

@john65pennington wow! I never thought of that! So you think he , using a CBC, could have been checking me for an addiction? LOL ! I thought you had to have a special test for that.

Aster, you would be amazed at how many people go “doctor shopping” for pain pills. The only true way to discover this is not by asking a person, it’s by a blood test.

Its a shame it has come to this point, but drug addictions are sweeping America.

But John, can he tell if I am on pain pills with a CBC or does he need a specialized drug test for it (which I never got). Lucky for me I am never in any kind of pain. Physical.

It really depends on what he is looking for. Urine tests are sometimes given for specific drugs.

I have had four back surgeries, since 1972. I have a massive amount of scar tissue in my lower back muscles and spine. It will not go away and surgery is not possible. I have a set RX each month for pain medication and muscle relaxers. You say this is within reason?

I am not alone in this. Many police officers have tremendous back problems, because of many factors. One is riding in a car all day. The other is wearing a uniform that weighes 32 pounds and fighting criminals. The job is hell on a persons back.

Each month, I have a blood test to test the drugs in my system. I do not disagree with this. Its for the protection of my doctor and for myself. No problem.

I say this to you to maybe help you understand my above answers.

ok; I was never given a urine test so he probably was not looking for addictions. And yes; a set RX is in order for you. I hope the doctor doesn’t retire or he may “send’ you to one who isn’t as understanding!

Yearly CBCs check for vitamin D3 levels, cholesterol, liver and kidney functions, cancer markers (in my case) and other useful info.

I get a copy of mine from the doctor so I can see exactly what tests were run and what my numbers are. I can’t imagine any reputable doctor doing research on drug addictions without getting the patient’s permission.

Dermatology is now a huge business; my guy has patients hanging out the windows and keeping him busy from morning to sunset. In addition to the normal issues of pre cancers, cancers and oddities, he now does cosmetic laser surgery for those who want it (which seems to be half of western MA.)

@Aster: When you said “across the hall,” I thought you meant a different office.

MY CBC said nothing about D3? Maybe yours differs from mine. I got a copy also.

You need a new doctor. D3 supplements are among the few legitimate ones we need.

Google any legitimate medical site for D3 info. The keyboard I am on is too small for me to do the research for you comfortably.

@john65pennington

Last I knew, a patient must sign a specific form giving consent for an AIDS test.

I’m not sure about drugs but I cant imagine they do this routinely unless a person is requesting pain medications.

Obviously, if someone is on regular pain meds, thats a different story and a sensible precaution. But they can pretty much tell the difference between normal therapeutic levels
vs. abuse levels from a urinalysis alone. No need for a blood test to figure that out.

At least thats what a friend of mine under the care of a Pain Medicine specialist has reported. A couple of random times per year, they’ll spring a urine test on him and presumably that gives them the info they need to monitor things properly. It really is fairly easy to weed out the addicts and doctor shoppers this way. If someone is consistently taking double or triple or higher the amount prescribed, there’s no easy way for them to hide it if presented with a random request for a sample.

@gailcalled , I take a lot of D3 but simply never saw it listed on my test results nor did I see Vit C or B Complex. I really don’t think most doctors go into vitamins with their patients unless pressed. Some think they’re quackery, some think we don’t need them, some think we may take too many and get sick.

@Aster; The CBC does not cover C or B complex. D3 is the legitimate one, as I said above. You can take too much D3 also, please note. The blood work clarifies it.

I see my doctor once a year for a wellness exam and give him a list of my supplements. If he approves, we don’t discuss.

Occasionally I drop in for something specific, like a killer sore throat (that turned out to be strep) and his nurse took a throat swab.