People who say "I haven't been to the doctor in years"

[moutonfou]

Not if it's just a neutral statement of fact.

But when it's the type of person who says it smugly, usually in response to you having been to the doctor, as if any illness is just a weakness of your own making, AIBU to want to tell them where to stick it? And the same for people who proclaim in a superior tone that they "don't believe" in painkillers/vaccinations/antibiotics/etc, because they've never bothered and "it's never hurt me."

That ^^ I can't improve my immune system at all

The whole ‘you’re responsible for your own immune system’ thing really winds me up. I have coeliac diesease. It is genetic, and is triggered by unknown factors in like (we believe my ‘flip’ was because of the extreme stress I was under at work).
I then ignored all the symptoms for two years because everyone was telling me every symptom was my own fault because of my diet even though it was healthy and I get a fair amount of low impact exercise. Cracked one day and went to see the Doctor in shame. I’ve done permenant damage to my intestines and possibly to other organs due to malnutrition.
Seeing a doctor is NOT a sign of weakness. People who are too pig headed to be sympathetic to sick people are arseholes.

Yes, re immune system. Mine is severely compromised and has been for decades. Nothing to do with my lifestyle, it just is what it is. Also been made worse by other illnesses that are in part because it is compromised.

And! When people come into the office fighting a bad cold/flu/chest infection, I want to punch them in the face, because I will get it and it will be far more serious for them than it is for me. Take a day or two of more off if you are ill and don't spread it around like the present no one asked for and doesn't want.

Lucky buggers I say

If I am 'responsible for my own immune system' I am doing a shit job of it - Hypothyroidism, Pernicious anemia, chronic kidney disease, B12 deficiency, a chronic bowel condition, multiple miscarriages etc etc - all autoimmune related - please someone tell me how to make myself well!!

Responsible for my own immune system?! What a joke!

I have an extremely rare disorder called Adrenal Insufficiency. It’s akin to Addison’s disease but not the same. I have to take daily steroids for the rest of my life as my body doesn’t make cortisol. If I am ill generally or have a shock I can go into adrenal crisis which I need to carry an epi pen to treat (intense dose of steroids) and I would die without it. I also have - just for shits and giggles - pituitary problems which mean I produce too much prolactin so I make breast milk even though I have never breasted (I can take medication for this) and I also have low thyroid.

My body is just one of those ones that doesn’t work well. I try my best to keep fit - I am 37 and walk lots every day and do my best to eat healthily. Normal bmi etc. But I wouldn’t be able to live without the nhs. I see the gp on average every few weeks for various complications.

The only reason why I haven’t been to a doctor in over a year is because I can never get an appointment when it is convenient for me! So I just put it off! If it was necessary then I wouldn’t go to work and get one if I could. For me it isn’t smugness but inconvenience.

If you know how we're all responsible for our own immune systems then perhaps you could tell the international scientific community how to stop immune systems from malfunctioning and killing healthy body parts. You'd probably be a billionaire in the next ten minutes. What's the going rate for a set of mint condition Islets Of Langerhans these days?

As for doctor visits, I saw my GP rarely until the end of last year, when I was going downhill, sick & tired of feeling sick & tired and never really getting any better before the next bout of crushing tiredness, aches and general-blah-feeling kicked in. Many many blood tests, symptom questionnaires, physical exams and antidepressant scripts later, this week I tested +ve for the antibodies associated with coeliac. It came as quite a shock as I haven't had the stomach symptoms that would point to it but it seems there is a "silent" form of coeliac where you don't get gut symptoms but the damage is being done nonetheless. What you do get are a hundred and one vague and varied symptoms including tiredness, brain fog, aches and pains, vitamin deficiencies, depression, poor short-term memory...

So the irony of it is that while I've had all the symptoms at a low level most of my life, it was only when I became a pushy frequent flier at the doctors that the relevant test was eventually taken. If I hadn't convinced myself I was just "sickly" and caught every bug going I could have got here many years ago.

Same. I was always at the doctors with infection after infection. If they had picked up I had virtually no neutrophils... 8 years later I got sent to haematology as an emergency. My body produces neutrophils then kills them off. And no amount of healthy food, vitamins, exercise will stop that

I wasn't too bad until two years ago now I feel embarrassed I'm at the doctors as often as I am.

I haven't been for years except for smears and a trip to A&E for an accident. I'm not smug though, and am hugely grateful that they are there for when we need them.

My dd hasn't been to a doctor in 7 years, more than half her lifetime. Some people are just more resistant to bugs I guess- she has had the odd cough and cold but nothing too bad and rarely has days off school.

My MIl once went to the doctor because she couldn't get her nail polish off

I used to be like that but then high blood pressure hit, filled by other long term issues and I now go every few months

I don't get those people either. I also know how to treat minor ailments, coughs colds and vomiting bugs at home. But I don't go to the dr for those. Dcs also - one has kidney problems. The other had ear problems. Both have been on long term antibiotics (1 year plus).

I think the 'I never go to the dr' lot are very lucky but some appear to think that the rest of us go for minor ailments. We don't have anything serious but all require a drs visit.

Sorry that post was completely incomprehensible! I'm going to bed.

I know someone like this. She also moans about how it's not fair she pays her taxes yet doesn't get her money's worth as she doesn't go to the doctor. I on the other hand have used the NHS a lot; I've had 3 big kidney surgeries, a complicated pregnancy (so was in and out a lot) and a caesarean. I'm only 35 so have probably had more than my share already. She probably secretly hates me!

It's an inherited trait. I was brought up to think I was a better person for never admitting to being unwell or needing medical advice, and that those who did were attention-seeking.

I'm fully recovered these days and I am sympathetic to people with illness and health concerns, and I don't put a brave face on when I'm unwell. I went for a flu jab this morning. Don't tell my mum.

We always try over the counter medicine from pharmacy first and only go to gp for planned care immunisations, smears etc

Aha ha this is my mil. They sent a letter to the house asking if she was still 'around'. She hates doctors and Not even had a smear test which is sad.

Urgh I hear you OP... they're up there with those smug buggars who never take a day off sick from work... good for you but don't make me feel guilty for being genuinely ill and not infecting everyone else by being a martyr and continuing to come into work...

The immune system thing bothers me too...

And people who say "everybody has asthma/allergies these days, it wasn't like this in my day."

Yes, these two conditions have become very prevalent in recent decades, and there's an ongoing scientific debate to explore the reasons for that, but that doesn't change the fact that I have them and require treatment for them.

Yes to the allergy thing! My toddler has a milk allergy and some people just think I'm wrapping her in cotton wool.

I'm interested in those of you whose children have never had antibiotics.

I think my eldest is pretty robust, but he's been on about five loads, and he's barely four. I'm asthmatic, and colds tend to go straight to chest infections - I'm wondering if my genetics are to blame for this.

Btw, for all that asthma and allergies are caused by cleanliness rubbish; I was brought up with a dog, various cats, gerbils and a decent aversion to cleaning from my parents. I'm still allergic to animals, dust and everything else.

The first time DD1 went to the doctor after her baby vaccinations was to ask for contraception aged 18. I was with her, at her request. He said “we haven’t seen you in a while”

I’m lmao at responsible for your own immune system.
Mine works so well it eats my joints (rheumatoid arthritis).

Do I get a shiny star for that?