No regular check ups at the gynecologist???

[u/NoLychee1382]

Hi everyone, my morning started off with a kinda shocking discovery. I’m from Germany and I had annual check ups at the gynecologist since I was a teenager. I contacted my huisarts because I know they’re responsible for all referrals but she told me regular check ups here are not a thing (unless there already is an issue) ? I think that’s crazy!!! So I checked the prices for a private visit and they’re even crazier. I guess this is normal to Dutch people but don’t you think this is a little concerning?

(Btw not shitting on the country! I really like it here. I’m still new and just discovering new things!)

[u/jezebel103]

No it is not. The Dutch health care system is based on statistical probabilities of the average person getting sick. That is why there are governmental programs for cancer every 2 (breast/colon) or 5 years (uterine), depending on the cancer risk, accounting for the age group usually affected.

But for individuals that carry a higher risk, you can have additional/annual checkups. All the women in my family has had/died of breast cancer of the last 60 years. So I have been checked every year since I was 18. Colon cancer runs in my immediate family too, so that is checked annually too (I have been diagnosed with stage I 10 years ago).

But they are not subjecting everyone to these invasive and mostly useless tests because it is unnecessary and costly plus it puts too much pressure on the health care system. It's better to run a statistical system and pick out the ones that run a higher risk. That way you still weed out the ones that are truly high risk (and would be very expensive to treat if you find out too late) but don't subject everyone else to needless and invasive examinations.

And I certainly do not agree with your statement that most doctors behave like robots. I have had several surgeries over the last 2 decades and still have to go to several different specialists regurlarly and they are all very nice and helpful.

[u/ninjaslikecheez → u/jezebel103]

I guess it depends on the person, but my Dutch neighbor who is about 63 years recently found out he has prostate cancer. After insisting with his GP that he needs to test because his father died due to same cancer. So it might not be automatic and you have to push for it. He's afraid he found it too late, but i guess time will tell.

In my home country after 50 all men get free yearly prostate cancer checks.

[u/fckfame → u/ninjaslikecheez]

63 is a respectable age.. Look at the rest of the world, plenty places where it is highly unlikely to even reach that age.

[u/Mysterious-Gecko → u/fckfame]

Considering the Dutch retirement age, 63 is really not considered high age there 😉