Breaking news: Your doctor has placed an APB (All Patients Bulletin) because they haven’t seen you in ages. The waiting room chair you usually sit in? It’s starting to feel abandoned.
All silliness aside, going too long without a check-up can put your health at risk.
Many health problems don’t announce themselves with flashing lights and sirens. They sneak up slowly, without obvious symptoms, until they become harder (and more expensive) to treat. Regular check-ups are your best defense. But if you’ve been putting them off – and we’ve all been there – here are the signs you might be long overdue.
You can't remember your last appointment.
If you have to dig through old emails, patient portals, or your memory to figure out when you last saw your doctor, it’s probably been too long. Most adults need a yearly check-up, even if you feel perfectly healthy. These visits give your doctor a chance to review your history, update screenings, and catch changes early.
Your prescriptions have expired.
If your medication bottle says it expired, or your refill requests keep getting denied, that’s a big sign you’re overdue. Regular visits are how your provider makes sure your prescriptions and your doses are still safe and effective for you.
You're using "I feel fine" as a health plan.
Feeling fine doesn’t always mean you are fine. Conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes often have no noticeable symptoms until they’ve already caused damage. A check-up can spot these issues long before you do.
Your body has been dropping hints.
Are you more tired than usual? Having difficulty sleeping? Noticing unexplained weight changes? Experiencing ongoing headache, joint pain, or stomach issues? These can all be signs that something’s off – and waiting it out isn’t always the safest choice.
You're young, active, and healthy.
Even if you’re young, active, and healthy, you still need to visit your doctor! Annual check-ups help build a strong medical history. This “baseline” makes it easier for your doctor to notice small changes that could point to bigger problems later.
