Here's what I see almost every week.
A guy comes in with erectile dysfunction. We run some basic bloodwork. His cholesterol is through the roof. His blood pressure is concerning. His A1C suggests pre-diabetes.
"When's the last time you had a physical?" I ask.
"Maybe five years ago? I felt fine."
That's the problem right there.
You felt fine.
High blood pressure is called the silent killer for a reason. High cholesterol doesn't announce itself. Pre-diabetes creeps up quietly until one day it doesn't.
Feeling fine is not a clean bill of health. It's just an absence of symptoms.
She's not nagging. She's right.
I can't tell you how many times a patient's partner has sat across from me with this look: Finally. Someone who gets it.
Because she's been saying this for years.
She's not being dramatic when she asks about your blood pressure. She's not overreacting when she pushes you to schedule a physical.
She's watching you avoid something that could matter a lot for both of you.
And from where I sit? She's right every time.
What I actually want you to do
An annual physical. Not every five years. Not when something hurts. Every year.
Blood work tells a story about what's happening inside your body long before you'd feel a thing. Cholesterol. Blood sugar. Kidney function. These numbers either give you options or take them away, depending on when you catch them.
Blood pressure is the one I'd push hardest. It damages your heart, your kidneys, your brain. And yes, your sexual function. You won't feel it happening until it's already done damage.