PKD Life - Summer 2022 - 9

JOSE LUIS PELAEZ INC/GETTY IMAGES
PKD DAY TO DAY
Ages & Stages
Don't Put Off Health
Screenings
Here's why you should keep those
medical test appointments.
By Beth Levine
PANDEMIC
POSTPONEMENTS
Unlike Kelly, however, many
adults have been delaying or
avoiding routine medical care
over concerns about contracting
COVID-19 in medical
settings, surveys show. The
American Association for
Cancer Research reported
that there were nearly 10 million
missed cancer screenings
from January to July
2020 alone.
S ince the pandemic began, Deborah Kelly hasn't
skipped a medical checkup or lab test, despite
worries of contracting COVID-19 in medical offices.
" I meet with my doctors virtually when possible,
but if I have to go in for a test, I go, " says Kelly, 46,
of St. Louis. " As someone with PKD who had a liver
transplant and is now in stage 4 kidney failure, I feel
the danger of not following up is greater than the
risk of getting the virus. "
But putting off medical
checkups and screening
tests can have serious consequences,
says Peter Carek,
M.D., a family physician and
the director of medical student
education for AnMed Health
in Anderson, South Carolina.
" We want to ensure that
PKD gets taken care of, but we
also have to remember that
other diseases can cause serious
issues if left undiagnosed
and untreated, " he says. " The
idea behind the screening
times and recommendations
is that they provide an opportunistic
window to catch some
of these disease processes
in early stages, when they're
easier to treat. "
TAKE PRECAUTIONS
You can always make
appointments for virtual
visits where appropriate. But
if you have to be seen in person,
allay your concerns by
using the utmost care
when going to your doctor.
Dr. Carek advises:
* Getting the COVID-19
vaccine
* Washing and sanitizing
your hands before and
immediately after your
appointment
* Following the office's safety
protocols, which are in
place to protect you and
the staff
IMPORTANT TESTS
In addition to anything
related to a chronic disease
such as PKD, Dr. Carek says
it's critical to have these
screening tests and counseling
at the recommended
intervals, along with discussions
with your primary care
physician about any other
appropriate screening tests:
* Blood pressure checks
* Cholesterol testing
* Colorectal cancer
screenings
* HIV tests and preexposure
prophylaxis
* Mammograms and pap
smears
* Tobacco smoking cessation
counseling
" I am passionate about
people getting screenings, "
says Kelly. " It is so important.
COVID is scary, but I always
feel that because of their protocols,
the hospitals are the
safest place to be. "
*
PKDCURE.ORG
9
http://www.PKDCURE.ORG
PKD Life - Summer 2022

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