NHS Health Check - case studies needed

[nhsfan]

Has anyone been invited for an NHS Health Check (for people aged 40-74) and taken up the invitation? If so, I'd love to hear from you and whether you feel you benefited from it. Many thanks.

[sandybrown]

Hi,

The questions is "What is in the NHS health check?"

Yes, age 67, I went for NHS health check in a roundabout way!, first I was going to go for a private one. Yes, there were benefit.

On top of NHS health check I also had Blue crest check and lifeline screening. Money spent very well.

[sandybrown]

All,

NHS Health Check

Helping you prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and dementia

Changes since April 2013

From April 2013, responsibility for the NHS Health Check programme moved to your local authority, which will invite anyone who is eligible to have a check over a five-year rolling cycle. That means everyone aged between 40 and 74 who hasn’t already been diagnosed with any of the conditions mentioned above will be invited for an NHS Health Check.

The check is likely to be offered in GP surgeries and local pharmacies. They may also be offered at other suitable and accessible locations in your community.

In the meantime, if you're worried about your health, don't wait for your NHS Health Check. Contact your GP in the usual way.

I wonder how many people received a "Health Check" letter?

[patch14]

An NHS check gives you information on which you can make plans for your future health. It is a bit like looking at your house and seeing what needs to be decorated or replaced! With all the information at your fingertips you can then see what changes need to be made, if any, to keep you tip top and take any advice from the professionals that you feel will help you.

[malcolmp]

I did n't get a letter.I had to go and chase them for a health check.If you can call it a health check.Personally i was not at all impressed with what they class as a health check.

[foxyrobyn]

I was aske dto make an appointment online for a blood test at the local hospital. When there the dr who saw me asked about statins. When i told her i wasnt taking them she went into this lecture about how i have family cholesterol and that taking statings will prevent me having a heart attack or stroke. Bearing in mind my blood presure is fine, i nor they know my father's medical history and also that i have proven that when i watch what i eat the levels go down from 8-9 to 6 in a few months and stay there. When i mentioned that , funnily enough they had no record of the last readings showing lower results. If they were to ask me to go in for health checks i would refuse as im sick of the NHS trying to palm me off with statins i dont need and trying to justify the medication with an incomplete inacurate diagnosis. I

[Hidden]

Dec 2012 I was called for a follow up cholesterol check from 3 yrs previously, which I went for. Hearing nothing I assumed all was OK until a month later I got an invitation to go for a health check. The nurse told me my cholesterol had been borderline high hence the 'invitation', although the cynic in me told me it was a money spinning yarn for the practice.She did the BMI, waist measurement, blood pressure, diabetes etc and found the BP was too high and said a 24 hr monitor was needed. I just hadn't expected that and was then given a patronising talk about how I had had 70 good years and high BP was a silent killer etc. 3 weeks later I had the 24 hr monitor and it confirmed a stage 2 high and then it all began .... every week it seemed I was called in for yet another blood test and after 2 months of trying to sort the BP myself I went onto medication, very reluctantly. It's fair to say I was led screaming and kicking onto medication as it was the 'for life' business I hated, that, and being permanently on the radar of the NHS. Deep down though I was really thankful it had been found.

Months later I have been able to obtain my medical notes online and was amazed to see the huge amounts of blood tests that had been done. I think had the BP been normal they wouldn't have done all that: they checked liver, kidneys, cholesterol [again] and heart ecg, to name just the most obvious.

What they never told me at the time was that the HbA1c test for diabetes was just 1 mark short of pre diabetes. I found this myself thanks to the online notes and the dr agreed and did it again but it was the same; this despite losing <3 stone, exercising more and cutting salt out. So that's bad news as he says plenty of thin people get diabetes you just hear about the fat ones. He seems to think it's genetic and will develop into type 2 in time I do think they should have mentioned the prediabetes though.

So all in all I'm glad I had the test but was cross, angry and shocked at what they discovered. At least they haven't put me on statins - at least not yet!!

[Norman]

I cannot see much point in health checks. The last person I knew woh had one and passed, died with large heart attack before he got out of surgery door.

[Silversurfer4739]

Hi,I get a medical check every year, my surgery does this with everyone over 65,

this year the blood tests have shown a lot,

Therefore I have had to see a Cardiologist,and A Rhuematology expert,

some of the things had been found out when I refused to take any more Statins,

I have been without statins for about 18 months,I have not been warned that my Cholesterol is any worse,or,any better,so,this means the Statins were not making any difference with my bloods?

I am having weekly treatment for my hands at Physio...I am having warm wax treatment for my hands,

you dunk your hands into warm wax 5 times,

they then wrap them into plastic bags,and,rest them for about 15 minutes.the treatment is wonderful,

your hands GLOW with

well being it

lasts many hours. I intend buying myself one of these wax baths...

the Heart?I saw my Cardiologist last week ,here is the result.

Moderate to severe aortic stenosis, raised BMI,

,Bilateral total knee replacements,Hypothyroidism,

TIA,GORD,COPD,

I don't know what the GORD means?

My Pulse is 68 regular,JVP was not elevated,

and there echo grade 2/6 ejection systolic murmur at the aortic region,

Todays has shown a progression in the degree of stenosis.

the peak and mean gradiant is now 63 and 38 mmHg respectively.the VTI ratio was 0.27. she continues to have good LV fuction.

he wants me to lose weight in readiness for Open Heart Surgery,but, appreciates the fact that exercising with 2 replacements knees,are old now and just cannot be used for walking or exercising.

so,I am stuck in a catch 22 situation,the health problems obviously prevent me from doing the strenuous exercise which would lead to a weight loss.I can't even ride a bike as the left knee had the Patella removed 11 years before the knee replacement,this means my knee comes to a standstill at 90 degrees,so will never turn the wheel in biking.

I will be back in 6 months for ECHO ogram to check all of these Heart results again.as you can see,there is no mention of raised Cholosterol readings.

I am sure it will have been on record that I stopped taking Statins,

I think the DRS. themselves do not quite know how to find a true reading of how Patients are really feeling about taking Statins,I think they too are in a position of no one telling them a DEFINITE result of to take or not to take statins?????

my DR is corresponding with an Author DR,who has written 2 books on this subject,it seems that everyone in a medical job is asconfused as us,

I hope someone can understand my readings?I don't....Pat ...

[Hidden]

having had all the things in the NHS health check measured recently, no I wouldn't go for one. My bad experiences after a cholesterol test (and I wasn't even worried about my cholesterol, my GP ordered it after a skin infection) of being messed about for one whole year, have put me off any kind of NHS preventive medicine!

[Hidden]

I had a NHS health check over a year ago, and apart from telling me I was overweight (due to my underactive thyroid in my opinion) they told me I had high cholesterol at 6.8. I was advised to take statins which I refused and said I wanted to bring it down with a change to my diet. I was a bit surprised as my diet was low in fat, and looking back that probably wasn't helping with the good cholesterol. When I do use fat now I use rapeseed oil or olive spread, and don't skimp on it anymore, I think this balances up the bad cholesterol. I researched the subject and ate more oats, almonds and other things. I went again for a test after 6 months and the result was 5.5, and classed as "normal". I felt quite chuffed, but again I was told I should consider taking statins. Again I refused and carried on with my regime. After a whole year my cholesterol level is 4.8. I wouldn't have known about my high cholesterol without the NHS check up as I felt perfectly fit and watched my diet. So I would say, yes do go for it and do your research afterwards on anything that comes out of it.

[csrehman]

I'm 53 and have never received an invitation for health check by my local authority, Birmingham, Being second largest UK city God knows how many are still awaiting for an invitation.

[sandybrown in reply to csrehman]

Please go to your GP and ask for a NHS health check.

[csrehman in reply to sandybrown]

I had a blood test, just didn't know it is called NHS health check, if that what it is. About 6/7 months latter, Coincidently I had a cholesterol check at a pharmacy who told me to contact my GP who had never informed me about the results of the blood test. GP said reading was 5.7. I asked does that mean it is a good news and I can allow to go up. GP was confused as to why I am enquiring. When I told about the advice from pharmacist, GP said I'll give you statins but never explained why I wasn't advised about my cholesterol level which for Asian people is very high. I wonder what else the blood test checked that I do not know about??

[sandybrown in reply to csrehman]

Hello,

Please book an appointment with your GP, this is to ask for full blood test, the GP is obliged to do this, the results can be given to you in a printed format.

Again it is your GP's duty to do a risk analysis and fully explain the benefits of life style change to get into better health.

Total cholesterol of 5.7 is not that high!, Please do not consider medication, go for life style change, I started on my life style change 5 years ago and am still doing it without any medication.

Please ask your GP for full lipid explanation. you have paid NI for all this!

you need to check on free sugar and hidden sugar in all the food you eat and control it.

I am a Sri Lankan, but has been in UK for a very long time, when ever my GP talks about Asian , I always say I have been en UK for more than 40 years. I am retired now and I have spent a lot of time in understanding cholesterol and other medial things. Risk analysis, JBS3 and QRISK, I worked with a GP on JBS3 development!!!