Middle Age health check from GP

[Davidc]

Good standard signs don't always mean you're healthy.

I've always had low BP, low heart rate, and since it's been measured normal cholesterol. Still managed a heart attack 5 years ago (in part owing to an inherited problem).

I was told though that the reason I'm still here and not too badly affected is that I was fit, do far more exercise than most people, and was generally healthy, so cycling does have some benefits.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

You need to increase your alcohol consumption.

I hope this has helped. But fear it may not have.

 

[craigwend]

I was also surprised not to be told to cut out the snacks and the fat (5'8" and 80kg, which is significantly more than I have been and still ought to be)./quote]

Have you checked your BMI?

http://www.nhs.uk/tools/pages/healthyweightcalculator.aspx?WT.mc_id=101007

 

[TheDoctor]

When you're a middle aged guy, the medics begins to be highly interested in your prostate...

 

[Wobblers]

This is the trouble with the stats and people taking the wrong conclusion.

You are correct that people who drink moderately drink live longer than those that don't. The trouble is that the tee-totalers include ex alcoholics, those with long term medical conditions, cultures who don't drink but also have an unhealthy diet etc.

Don't you think that those researchers who conduct whole population studies have thought of these factors? This is why it is accepted protocol to use controls to deal with such biases.

If you drink moderately, you're with lots of healthy people. If you give up drink, you are more likely to live longer but become part of a group of people who are likely to die sooner. Therefor people inaccurately conclude that drinking moderately is good for you.

Except moderate drinkers include those with long term medical conditions, cultures who don't drink but also have an unhealthy diet (care to mention any?) etc. To claim that this can explain the observed differences between the drinking population and teetotalers simply won't wash. I'd be interested in seeing published research that says otherwise?

 

[Wobblers]

Isn't that because teetotallers tend to be slightly odd people, not because alcohol is good for you?

Are you saying that I'm normal???

 

[slowmotion]

Mrs Scoosh had a check of some sort from the Nurse at the practice a while ago and she (the nurse) said that the alcohol consumption figures given by those interviewed are always assumed to be 'conservative' , so they are increased as a matter of course.

Honest, Miss, I only have 1 drink a week ...


[aye, right ]

Doctors generally double the amount that you say you drink, a GP member of my family says.

 

[albion]

I was listening to something on radio 4 a few weeks ago where they said that a small amount of alcohol per day was good for your heart.

Logically alcohol is bad for the heart .

I lightly suspect much of this is grouped into the strong health benefit of grapes and grape seeds.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

You need to be wary of those Middle Ages health checks; they're generally all leeches, pincers, and other barbaric methods (shudder) .

 

[Schmilliemoo]

You need to be wary of those Middle Ages health checks; they're generally all leeches, pincers, and other barbaric methods (shudder) .

True. I'd go for a renaissance health check - far more progressive and enlightened

 

[Globalti]

The last time I saw my GP, the deliciously lovely and very youthful Dr Mrs Ali, we discussed the "well man" health check and she seemed curiously reluctant to give me the once-over as had her male predecessor a few years before. That left me with a faint feeling of disappointment because the prospect of a digital prostate examination, per rectum, by Mrs Ali was quite an intriguing one. When our son injured his back skiing, on returning home we actually managed to winkle Dr Ali out of the surgery for a home visit. She rushed in looking busy and brisk and proceeded to hold the French hospital X rays up to the bedroom window upside down; glanced briefly at them and agreed to refer us straight away to an orthopod.

One thing that irks me is that as a super-fit 57 year-old (compared with 95% of my peers) I can't find any life insurance company prepared to recognise my lowered risk of illness or premature death by way of lower premiums.

 

[slowwww]

When we moved house recently we had to register at a new GP surgery. They have an 'induction' process where they measure your height, weight, blood pressure etc. When it came to the alcohol question I was honest that I probably exceeded the recommended levels by 3 or 4 units some weeks (usually if there's some work socialising), but have 2-3 non drinking days as recommended and am otherwise in excellent health.

The eyebrows of the Practice Nurse undertaking the examination (who was a rather straight laced spinster, as far as I could work out) shot up to her hairline, and she then went off and returned, with some ceremony, with an additional questionnaire about "Excessive Alcohol Consumption". This followed:
PN "Is there a history of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure in your family?"
Me "No"
PN "Has your drinking ever impaired your ability to work?"
Me "No"
PN "Do you find that your sleep is impaired by alcohol, or take alcohol to go to sleep at night, or to wake up in the morning?
Me - starting to get irate at being treated like a gutter dwelling dipso " No, never!"
PN "Do you find that this interfers with your family life, or your responsibilities to your children?"
Me - thinking WTF, is this for real, and deciding I'm going to have some fun "No, never, I spend all day Saturday and Sunday with them.........at the pub" Que big dig in the ribs from my wife.
PN " What you take you children to the pub every weekend??!!!"
Me " Yes, they love it. They've even got their own tankards at my local"
PN " Mr Slowwww, that is really not advisable!! Children need stimulation and fresh air!!"
Me “That’s alright, the pub’s got a big garden with a table tennis table, and if it's raining I give them money for the fruit machine"
Wife gives me a huge whack on the arm, and the penny finally drops with the PN that I’ve been winding her up.

About a year later when I’ve made an appointment to see the doctor to get jabs for a holiday, it becomes obvious that he’s got a copy of the questionnaire and that the PN has recorded my answers verbatim.

He looks me up and down, glances at the questionnaire again, and says “well Mr Slowwww, I take it you had some sport with our Practice Nurse?”

Top bloke.

 

[PK99]

I had one about a year ago - I drink more than you in a week and there was no such warning for me.
Think I fell into the lower 10 percentile for risk so I'm happy with that.

Like you I had a low cholesterol score - I think it's the regular exercise that helps.

High cholesterol is mainly a genetic thing with little to do with diet or exercise (according to my haematologist) - though if predisposed, diet and exercise can help lower it.

 

[PK99]

This has been the broad view of friends and family.

I was jolly happy to have 'perfect' blood pressure (no idea what perfect is) and very low cholestorol, but the booze thing was just weird.

when I was first diagnosed with high cholesterol (family history of heart disease) my haematologist told me to go home and drink 2 glasses of red wine ever evening - but no beer.
I like to say I followed half his advice.

 

[Schmilliemoo]

My bloody cholesterol is too low and I am getting threatened by my consultant if I don't sort it out. So far no cream cakes on prescription tho :0)