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Thread: Annual checkup?
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1st October 2013 #1
Annual checkup?
Been for mine today and the results were better than last year, which came as a bit of a shock. Hate going but after its over i am glad that i made the effort.
Do you have a checkup annually or only when you feel something is wrong?
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1st October 2013 #2
An annual check up is preventive maintenance, so it's wise to have them!
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1st October 2013 #3
When I was still working in Makati, annual checkup is a must and it's free anyway, organised by the companies I worked for and the HMO that we have. My last company even would not pay the employee's salary for the month if he/she refuses to do the annual checkup.
-=rayna.keith=-
...When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible...
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1st October 2013 #4
I agree
Even if you don't do all the tests, some sort of physical examination and a chat with the doctor once a year is a good idea. There are some conditions that are dangerous, but do not usually produce any obvious symptoms until it is too late. I lost a beautiful big sister to colon cancer, and a visit to the doctors earlier might have made all the difference.
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1st October 2013 #5
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A general health check involves contact between a person and a healthcare professional to identify signs, symptoms, or risk factors for disease that were previously unrecognised.
A regular general health check is widely assumed to be effective in reducing frequency and severity of diseases, based on common sense. However, it’s not that simple ! Of course for people with illnesses already diagnosed, then follow up may be essential to ensure treatment is working, and optimal .
Screening programmes should be based on evidence that they do more good than harm. A number of health experts think that they are a waste of money, whether NHS in the UK ; or paid for by the employer / privately in the Philippines.
Many others – especially young people – believe that if they feel well and don’t have new signs / symptoms on self – checking ( including breasts, testes, and skin for melanoma ), they should also not bother with health check ups. There is a philosophy that “ you’ve got to die of something, everyone dies eventually, and if you smoke you may still get run over by a bus tomorrow “.
People who accept ( the “ worried well “ ), or are required through employment, to have a health check up are generally healthier anyway. Systematic health checks simply don’t reach those who most need them, whether in UK or Philippines – through ignorance and / or cost.
Possible harms from health checks include overdiagnosis ; overtreatment ; distress or injury from “ invasive “ follow-up tests ; distress due to false positive test results ; false reassurance due to false negative test results ; adverse psychosocial effects = worry ; and difficulties with insurance.
Of course there are conditions that may have no early symptoms :-
• screening for cervical cancer from the early 20’s onwards ;
• breast cancer screening from around 50 onwards ;
• bowel cancer screening from around 60 onwards ;
• eye testing including screening for diabetes and glaucoma ;
• blood pressure test ;
• checking blood / urine for diabetes, raised cholesterol, and “ PSA “ for prostate cancer;
• Body Mass Index as a measure of healthy weight for height;
• regular dental check ups ;
• pre-entry screening for TB is now compulsory for migrants from the Philippines to UK.
For almost every one of these checks there are advantages and disavantages ( see other threads in this section ).
* Advantages are that a treatable condition may be diagnosed early, and the health professional may " opportunistically " remind you ( or your offspring ) to have vaccinations such as " flu jab ".
* Disadvantages include overdiagnoses / overtreatments of the cancers picked up on screening ; PSA is unreliable ; better to be slightly overweight than smoke; the dentist will always find a tooth that needs attention ! ; screening for TB is costly and it’s unlikely a fiancée or spouse planning on coming to UK will actually have it.
This is not to “ rubbish “ health checks, especially with increasing age and of course for conditions already diagnosed. But there’s a need for common sense !
My personal opinion ? Maintain as healthy a lifestyle as possible and reduce your chances of serious illness without worrying too much; and don’t waste money on any more extensive health checks than the basic ones available free on the NHS or through employment / insurance schemes in UK or the Philippines .
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Screening...cks30to64.aspx
http://www.nhs.uk/Planners/NHSHealth.../Thetests.aspx
http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e7191
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/82345/...he-philippines
http://www.whatclinic.com/health-screening/philippines
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2nd October 2013 #6
Thanks Doc Alan for taking the time to write, such an informative post
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2nd October 2013 #7
To be honest, NO we dont have annual check up here in the UK unless we are really unwell..but YES we do in the Philippines ...dentist/family doctor/ OB / Dermatologist etc
..it is way too expensive here..the NHS is only FREE at the point of contact(even if u feel unwell you cant get a GP to look after you , only a NURSE will do the check up ,how good is that??''Don't be serious..Be Sincere''
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