Self testing health kits
Discussion
Self-testing health kits are these things genuine, I don't mind paying and if they showed something dodgy would then go to the doctors?
https://www.letsgetchecked.com/gb/en/
montymoo said:
Is there anything you are worried about ?
Do feel sick?
Or are you just curious ?
The top two would be far better being sorted by talking to your Gp.
Just curious really, spoke to a mate that mentioned getting testosterone levels checked in your 40s.Do feel sick?
Or are you just curious ?
The top two would be far better being sorted by talking to your Gp.
Also, I don't like seeing doctors, never quite verbally get out what I really mean.
Ive used Medichecks a few times - Very good. I was feeling not quite right for a while and the docs could never resolve it so I ordered a kit that told me I had a B12 issue. I took the test result to the docs and they did another test which confirmed it. I now need B12 injections for life and the issue was resolved.
magarta said:
Ive used Medichecks a few times - Very good. I was feeling not quite right for a while and the docs could never resolve it so I ordered a kit that told me I had a B12 issue. I took the test result to the docs and they did another test which confirmed it. I now need B12 injections for life and the issue was resolved.
Boom sold.Snake oil.
What’s wrong with you rocking up to your GP (that you’re already paying for and entitled to) and saying
“hi doc, I’m at a stage in my life where I’d like to have a general check up of all the important bits. Vitamin levels, full blood panel and would you recommend anything else based on my record to date. If you could please check by blood pressure, cholesterol etc. That would be really useful to me”
They are there for you, use them.
What’s wrong with you rocking up to your GP (that you’re already paying for and entitled to) and saying
“hi doc, I’m at a stage in my life where I’d like to have a general check up of all the important bits. Vitamin levels, full blood panel and would you recommend anything else based on my record to date. If you could please check by blood pressure, cholesterol etc. That would be really useful to me”
They are there for you, use them.
KrissKross said:
magarta said:
Ive used Medichecks a few times - Very good. I was feeling not quite right for a while and the docs could never resolve it so I ordered a kit that told me I had a B12 issue. I took the test result to the docs and they did another test which confirmed it. I now need B12 injections for life and the issue was resolved.
Boom sold.No one in healthcare would recommend this sort of stuff (unless they were being paid to advertise it).
Davie_GLA said:
Snake oil.
What’s wrong with you rocking up to your GP (that you’re already paying for and entitled to) and saying
“hi doc, I’m at a stage in my life where I’d like to have a general check up of all the important bits. Vitamin levels, full blood panel and would you recommend anything else based on my record to date. If you could please check by blood pressure, cholesterol etc. That would be really useful to me”
They are there for you, use them.
Not sure I agree that docs should be doing tests just because someone asks for them. What’s wrong with you rocking up to your GP (that you’re already paying for and entitled to) and saying
“hi doc, I’m at a stage in my life where I’d like to have a general check up of all the important bits. Vitamin levels, full blood panel and would you recommend anything else based on my record to date. If you could please check by blood pressure, cholesterol etc. That would be really useful to me”
They are there for you, use them.
Davie_GLA said:
JapanRed said:
Not sure I agree that docs should be doing tests just because someone asks for them.
Why? I've used these services for that reason. Sometimes I might want to check a particular thing. For example.inhad low vit d. Took supplements, then wanted to check my levels.
30 quid a finger prick test at home was both easier for me and didn't require me taking an appointment away from someone who really needed it and didn't involve the NHS spending money on a blood test
Scabutz said:
The cost. Unless there are symptoms why test? Would you want your mechanic to charge you 50 quid for a cose scan if your engine light wasnt on.
I've used these services for that reason. Sometimes I might want to check a particular thing. For example.inhad low vit d. Took supplements, then wanted to check my levels.
30 quid a finger prick test at home was both easier for me and didn't require me taking an appointment away from someone who really needed it and didn't involve the NHS spending money on a blood test
And what if it turned out you really did need it. Your example of the car with EML on isn't valid as that bulb might be out. However you still know there might be something wrong so into the garage it goes I've used these services for that reason. Sometimes I might want to check a particular thing. For example.inhad low vit d. Took supplements, then wanted to check my levels.
30 quid a finger prick test at home was both easier for me and didn't require me taking an appointment away from someone who really needed it and didn't involve the NHS spending money on a blood test
There are a multitude of reasons why you as a patient would ask. You might have a query related to family history, you may be adopted and have no idea what you might be prone to. You might simply have a pain in your side that came about and although it isn't annoying it's been there for a while and you'd like to get some bloods done to check it a physical or whatever.
I admire that you are thinking about the cost, I truly do however the cost of an appointment (around £135 in Scotland) might just save your life.
magarta said:
Ive used Medichecks a few times - Very good. I was feeling not quite right for a while and the docs could never resolve it so I ordered a kit that told me I had a B12 issue. I took the test result to the docs and they did another test which confirmed it. I now need B12 injections for life and the issue was resolved.
Wouldn't a simple blood test have revealed this? Odd that your GPs never requested it.This is the thing, GPs will simply ignore many markers that fall outside of the line and occasionaly need to be pushed to act. Even when my Thyroid TSH level came in at 9.9 my GP still did not want to consider treatment (the clinical diagnosis of Hypothyroidism is now set at over 10, which was increased in recent years from 5)
I am all for taking responsibility for your own health. If you get a full blood profile from your GP they won't even give you the results unless you push them for a print out. There are no doubt lots of people walking around with conditions that might well be easily addressable by either changes in lifestyle or medication but they remain unaware because their GP said they were 'good to go'
I am all for taking responsibility for your own health. If you get a full blood profile from your GP they won't even give you the results unless you push them for a print out. There are no doubt lots of people walking around with conditions that might well be easily addressable by either changes in lifestyle or medication but they remain unaware because their GP said they were 'good to go'
Davie_GLA said:
Scabutz said:
The cost. Unless there are symptoms why test? Would you want your mechanic to charge you 50 quid for a cose scan if your engine light wasnt on.
I've used these services for that reason. Sometimes I might want to check a particular thing. For example.inhad low vit d. Took supplements, then wanted to check my levels.
30 quid a finger prick test at home was both easier for me and didn't require me taking an appointment away from someone who really needed it and didn't involve the NHS spending money on a blood test
And what if it turned out you really did need it. Your example of the car with EML on isn't valid as that bulb might be out. However you still know there might be something wrong so into the garage it goes I've used these services for that reason. Sometimes I might want to check a particular thing. For example.inhad low vit d. Took supplements, then wanted to check my levels.
30 quid a finger prick test at home was both easier for me and didn't require me taking an appointment away from someone who really needed it and didn't involve the NHS spending money on a blood test
There are a multitude of reasons why you as a patient would ask. You might have a query related to family history, you may be adopted and have no idea what you might be prone to. You might simply have a pain in your side that came about and although it isn't annoying it's been there for a while and you'd like to get some bloods done to check it a physical or whatever.
I admire that you are thinking about the cost, I truly do however the cost of an appointment (around £135 in Scotland) might just save your life.
Your comment “And what if it turned out you really did need it” is valid but it’s not how the NHS works. You are describing a screening service. Screening services do exist (breast screening etc) but these have been proven to be cost effective and have tight parameters (eg only certain ages or high risk patients get screened). You can’t screen everyone for everything. You are correct that occasionally you would find that faulty light bulb (as in your above scenario) but 99 times out of a hundred you wouldn’t find anything). The NHS would collapse overnight under the cost.
A few years back there was a trial to screen asymptomatic patients’ lungs for lung cancer. They actually found loads of small nodules in patients, which they then had to follow up with invasive testing for 1-2 years; after which almost all were shown to be benign and harmless.
So an asymptomatic person gets told they have something on their lungs. They then worry for 2 years until proven its benign. Not to mention the cost to the NHS.
So to put it simply; the NHS doesn’t and will never work in the way you are suggesting. You wouldn’t stop every car on the motorway and do an ECU check in order to find the 1 car that had a yet undiagnosed fault would you?
Edited by JapanRed on Friday 2nd August 19:58
JapanRed said:
Davie_GLA said:
Scabutz said:
The cost. Unless there are symptoms why test? Would you want your mechanic to charge you 50 quid for a cose scan if your engine light wasnt on.
I've used these services for that reason. Sometimes I might want to check a particular thing. For example.inhad low vit d. Took supplements, then wanted to check my levels.
30 quid a finger prick test at home was both easier for me and didn't require me taking an appointment away from someone who really needed it and didn't involve the NHS spending money on a blood test
And what if it turned out you really did need it. Your example of the car with EML on isn't valid as that bulb might be out. However you still know there might be something wrong so into the garage it goes I've used these services for that reason. Sometimes I might want to check a particular thing. For example.inhad low vit d. Took supplements, then wanted to check my levels.
30 quid a finger prick test at home was both easier for me and didn't require me taking an appointment away from someone who really needed it and didn't involve the NHS spending money on a blood test
There are a multitude of reasons why you as a patient would ask. You might have a query related to family history, you may be adopted and have no idea what you might be prone to. You might simply have a pain in your side that came about and although it isn't annoying it's been there for a while and you'd like to get some bloods done to check it a physical or whatever.
I admire that you are thinking about the cost, I truly do however the cost of an appointment (around £135 in Scotland) might just save your life.
Your comment “And what if it turned out you really did need it” is valid but it’s not how the NHS works. You are describing a screening service. Screening services do exist (breast screening etc) but these have been proven to be cost effective and have tight parameters (eg only certain ages or high risk patients get screened). You can’t screen everyone for everything. You are correct that occasionally you would find that faulty light bulb (as in your above scenario) but 99 times out of a hundred you wouldn’t find anything). The NHS would collapse overnight under the cost.
A few years back there was a trial to screen asymptomatic patients’ lungs for lung cancer. They actually found loads of small nodules in patients, which they then had to follow up with invasive testing for 1-2 years; after which almost all were shown to be benign and harmless.
So an asymptomatic person gets told they have something on their lungs. They then worry for 2 years until proven its benign. Not to mention the cost to the NHS.
So to put it simply; the NHS doesn’t and will never work in the way you are suggesting. You wouldn’t stop every car on the motorway and do an ECU check in order to find the 1 car that had a yet undiagnosed fault would you?
Edited by JapanRed on Friday 2nd August 19:58
The thread as started was on the back of someone that had a valid reason to do the check in the first place.
I suspect that if the user had seen something then it would have resulted in a call to a GP. It’s estimated that for each missed appointment costs 130 quo’s but I am not sure if this is just the cost, regardless of the attendance.
This means the cost for that initial screening is double, granted your splitting the cost here with the NHS 50 / 50 and we could disappear down a rabbit hole of what that might cost economically as we’re now talking about spending NHS money and your employers, or whatever the source of your hard earned is; and you’ve already contributed via your national insurance to have the fantastic benefit of “free” healthcare.
Your car analogy doesn’t stand up i’m afraid as I pointed out the above you would need to have a reason to stop a car or have it looked at. something would have to be suitably concerning for this whole chain reaction in the first place.
As for taking up valuable appointments that someone might actually need; this is not the real world either. It would be great if it were but you only need to go to your GP to see it full of people that are called, seen to and then they re walking out 5 minutes earlier so in this case if your ailment was not enough to warrant a 30 minute slot and you are out in ten then that next person who is likely already in the waiting room will be seen earlier. Extrapolate this out and again we disappear down a rabbit hole but you get my drift.
Although it may not sound like it I am one of those who will avoid a GP like the plague if I thought I could just ride it out and let my immune system do it’s job but very recently the wife made me go and without that initial “sorry for wasting your time doc, I’m sure this is nothing” I would never have been sent for an x-ray and some routine bloods that eventually led to me having some sort of mild infection that had swollen my organs and found something the said could be blood poisoning. This landed me in the hospital for a while with all sorts of fluids and machines that thankfully is now just about under control but I’ll now be at the hospital as an out patient to go over regular consultant checks and more tests if needed.
TL;DR - use your doctor, you are entitled to it.
Crossflow Kid said:
I’m on front line ambulances in London.
The box of magic we use to obtain a set of obs costs around the same as a family car and is regularly serviced by licensed medical equipment technicians.
But thirty quid on the internet and a package through the post is better?
Commendable - I’m sure you see all sorts.The box of magic we use to obtain a set of obs costs around the same as a family car and is regularly serviced by licensed medical equipment technicians.
But thirty quid on the internet and a package through the post is better?
I’m sure it will say. In the small print of all of these that it’s not a medically endorsed product and will not be a replacement for a proper doctor. “we are not liable if our magic box tells you that you’re as fit as a butchers dog but drop dead the next week from something we couldn’t possibly diagnose anyway.
Crossflow Kid said:
I’m on front line ambulances in London.
The box of magic we use to obtain a set of obs costs around the same as a family car and is regularly serviced by licensed medical equipment technicians.
But thirty quid on the internet and a package through the post is better?
In the case of MediChecks and similar services the package contains a blood sample kit and you send it to a proper lab and the results are reviewed by qualified doctors. I don't see what the difference is.The box of magic we use to obtain a set of obs costs around the same as a family car and is regularly serviced by licensed medical equipment technicians.
But thirty quid on the internet and a package through the post is better?
I personally go to a registered clinic to get a veinous blood draw which costs an extra 25 pound when I get the MediChecks kit. You will get the same results as any NHS screening with much better convenience, speed and reporting.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff