Should I book a health check even though I am not ill?

[Cando6]

I’m 61 and one of those lucky people who never sees the GP. I registered at a local one when I moved here (Surrey) 4 years ago.
I did go for a nurse led thing when I first registered and they did blood pressure and weight. I have done the colon cancer test though the post. I have been for my mammogram to a hut in a car park somewhere. So NHS know I exist. Other than that I haven’t seen a GP since last baby 26 years ago.

My friends and colleagues seem to be at the GP constantly. Everyone seems to have cholesterol or blood pressure or thyroid things or mental health issues or menopause medication going on.

So many people seem to get sick with something around my age so I’ve started wondering if I should get some sort of check up. Maybe I do have a heart or thyroid thing.

I feel perfectly well. I work full time in a sedentary job. Eat well. Run up and down stairs. Ignored menopause. Check my boobs.
I keep hearing moaning about how hard it is to see a GP but doesn’t seem to put people off going constantly. I do sometimes have a minor thing like tiredness or constipation but I just sort it out.

I’m from a family that never went to Dr. Dad hasn’t been in 30 years and he’s late 80s.
I googled to see if there is any sort of comprehensive review and apparently there should be something every 5 years. And if it doesn’t happen I should book an appointment. Just feels odd to do so when I’m not ill.
Any NHS people know what should happen?

26 years, that’s amazing! I am the same age as you and not been ill much in my life but it all changed when I turned 60. I would keep an eye on your blood pressure if I were you as mine has been fine all my life but then suddenly extremely high and I ended up in hospital.

Have you never had things like an eye infection or a skin flare up or pain or a UTI or gynaecological problems or a dodgy mole or something? (Thinking of all the things I have had in the last couple of years!)

Anyway yes I would have a basic check-up if I were you.

Yes you should access preventative healthcare.

You may have ignored menopause but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t had effects on that have not yet become apparent. Ditto high blood pressure, often symptomless until irreversible damage has been done. I would book in at the GPs office for a standard health check which will cover standard bloods, blood pressure etc. I would also ask for a bone density scan as you went through menopause without HRT. You don’t want to wait until you get a fracture and you discover you have advanced osteoporosis which cannot at that point be reversed. Diet and exercise alone don’t protect you from it as I discovered.

I’m similar and and a similar age except I have a repeat prescription for hrt but it’s all done online. I consider myself very fortunate to be fit and healthy.
However I asked my gp via an online request for a cholesterol test as a family member has issues and they sent me for a full set of blood tests. They were all fine - I didn’t speak to anyone, I just found the results on the NHS app - and I put them into chat GPT which analysed them and gave me some recommendations. Things like my thyroid, blood sugar, liver, cholesterol were checked. Perhaps you could do something like this.

Routine health checks are normally at 10 year intervals but there is nothing to stop you requesting one.

I agree with this, it sounds like you have been fortunate enough not to have suffered something with symptoms like pain or nausea, but that doesn't mean there isn't something going on that is symptomless until well advanced. A really thorough check up sounds well overdue!

I don’t do anything for fitness except a daily brisk walk
Just so you know, the NHS don't consider this exercise and it won't be counted. You need to do more exercise than just walking, even if it's brisk. I mentioned my walks when I got pulled in after blood tests revealed higher cholesterol than it should be, and it was dismissed completely. (I got the blood tests to discover why I had started having breathing difficulties, so not trivial, time-wasting stuff...)

It's beneficial to do different types of exercise too, rather than just increasing the length of time doing one type, maybe it would help to look into classes or swimming as well?

Thanks again all. Absolutely happy to hear some of you saying I might have some health time bomb about to go off. Certainly seems that way among slightly older friends.
Also agree I’m not doing enough to look after my health and have just been lucky. No have not had anything happen in last couple of decades to make me go. Just colds and Covid and upset stomach stuff.
I am going to contact GP tomorrow and see what tests I’m eligible for. Waiting for them to contact me may not be the best way! I think that because GP is not part of my life I’m too vague on what should be happening and when. I need to engage with the system.
I do have a home BP monitor so know that’s OK.

Posted twice

I'm 58 and haven't seen a GP for 16 years. However, both of my parents have/had high blood pressure and my DM diagnosed with diabetes a couple of years ago, so I asked at GP's reception if I could have a blood test - she didn't even ask why or if I was entitled. My blood pressure and pulse was taken at the same time.

Interestingly my blood pressure came back as normal (years ago used to be high end of normal so lower), cholesterol was top end of normal, but blood test picked up I was pre-diabetic. I was offered a pre-diabetic course, made changes and back within normal range - from now onwards nurse said I can have a blood test every year.

So I didn't need to see a GP, but a nurse check/blood test was worth having.

I would definitely get a check. I was told I was pre diabetic after a routine blood test as I have severe migraine. I am 63. As a result, I have tweaked my diet and reversed this now. If they say all us fine, at least you know for sure. Lots of conditions can creep up as we get older.
By the way, the NHS do count walking as exercise, so keep it up. All movements are better than none!

Often it is genetic. I am 9 years older than my brother . I have developed virtually everything any member of my family had - arthritis from my aunt, osteoporosis from my grandma, asthma from my great aunt etc. Plus a few from myself - polycystic ovaries, uterine cancer…
My brother has never been sick a day in his life - oh wait - I think he had a cold when he was 4. Nothing to it but genes. Sigh.4

All these tests are included in the NHS Health Check done at a new patient registration, and after this patients are invited by their GP practice for an NHS Health Check every 5 years, or more often depending on individual/family health risks .

@Cando6 out of interest did you get any of the Covid vaccines and if so which ones? Also, when you had Covid did you get a bad bout or was it just like a mild flu?