Worried that I have undiagnosed health conditions that put me at risk

[Worriedaboutundiagnosed]

I am ashamed to say this, and I know it's my own fault, but please be kind.

I have neglected my health over the years. I have eaten too much crap and I haven't exercised enough. I'm unfit and obese. I worry about my health quite a lot but I have had a fear of doctors since I was a child. (There is a reason for this which I don't want to go into here.)

I have avoided going to the doctors as much as possible over the years, probably seen my GP once for myself in the last decade. I do take dc when they need to go.

The last time I had my blood pressure measured, it was quite high, but I wasn't asked to have it monitored regularly. It might have been high due to my anxiety about medical stuff, I don't know. I suspect it's high now but I don't know.

I also wonder if I'm diabetic. I eat way too much sugar and my father has Type 2 diabetes. I'm too ashamed of my eating habits and lazy lifestyle to get it checked out. I know that's stupid, but I have a lot of shame around medical stuff for reasons which relate back to my childhood.

I'm now so scared that I'm in a high risk category. I want to self isolate but my employer is only allowing people with underlying conditions to work from home. I'm too ashamed to explain my situation to them. What sort of idiot is so incapable of managing their own health?

My GP surgery is only doing emergency appointments right now, so please don't ask me to go and get checked now - I don't want to burden them when they're busy enough already.

My mental health is all over the place, I didn't sleep last night. I feel ashamed and guilty about the fact that my health issues are largely self-created. If I do get ill, I don't deserve to take the bed of another person who is vulnerable through no fault of their own, but my dc need me - I'm so scared of leaving them motherless.

I don't know what I want from this thread, really. Just need to say it somewhere, I think. Please don't make me feel worse than I do already.

Would you be in a financial position to see a private gp if it’s something available in your area?

What's your bmi?

I worry the same thing. I don't know exactly how much I weigh but my BMI is either 39 or 40. I've no symptoms of anything other than what the doctor described as 'borderline osteoarthritis' but there is a family history of raised blood pressure. When it was last taken about 9 months ago it was ok.

I feel the same. I’m overweight and have neglected my health. I have my own BP monitor so I’m going to take it in a mo and check.
Not sure about diabetes though. Now I’m getting a dry cough and right chest how high is the risk for these underlying issues in a 30 year old? I mean the fatality rate.

I could have written this. I have asthma but I'm pretty sure I will have type 2 diabetes and my BMI is over 40. I have two small children and I am terrified. A girl in my DS class was told to self isolate for 7 days on Sunday due to symptoms, her mother took her back to school today as she 'was fine' I'm petrified

BMI is 40.7. I'm trying to reduce it by eating better and exercising more, but I know I have left it too late.

I might be able to afford a private GP. That's a good idea. How would I find one?

I'm so sorry to see that others are going through the same thing.

You can buy blood glucose kits and blood pressure machines on Amazon for less than £20 each. Might be worth buying them to either reassure you or to allow yourself to justify calling in to the GP.

I'm sorry, I know how horrible anxiety can be, so no judgement here.

Mozfan, I've ordered a BP monitor. Do you know how accurate they are when you measure it yourself?

I think if your BMI is over 40 that alone puts you in the vulnerable adult category. See www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

Bmi 40 is on the list. You’re already in the vulnerable adultbcategory, you don’t need any other health conditions to qualify.

You could certainly get your blood pressure checked. Some pharmacies do it, some GP surgeries have a machine in the waiting area, or you can buy one for about £40 I think?

Thank you Elephants, I didn't know that you could get blood glucose kits on Amazon. Are they easy to use, do you know?

Thank you all for being kind. I thought people might point out that it's all my own fault -which I already know anyway.

Of course it’s not too late, OP - let this be a jump start for a healthier you

Thank you Aridane, I am trying to see it as a wake up call, but I'm scared I've left it too late.

I had a wobble like this yesterday too OP. My BMI is 39 ... I'm going to use this to take stock of my life a little. I'm starting by taking the dog out for an hour each day, I feel better already

Op lots of us are in the same boat don't worry.
. Its brilliant that we can order all this stuff off the Internet!!

It’s never too late to make improvements!

You can get your blood sugar levels tested for diabetes at Lloyd's pharmacies.

You can address your weight, it's hard but doable.

You can reduce salt and saturated fat to help your BP

Look at this as a kick in the pants, that's what I'm doing, I have a BMI of 34 and need to lose over 2 stone just to get to the top of the healthy weight bracket.

Longer term get an hba1c test as well as the instant glucose checks but understandably you may not want to go for a hospital blood test at the moment!

I had a walk in the pretty much empty park today. 40 mins (although some of that was navigating mud, I would have walked quicker if not trying not to slip over!).

If you’re not symptomatic being outdoors in nature is ok I think? Good even. If you have the opportunity to do that while it’s safe, it could be good for your mood too.

Glucose monitors are easy BTW I had an accu-chek when I had gestational diabetes

Thank you all for your support and understanding.

I'm in the same category, BMI is over 40. My BP was high in January, I've since lost a little bit of weight and brought it down to normal but measuring it tonight, it's gone back up again - no doubt cos I'm shitting myself these past couple of weeks and terrified thinking of the next few weeks!

How on earth do we manage this?

OP, even if you do have underlying health conditions, you still have a high chance of coming out of this just fine. The odds are still in your favour. Try and get plenty of fresh air and eat well now, that will still help. It will give your immune system a boost. Take care

Trouble is there’s no context in the information online, on any website. I’m pretty sure that there is varying levels of risk between the different “risky health conditions”.

For a start, they have to draw the line somewhere. How can a BMI of 39.5 be “not at additional risk” but a BMI of 40 magically puts you at significantly higher risk. Surely there are many other factors - smoking, drinking, general health.

I also suspect that old age, and serious health conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure etc) probably add more risk than BMI of 40. Particularly if you have a few of them.