Body scans / health assesments

[Shoeshelpplease]

I am on my 40s and thinking of getting a health scan to test for cancers, disease, bone density etc.

Has anyone had one they could recommend for middle age and could you let me know what you had and cost?

There are so many options out there and I am aware many companies pray on those concerned about health!

These companies prey on the worried well. Most are not very well run. Most are completely outwith NICE guidance and entirely unnecessary.

There is no single scan that tests for ‘cancer, disease, bone density, etc’. The companies that do these scans just want your money. If you have symptoms you’re worried about see your GP. If you don’t have symptoms save the money & spend it on something actually useful.

Any productive answers would be welcome.

Fully aware there are a lot of people selling snake oil hence asking for recommendations.

A friends cancers was picked up early on one of these types of scans. It's still not a good outcome as it's an agressive form of lung cancer .... so I don't want to ask at this time which scan it was.

Some scans are not without risk eg CTs and should not be used willy nilly. They should only be used after referral by a medical practitioner.
You need to speak to your GP if you are worried.
As mentioned there isn’t one sort of scan. Many use untrained staff to do a very superficial assessment like BMI, BP and then maybe an abdominal ultrasound which is intended to scare people into having checks by talking about AAAs and the mortality rates. The likelihood of some poorly trained assistant working out of a Holiday Inn picking up a serious issue is minimal.
The settings for scans are usually entirely unsuitable. You could probably have a Dexa scan for osteoporosis but the risk for you isn’t going to evident yet as you’re pre menopausal age. It wouldn’t do any harm but wouldn’t really tell you much.

I talked to my go about this last year.
The thing he pointed out to me that I hadn’t known was we have as many imperfections internally as we do externally and 99.9% of them are totally normal.
When they do a full scan they have to tell you about everything which will not ease any anxiety you may have and it may lead to further unnecessary invasive tests.
If you are generally well I would have a full blood test done by your gp instead. It is a good indicator of how your body is functioning.
Good luck

I had one in March was done via the NHS. I’m meant to have them yearly it picked up on an issue on my kidneys which is now been looked at. I would say it’s worth while. I do know mine cost around £5/700 it was done at Nuffield health for the nhsw

Thanks for the more recent replies, really helpful

Any more input would be great.

£5700?? or £500-£700?

Are you busy doing all the other health things in your life, Shoeshelp? No smoking, minimal or no drinking, lots of veg & high fibre foods, healthy weight, plenty of exercise & good quality sleep, good doses of vitamin D.

I don't see why your friend wouldn't want to talk about their experience & the company they used. What treatment are they getting from NHS? Short of biopsy, I'm not sure how a scan would confirm lung cancer.