Anyone had a BUPA fitness assesment?

I’ve arrived at the ripe old age where life begins so thought about having a full medical after speaking to one of my pals who’s a sports Physio who suggested I get it done every year or so.

I reach my Max HRM at least 3 times a week so thought it prudent to start a good habit of getting my old ticker checked out on a regular basis. Also, given my family history there’s a fairly good chance I’ll develop some kind of heart disease as my Dad and his Dad and his Dad did…

Priced up the advanced medical test and nearly fell of my seat….£723! However their fitness test is ‘only’ £199 so my thinking…the fitness will show up any ticker issues…

Anyone had one before and care to comment?

You can probably get the £199 version in a ten minute consultation with your GP.

blood pressure
listen to your heart
weigh you and have a squint at how tall you are
ask you if you smoke
look at how much you drink
ask about exercise

then tell you there’s nothing to worry about.

GP surgery will probably do one for free.

Waste of money in my opinion.

Anyone had one before wish to own up to being had and care to comment?

Most “screening” done by private providers is bullshit, and totally non-evidence based.

Very little meets recognised criteria for screening or effectiveness. Most of it is stuff they can do with machines/near-patient-testing kits and can charge you for. Often done by people with relatively poor qualifications who dump any questions you have back to your GP.

You already know if you are too fat/unfit/smoke or drink too much.

A resting or even an exercise ECG does not rule out significant heart disease.

You need to know your current BMI and BP, and your Total and HDL Cholesterols at sometime in the last 5 years… and then run them through Q Intervention to get your CVD and Diabetes risks, and do further tests as needed.

And if you are aged 40-74 your GP will do that for you…

No other screening test for a bloke below 60 with no major family hx of genetic heart disease or cancer is really worth it. Which is why the NHS doesn’t do them.

God made sheep to be shorn. So there are a lot of “screening” providers out there. The worst are the screening ultrasound merchants. Please don’t be a sheep.

And your sport’s physio doesn’t know what he’s talking about…

I’ll second everything Stoatsbrother says there (except for maybe one wayward apostrophe :-)). I’d even suggest you watch that your GP doesn’t go doing any pointless or harmful screening above and beyond that listed above.

My GP offered some heart screening stuff but when I went to ask him if it was worth it, for similar concerns as yourself, he said it wasn’t precise enough to detect much of use – so he just looked at other health risks instead.

When I reached 40 the company I worked for had a policy of sending us for a BUPA MOT. A very thorough half day examination including blood tests cardiaograms and smelly finger.

As a fairly fit person nothing came as a surprise. I imagine sedentary types can get a bit of a shock. And then do nothing about it.

As a mountain biker it’s a laugh when they do the lung capacity test. the one that’s like blowing a ping pong ball down a bog roll. Blow – “oops this thing seems to be broken, you didn’t register”. Take it apart shake head and put it back together. Repeat 2 or 3 times. Then they say “aah you’re off the scale. Are you a mountain biker?”

Have you lot actually read what BUPA do in a fitness test? It’s a fitness assessment not a health check. It’s aimed at people needing concrete data to inform training, not people who want to monitor their health.

http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-assessments/fitnessassessment

http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-assessments/fitnessassessment/fitness-detail

Can’t see many GPs offering that lot in 10 minutes. Worth it just for a proper VO2 max assessment.

Worth it just for a proper VO2 max assessment.

If you want a VO2 max test etc, your local sports science department will do one for about £50.

I’ve had a BUPA over 40s assessment paid for by the company I work for. They do actually conduct proper tests (including cholesterol, red and white blood cell counts, triglycerides, fasting glucose, liver function), and they also test other things such as your blood pressure, ECG, and hearing. The results are reviewed by a doctor and you then get a physical examination and discussion of your test results with the doctor.
Having said that, it is very expensive and I wouldn’t have one if I had to pay for myself. Many of those tests can be done routinely by the NHS.

I second that about the peak flow meter! I can blow it off the end of the scale as well, my GP said she’d never seen anyone do that before. apparently its even more impressive with me being 47.

If you have BUPA and want your heart checked out, go to your GP and say you get chest pains running, ask to be referred to a Cardiologist for a cardiogram.

Please don’t do that. You’ll end up with (at best) a pissed off cardiologist and a worthless bit of information (see Stoatsbrother’s comments re resting ECGs above) and, at worst, get a procedure with a 1:200 chance of killing you.

Luv ‘n hugs
A cardiologist

I’m also the same with the peak flow meter! My lung capacity and function are both about 170% of predicted!

Well…thanks for all the comments. Think ill go down the sport science route…I think there’s actually a sports clinic in Glasgow which I might be able to blag a wee session on. My wider family is full of Docs…I really dont want to piss them all off. 🙂

Had a couple for work when they were offered for free. We now have them as tax deductable. Simple assessments of basic physiological parameters, a routine blood test, an ecg and a questionnaire. They will give an assessment of your 10-year diabetes and CV risk (you may want to change you patents to reduce risk 😉 ). They won’t believe your alcohol consumption, nor your exercise levels. Were they worth it? Well I only went every three years (instead of annually), it told me little I didn’t already know, and I haven’t been back now I’m paying.

For £350 it would be worth it for a one off middle age MOT. For double that, I don’t think so. If you have any specific health concerns, familial history etc, see your GP. All the tests are available via the surgery.

Got mine done for gratis at my GP when I turned 40.
In fact they called me in for it, all was good apart from my cholesterol is a little high.
Good heads up so I can make changes and get it checked again in the summer.
Spend the money of coke and hookers and see the GP.

Please don’t do that. You’ll end up with (at best) a pissed off cardiologist and a worthless bit of information (see Stoatsbrother’s comments re resting ECGs above) and, at worst, get a procedure with a 1:200 chance of killing you.

Luv ‘n hugs
A cardiologist Not to mention potentially buggering up future insurance, driving license applications etc…