Does anyone test their cholesterol levels at home?

[PickledPepper]

Does anyone test their cholesterol levels at home?

How reliable do you find it?

Can people recommend any kit for this?

 

[cugila]

No.....I don't test Cholesterol at home. The ones that I have seen only test for Total Cholesterol which is not really all that helpful........it is all the Lipid levels that are more important. They don't tell you that so really cannot see the point.

I get a full Lipid Panel done every 3-6 mths or longer and that tells me all I need to know, trends etc.

As for recommending any.....not really as they are quite expensive. This is one which is on promotion at half price at the moment £33.29 after VAT is deducted. Google......Easy Touch Cholesterol meter.
Strips are around £14 for 10.

Hope that helps......

 

[donnellysdogs]

So what happens if your GP's have big signs up in the waiting rooms telling you that they don't do cholesterol tests and tell people that they must go to get ones from the chemists??? Can a GP do this? (legally??)-don't foprget I live west of the english border!!!!

 

[noblehead]

Its never crossed my mind to test at home and would rather rely on my doctors results, are these cholesterol home kits accurate?

Nigel

 

[viviennem]

Hi DD

I can just about imagine a doctor having a 'no chlesterol tests' sign up to stop casual enquiries (if there is such a thing!) but I would ceetainly want to know why they weren't offering me one as part of my diabetes (or heart, or stroke, etc) care!

Have you asked what the reason is? And does your chemist offer full lipid profiles? And what does your Assembly Member say about it?

Viv 8)

 

[donnellysdogs]

The diabetic consultant always gives me my forms and wee bottle etc so I don't have any bother, but it isn't good for others in my practice, unless they are under a hospital which monitors-but if they are, the aptients will probably have had some sort of problems I guess!!

I did address an enquiry previously to Edwina Hart about something else concerning health, and just got a standard response from her office.... haven't submitted a question on the notice in the surgery about cholesterol tests, I thought it was just a UK Western health policy!!!

 

[daisy1]

I had a free cholesterol test at my local pharmacy. But they only test for the total cholesterol though. They use a similar meter to the one used at home.

 

[cugila]

So what happens if your GP's have big signs up in the waiting rooms telling you that they don't do cholesterol tests and tell people that they must go to get ones from the chemists??? Can a GP do this? (legally??)-don't foprget I live west of the english border!!!!

Surprised to hear that Sharon......do you have to pay for the tests or are they provided free at the Chemists ? It does sound rather odd and as Diabetic's in particular should have a 'package' of care which would include Lipid levels etc it does seem at odds with what one would expect.

I am going to have to do some 'digging' later today and see what we can find out. Personally I think I would be asking the Practice Manager/GP in the first instance why they have those signs, then if no satisfactory answers a complaint to the local PCT and anybody else you can think of. To me it seems like they are avoiding their responsibility and duty of care under the NHS....... :? Or is it just they don't have anybody proficient in taking blood.........strange one !

Let us know if you find out anything.

 

[cugila]

Sharon.
The only thing that I could find was a reference to this which refers to screening for Familial Hypercholesterolaemia back in 2009 which appears to be ongoing. I wonder if this is part of the reason why the signs are there which would encourage people to be screened, however the practice refers them to the Chemist rather than clog up the waiting list at the Surgery. As a Diabetic if in fact you need to be tested, as you should be at an Annual or other Review, then the GP/Nurse does do the tests. You need to ask if that is the case or not.........other than that I have no idea what is going on in your area. Can't seem to find anything else.

Thursday 13 August 2009
It is estimated that up to 6,000 people in Wales have Familial hypercholesterolaemia but as many as 4,800 may be unaware they have the potentially life-threatening condition.

Familial hypercholesterolaemia – or FH - is an inherited condition which causes high levels of cholesterol from birth, and if untreated, leads to coronary heart disease and heart attacks in young adults.

The Welsh Assembly Government in partnership with the British Heart Foundation is funding the roll-out of a screening programme to find people at risk of the condition.

http://wales.gov.uk/newsroom/healthands ... e/?lang=en

 

[bowell]

I have cholesterol test with all my other blood tests every 3 months with GP
always have done ?
Before being hit as a diabetic ,I Still received full blood test once a year? North East England


Ask GP for The NHS Health Check
http://www.nhs.uk/Planners/NHSHealthCheck/Pages/Thetests.aspx



Gps are always quoting diabetes.org. treatment /test to expect
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Monitoring/Blood_fats_lipids/