Most of the folks who work at MNC’s get annual health check up free of cost. Employers do provide such perks to ensure the wellness of their employees. It is not just limited to MNC’s, there are a number of Indian public sector organizations too providing such free annual health check up facilities. All is good as far as the employed individual is concerned. What about the family members of the same employee? Do you take your family members too for the health check every year?
I wouldn’t blame any of you who don’t take their family members for annual health check. It is our mentality that prohibits us from spending on check ups unless there is an emergency. Let me share my own story here. I have been going for health check ups year after year, thanks to all my employers so far! Since it costs nothing, I make the best use of it and track various numbers from the reports to ensure a healthy lifestyle. A couple of years back I was marginally towards the higher side on cholesterol. Then a year after, cholesterol was in control but triglycerides count was alarming. Since I got to know these numbers, I chose an appropriate diet and exercise routine to score ‘GREEN’ on all the parameters this year. It was possible because I knew where I was going wrong and there by to correct it. So, knowing the numbers is highly important.
If you are looking for such a check up, ensure you have this list of investigations included:
• Complete Haemogram
• Lipid Profile
• Serum Electrolytes
• Thyroid Profile
• Blood Sugar (Fasting and post Prandial)
• Chest X-Ray
• ECG or TMT
• Blood Urea Nitrogen
• Serum Creatinine
• PAP Smear and Ultrasound Scan
• HIV, VDRL, HBs (Ag)
• Liver Function Test
Now, let me talk about my family. Both mom and dad go for a brisk walk everyday and both look healthy. However, that doesn’t really help much. Since both my parents crossed 50 years, I opted to go for a complete health check for them few years back. The results gave a shocking revelation about ovarian cyst for my mom and dad was on the higher side on cholesterol numbers. That gave a timely indication to make my mom to go through a surgery to remove the cyst. If not operated, it might have troubled my mom more! Dad was suggested to adopt to healthy diet by cutting down on non-veg to a large extent. That helped us to take control of health again. I strongly urge everyone to know the various numbers related to cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides etc., The abnormalities in these numbers won’t show up any symptoms immediately. However, they start to silently deteriorate the health.
From my learnings, I feel there is a strong need to get the annual health check up for every family members and there by to pledge for a healthy life! 2 weeks back I took my parents for complete health check up again and this time all green. Doesn’t that give a big relief and a confidence to stay like that? Though I have been opting to take my parents for health check up every two years till date, look forward to make it every year going forward. There is an awareness and pledge program called “Billion Hearts Beating” and you can read more about it on their site. I pledge to spread the message of better heart-health amongst my friends and family and encourage my blog readers to post a comment about the pledge you have taken and join the campaign on Facebook!
Indira Priya says
I think here in India people are not much health aware and they just rush to hospital/doctor only when they get any medical need/health problem.I agree yearly health checkups are must and everyone should be educated and aware about this,thanks for posting such a very informative and personal experience post.
umesh derebail says
Good post Mohan, and congrats on winning the healthy heart contest. I strongly believe that we should undergo periodic check ups, but one aspect we tend to ignore is that in case of some problem, we tend to blindly believe the course of treatment suggested by the doctor concerned.
Once my wife was recommended Angiography to test whether her heart is pumping ok or not, since ECG reports were fluctuating. This was a reputed heart institute, currently i am a shareholder of the same. Despite that we refrained in undergoing treatment despite my wife being eligible for full reimbursement from her employer. I believe on the hindsight it is almost 4 years, this step was right.
Secondly i was given a dose of T G TOR, for reducing cholostrol, but it landed up disturbing my grey cells. I started getting symptoms of memory loss. No wonder after research i found out that C drugs are blockbusters in Pharma Industry. I discontinued the drug, doctor was disappointed despite being a family doctor.
So guys always seek second and third opinion and come to decision otherwise one is bound to be in rude shock, we can only regret liesurely. De guide
Mohan says
Thanks Umesh! That is some hard reality you have shared with us. I will keep your advise in mind.
Dr.Swati Dhawan says
Hello All,
The blogs above and the article indicate the fallacies of our health system and offcourse the doctors who attend patients .This is due to commercialisation of the healthcare system .Commercialisation and politicisation of the healthcare system needs to be eradicated in toto from the globe to truly achieve health for all by 2021 as envisioned by WHO.
shruti says
Great Post Mohan…Due to lack to frequent check and NEGLIGENCE, we are going through HELL – trust me!!!
Exactly a month back, My MIL suddenly could not walk, completey bed-ridden…we were all shocked…She has been neglecting her ATRITIS issues and did not take proper medication…She had to suddenly go through KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERYm which culd have been avpided with proper care from last 0 yrs..she is JUST 50! Shocking na?
She is on bed rest for 3 months now….The trauma she is going thro and we along with her is something which has made me aware so much about being healthy and having a healthy lifestyle….
DON’T NEGLECT HEalth
Jayadeep Purushothaman says
Mohan – I have had a similar experience like you – in one of these company sponsored health checks, my cholesterol was high, a minor deviation in the tread mill tests etc. Not very alarming, but some cause to worry. Root cause was lack of physical activity though the immediate reaction and recommendation was to cut down on the diet(which helps in the short term). But over the period of last 5+ years, what I have realized is that physical activity(as you say walking is not enough) is the single most thing that helps – you can eat anything you want of you are physically active. I started running long distances, swimming, cycling to work and walk whenever I got an opportunity. The other major change was switching to natural drinks and avoid colas and packaged juices as well as cow’s milk which is for the calf and not humans IMO. Though one of the main recommendation of dietitians is to avoid coconut, that was not practical for us being from the God’s own country:) But it turns out that it not coconut that is the problem, but our lack of physical activity, so coconut is still king in our diet. In fact, if you are active physically, you can detect any minor variations in your health pretty easily when you find that something is not right when you run or swim or cycle or do yoga. Another thing is that cholesterol or other readings by itself may not be a problem at all, you need to see it in totality(lifestyle, diet, family history). I see a tendency among Docs to prescribe medicines just for one parameter which may not be needed at all. I have blogged about my cholesterol woes a bit
Anshul Dixit says
Great post!! I have been a follower of your blog for quite some time but this is probably the first time I am posting a comment.
I got my medical checkup done at my office this year. But after reading your post I decided to take my parents for a complete health check up. When it comes to medical checkups my parents behave like a small kid :)…
Mohan says
Thanks Anshul. Good to know that you are regular here! Yes it is a must in the current lifestyle. Do take good care of your family health.
Pallav says
An exceptionally factual post. Thanks for sharing so much information.
Mohan says
My pleasure Pallav!
Prasad says
Well researched and informative.
Mohan says
thank you!
Rinzu says
The post is very informative and scientifically researched. I am glad you posted some great fact as information in your post.
Good luck.
Mohan says
Thanks Rinzu… 🙂
Saravana Kumar M says
Well said man.. Thanks for a adding a leaf to this initiative..
I wish you a Good luck..
Mohan says
Thanks Saravana! Welcome to my blog!
yogesh says
Good information Mohan.I also started the same from last year.Last year doctor told me ur cholestrol is not in range ..this yr it is improved.
By annual check up we can diagnose things early which can give trouble later in life.
Mohan says
Rightly said. Good to see the awareness picking up.
S.R.Ayyangar says
Medical facility is lacking in our country specially in rural and semi urban centers and Government has done little to upgrade them. Its like a ‘neglected sector’! Similarly, we tend to ignore or postpone medical check up looking to the cost factor if it is not company sponsored.But for sure, annual check is a must for those above 50.
Mohan says
Absolutely… I agree.
Srividhya says
Very good awareness campaign.Recently been thinking about annual health checkups and your post assures me to take one.
Mohan says
Glad it was helpful. It is a must necessary in recent times for sure.
Jason Kania says
The value of an annual check up cannot be underestimated given that it can prevent the need for very expensive treatments that are required when a medical condition is not detected until it is well advanced. At the same time, early detection can prevent medical problems from significantly affecting our health and this is of considerable value.
Mohan says
Can’t agree more! I am glad we were able to detect the problem my mom was facing silently and solve it to happiness with a surgery!
geeta says
good information!! i’ll share this with my friends and relatives…Thanks
Mohan says
Thanks Geeta! Appreciate that move.