Your Car or Your Health!

[TR5tar]

Quite a few classic car owners I know have recently been struck down with health issues. It's not surprising I suppose, given the average age of owners these days, but it did set me wondering. We all love our cars and forums such as this one shows just how much time we spend thinking about how best to maintain them ... the best fuel, best oil, best additives, etc. But, I wonder, do most of us owners spend as much time worrying about our own health? 

I'm poor in this respect. I've not visited a doctor (other than to support family members) in at least ten years, and I've never had one of these Well Man checks. I feel in pretty good health, but I'm aware that that doesn't count for too much. I've not got the best diet, but it's not terrible. I have the odd tipple of single malt and the occasional beer, but some times I go months not drinking alcohol. I don't smoke, so that's in my favour. However, I'm conscious that I think more about the well being of my car than I do about my own. 

Is that how most of us feel?  

[Nick Jones]

I'm sure you have a good point.

You might want to consider a basic health check.  Blood pressure, cholesterol, PSA and so on.  Much like cars, most things are easier to fix if caught earlier......

Having had several examples of people getting nasty surprises with their PSA tests in recent times, I would suggest that if you are over 50 (or 40 if there is any family history) you specifically request a PSA test.  Shamefully there are still GPs out there who think it's a waste of time (even when there is family history!), so I'd be insisting if they resist!

At one point GPs were being encouraged to be proactive and invite people in for tests and a chat at certain age milestones.  Dunno if that's still true but it certainly doesn't happen round here.  You have to take responsibility for your own health.....

I've never smoked and haven't drunk alcohol at all for several years - there's plenty else that can get you though!|

[SP]

I am of a certain age now (54),quite a healthy diet,very active,don`t smoke but drink far too much Malbec and Rioja.

I found out a plumber i knew had passed away last week,he was 58 and went to the doctor with acid issues,he was diagnosed shortly after with Pancreatic cancer which then spread to his Liver.

8 weeks from diagnosis to passing.

Live for today i reckon.

Steve

[PaulAA]

Steve

Agreed.  It's a rotten old life, but the only one we're given.  I had the most extraordinary escape ten days ago - a catastrophic accident at a ridiculous speed (almost three digits in mph) in unsuitable conditions.  The Audi is written off (as in 'completely trashed') and I walked away with just a bruised knee (steering column adjustment knob), bruised nose (steering wheel airbag bezel) and massively damaged pride.  Sod dieselgate and criticism of German brands - I owe Audi (and, to a degree, the artic I slammed into) my life.

Paul

[RogerH]

Hi Darren,

when I speak to newbie TR owners I say listen to the car. if it changes tone or develops a new sound then investigate.

This is what you should do with your body all through your life. Listen to it.

Do some good dietary things - no excess of anything (including doughnuts).  Eat tomatoes when you can (even ketchup works)

Have plenty of water.

Never bottle up going to the loo.

Doctors do not know everything but they do know enough to help when needed.

 

Roger

[PaulAA]

Hi Roger

One other thing - keep moving. My aged father is 94 and still mobile. Despite a life of heavy alcohol use, he was still swimming half a mile three times a week into his early 90s and only a fall and the sudden onset of dementia has halted him.

paul

[RogerH]

Hi Paul,

just like the TR - keep it moving.  Muscles are designed for moving not staying still. 

That includes you brain muscle - keep that on the go.

 

Roger

[PaulAA]

Spot on, Roger.

Mine is becoming lethargic and it needs to get out a lot more...

Paul

[MilesA]

19 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

I'm sure you have a good point.

You might want to consider a basic health check.  Blood pressure, cholesterol, PSA and so on.  Much like cars, most things are easier to fix if caught earlier......

Having had several examples of people getting nasty surprises with their PSA tests in recent times, I would suggest that if you are over 50 (or 40 if there is any family history) you specifically request a PSA test.  Shamefully there are still GPs out there who think it's a waste of time (even when there is family history!), so I'd be insisting if they resist!

At one point GPs were being encouraged to be proactive and invite people in for tests and a chat at certain age milestones.  Dunno if that's still true but it certainly doesn't happen round here.  You have to take responsibility for your own health.....

I've never smoked and haven't drunk alcohol at all for several years - there's plenty else that can get you though!|

Good topic Darren and agree with all the basic, sensible advice given.

As a prostate cancer survivor and given the demographics of most on this forum, I wholeheartedly endorse what Nick says about regular PSA tests, and it is the regularity that is often important rather than a one off. Because my annual health check  (courtesy of my employer) included a PSA test, my cancer was identified, although even with this regular oversight, surgery and removal was the only option once alarm bells started ringing. I appreciate the PSA test is a bit flakey, but better than nothing and if there is any concern a scan and biopsy will follow and be more accurate. Many guys will die with prostate cancer, but regular vigilance will reduce the number dying from prostate cancer.

There's nothing unmanly about paying attention to your health chaps. Your life; your family;  your responsibility.

Sermon over.

Miles

 

 

 

[PeterC]

Its impossible to be certain but I suspect my Parkinson's resulted in part from  low serum D3 levels in past decades. "Vitamin"D3 is misnamed it is really a hormone that has a very broad defensive role in almost all our tissues. PHE recommend 2000 IU pd, and up to 4000 they say is safe. A typical UK diet has about  150. A tin of sardiens including the oil supplies about 2000 IU , so if you eat a tin every day, or irs equivalent in oily fish, you are OK. I never ate fish anywhere near that rate.

Low serum D3 is associated with reduced longevity, infections, many cancers ( gut especially), and most probably on the basis of its known molec and cell actions chronic neurodegenarative diseases ( Alz, PD< dementias). The list of diseases in which it is likely to defend against is loooong, whcih is hardly surprising as D3 controls or influences 10% of our genes, around 2000 genes. Atttianing a physiological level of D3 should be parmanount in our defences but GPs are advised by NICE who rely upon clinical trail evidence, and since D3 is not patentable there are few large scale trials that meet NICE criteria.

D3 is not just for bone and its not juat another vitamin.  More here,but youve seen it before:

https://u3asites.org.uk/files/b/berwyn/docs/vitamind3deficiency.pdf

Peter

 

[PeterC]

 

25(OH)D3 is the serum level , as measured in clinics, but not routinely. Or you can DIY through the post

Peter

[Chippy63]

Just had my prostate remove due to cancer.at 56  Didn't feel any problems before hand so definatly get a psa test. It also felt fine according to the doctor who did a digital test so goes to show that cant always tell if there is a problem.

[Chippy63]

On the bright side I had 8 weeks off work and finished my efi 

[Nick Jones]

Lordy..... another member of the PCa club..... there is a lot of it about.

Hope it’s going ok!

[Chippy63]

24 minutes ago, Nick Jones said:

Lordy..... another member of the PCa club..... there is a lot of it about.

Hope it’s going ok!

All good now thanks Nick 

[JohnD]

The OP, TR5Star, wondered if he should be visiting his GP for a health check.     Well, may I suggest he, or anyone has a look at this NHS page: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/nhs-health-check/

I've just had a PSA, because I have the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.   Nearly 10% of men will at some stage, and by the age of 80, 80% will have cancer cells in their prostate, but it's the few who have the fast growing variety that needs surgery, and that PSA test is notoriously unreliable.   If its high, yes, more investigation, but it doesn't mean that the cancer is upon you;  if it's low it DOESN'T mean you are clear.     Fortunately for me, it's low - I probably have ordinary enlarged prostate disease, but my GP and I will monitor my symptoms, and I will go to them if I am at all concerned.   I may have some cancer later, but less than 2.5% of men (and 0% of women!) will have a significant prostate cancer.

And rather than worrying or getting an expensive list of blood tests, this page on how to have a good diet: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/    Stop smoking, get some exercise.    How much?   150 minutes a week of 'Moderate' exercise, 20 mins a day  (or 30 if you walk to work!) is enough.    You don't need to go jogging, or the gym, athough you need less vigourous exercise for the same benefit.  Anything that makes you breath harder is enough!  See: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/

But if you are 40 years or more, and haven't had one recently, ask your GP's surgery for a blood pressure check.   High blood pressure is very common in the UK, 30% of people have it, it gets more common as you get older, and there are no symptoms!  You don't know, you can't know, you have it, until you suffer one of the conditions that are far more lkely if it is not treated, heart diesease, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, blood vessel disease, of limbs, aortic aneurysm, kidney disease and dementia. See: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/

You see, the good old NHS does look after you!  But you must use it, to look after yourself!    Most of all, if you have any - ANY - worrying symptoms, go and see the GP.  Men are notoriously bad at this, they 'don't like to trouble the GP'.     But GPs LIKE to find out about an illness early, when something can be done about it!

John

Edited November 11, 2019 by JohnD

[PaulAA]

16 hours ago, JohnD said:

Anything that makes you breath harder is enough!

John

Does this include looking at pictures of TRs with no panels on?

Paul

[Nick Jones]

2 hours ago, PaulAA said:

Does this include looking at pictures of TRs with no panels on?

Have you told your therapist about this?

18 hours ago, JohnD said:

I've just had a PSA, because I have the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

Is this the first PSA test you've had John?

I find official attitudes to PSA testing strange.  I know it's not a very reliable indicator of PCa.  Indeed, my own was still well within the normal range for my age.  But it was rising, and we only knew that because I've had a number of tests over the years due to symptoms, so I have a history going back 15 years.  In the early years it used go up and down but more recently was only going up.  So perhaps that suggests that PSA testing does have a value, not as a single point, but as a trend.  Surely it's better than doing nothing?

Several times during my diagnosis and treatment path the suggestion of over-treatment has been raised.  Normal PSA, no obvious lumps, just a (very) large prostate.  Even after biopsy, only Gleeson 6 so potentially could have gone for active surveillance.  Didn't make the decision process any easier, except as something of a worrier, doing nothing didn't sit well.  The knowledge that it took 3 biopsies, the last a 21 shotter (don't think to hard about that!) to find any cancer in my father, even though his PSA score was well into 4 figures also discouraged putting things off.  The final pathology of the removed gland raised the Gleeson score to 7, so prompt treatment was proved the right decision.  I'm told that the final pathology raises the Gleeson score by at least one point in 40% of cases.

I have friends in their 50s who had never been tested.  Two who have subsequently proved to have significant cancer. One of them even whose father had died of it (not especially old either) and yet was still being refused testing by his GP (the same one who treated his father!).  When he did manage to get tested his score was well into double figures.  A year later he's had surgery and salvage RT (PSA was still high after prostate removal, so it had escaped) and is waiting to see how successful that has been.  Ironically, after treatment, especially after prostate removal,  the PSA test becomes very useful......

As for family history...… it's all very well if family members share their history.  While I knew about my father's cancer (indeed I would remain untreated but for this I suspect), I discovered only after treatment that two other family members have had relevant cancers treated.  Worth noting that certain types of breast cancer in you female relatives are also considered a risk factor.

[JohnD]

You have studied it in more detail than I, NIck, I'm not surprised to hear.     I've discussed mine with GP and with my urologist, and we are all happy with my management, but as always, treatment is and should be individual.      I'm on the finasteride for now!

John

[Nick Jones]

1 hour ago, JohnD said:

I'm on the finasteride for now

Good luck with that.  Took Tamsulosin briefly before my op.  Side effects were quite unpleasant so I preferred to go without!

[JohnD]

Been on that for ?three years.  Works well for me, but it's getting bigger!

Just hope the finasteride doesn't make me into a object of fascination for Paul.

John

[PeterC]

Low dose aspirin (80mg) plus omega-3 PUFA supplement as fish oil (DHA, EPA) should help. eg

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/116/13/6292.full.pdf

I take 1g fish oil daily with food, and 80mg aspirin MWF. To reduce auto-inflammation in brain.

Peter

 

[PeterC]

and:

http://www.cancertm.com/article.asp?issn=2395-3977;year=2017;volume=3;issue=3;spage=80;epage=86;aulast=Liang

they dont mention low dose aspirin, but it induces resolvin production from DHA,EPA.

Note D3 too.

Peter

[MilesA]

On 10/1/2019 at 1:41 PM, MilesA said:

Good topic Darren and agree with all the basic, sensible advice given.

As a prostate cancer survivor and given the demographics of most on this forum, I wholeheartedly endorse what Nick says about regular PSA tests, and it is the regularity that is often important rather than a one off. Because my annual health check  (courtesy of my employer) included a PSA test, my cancer was identified, although even with this regular oversight, surgery and removal was the only option once alarm bells started ringing. I appreciate the PSA test is a bit flakey, but better than nothing and if there is any concern a scan and biopsy will follow and be more accurate. Many guys will die with prostate cancer, but regular vigilance will reduce the number dying from prostate cancer.

There's nothing unmanly about paying attention to your health chaps. Your life; your family;  your responsibility.

Sermon over.

Miles

 

 

 

Well done for sharing Chippy and to John and Nick for reinforcing the messages as I did a couple of months ago.

I had regular PSA tests and the figures were always low but it was a 25% increase one year which set the bells warning and lead to the train of action detailed above. So I agree, regularity of testing is crucial.

On the question of testing, most of my chums find considerable resistance from GPs. Unless, symptoms are identified they are very, very reluctant to provide a PSA test. May be an NHS geographical issue.

Presently mentoring an acquaintance who has just had his prostate removed via the Da Vinci procedure on the NHS. Support has been pretty woeful by comparison with my insurance-funded private experience but he will be better off in the long run with the offending gland removed.

Chippy, impressed that you got 8 weeks off work. I had a fortnight then returned part time. Got b****r all done on the car!

Miles

[Nick Jones]

30 minutes ago, MilesA said:

Support has been pretty woeful by comparison with my insurance-funded private experience

Interesting.  I got much better support from the NHS having been discharged from a private hospital in poor condition!

 

32 minutes ago, MilesA said:

Got b****r all done on the car!

Me too.  I was very broken and took months to recover...…….  Recovery experiences vary massively!

 

33 minutes ago, MilesA said:

On the question of testing, most of my chums find considerable resistance from GPs. Unless, symptoms are identified they are very, very reluctant to provide a PSA test.

I hear this far too often.   the PSA test is available free to any well man of 50 or over who requests it.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/509193/Prostate_Summary_Sheet.pdf

Although not considered reliable enough to institute a screening program (too many false "positives" would lead to unnecessary concern and expensive follow-up), the same document states "Evidence suggests PSA screening could reduce prostate-cancer related mortality by 21%."   Ehh?