Where to go to get blood pressure, cholesterol, etc checked?

[nic777]

Hi everyone,

Can anyone advise where one could go to get tests done for things like blood pressure, cholesterol and even diabetes?

I always heard Clicks could do it but the few I have been did not have these facilities?

Is it best to just go to a doctor like Medicross to get these tests done?

If anyone can advise best place to go that would be great.

Thanks!
Nick

[Kosmik]

Many pharmacies now have a nurse at the beginning and end of the month who can do those checks. Otherwise any GP should be able to sort you out but would probably cost more.

[satanboy]

Dischem

[noxibox]

Clicks does at many of their pharmacy branches.

[Dolby]

... and the cost?

[Sinbad]

... and the cost?

Never paid. Discovery pay for my annual screening which I either have done at my local chemist on a day they have a sister there, or at work wellness days.

[Dolby]

Thanks Sinbad

[Dr3xus]

Just a heads up. Cholestrol (and lipid profiling) should be done when you've been fasting. So go in the morning before you've had breakfast to save wasting time/money.

[twicode]

I had mine screened for free in Menlyn 2 weeks ago.I asked them who pays for it and they said government.

Can't recall the company's name.

[nic777]

Thanks guys!

The one Dischem I visited had a seperate office for nurse at end of month, although had no reference to medical tests but rather baby care. I will have to phone them then to find out more.

Has anyone does some "serious" tests like diabetes tests at Clicks and Dischem?

If they don't do it, might as well do everything at a GP, although trying to save the bucks as well

[haiku]

I'd just call Dischem and Clicks and ask what tests can be done and when they do them. Then you can decide.
Cost is around R150, IIRC.

[bullzeye.za]

If you want to do it in the comfort of your own home, call Discovery up and apply for life insurance.

They will send someone over to do the tests at your convenience, with no obligation to take up the life insurance afterwards, and at no cost.

Enjoy

[gregmcc]

Just a heads up. Cholestrol (and lipid profiling) should be done when you've been fasting. So go in the morning before you've had breakfast to save wasting time/money.

This is important. You need to fast for you cholestrol test other wise the results are just about meaningless. No use in walking in and get it tested after a big lunch.

As the guy above suggested you can also get it done at home. Some people get white coat syndrome. They get all flustered when they go to the doc to get the tests done and then their blood pressure is through the roof. At home you are more relaxed. You also need to take your blood pressure over a few days and take the average. So many factors can cause it to sway a lot, bad nights sleep, worrying about the results etc.


I got a bp monitor from dischem. Works like a charm and it was really cheap. Around R300. Remembers the previous readings which is useful.

Well worth getting on IMO.

[Dr3xus]

@OP:
for the "diabetes" testing what they will most probably do is a finger prick test for your glucose levels, which has a chance of being raised if you are diabetic.

If you are honestly worried (i.e. lots of family history of diabetes, high BMI etc) a most solid method would be a glucose tolerance test which they can do for you at a clinic/hospital. Before going down that path though you should just familiarize yourself with the signs of diabetes instead of just diving in to do the tests randomly. Some of things you should look out for if you are worried: frequently thirsty without an obvious reason, frequently requiring to urinate, light-headedness, palpitations, slow wound healing.

Keeping your BMI low and frequent exercise is what's most important if you're worried about diabetes.

[Zarathustra]

My wife & I do this once a year @ Dischem for the Vitality points thing.

Depending on what plan you are on, Discovery will pay for the tests. It is just under R200, including the HIV tests.

You can usually have them done @ selected DisChem pharmacy's during the week or on the first & last weekend of the month

Having said this, if you are only doing it for the Vitality points, then cool, if however you are doing this for genuine health reasons, then don't waste your time & money. Go see a GP who will test your blood pressure the old fashioned way & draw blood.

Every time I have been for the tests @ , including the ones for Life Insurance where they come to your place of employment (probably not the best for blood pressure tests), they use those automated, digital machines & every time they tell me my cholesterol & blood pressure is abnormally high etc.

Concerned, I go a GP, who tests me the old fashioned way & I am 100% normal etc.

The GP's all tell me that the cholesterol test does a full cholesterol count, which includes good & bad. So, the test is actually pointless unless you have blood drawn with specific cholesterol being tested. There are also two types of cholesterol tests, one which requires fasting & one which doesn't.

In regards to the blood pressure test, apparently the digital machine tests blood flow, while the manual method relies on listening to the sound of one's heart beats etc.

This has been my experience with this, I am not a doctor, but all I know is that that quick 'mall' tests are only an indication of certain aspects & not to be taken too seriously.