Yearly health check ups, barium/endoscopy or not?

[EarlofLemonGrab]

Hi all,

It's come time for my health check and wanted to get your thoughts. After a few tries I ended up skipping barium as it mainly tests for stomach cancer, and if you're western then you have way less chance of this compared to a Japanese person. also you're literally swallowing radiation
This year I've been offered an endoscopy as well and after reading up online it sounds like absolute hell. Do you skip or take the yearly pain in favour of you health?

 

[TAG Manager]

Hi all,

It's come time for my health check and wanted to get your thoughts. After a few tries I ended up skipping barium as it mainly tests for stomach cancer, and if you're western then you have way less chance of this compared to a Japanese person. also you're literally swallowing radiation
This year I've been offered an endoscopy as well and after reading up online it sounds like absolute hell. Do you skip or take the yearly pain in favour of you health?

We can't give you medical advice, it's your personal decision to get the tests or not. They offer them as a benefit to detect any issue early on which would give you a better chance to treat it.

I personally don't do the Barium tests because I have little to no risk factors and I've never been recommended for endoscopy tests. (although, I believe it's always an optional test, IIRC.)

 

[scorpioni6ths]

Hi all,

It's come time for my health check and wanted to get your thoughts. After a few tries I ended up skipping barium as it mainly tests for stomach cancer, and if you're western then you have way less chance of this compared to a Japanese person. also you're literally swallowing radiation
This year I've been offered an endoscopy as well and after reading up online it sounds like absolute hell. Do you skip or take the yearly pain in favour of you health?

i've swallowed the barium a few times .. don't forget to swallow the pills/laxatives given afterwards .. your asshole will thank you very much. it's better to flush a slurry of poo, yeah messy .. rather than push out a brick .. don't ask how i know.

this year there is new fangled ABC test (ABC検診). it seems to be a 'simple blood test'.

nope ... im not a doctor.

 

[Cinnabums]

Since I reached Barium age I opt out and only take it every fifth year for good or for worse. Just me, not a recommendation.

 

[leducul]

I do them all, my take is: anything cancer related is better discovered as soon as possible

 

[Durg50]

Hi all,

It's come time for my health check and wanted to get your thoughts. After a few tries I ended up skipping barium as it mainly tests for stomach cancer, and if you're western then you have way less chance of this compared to a Japanese person. also you're literally swallowing radiation
This year I've been offered an endoscopy as well and after reading up online it sounds like absolute hell. Do you skip or take the yearly pain in favour of you health?

My advice would be take any tests that are offered. There’s a reason that they are covered by insurance; its cheaper to do the tests they are offering and catch the issue early than to treat it later on.

Both endoscopy and barium (endoscopy is intensively rough for 10 minutes, barium is medium rough for about 48 hrs after) are unpleasant, but both nicer than telling your loved ones you have cancer.