Cholesterol testing - I hate the sight of blood!

[Taz]

Okay, i'm a wuss and I admit it.

In my continuing obsession with health and fitness, I want to buy a cholesterol home testing kit. However, even the thought of pricking my finger and oozing a drop of blood out almost makes me pass out. Has anyone used such a kit?

If so, are they reliable, accurate and relatively painless? Just typing this is making me light-headed...

[Taz]

...passes out...

[Alex]

Why do you want to know your choleserol level anyway? Given the only way you can reliably make it go up or down is with tablets (a healthy diet is important but can only push a cholesterol level down by 1, whereas tablets aim to bring the levels down by 3 or 4) would it really make any difference what your cholesterol levels are?

Are you at any risk of heart disease?

[Taz]

I won't know if i'm at any risk from heart disease until i know these things. My brother-in-law was a competition swimmer and had a heart attack at the age of 38 because of high cholestrol levels. If his cholestrol had been tested when he was younger he could have taken medication to reduce the risk of a heart attack.

[Funkstar]

Not just go to your GP or local health center to get it done? I think with me it is the practice nurse that does it, so getting an appointment isn't too difficult

[0iD]

Indeed, why cough up £15 odd quid for a kit when you can get the practice nurse to do it for you for nowt.

[FarmerJon]

actually fitness levels dont always have anything to do with cholesterol levels, there are several genetic conditions (and others) that end up with a person having high cholesterol levels regardless (almost) of their fitness levels. If noone in your family has high cholesterol & noone in your immediate family (up to grandparents, not including cousins) has had heart problems, then you dont really need to worry, but if you are worrying anyway & especially if you are worrying & you have other risk factors for heart problems (fatty diet, obesity, but most importantly smoking or diabetes) then go to your GP surgery, explain why you're worried & have the test there. Buying a kit yourself is completely pointless, since if it's fine the first time you test it then you wont need it again, & if its not then your GP will be monitoring it anyway...