Review: My First Comprehensive Health Checkup at 35 (With Numbers)
I'd only ever gotten the simple checkups offered by my company, but this year I had my first comprehensive health checkup. Now I finally understand why people say you should get one once you're past your mid-30s.
To start with the results: there was nothing seriously wrong, but a few things came up.
- Blood pressure 138/88 (near the upper end of normal)
- LDL cholesterol 148 (slightly high)
- Stage 1 fatty liver
- Upper endoscopy found signs of reflux esophagitis
In the end, the doctor's advice came down to three things: “exercise, cut down on alcohol, and cut down on late-night eating.” It felt a bit empty to pay 300,000 won and hear just that, but considering I hadn't known I had fatty liver, I'm glad I got the checkup.
If you're planning to get a checkup, here are a few tips:
1. Get the endoscopy under sedation. Otherwise, it's really rough.
2. It's best not to drink even water after 9 p.m. the night before.
3. Don't throw away the results—keep them so you can compare them at your next checkup.
I plan to get my next one in two years. Everyone, take care of your health.
9 answers
True that, getting an endoscopy without sedation is real hell
Paid 300,000 won just to be told, 'exercise' lolll. Kinda feels hollow, huh.
LDL 148 is right in that gray area, so it's a relief they didn't put you on meds. I got mine down from 165 to 120 in 3 months with cardio + cutting out late-night snacks. The real culprit was late-night snacking.
Brushing off a blood pressure of 138/88 as "near the upper limit of normal" is a risky way of thinking. At that level, you're already a candidate for lifestyle modification, and you need to measure at home morning and evening to first distinguish whether it's white-coat hypertension or the real thing.
Isn't it a bit much to say not to even drink water? Many hospitals allow a small amount of water up until a few hours before the test.
I also had stage 1 fatty liver at 34, but after quitting alcohol for six months and running four times a week, it came back normal at my next checkup. Fatty liver really can be reversed in the early stages. But if you start drinking again, it comes right back... I’m at stage 2 now lol
For acid reflux, fasting 3 hours before bed made the biggest difference—more than medication. Sleeping on your left side also helps, and cutting back on coffee makes a noticeable difference too. Late-night snacks are truly the root of all evil.
Agreed on the tip to bring your test results. When I switched hospitals, I didn't have my past numbers and struggled for a while.
Thanks for the good information. I’m also planning to try it out at least once before the end of this year.