What’s your metabolic age?

growstuff

MOnica A frailty score isn't slapped on you randomly by a junior doctor. It's calculated using a consistent algorithm from medical records which are already recorded.

In which case the records or the algorithm are wrong.

This would not surprise me. My experience with my local world class university hospital is that, apart from its cardiac department, which is superb, I wouldn't trust it to diagnose a bad cold, let alone a frailty index.

They misdiagnosed me as having a TIA, thus delaying diagnosis and treatment of the minor medical problem I actually had for 2 years. This despite me being in continuous pain, which if investigated would have revealed the misdiagnosis. In the end I had to go privately.

I was also asked to take part in a research project on diabetes and anxiety, neither of which ailments I have ever suffered from - and I was not asked to form part of a control group. It was clear their records showed I suffered from both. I could go further, but won't.

grow stuff I started a thread about on the health forum about it because I was hopping mad. When I was 29 and my limbs jerks and pain got out control. I was in hospital for 3 weeks . 3 doctors labelled me a fake , attention seeking and mentally ill. A nurse shouted at me you only have post natal depression my son was 8 months old.And because of it being on my records had to see a psychiatrist before my GP could send me to consultants that dealt with pain and limb problems.

The psychiatrist said my health problems where physical. Took after seeing other consultants to see my first neurologist in 1992.

What is written on your GP and hospital records can delay any treatment and help you need.

Didn't see another neurologist until 2017 he couldn't be bothered to help me . At my GP practice my lovely GP had long retired and the ones that took over even though I had heart problems never sent me to see a cardiologist.

I moved over 100+ miles to the north west my new GP sent me to see a cardiologist and neurologist. Found out the 2 things I was born with . In 2020/2021 hole in the side of my heart and have PAF and put on medication which has helped me . Saw my neurologist in January 2020 he put me on a tablet and after 32 years of limb jerks and 4 seizures within 2 weeks they stopped. He sent my whole life to be genetically tested. But didn't get the results until March 2022. Saw him 1st April aged 63 and I was the first patient at the Walton Centre to have it as it's rare. He has had to learn about it. But I am on a Facebook group with others with it but some have different gene mutation but we have same symptoms but also things unquie to us. Had a video of me doing various things to show other neurologist's and medical students.

My old neurologist could have had the same test done and put me on the same tablet. But my hospital records followed me and those labels stuck.

Thankfully here my healthcare is far better and getting the help I needed .

So please always check your medical records they can be accessed via NHS app and if you don't agree with what is written about you it's your right to have it removed .

Labels do matter especially if it means as in my case I didn't get the help I need . Plus I had 2 minor and 3 major operations all with a dicky heart and no one bothered to notice.

I don't know but I suppose I had better find out.

growstuff

MOnica A frailty score isn't slapped on you randomly by a junior doctor. It's calculated using a consistent algorithm from medical records which are already recorded.

www.england.nhs.uk/south/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/02/rockwood-frailty-scale_.pdf

MOnica A frailty score isn't slapped on you randomly by a junior doctor. It's calculated using a consistent algorithm from medical records which are already recorded.

Aveline

I wouldn't be so sensitive to the use of just a word. If it implies that I may need a bit more help in eg an emergency it can only be of benefit to me if NHS staff are alerted to that.

Except, I wouldn't need extra help in an emergency, although DH would.

If people are going to have scales and allocate people to them then they should have proper assessment methods and they should be soundly based.

While in my case they may have put me on a number that gives me a level of frailty I have not reached then there are also
going to be other people, who are very frail who are classified as needing little or no help because at the moment at which this unverified assessment is made they are having a good 5 minutes - and that under diagnosis may actually endanger their medical care and their lives.

This kind of casual classification also makes these scales valueless because people are assigned to these categories randomly so the classification tells you absolutely nothing about the real level of frailty of anyone classified.

As with cognitive testing, these physical classifications should be based on proper assessment criteria.

Aveline

I wouldn't be so sensitive to the use of just a word. If it implies that I may need a bit more help in eg an emergency it can only be of benefit to me if NHS staff are alerted to that.

Exactly!

Fragility score was discussed on GN quite recently.

I wouldn't be so sensitive to the use of just a word. If it implies that I may need a bit more help in eg an emergency it can only be of benefit to me if NHS staff are alerted to that.

The problem these labels are stuck on people without proper assessment or even formal questioning. Last autumn I saw on my hospital notes that I was classidied on the fragility scale with a '4'. 4 is defines as: ^Vulnerable – While not dependent on others for daily help, often symptoms limit activities. A common complaint is being “slowed up”, and/or being tired
during the day.^ This definition was illustrated by an old person bent over and leaning on a stick.

I read this on a day when I had spent an hour or more digging up the potatoes in my vegetable garden. Yes, I then went in for a sit down and might have snoozed for 10 minutes, but 'symptoms limited my activities'? I haven't got any symptoms, but at 82, I do not have the stamina I had at 30, but that does not make me 'vulnerable', nor do I need a stick.

On the other hand DH has heart problems that do limit his activities and he does sleep a lot during the day because he is tired. But he has no problems with personal care, so probable does fall into the Category 4.

When doctors want to assess your cognitive abilities, they administer a test that can be oral and take under 5 minutes or be more extensive. I think the same should apply to Frailty assessments. You should know the assessment is being made and it should be formally administered, not just slapped on you by a junior doctor when you turn up in A&E, with a problem that could be serious, but actually wasn't, as happened in my case.

I'm following your dietary guidelines Allsorts - none of us is getting out of here alive, so enjoying the journey matters.

growstuff

Spinnaker

Just out of curiosity, what's VO2 ?

I think it's to do with aerobic capacity ie availability of oxygen during exercise. I'm not sure it's necessarily linked with metabolic age, which surely takes into account other factors such as liver and kidney function. Happy to be corrected.

Thank you growstuff and MissChateline

You are as old as you feel. I don't like all these labels. Was told yesterday by a junior doctor that she was surprised at my age and thought I looked 20 years younger and asked my secret, I told her a bar of chocolate every day and a glass of wine. You keep busy, have a sense of humour and get on with it.

I suppose it depends on your definition of 'fragility'. Maybe the NHS version means something different? eg likelihood of needing support.

Did they do the computer generated fragility score? Went mad when I found 2 blood tests ago the nurse filled it in without asking my permission or telling me. I always check the NHS app and read my medical records after appointments to see what is written . Result severe fragility.
Went nuts and had it removed from my records . When I went again for a blood test told the nurse straight away she was not to fill in the form and explained yet again why I will not be labelled that.

Found my GP during our phone appointment last week she had done it again severe fragility on my health records.

See my GP end of the month and it's coming off my records . And making sure it's not done again.

I was born disabled . Disability doesn't mean you have severe fragility or that you are incapable. I am 67 . I have experience when I was 29 when being labelled by hospital drs what harm it can do and how it stopped my GP getting me to see consultants.

Thankfully my hospital records here don't have severe fragility on them.

I know some with think it's silly but see how you like it you get labelled something you are not.

I am disabled but that doesn't stop me living a full and happy life. Infact I think disabled people are very inventive if we can't do what we what the so called normal way we find ways to do the same thing but our way.

By being labelled severe fragility bet my score would be aged 90+ 🤣

Probably about 120. No, I have never heard of it. Interesting though.

I had never heard of it before my daughter asked but apparently it is
“ the maximum or optimum rate at which the heart, lungs, and muscles can effectively use oxygen during exercise,
used as a way of measuring a person's individual aerobic capacity.”
How a watch can measure this is a mystery to me.

Spinnaker

Just out of curiosity, what's VO2 ?

I think it's to do with aerobic capacity ie availability of oxygen during exercise. I'm not sure it's necessarily linked with metabolic age, which surely takes into account other factors such as liver and kidney function. Happy to be corrected.

Congratulations Stoker48 and MissChateline 👍🏻

Note to self: must do better 🤣

I agree with the "use it or lose it" (if you can) mantra 😊

I think my asthma might reduce my VO2 score though ☹️

Just out of curiosity, what's VO2 ?

I have a set of scales that gives me my metabolic age. Mine is currently 52 and I am 70. My daughter asked me what my VO2 was. I had no idea but my iPhone health app tells me that it is 31. Goodness she said, that would excellent for a female aged 50 to 59. So feeling quite chuffed and thinking that it is worth having a personal trainer and doing regular circuit training. Also chuffed that I dead lifted 32kg this week. My motto, use it or lose it.