Clyde's story: The importance of self-checking

I got involved with Movember because their messaging really resonated with me. I felt it was important to raise awareness about both physical health and mental health. Once I got involved I ended up connecting with so many people, so I really love that aspect of the charity too.

Health checks

The Movember message of getting regular health checks really strikes a chord with me. About seven years ago Movember had a pop-up event with Sam’s Barbers. I was there to promote the pop-up for DublinTown.ie. Once everyone got their hair cut they had to get a health check. Basically, you would have a chat with a doctor on site and then they would check your blood pressure etc. When I was finished and about to leave, Sam said to me everyone has to get the health check, so you do too. So in behind the curtain I went. I had a quick chat with the doctor and she began to measure my blood pressure. She measured it on one arm and looked confused. She then did it on the other arm and said "that’s strange, the machine isn’t measuring you."

She said the machine only goes to a certain height of blood pressure and if it’s not measuring you, you’re off the scale.

She explained that having really high blood pressure was dangerous if left unaddressed and that you would be at risk of a heart attack, stroke or brain aneurysm. She said I had to go to my GP straight away. I went to the GP and they measured it again. It was still far too high. The GP said I needed to be on blood pressure tablets to control my blood pressure, which I’ll probably stay on for life now.

Skipping the Dr's

I never used to go to the doctor, so the message of Movember of regular checks has now gotten me into a routine of going at least once a year and getting all my health checks done. I feel really grateful that Movember basically extended my life by discovering the blood pressure issue and also making me realize the importance of checking myself.

Checking your testicles

Because Movember really emphasizes the checking of your testicles, I started to check myself. In December, I found a lump and it scared the hell out of me. I got out of the shower and made an appointment with the doctor straight away. After an examination, the doctor said he didn’t think it was anything sinister but sent me for an ultrasound just in case. The ultrasound showed that I had a buildup of Calcium so it wasn’t serious, just something that can happen over time.

The time waiting for those results was very hard. It was about three months between finding it, getting the ultrasound and then getting the results. When you find a lump, you instantly think of the worst-case scenario. I was so lucky that it was nothing sinister but it really brought home to me how important it is for regular checks and follow-ups with medical professionals.

When I found the lump, I checked the Movember website, Nuts & Bolts, and it gave me a lot of comfort.

There is so much information there including stories about the guys who were ok after having Testicular cancer. Although, thankfully, I did not have Testicular cancer, I did not know that until I saw my doctor and got the ultrasound to confirm. During that wait time, your mind can go to some dark places, so the Movember website gave me a degree of comfort.

Being the barrier

I think in terms of both mental health and physical health checks, men can be a barrier to themselves. They often say "I’m not going to bother to go to the doctor or go to see a therapist" and that can be really damaging. If you’re not feeling good mentally, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. If you find anything suspicious on your body, no matter how small, don’t wait around to get it checked. Even psychologically it’s not good to leave it hanging over you.

I would also advise to get a general health check once or twice a year. If I hadn't gotten my blood pressure checked at that event, I might not have been around for my wife and kids.