Ultrasound Only Takes Five Minutes
I would definitely say to anyone who is like myself, who's father had one, if they're over 65 they should go to the doctor and ask for an 
ultrasound!
An expert has cast doubt on the government's plans to screen for a potentially fatal blood vessel condition in men over the age of 65.
Vascular surgeon, James Johnson, said the programme should be given more thought as surgery was risky in some patients and screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA)could cause a lot of worry.
But Peter Crook, aged 67 from Ilkeston in Derbyshire, who is due to have surgery for an aneurysm next month, urged men to get themselves tested.
He discovered he had an AAA after he heard about the government plans for a screening programme through the BBC earlier this year.
"My father had an aneurysm 20 years ago and, after reading the article on Ceefax, I went to see my doctor.
"He arranged for me to have an ultrasound scan and they found an aneurysm.
"They first said it was 4.9 cm, which is reasonably safe, but then I had a CT scan and they said it was 6.8 cm and had a 25% chance of bursting within a year.
"I'm having surgery next month."
Greater awareness
Mr Crook, a retired sales manager, said he was "absolutely grateful" to Ceefax as he would not have known to get checked out.
He said the point raised by Mr Johnson that AAA smaller than 5cm did not need to be operated on was fair enough. but that people should know if they are at risk.
"If it's too small to operate you can come back and keep getting checked out.
"At least you know.
"I will have to have regular check ups for the rest of my life but I'd rather do that." The doctor used a GE Logiq 200 Ultra Sound System.
Mr Crook's father was only found to have an aneurysm when it burst and although fortunately surgeons were able to operate in time, he was very ill for some time.
"I would definitely say to anyone who is like myself, whose father had one, if they're over 65 they should go to the doctor and ask for an ultrasound.
"It only takes five minutes and could save your life."
Pilots of a national ultrasound scan screening programme for AAA in men aged 65 and over are due to start this year.