Why doesn't someone tell the GP's?

Sarky

tayto lover wrote: »

Maybe its me and my suspicious mind but it has happened to three members of my family recently where we have been sent for further attention for what seemed like minor knock(my own being a bang on the shoulder from a fall on a wet floor) . Maybe its just coincidence.

I would be quicker to blame your insurance people.

44leto

Andrea B. wrote: »

A rant. Maybe I am missing the obvious?

You need a perscription for antibiotics.
Doctors prescribe them based on their educated judgement and symptoms displayed.

Then why is the HSE driving an ad campaing to tell the rest of us not to take antibiotics for cold and flu?

See link.

Could they not, ..............perhaps, just tell the doctors?

Because you have paid the quack and you have to feel you are leaving with something. So he usually writes a script for antibiotics. They wont do any harm and they may stop an opportunist infection in your weakened state.

InkSlinger67

robinph wrote: »

That doesn't actually happen.

In odd cases it does to be fair - there wouldn't be queues of them now.

I remember going to the doctor 2 years ago - I got to reception and before the front door was able to close a woman dashed in. She ran straight up the stairs without talking to reception, burst into the doctor's office while he was seeing another patient and shouted "Doctor! Doctor! You can't send me back to work yet Doctor!!!! Please extend my sick leave!!!!!"

True story. Funny in a way but disturbing in most ways.

tayto lover

tayto lover wrote: »

Maybe its me and my suspicious mind but it has happened to three members of my family recently where we have been sent for further attention for what seemed like minor knock(my own being a bang on the shoulder from a fall on a wet floor) . Maybe its just coincidence.

What do you mean by "further attention"? X rays? There seems to be a misconception among some people that a doctor should be able to just look at you, put their stethoscope on your chest, poke around a bit and immediately know exactly what's wrong.

Real life medicine isn't like Dr. House. Sometimes a whole battery of a tests must be done before there is enough information to form a diagnosis.

Yahew

44leto wrote: »

Because you have paid the quack and you have to feel you are leaving with something. So he usually writes a script for antibiotics. They wont do any harm and they may stop an opportunist infection in your weakened state.

If they didn't do harm the campaign is even more mis-guided than we thought.

Sky King

They wont do any harm

Aside from leaving you drained...

But it's the widespread unnecessary antibiotic drug proliferation that does the harm, not the single cases.

tayto lover

Deleted User wrote: »

What do you mean by "further attention"? X rays? There seems to be a misconception among some people that a doctor should be able to just look at you, put their stethoscope on your chest, poke around a bit and immediately know exactly what's wrong.

Real life medicine isn't like Dr. House. Sometimes a whole battery of a tests must be done before there is enough information to form a diagnosis.

No. The x-rays showed nothing and it wasn't even sore anymore but i was still sent to another guy. Maybe it was just to .......make sure i was o.k.

44leto

Yahew wrote: »

If they didn't do harm the campaign is even more mis-guided than we thought.

Well they do, there is a time coming when we may lose the antibiotic. There is already a number of bacterial infections that have evolved an immunity. We have all heard of the MRSA but there is also resistant TB and other infections..

These are wonder drugs and true ellixers of life that we take very much for granted. I know I would have died without them, so would a number in my family. There was a time when a chest or any infection was a life threatening illness.

So individually it is ok to over prescribe them but not in the greater population, I know that is ironic, but it istrue. Also they should not be routinely given to livestock.

tayto lover

tayto lover wrote: »

No. The x-rays showed nothing and it wasn't even sore anymore but i was still sent to another guy. Maybe it was just to .......make sure i was o.k.

Who was the other guy and who sent you to him? X rays do not show soft tissue injuries very well so just because they were normal doesn't mean it was a closed case.

cruizer101

spurious wrote: »

Doctors know everything, they got 600 points in their Leaving and became doctors to help people.
No way would any of them be writing prescriptions for unnecessary antibiotics just to screw 50 quid out of a punter.

Maybe it is the drunkenness in me causing confusion but really not sure if you are being sarcastic here or not, too lazy to read whol ethread to see. I generally agree with you and reckon your snsible enough so reckon it is sarcasm but just in case it isn't WTF.

This really is a big problem as ot desn't just effect all those idioits who go to doctor with a sniffle on them. I t affect severy one, those idiots are causing infection sto get stronger and stronger unnecessarily meaning we need stronger and stronger antibiotcs ****ing us all up it really does annoy me.

theTinker

I'd be of the typical type that prefers to leave my gp with a prescription for something than nothing. If i went a few times and i left with nothing often, I'd change doctors.

I can see the logic in this being a bad move, however I can also see the reasons for doing it easily.

I want medicine to make me feel better, since it costs me 50euro to see my gp, If i leave with nothing, i feel i should of talked to my Cat about my ailments instead. Its cheaper with the end result being the same.
Also, I tend to be quite prone to infections in my chest for 4-5 cold months of the year. I am quite utterly tired of doctors sending me home empty handed, then my body proceeding to die for a few days before i go back and they tell me that i now have a bacterial infection or some secondary thing that requires antibiotics.

It also is VERY handy for me to have them on standby, when i start getting ill and my chest acts up, If i have them on hand, I can save myself ALOT of bother, especially if its the weekend. I got swine flu last year, as it was friday, I was fecked for a few days until a doctor came on monday, and then told me i had swine flu and a bacterial secondary infection...

MyKeyG

theTinker wrote: »

I want medicine to make me feel better, since it costs me 50euro to see my gp, If i leave with nothing, i feel i should of talked to my Cat about my ailments instead.

Maybe your cat can prescribe you something from the litter box because that's exactly what a GP is giving you when he prescribes something for cold and flu.

TimeToShine

Well my Dad is a GP and I've spoken to him about this...

He said that he rarely prescribes stuff that people don't need but sometimes people are just plain stupid and hellbent on getting something out of him. People don't like hearing "rest and drink plenty of water" for 50 beans. Also, medical card users abusing the system by popping in every time they have a cough doesn't help. Making GP visits free would absolutely cause more harm than good, the places would be absolutely bursting with idiots too lazy to just sit back and wait who want some form of magic drug to fix all their problems.

Jumpy

Its free in Australia and that doesnt happen.

MyKeyG

TimeToShine wrote: »

Well my Dad is a GP and I've spoken to him about this...

He said that he rarely prescribes stuff that people don't need but sometimes people are just plain stupid and hellbent on getting something out of him. People don't like hearing "rest and drink plenty of water" for 50 beans. Also, medical card users abusing the system by popping in every time they have a cough doesn't help. Making GP visits free would absolutely cause more harm than good, the places would be absolutely bursting with idiots too lazy to just sit back and wait who want some form of magic drug to fix all their problems.

Your dad sounds like a typical Doctor. It amazes me how often they don't appreciate that the common man does not have their medical knowledge and so they fail to realise that with even the most basic of ailments comes much anxiety. Maybe if they were a bit more humble they'd avoid making mistakes like the time my Dad was 'diagnosed' with flu and told to go home and rest. Three days later he was in the ICU as it turned out he actually had pneumonia in both lungs. If only my Father had been a little more 'stupid' and 'hellbent on getting something out of him' as you put it.

It amazes me how they expect people to accept that there's nothing wrong with charging extortionate sums of money for doing sweet fanny Adam. 'Go home and rest, that'll be fifty euro please'. In my view they're up there with bankers and politicians. In fact they're worse because they make their money off of peoples fear for their health.

Buceph

MyKeyG wrote: »

It amazes me how they expect people to accept that there's nothing wrong with charging extortionate sums of money for doing sweet fanny Adam. 'Go home and rest, that'll be fifty euro please'. In my view they're up there with bankers and politicians. In fact they're worse because they make their money off of peoples fear for their health.

Protest them, then! Refuse to go to a doctor. Even if you're really really sick, say "no, they'll just scam me" and don't go.

ebixa82

MyKeyG wrote: »

Your dad sounds like a typical Doctor. It amazes me how often they don't appreciate that the common man does not have their medical knowledge and so they fail to realise that with even the most basic of ailments comes much anxiety. Maybe if they were a bit more humble they'd avoid making mistakes like the time my Dad was 'diagnosed' with flu and told to go home and rest. Three days later he was in the ICU as it turned out he actually had pneumonia in both lungs. If only my Father had been a little more 'stupid' and 'hellbent on getting something out of him' as you put it.

It amazes me how they expect people to accept that there's nothing wrong with charging extortionate sums of money for doing sweet fanny Adam. 'Go home and rest, that'll be fifty euro please'. In my view they're up there with bankers and politicians. In fact they're worse because they make their money off of peoples fear for their health.

Unfortunately you are not alone in being misguided and having no actual knowledge of prescribing and the harmful affects of over prescribing.

And to suggest that medical professionals are as corrupt as politicians, grow up ffs.

theg81der

I reckon doctors can be a bit arrogant and over-rated. They`ve got very used to doing a check list and don`t really think out side the box too much which means they can miss things they assume the person doesn`t have based on risk factors not being present ie if your a young woman and they do all the obvious tests and find nothing you have to be suffering from anxiety and stress.

ebixa82

The main issue here is wether or not the patient has a viral or bacterial infection. The patient may feel like they are dying and so must get some antibiotics but if it is a bad dose of influenza then there is absolutely fcuk all an antibiotic will do.

The cold/flu virus is generally self limiting, and in the absence of any secondary bacterial infection, usually last 7-10 days. People may get their hands on antibiotics and take them but need to realize they are doing nothing, that the body itself is fighting the virus.

I think all these conspiracy theorists need to realize that Doctors have the patient's best interests and that of the general populous at heart. If they genuinely didn't give a damn then they would actually be throwing out anti-biotics to anyone with the slightest of runny noses.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned here is the role of the Pharmacist. They are well educated and trained health care professionals and you don't need to make an appointment or fork out 50e for them to tell you you just have a cold or flu or if perhaps you actually should see the GP to confirm a bacterial infection.

Canis Lupus

A worryingly large percentage of my friends (oddly enough only the Irish ones) never ever have colds. They only ever have 'chest infections' which requires an immediate GP visit and subsequent antibiotics.

tayto lover

Buceph wrote: »

Protest them, then! Refuse to go to a doctor. Even if you're really really sick, say "no, they'll just scam me" and don't go.

I believe that there are a lot of people taking that line already.

MagicSean

tayto lover wrote: »

I believe that there are a lot of people taking that line already.

That's a problem in itself. We all hear about the cost of sick days to the government but we never hear the other side. A person who goes into work sick with a cold may be saving the cost of a sick day but they risk spreading their cold to the rest of the staff. So even if it is only something that requires rest it's important to go to the doctor to ensure you get that rest.

Mike 1972

Sky King wrote: »

But it's the widespread unnecessary antibiotic drug proliferation that does the harm, not the single cases.

A raindrop will never admit responsibility for the flood..........

I know SO many people that feel the need to go to the doctor with a cold/flu. And often come out with antibiotics. That don't end up working anyway (obviously).

Only reason I ever go to the docs is to get repeat prescriptions. Oh and 3 years ago I had a kidney infection that I needed antibiotics for and ended up being allergic to the stuff. That's the last time I got antibiotics. Lucky I guess.

Sarky

MyKeyG wrote: »

It amazes me how they expect people to accept that there's nothing wrong with charging extortionate sums of money for doing sweet fanny Adam. 'Go home and rest, that'll be fifty euro please'. In my view they're up there with bankers and politicians. In fact they're worse because they make their money off of peoples fear for their health.

The simple solution would be to stop putting yourself in a position where you have to hand over €50 for someone to tell you something you should already know yourself. Learn something about diseases, you'll be less scared of them.

Your dad's pneumonia most likely wouldn't have been helped by demanding antibiotics. Pneumonia is hard to diagnose anyway, and even if you do it can be bacterial, fungal or viral. Which brings us back to the beginning of this thread.

He'd have been in hospital regardless. <shrug>

tonsiltickler

GP's are often subject to visit from pharmaceutical reps who'll push them to prescribe their antibiotics. The same thing happens in hospitals with equipment. Simple as.

ebixa82

tonsiltickler wrote: »

GP's are often subject to visit from pharmaceutical reps who'll push them to prescribe their antibiotics. The same thing happens in hospitals with equipment. Simple as.

Nah, that doesn't really happen anymore. There are strict rules and restrictions in place about drug companies giving incentives to GPs in the form of trips, junkets, gifts etc.

stinkle

I really don't understand why people are so fond of antibiotics, I only ever take them as a last resort. They don't just kill the bug causing your illness, they also kill bacteria that are related to the harmful bug, but which themselves are harmless and actually beneficial. Anytime I've been prescribed one for a chest infection its made me better after a couple of days but then causes an upset stomach, probably due to it killing off the good bugs in my gut. I detest taking them for this reason!

The same effect can cause yeast infections in women, and the upset tummy side effects can make contraceptive pills less effective or even totally ineffective. They're strong drugs with lousy side effects. Why anyone would be disappointed at not being prescribed them is beyond me! Even if gp'sdiagnose a viral infection they can sign you off work so its not like 50 quid wasted if you're genuinely ill

MyKeyG

MyKeyG wrote: »

In my view they're up there with bankers and politicians. In fact they're worse because they make their money off of peoples fear for their health.

What a load of nonsense. Maybe you should talk to some NCHDs doing 80+ hour weeks, with much of it COMPLETLEY UNPAID, working themselves to exhaustion trying to keep the countries hospitals running.

Helping sick people, how dare they.

Saila

people are idiots, I though everyone knew that

no I dont mean the docs