General Practitioner experiences

Sykk

My latest experience with a new doctor I wanted to try out was Thursday.

I went to get my ear syringed as apparently I have a natural buildup of ear-wax that I can't clean myself. I had to get this done before. The doctor insisted "Take these drops, have a shower and sher it'll come out itself".

Here I sit, four days later with a massive ear ache, headache and deaf in my right ear.

My sister got her bloods taken by another GP closer to home, he bagged the blood, handed it to her and told her to drop it into Mullingar hospital whenever she was driving by :pac:

I have so many stories of neglect from these money making scammers it's just unreal. I've never been seriously ill, thank God. But I hope hospital doctors are better than these other people.

I'm sure there are some that actually care about their patients but I'm yet to meet one. My experiences so far have been that they're too busy making €60 a pop that they want you out as soon as you've walked in so they can move onto the next person.

smash

usual answer:

"It's a viral infection, can't do anything for it. That's €60 please..."

Wibbs

Like any profession you get good and bad, though generally speaking I've found the service pretty good over the years. However the patient has to do some of the legwork too, not just expect it all to come from the other side of the desk.

chin_grin

Did you ever think the problem is not them....it's you? :pac:

snubbleste

I've never had a bad experience.
Did you tell the doctor that you needed your ear syringed or was it a meek suggestion on your behalf?
I don't think GPs get paid/HSE does not cover to deliver samples for testing therefore the patient does it. It is one of those cutbacks.

seamus

I don't recall any bad experiences, but then I don't go to the doctor much. I've been to a GP three times in the last 15 years. Two of them were for sick notes.

Pushtrak

Sykk wrote: »

My latest experience with a new doctor I wanted to try out was Thursday.

I went to get my ear syringed as apparently I have a natural buildup of ear-wax that I can't clean myself. I had to get this done before. The doctor insisted "Take these drops, have a shower and sher it'll come out itself".

Ouch, paying for a GP visit for that. Could have gotten the drops in a pharmacy without having to pay a GP visit. Maybe I was just lucky. I saw a place doing a free hearing test as my right ear was fecked. Ear buds weren't fixing the problem and couldn't hear anything. Was told to get ear drops, did, sorted right away. Only cost a few euros.

Only time I've actually gone to the GP in recent years was because I would wake up around 2 or 3 am with a horrible feeling like I had to throw up. It's an ulcer, and it can come back to bite me if I were to eat spicy foods, for instance. Long times can go between me getting it act up, luckily. The bad thing about it is how much the prescription costs.

Sykk

snubbleste wrote: »

Did you tell the doctor that you needed your ear syringed or was it a meek suggestion on your behalf?

I told her than I had gotten this done before, and that I think it would be best if she done it again. She insisted against it :mad:

Rabies

I've mixed experiences in Ireland.
Untreated ulcer for years even though I seen a few different doctors I told them I think I have an ulcer.
Fractured my thumb, two doctors said I didn't need an x-ray or any treatment. Wasn't happy got it checked at a hospital and was put in a splint.
Here in NZ everything is checked, even small blips on the radar with bloods is re checked again until its safe. Ulcer was treated here and cured, great doctors and hospital in Auckland.

mikemac1

Nothing but good things to say about my GP

Though for €53 a go, I'd expect him to be good

FatherLen

the doctor in the village i used to live in was useless. no matter what your ailment was he would jam those stupid wooden sticks down your throat then send you on your merry way 60 quid lighter and with a prescription for cough syrup.

Splendour

Sykk wrote: »

My latest experience with a new doctor I wanted to try out was Thursday.

I went to get my ear syringed as apparently I have a natural buildup of ear-wax that I can't clean myself. I had to get this done before. The doctor insisted "Take these drops, have a shower and sher it'll come out itself".

Here I sit, four days later with a massive ear ache, headache and deaf in my right ear.

My sister got her bloods taken by another GP closer to home, he bagged the blood, handed it to her and told her to drop it into Mullingar hospital whenever she was driving by :pac:

I have so many stories of neglect from these money making scammers it's just unreal. I've never been seriously ill, thank God. But I hope hospital doctors are better than these other people.

I'm sure there are some that actually care about their patients but I'm yet to meet one. My experiences so far have been that they're too busy making €60 a pop that they want you out as soon as you've walked in so they can move onto the next person.

As someone who is sick for years with no specific diagnoses I have found GP's specialist's to be some of the most uncaring and uninterested people. I have yet to meet one that will actually follow up tests etc without me pushing them (which is very difficult to do when not in the whole of health). If you are lucky enough to have a 'known' illness then I think Docs fine but if you're sick with something unspecific they really don't want to know or assume it's all in your head. (Or God forbid should you get upset in the surgery they'll mark you down as being depressed!)

I asked my GP to send me for a head scan a couple of years ago (when desperate one will try any kind of test) but she told me if there was anything wrong in my head I wouldn't be still here (been attending her surgery for years). Anyhow, I decided to have the scan done privately and there was lesions found on my brain-not necessarily life threatening but something going on.

My experience is Doctors don't always listen to the patient and therefore I've had to research and push for most of the tests I've had done-and am still battling away...

...and the medical profession wonder why patients try alternative medicine...

Sky King

Me: I think I have meningitis
Doc: Ah no I'd say it's just the flu
Me: But I have the rash!
Doc: Ah it's a flu rash
Me: But I did the tumbler test like on the ad! Look!
Doc: But Some of them are dissapearing

I am normally not one to push these matters but I was genuinely concerned

Me: It can't be the flu, i have never felt this bad before. I was full on hallucinating last night in bed
Doc: Maybe take some paracetamol to lower your temp
Me: Would you mind asking another doctor just to be safe?
Doc: (sighs and gets one of the other doctors in)
Other doc (after a 30 second examination): Jesus Christ! Get him up to casualty!

So I went up to casualty and was unconscious within an hour. Would have been dead within another 12 or so. Probably. Or potentially blind / deaf / without limbs. Still have tinnitus but it was a small price to pay in fairness.

humbert

Unless I've a very good idea what's wrong and I'm willing to be quite insistent I just get fobbed off.

To be a good GP requires a lot of dedication and commitment which very very few of them have.

I hate the fact that they are the gatekeepers to proper doctors.

hooradiation

Sykk wrote: »

I have so many stories of neglect from these money making scammers it's just unreal. I've never been seriously ill, thank God. But I hope hospital doctors are better than these other people.

This is because nobody ever starts a story with the phrase "I went to the GP and let me tell you, I had an unremarkable and effective experience"

It happens all the damn time, but it doesn't make for a good whinge...

humbert

hooradiation wrote: »

This is because nobody ever starts a story with the phrase "I went to the GP and let me tell you, I had an unremarkable and effective experience"

It happens all the damn time, but it doesn't make for a good whinge...

Even if all the other experiences are "unremarkable and effective" it doesn't excuse the instances of neglect and incompetence.

hooradiation

humbert wrote: »

Even if all the other experiences are "unremarkable and effective" it doesn't excuse the instances of neglect and incompetence.

Nobody ever said it did, the whole point was that people only gab about the extraordinary, which is why the OP has "[heard] so many stories of neglect from these money making scammers"

Basic reading comprehension. Try it sometime.

It's strange, I've been let down by every doctor I've ever seen bar one. GPs, dentists, psychiatrists, all let me down at a hefty price, both health wise and financially.

Then I get to college, visit the free doctor, and she's great! The service is great, the staff are great (not just the doctors but the reception staff and nurses) and everyone's happy.

I honestly dread what's going to happen when I graduate and have no where to get as good a service.

generally have an ok experience with docs
got one young fella once though, i was very run down and completely lost my appetite etc etc ( i think it was stress) and he kept asking was i sure i wasnt pregnant

doc i go to in the WWC is the best ever though

Dave!

smash wrote: »

usual answer:

"It's a viral infection, can't do anything for it. That's €60 please..."

Better that they give out antibiotics to make the patients feel like they're getting their money's worth, even though they don't work against viral infections. My mother works for a GP, and he listens to that sh*t all day.

Sauve

It's like any profession, there are good and bad, and it's up to everybody as a fee-paying consumer to pick the best one you can find.
You wouldn't tolerate a half-assed plumber working on your home, yet you continue to pay good money to a doctor who's doing a half-assed job.
Shop around until you find one that's thorough and does what you're paying him/her for.

Also, for those with medical cards, it's possible to change your doctor if you're not happy. You just need to approach to your local health board and they'll change you over to a new one.

humbert

Sauve wrote: »

It's like any profession, there are good and bad, and it's up to everybody as a fee-paying consumer to pick the best one you can find.
You wouldn't tolerate a half-assed plumber working on your home, yet you continue to pay good money to a doctor who's doing a half-assed job.
Shop around until you find one that's thorough and does what you're paying him/her for.

Oddly, my sister (who doesn't have a medical card) who's had no end of medical problems tried to change her GP in our home town after some pretty appalling treatment and other GPs flatly refused to take another doctors patient/client.

I'm sure she could have gotten around this if she'd tried more GPs or perhaps been more insistent but it's still an infuriating situation.

King George VI

Doctor lady i go to is kinda hot. One day she was examining my willy and I got a boner, while it was in her hand. Needless to say I was mortified but giggled like a child.

Sauve

humbert wrote: »

Oddly, my sister (who doesn't have a medical card) who's had no end of medical problems tried to change her GP in our home town after some pretty appalling treatment and other GPs flatly refused to take another doctors patient/client.

I'm sure she could have gotten around this if she'd tried more GPs or perhaps been more insistent but it's still an infuriating situation.

That is annoying, but understandably, surgeries have a maximum amount of clients they can take on.
It could well be a case that this doctor was so bad that all of his patients were trying to move to another practice.

humbert

Sauve wrote: »

That is annoying, but understandably, surgeries have a maximum amount of clients they can take on.
It could well be a case that this doctor was so bad that all of his patients were trying to move to another practice.

It would have made more sense to say they were simply full but they were actually quite specific, they didn't take patients from other GPs.

The particular GP has a thriving practice but the bulk of patients either just want a sympathetic ear or a prescription.

People with medical cards should have to pay some nominal fee for a visit (maybe they do but seeing how frequently they go it's hard to imagine).

Chucken

humbert wrote: »

People with medical cards should have to pay some nominal fee for a visit (maybe they do but seeing how frequently they go it's hard to imagine).

Where did you get the piece of information from?

How could you possibly know who has or hasn't a medical card?

LoYL

As you diagnosed the problem and the identified the correct procedure you have two things left to do: syringe your own ear and go into practice.

cruais

St. Jimmy wrote: »

Doctor lady i go to is kinda hot. One day she was examining my willy and I got a boner, while it was in her hand. Needless to say I was mortified but giggled like a child.

I doubt that.

tayto lover

The last time I attended the doctor I had an appointment for 2pm. Five other people in the waiting room had an appointment for the same time. I saw the doctor at 2.50pm. Now that's taking the pee, especially when i had to take time off work to see him.

seantorious

Chucken wrote: »

Where did you get the piece of information from?

How could you possibly know who has or hasn't a medical card?

He's right 80% of GP visits are from medical card holders, but on the other hand isn't it supposed to be like that. These are people who have medical, social or financial conditions. Shouldn't their attendance be higher. Although some people I've seen with a medical card take the piss.

Smidge

I have zero faith in the majority of medical practitioners in this country.

Nyan Cat

Years to get a diagnosis (seriously it took 10 years to figure out what was going on with one thing) because they'd run a test - find nothing and carry on. I'd have to push for more tests
And every time I've had to do that's it's been something as I have a condition.

Some docs are great - unfortunately some aren't and some are too old school 'throw antibiotics at it'

Reality_Check1

To answer a few points that have come up in the thread;

All professions have the good and the bad its unfair to tar all GP's with the one brush.

Re money scammers - The GP only gets paid for 3 visits per year from a medical card holder at a discount rate. Therefore if they are being attended by a medical card holder regularly they are largely working for free. They have a staggering amount of overheads and thats why the cost to non medical card holders is higher.

the reason they only spend 10 mins with each patient is that they have to spend a further 10 mins writing notes, doing quick research and making recommendations before reading up on the next patient before they bring them into the office. Considering how busy surgerys are its not possible to spend any longer with patients although some would like to its just not feasable.

Re gate keepers - they are instructed to avoid sending people to hospital if avoidable. In case you havn't noticed our health service is in bits. they would be sending you to an environment where it is possible you could be seen by a newly qualified doc who hasnt slept for 3 days and is liable to make a mistake. only the most serious cases will be referred.

Just providing some balance to the debate as it seemed to be heading down the anecdotal sensationalist route you might find in a tabloid. Not saying GP's a perfect but they are trying to operate in an imperfect system

Reality_Check1

mishkalucy wrote: »

I have zero faith in the majority of medical practitioners in this country.

Irish medical schools are regarded among the top places in the world to train. The problem is the HSE and people in general here treat doctors like crap so any decent one's usually emigrate where they are treated better.

They are replaced by person's from abroad who are not as well trained. It was in the paper recently of how an immigrant doc couldnt even take a pulse (not that I have anything against immigrents just making the point they got their education abroad)

somefeen

Never had many problems with the doctor, even when I was on the medical card.
Unfortunately he died of cancer not long after I moved to the UK.

The NHS is a much better system than the Irish one though, everyone gets free treatment and AFAIK the GPs and dentists are awarded contracts with the NHS to look after X amount of patients. The contract is fairly lucrative as it basically guarantees patients so they do their best to keep it.

Karona

I am sick of GPs. I have been to one regarding me knee, do you think she would even look at it, not a chance, she was too busy checking on google what it could be from the symptoms I gave her, sure I could have done that myself.

Then my sister went with her 2 kids who were finding it hard to breath and told it was a cold they had and they would be fine. She brought them to another and another and was told the same thing, even though she knew something was wrong. She brought them to the doctor on call one night when she had had enough because her 3 year old was hallucinating with an extremely high temperature and the doctor told her to go straight to hospital.

2 days later and the 3 month old was admitted. The 3 year old had a bad case of pneumonia and the 3 month old had bronchialittus.

Sorry for the long post but i think the doctors should be informed when they misdiagnose. it has happened too many times and for them to just shrug it off.

woodoo

I think if medical card holders had to pay €10 per visit they would attend less with silly complaints. There would be less pressure on GP's to refer people to hospital if less people were turning up over egging their symptoms.

I'm happy enough with my GP practice. They are fairly good. But the problem exists where they are reluctant to refer you on if you don't have private insurance.

Smidge

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

Irish medical schools are regarded among the top places in the world to train. The problem is the HSE and people in general here treat doctors like crap so any decent one's usually emigrate where they are treated better.

They are replaced by person's from abroad who are not as well trained. It was in the paper recently of how an immigrant doc couldnt even take a pulse (not that I have anything against immigrents just making the point they got their education abroad)

So it wouldn't be due to the fact that as soon as possible the majority of Irish doctors get enough experience they take their HSE salary and then feck off into private practice???

I've spent the last six years dealing with the medical community in this country and I am ashamed for them.

herisson

I had to get blood taken a few years back!
My GP stuck the needle in, lost the vain then decides to MOVE the fcuking thing around without taking it out, trying to find a vain :mad:

Most painful blood test ive ever had!

Seren_

road_sweeper wrote: »

GP,s dont like patients to have an opinion and they certainly dont like patients to give their opinion , they perfer patients to act like a vets patients , say nothing and take whatever is given

Ah to be fair I don't think that is true of all GPs/doctors. Of course there are GPs that think they are fonts of knowledge not to be questioned, but others (possibly the majority of cases even) would listen to the patient and take their concerns on board.

The GP I see at the moment is great. I have a lot of health issues, including some complex mental health ones, and she really has been very helpful over the few years I've been seeing her. She's a great listener too, which is obviously a really good quality for a doctor to have, although not all are blessed with that! The GP at my college is absolutely wonderful as well. Seriously, I have never seen someone go above and beyond their role in helping people as much as her. I basically nearly lived in the medical centre at one point during college because I was so unwell, and her and the rest of the staff were amazing. Did the same for a lot of people I know too.

On the other hand, I've also been seen by a few awful GPs. I find in those cases it seems to be that their personality is just totally not suited to a job involving people. Luckily haven't been to one who was totally incompetent, although I have heard some stories :eek: People around where I'm located will probably know who I mean by that.

humbert

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

the reason they only spend 10 mins with each patient is that they have to spend a further 10 mins writing notes, doing quick research and making recommendations before reading up on the next patient before they bring them into the office. Considering how busy surgerys are its not possible to spend any longer with patients although some would like to its just not feasable.

Re gate keepers - they are instructed to avoid sending people to hospital if avoidable. In case you havn't noticed our health service is in bits. they would be sending you to an environment where it is possible you could be seen by a newly qualified doc who hasnt slept for 3 days and is liable to make a mistake. only the most serious cases will be referred.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Just on these two points.

The GPs I know of are operating a private practice. I don't know of government run surgeries but I don't know much about it.

My understanding is that there is no quota to be filled so more time with patients simply means less money for the GP and vise versa. Just from my own experience, the turnaround between patients was usually much much less than ten minutes but I presume that varies between doctors.

I do appreciate that a direct route to specialists would leave them swamped but there are very few professions that can tell you "I'm not able to help you at all, you'll have to go see this guy. Now pay me.".

Is there any restriction on the frequency medical card holders can visit the doc without having to pay? (I take it that if the doc is not getting paid after the third visit the patient isn't paying anything either).

SusieBlue

I love my GP. I've been going to her since I was a baby, she usually knows if I'm ill before I do myself. I wouldn't be able to find a better one if I tried.

littleteapot

I was refused a smear test on the basis of being a lesbian who's not extremely sexually active even though cervical cancer is caused by more than just heaps of sex.
And I've had a bad back for a year and a half for which I had to pretty much beg to get an x-ray. The x-ray showed nothing wrong, and the doctor hasn't suggested any further tests. He did suggest spinal surgery though, you know, just in case!?

mauzo

ABout a year ago I went to the doctor because I had back pain. He said it was fine.
Started to notice swelling around the base of my spine and lumps on my spine.

He told me to go to physio. Waited months for physio, went for 2 months and she said I needed an x ray. Even to look at my back the swelling is noticeable, and you can see a 'step'
NOw a year later, I'm waiting for spinal surgery because I have cysts growing out of my spine and It's misaligned. Even after the x ray the doctor is still telling me its nothing.
I can feel at least 10 lumps on my spine!!!

peewee_44

My GP is great I don't relish going to him hes a doc after all but I like him

Shryke

Great for writing a cert. Not great for finding what an illness might be.

Richard Hillman

As i said in another thread. I was very ill a few years ago, knew what was wrong with me and couldnt afford a GP until i got paid. When i got paid I went to the GP and told him what was wrong with me and he said that i should go to the hospital. Of course that cost €60. The doctor in the hospital told me, i would have died had i left it a few days later.

At the moment i have an issue that I know what is wrong and what medication i need (nothing serious). I need to go to him and pay him 60 quid to get a poorly written note to get a prescription :rolleyes:

Its like a cartel the GPs, the law makers and the pharmacists have. They have no morals :mad:

sarahbro

Went to the doctors about 2 years ago. I thought I had a chest/throat infection.


Got a locum instead of my normal doctor.
She took a look down my throat and Said "oh you've got tonsilitis, your tonsils are very big"

I had to tell her I had my tonsils taken out 10 years ago :eek:

fasttalkerchat

Broke my collar bone a few years back. It didn't heal right. Sits at a bad angle and join is only a few mm. I went to the GP and she said I would probably need an operation and sent me on to a specialist. Specialist took one look at it and said it looks very good... I thought he was being sarcastic but no. He claimed that that's the best you can get from a broken collar bone. 3 years later and it still flares up every few months.

ToddyDoody

'I'll write you a prescription'

Reality_Check1

Going to ignore the majority of this thread as it is either isolated incidence that I dont know enough about to comment or posts filled with too much misinformation to correct.

To answer the 2 below

mishkalucy wrote: »

So it wouldn't be due to the fact that as soon as possible the majority of Irish doctors get enough experience they take their HSE salary and then feck off into private practice???

I've spent the last six years dealing with the medical community in this country and I am ashamed for them.

In order to become a GP you need to get on the scheme which means working for the HSE as a hospital doc for a few years. As soon as your "training" is over you can leave and enter private practice. Im not really sure what you are suggesting but it sounds like you want them to work for free if they have any intention of entering private practice later.

humbert wrote: »

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Just on these two points.

The GPs I know of are operating a private practice. I don't know of government run surgeries but I don't know much about it.

My understanding is that there is no quota to be filled so more time with patients simply means less money for the GP and vise versa. Just from my own experience, the turnaround between patients was usually much much less than ten minutes but I presume that varies between doctors.

I do appreciate that a direct route to specialists would leave them swamped but there are very few professions that can tell you "I'm not able to help you at all, you'll have to go see this guy. Now pay me.".

Is there any restriction on the frequency medical card holders can visit the doc without having to pay? (I take it that if the doc is not getting paid after the third visit the patient isn't paying anything either).

Good few points here.

1. A quota doesnt have to be filled but if a doctor didnt see enough patients the surgery wouldnt be profitable. The overheads are literally astronomical - 6 figure insurance, receptionist wages, heat, ESB, Equipment etc. Some GP's have to see all these patients to justify the business.

2. In extremist cases the GP will just refer you on without trying to help you. In most cases (I hope) they will try to get to the route of the problem without blocking up the hospital route.

3. A medical card holder can visit as often as they want free of charge but the doc only gets paid for 3 visits as far as Im aware. I'm sure you can see how this is problematic if you have a surgery that is mainly attended by medical card holders