General Practitioner experiences

RoboRat wrote: »

What I do hate is when you go for a repeat prescription and they insist on 'seeing' you every time so they can charge you €60. They also seem to have no interest in actually diagnosing the problem. They will give you the 'cure' but they don't seem to bothered about why its happening, especially if its happening a lot.

My missus has experienced the same and she has had to tell her specialist what she 'should' be trying rather than vice versa. Its just seems like some are only happy to be milking people for money.

Depends on your problem really. My GP asked me to come to see him a lot over the past year but my take on that was it meant he cared. He didn't just hand me a prescription and say there you go.
Some things there isn't a cure for and it's down to management as in my case. I do have a medical card but that's besides the point.

I need to rant a little, right now I hate GPs and this whole ridiculous GP system.

As I come from another european country I was used to visit the GP once a year just for a routine check up and for him to keep track of my health history. He'd occasionally ask for lab tests or would forward me to a specialist if he saw something that worried him.

But then I'd be completely free to go directly to a specialist if so I wished. I'd go once a year to see the gynaecologist since I was 18 (because I'm a girl and we're all advised to go regularly). If I thought I had a skin problem I'd go directly to the dermatologist and he'd check it. And so on... I could pick any doctor I'd like and I just had to make an appointment, simple as that. I always used the private health care services, in the public service you'd have to wait a little longer, ofc.

I am fairly healthy but two years ago I've had a minor problem related to taking antibiotics. At that time, back in the "motherland" I scheduled an appointment with a specialist as fast as I could, went there, got it sorted. I was warned that the problem could reappear and recently it did; I recognized it easily because the symptoms are the same.

So now I have to solve it here in Ireland and instead of going directly to the person who could help me better, the specialist, I have to go to the GP. Sigh.

Maybe I was just unlucky, but I've been to a GP three weeks ago, expecting it to be a once off or at least to be directed quickly to a specialist.
He was very dismissive of what I was telling him, almost as if I insulted him when I told him, look I've had this before, I think it's the same time thing, these are the symptoms I'm having and I fear it's getting worse. He then proceeded to tell me that two of the symptoms I had described weren't compatible to the same problem - after that I rechecked, and yes they are, and they are supposed to be serious warning signs, even the NHS website describes them -, he got some samples to take to the lab and sent me away to do an Ultrasound scan. He also told me that I should go back to be examined later that week.

I thought maybe he was just being thorough and that he'd come back to me quickly, as this was something that shouldn't be left to develop.

So at this point I've had two appointments at €55 each plus and ultrasound scan at €135. At least I have private insurance. A week goes by and I wait for my results to come back. Nobody calls. I eventually call the medical centre and ask about my exams. They tell me my GP will call me back. He calls me the following day, to let me know he couldn't find nothing and he isn't sure what's wrong with me. I tell him that meanwhile my symptoms are getting worse again. He tells me I could go pick up a recommendation letter from him to go see the specialist. Fine

I get to the medical centre the following day and ask about my letter. The receptionist tells me that my file has a note saying I need to be examined again by my GP to get the letter.

At that point I told them to feck off. I think this man has examined me enough already and besides he himself told me on the phone he couldn't do nothing for me and that he was going to give me the recommendation.

Now I've found this Polish clinic with specialists that I'm sure will be able to help me.
Before this I was considering flying on a weekend to my hometown and get checked there, I wouldn't spend much more money on that than what I'd already spent here.

So now I decided I'm done with the local GPs until someone can recommend me a really good one. I'll go to the doctor every time I'm on vacations because I trusted the system here and it let me down big time. I got worse because I couldn't choose the best medical care possible and I honestly can't understand why do people stand to be milked by these overly-protected greedy bastards.

/rant over

RoboRat wrote: »

Funnily enough I have found the cure for it by trying various natural and alternative remedies and diet changes, all of which were found via the internet. He was happy to keep having me coming back and putting me on a course of antibiotics. He never done any investigation nor tests and just took €60 to write me a script. Last year I spent €2500 on the doctor and prescriptions.

there's no such thing as a repeat prescription for antibiotics maybe you're confused? There are a multitude of good reasons why you need to see a GP before some medications are renewed. Also when given the choice of going to see a GP or looking for random advice online I know what I prefer........

Not to be dismissive of people's concerns, but if your GP is woeful, why not switch GPs?

Or actually address the problems you're having with them like you would with any other service you pay for

I went to one in DCC once. It was fairly obvious what was wrong, even the doctor agreed. But it's not that easy(or cheap), i had to go back 2 more times for a series of tests which double confirmed this before i could get anti biotics.
I know they need to be sure, but it is something that could have been done in 1 appointment and from going to another doctor, she didn't even need some of the tests.
So i had to have 3 appointments(the first one being 5 mins of her deciding to run tests) at 60 euro each. She also asked me to come in for the results which would have cost another 60. I rang her instead which was free

Another time in Galway I needed a blood test. They rang me a week later asking me to come for another as they messed up the test. They still charged me! even after protesting. By the time they retook the test i had pretty much healed so it was pointless

byrned17 wrote: »

I work in a college and one student was suffering anxiety attacks and asked me if I would accompany her to the GP down the street from the college. While in the surgery, the student explained how she was feeling to the GP who responded "Why? Did something happen in your childhood? Did you get raped? Did you see one of your parents commit suicide? Were you ever assaulted?" and continue on with a list of horrific traumatic things that could have caused her depression and anxiety. She was dying for some gory details.

That's awful.

I have had a GP ask me "if anything traumatic ever happened?" but that was it, and I think it was so he could advise of counselling services.

looking_around wrote: »

That's awful.

I have had a GP ask me "if anything traumatic ever happened?" but that was it, and I think it was so he could advise of counselling services.

Im almost sure that was the reason, if he didn't know what the problem was he couldn't help. I suppose thats the purpose of doctor-patient confidentiality so that you can feel comfortable to discuss such personal and sensitive things in confidence.

EyeSight wrote: »

I went to one in DCC once. It was fairly obvious what was wrong, even the doctor agreed. But it's not that easy(or cheap), i had to go back 2 more times for a series of tests which double confirmed this before i could get anti biotics........

That bit was good though ( bit too good ? ) - handing out antibiotics for the craic is bad

looking_around wrote: »

You can ask the question while being more tactful, as I showed in my post. Don't list out every possibility. =.='
And tbh, alot of people develop anxiety due to stress and not actually anything too traumatic.

And any good doctor will avoid benzos for anxiety and use anti-depressants that also work on anxiety, as these arent addictive.

she should have been tactful when she was asking the questions but sometimes patients appreciate being asked those sort of questions outright as its easier to say yes or no. It can take several weeks for antidepressants to take effect so they wouldn't be very useful in an acute anxiety state.

gctest50 wrote: »

That bit was good though ( bit too good ? ) - handing out antibiotics for the craic is bad

hardly for the craic. I get that they needed to run tests, but spreading basic tests out over a few appointments when it could have all been done in 1 just seemed like a way to get me to pay for multiple appointments.

e.g. The first visit was 60 euro and all she did was book a blood test in the same office for the next week(for another 60). Why couldn't she have just taken my blood there and then? Is it beneath a doctor to take blood now?

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

.........

Real doctors are the guys in A&E dealing with the masses.

:pac: The A & E lottery ?

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

I think they're a scurge. Megabuck salaries for diagnosing sniffles and coughs at 60 euro a pop. I try to keep my vists to these glorified perscritpionists to a minimum. GP's become GP's because its a cushy well paid job.

Real doctors are the guys in A&E dealing with the masses.

There actually isnt much of sniffles and coughs in general practice, that might be what you go for, which is a bit silly seeing as there isn't much the GP can do for you.

Also annoys me when people say things like 'real doctors are the guys in the hospitals'
How do you think the GP becomes a GP? many of them spend years working in the hospitals,. At the very very minimum they do 2 years in rotations including A&E, paeds, obs&gyn etc. So you are contradicting yourself there. The doctor treating you in A&E today might be a GP next year....