Tag Archives: Medication

Bad Practice

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Noticeable Oddities of the Day:

I have a blocked Eustachian tube for months already causing a cracking sound and earache on and off. I’ve tried to relieve the symptoms with steam inhalation which was ok for a while but not very effective. I need it to be clear since I’ll be on a plane to Amsterdam soon and I really don’t want a perforated eardrum again, that would be the third time.

I’ve been trying to make an appointment with any GP of the surgery I’m registered with since my own seems to be retired in the meantime *so I was told* I had to call the snobby receptionist each day to see if there was an available spot. One can only book an appointment a week ahead, which basically means that I won’t be able to see a doctor before I’ll leave.

It’s an annoying system but I guess that’s the price you pay for free health services. I got so fed up with this that I called the hospital yesterday evening and explained the situation to them. The receptionist told me that a doctor would call me back within the hour. An hour and a half later I was on my way home -after I’d seen the doctor at the hospital- with my medication.

It doesn’t make sense to me that a hospital covers for a practice because the practice is so busy that they can’t cope… but I’m not complaining, I praise this hospital for their excellent service given to me in the past and on this particular day: to me it’s the best in London. The doctor even told me I could see him again this Saturday if I had to… Now… isn’t that nice?

© Zesty Gal, Sweets for my Sweet, sugar for my Honey (never had them in this bright Magenta colour…)

GP Annoyance

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My first visit to see my doctor, one of my doctors. It was GP Pal, a woman, from India. Old, deaf and very very stubborn. Just like me, the stubborn part that is. I thought the system over here was fine until today, A. tried to warn me several times by telling me that the system in the Netherlands is much better than in the UK… Of course I didn’t believe him and that’s exactly the reason why I came home totally frustrated.
The woman refuses to give me the proper medication, meds that I have been using for years given to me by a Chinese lung specialist at the hospital where I have been tested, over and over and over again… Wroaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa… it just really frustrates me. Why is it that people never listen, just listen, truly listen… I thought it would be alright over here. Don’t get me wrong, I still like London a lot but this is the only thing that is truly annoying me.
It’s all so pointless if she would just be interested and have a look at my medical files that I brought over just to avoid situations like these. I even offered to have it translated by a special medical translator which is probably going to cost me a fortune. But hey… if it makes her listen and understand? Then money is no issue. Better to have a few expenses than this level of annoyance. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
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