Cycling UK Forum

If the Op is correct he's found a use for homeopathy.

Mike Sales wrote:These hypochondriacs must be quite determined and plausible to get through the difficulties of receptionist triage, busy telephones and shortage of open consultation slots that I encounter when I need to see my G.P.

Receptionist triage. That annoys me. Medical matters are personal and for gp and selected others. It's not for some receptionist to know or ask about imho.

My son's gp practise has an reception in the busy waiting room. I've been sitting in there and heard 4 phone calls one day from people booking appointments where the receptionist basically summarises the reason the caller wanted an appointment. One was very personal.

We use that practise which is different to ours because they see children quicker. Basically you can see at least a nurse practitioner for your child the same day you call. However we never tell the receptionist why we're calling. So we always get sent to the nurse practitioner. Occasionally our child needs the gp. In that case the nurse takes us to the gp or gets the gp to sign the prescription the nurse practitioner can't sign off.

Imho don't tell the receptionist anything you want to be kept private.

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
I rather be classed as whatever than visit the doctor and then not take their advise like many do
Who's wasting who's time.
.

I think I'd fit into that category a couple of times. Not my fault because doctors do not tell you the whole story about prescriptions even if they have time to do so.

Example one - a consultant at a pain clinic I went to gave me the option to get a prescription for a certain beta blocker medication for migraines. No more information than it may help. I got the drugs and went home. Talked to a nurse friend on the way home and she put me off it. She knew the drug had problems if you ever had to come off it plus it's a serious drug not to be taken without knowing about side effects and other issues. She also called a consultant doctor friend about it. Her friend had medical knowledge about it plus had taken it for migraine. She said she stopped it after side effects then had bad problems coming off it. I took the drugs to my local pharmacist for disposal.

My gp later prescribed other drug categories for migraine after that pain clinic consultation with thre authority of the consultant (GPs can't prescribe some drugs without secondary authority). That drug too was scary with side effects. I didn't take them either.

Both cases the doctors had no intention of telling me the information I needed to decide whether to take the prescription. Wasting my time and their time as well.

Cugel wrote:The new bigbody of the Blighty GPs has put out a suggestion that doctors do too much in our modern life - prescribe drugs and treatments that are, essentially, unnecessary or even counter-productive. He suggests some pressures that tend to cause this: desire to justify the doctor's role; the assumption that doing something is always better than doing nothing; most of all, pressure from patients for treatment.

Cugel

There is a news item this morning (sorry, no link but was on Radio 4) that says that life expectancy in the US is declining (the country that spends the most per head on health in the world).

Various theories (including pharmaceutical drugs) have been put forward as to why this is the case but at the heart of them is that there is something terribly wrong about the lifestyle of Americans.

horizon wrote:

Cugel wrote:The new bigbody of the Blighty GPs has put out a suggestion that doctors do too much in our modern life - prescribe drugs and treatments that are, essentially, unnecessary or even counter-productive. He suggests some pressures that tend to cause this: desire to justify the doctor's role; the assumption that doing something is always better than doing nothing; most of all, pressure from patients for treatment.

Cugel

There is a news item this morning (sorry, no link but was on Radio 4) that says that life expectancy in the US is declining (the country that spends the most per head on health in the world).

Various theories (including pharmaceutical drugs) have been put forward as to why this is the case but at the heart of them is that there is something terribly wrong about the lifestyle of Americans.

Given their fascination and fetish for personal violence as the go-to solution to all life's problems, large or small, I often feel that Yankers have a deathstyle rather than a lifestyle. Their underlying winner-loser schtick only goes to reinforce this dire States of affairs. Self-abuse, self-neglect and self-indulgence are also regarded as "rights" no matter how deadly.

A very queer place but an object lesson to us all - if we can learn it. SOme seem to take the inverse lesson and so emulate them Yankers, to their peril and that of all they come into contact with. Memetic plague-yankers, often foaming at the mind!

Cugel

My take on it is that although violence (suicide is also cited) is significant, it isn't as important as the general malaise. And, without wishing to drag Brexit into this, there are some elements of the American diet, lifestyle and health system that we are currently immune from but may not be for much longer.

horizon wrote:

Cugel wrote:The new bigbody of the Blighty GPs has put out a suggestion that doctors do too much in our modern life - prescribe drugs and treatments that are, essentially, unnecessary or even counter-productive. He suggests some pressures that tend to cause this: desire to justify the doctor's role; the assumption that doing something is always better than doing nothing; most of all, pressure from patients for treatment.

Cugel

There is a news item this morning (sorry, no link but was on Radio 4) that says that life expectancy in the US is declining (the country that spends the most per head on health in the world).

Various theories (including pharmaceutical drugs) have been put forward as to why this is the case but at the heart of them is that there is something terribly wrong about the lifestyle of Americans.

That spend doesn't fall on all heads. In the US people with no health insurance and who can't afford to pay die untreated if they get cancer or are badly injured in an accident and presumably a child from a poor family with type 1 diabetes will just die from it.

pete75 wrote:

horizon wrote:

Cugel wrote:The new bigbody of the Blighty GPs has put out a suggestion that doctors do too much in our modern life - prescribe drugs and treatments that are, essentially, unnecessary or even counter-productive. He suggests some pressures that tend to cause this: desire to justify the doctor's role; the assumption that doing something is always better than doing nothing; most of all, pressure from patients for treatment.

Cugel

There is a news item this morning (sorry, no link but was on Radio 4) that says that life expectancy in the US is declining (the country that spends the most per head on health in the world).

Various theories (including pharmaceutical drugs) have been put forward as to why this is the case but at the heart of them is that there is something terribly wrong about the lifestyle of Americans.

That spend doesn't fall on all heads. In the US people with no health insurance and who can't afford to pay die untreated if they get cancer or are badly injured in an accident and presumably a child from a poor family with type 1 diabetes will just die from it.

The Yankers don't mind as those deaders were just "losers" and it was all their own fault for not being "winnahs". In Blighty, we have their equivalen - "the undeserving poor". But the more gory Tory are now plotting to deal with them! If they aren't willing to be worked to death with 8 zero-hours "contracts", we will remove that money we foolishly give them so a fat cat can get as bit fatter instead. They are only claiming benefits because they are too lazy to be deliverooers in that London for £1:67 a day (+ tips).

Cugel

Yvonned wrote:While I can agree to some extent with some of the proposals here I have a couple of things to say. My husband and I are, fit healthy, eat 95% vegan,

Just curious to know what the 5% non vegan part of your diet constitutes?

Mike

I remember a few years ago, a woman arriving in the department demanding a "back X-Ray"

Explained that as it involves a radiation dose, it has to be requested by a Doctor under certain criteria, so not possible.

Off she goes to make a formal complaint about our attitude.

Turns out she was having coffee and the woman on the next table was saying how much her back had improved after the X-Ray and we were denying her this cure.

It is amazing how many people feel better after an X-Ray

The only way this happens is if the problem was not physical in the first place

Cunobelin wrote:I remember a few years ago, a woman arriving in the department demanding a "back X-Ray"

Explained that as it involves a radiation dose, it has to be requested by a Doctor under certain criteria, so not possible.

Off she goes to make a formal complaint about our attitude.

Turns out she was having coffee and the woman on the next table was saying how much her back had improved after the X-Ray and we were denying her this cure.

It is amazing how many people feel better after an X-Ray

The only way this happens is if the problem was not physical in the first place

The dentist is always x-raying my toofs. "I will sue if I get cancer of the toof", I warn her. Of course, she makes my toofs better than they were, which may or may not be due to the x-rays. If it is them rays that are the cure, I might sue her for making me have the jabs, drillings and so forth as well!

Cugel, trying out the popular common-sense mode.

Hi Mike, in answer to your question what’s the 5% non vegan

I’m vegan in everything except on a long ride when the only cake shop we can find is non vegan. Hubby is vegan at home but eats fish or meat when out for a sit down meal. Hope this clarifies for you.

Our gp surgery has sent me off for xrays before. Friday 3 pm at GP, 4:25pm same day I'm standing at the counter of the GP Xray department of nearest hospital and 4:30pm I'm walking out having had my xray(s). Twice it's been that fast.

A week later receptionist calls my mobile to give me the results. Lungs ok, knee fooked! Good to know that so quickly.

reohn2 wrote:I reckon stress and loneliness are at the heart of many diseases,modern life breeds it in one form or another.

You're right about loneliness. I think small health niggles become bigger if you're lonely.
I saw a TV programme about a day in a doctors practice. Quite a number of patients didn't need a doctor, just some reassurance.
If this is repeated across the country it's no surprise you have to wait to see a doctor.

Cugel wrote:The dentist is always x-raying my toofs. "I will sue if I get cancer of the toof", I warn her.

I've been injected with radioactive technetium tracer dye (twice) for a perfusion scan. The dose is equivalent to about 500 Xrays, so they tell you to stay away from children and pregnant women for a day or two afterwards. I've also had a CT scan, which I think is even higher dose, and used to get regular chest Xrays as a kid because my father had TB. I don't think I glow in the dark yet as far as I've noticed.